Is the .38 enough stopping power

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workin_ike

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I just got in the gun scene. Im going to school to be come a police officer...anyway, I bought a CZ 40P semi. i like it but Im looking at my next purchase, somthing lighter than my bulky .40. I wanted a 45 revolver. so I started looking at Taurus revolvers. I like the .38 ultra light, at 21oz. but there is a total titanium at 13.5 oz. Is the .38 enough to stop someone or should I go with a .357? will the .357 be too much balls, I dont want to blow through somthing and hit somthing or someone else that i dont want to shoot? If I go with the titanium will it be too hard to have accuracy with it being too light? :confused:
 
i was just about to post a similar thread. i would say pass up the taurus and look for a smith. i have owned 3 taurus revolers (all steel) and each one has had timing or lock-up problems. spend a little more money and get a smith 342PD. 10oz but very managable, carrying it is a dream. there is also the 642PD which weighs a bit more (15oz) and cost a bit less. in fact now adays you can probably get the 642 cheaper then the taurus. good luck.
 
Many years ago police officers all over the country were carrying .38 Special revolvers. Before everyone went to semi-autos there was a mass stampede to the .357 magnum for a very good reason. The .38 sp. just was not getting the job done. I can't imagine why ANYBODY would chose such an underpowered gun in the age of PCP, methamphetamine, and heroine. I guess that anybody who is an EXCELLENT shot, and who can stay super cool in a high-stress situation, could effectively defend himself with a .38 Special. I'm not going to chance it myself.
 
It's been my experience that heavier guns with more recoil in high stress situations cause shooting performance to go down hill fast.

I see you point, however all 6 .38's on target is better than 0 .357's.

That being said I carry a .357 with .38 +P's in the cylinder.

Barring I encounter someone on PCP, I think they'll get the job done.
 
A long time ago, there was a similar debate. Should I buy a 31, a 36 or a 44 black powder revolver? After that debate a second one came about. 32 or 38? The extension of that was the 38 or 45 debate. The 30s saw motorized bandits. US police were armed mostly with junkers. Military surplus single actions, pocket pistols including breaktops and some semi-autos. They were woefully underpaid and underarmed as a consequence. The motor bandits knew this and they raided government armories to obtain weapons. When a BG has a 45 Thompson SMG and the local constable has a H&R 38, who wins? Dead LEOS were laying in the dusty roads of America. S&W stepped up to market their 38 Special chambered 44 framed 38/44 that had armor piercing rounds. The outgrowth of that was the fear of hopped up drug fiends. S&W again marketed their N framed 357 Registered Magnums. They were expensive and citizens ordered them and took their place on a waiting list. US police agencies didn't have the money to buy hand assembled target revolvers. What has this got to do with anything? I can see people 100 years from now debating Tasers v. Phasers.
 
I think the 9mm or .38 is enough to stop most humans. sure the .357 is more powerful but if one is using 9mm Silvertips or .38/357 JHP's it is enough. The heavier loads are harder to shoot of course, and in some cases preferable,especially if you have to go through a door or other obstacle.
I'm quite happy with a .38 myself for most things.
 
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Depends on what the BG is wearing and where you shoot him and, to some extent, how he feels about it.

You can get lucky with anything, most definitely including a .22LR or .25ACP, but you are more likely to get lucky with a .44Mag.

Outside of luck, you need penetration, should have unstreamlined bullet profile, and you need to mess up his CNS, or, if you have time to wait a while, his heart. Sometimes messing up his pelvis will make him fall down and drop his weapon. Under many circumstances, the 158gr LSWCHP +P will suffice. When it won't, many of the better rounds won't, either.

Again, often the results are luck, and beyond your control. Take the biggest and best you can take, if you have a choice. You will not be unarmed with a .38Spl, but don't forget to keep shooting until it's over.
 
Well personally, I happen to be a .45 fan, but wouldn't pass up any caliber when the SHTF. Stopping power isn't completely factual. There are too many factors involved other than does round pack enough punch to totally remmove threat with one shot. Too many variables. With so much to chance and luck, (unless you are an expert marksman with nerves of steel) I think I would want to put as many heavy rounds downrange as I could fast and accurately. I would trust my chances with a high capacity 9mm with the hottest round I could get. (Don't think I'd want 10-15 rounds of lead put into me....PCP or no...........)
 
"Many years ago police officers all over the country were carrying .38 Special revolvers. Before everyone went to semi-autos there was a mass stampede to the .357 magnum for a very good reason."

The real reason for the lack of performance in the .38 Spl. police guns was not the inherent lacking of the round itself -- it was the 158-gr. lead round nose bullet at 850 fps that was the problem.

These rounds were well known dogs when it came to actually shooting someone.

An example of an excellent .38 Spl. round, giving good "stopping power" is the FBI load, a 158-gr. LSWHP.

Unfortunately, when police did switch to .357 Mag., there were also a lot of failures to perform adequately -- again because the people selecting the ammo just weren't putting enough emphasis on the bullet.

The .38 Spl. is a fine defensive round with modern, high performance bullets.

Raw power is seldom the proper answer to questions such as these.

The efficient application of that power is.
 
An example of an excellent .38 Spl. round, giving good "stopping power" is the FBI load, a 158-gr. LSWHP.
Click to expand...

I would think that this round (perhaps in a +P) should be something I would look into if I was concerned about over-penetration or rapid follow-ups.
 
You won't be poorly served with a .38 special revolver. There are literally dozens of good cartridge/bullet/power combinations to chose from for the particular job at hand.

In a snubbie, minimum I'd opt for is a 125gr JHP -optionally a +P load- but I would not feel "undergunned" with a 146gr LSWCHP round either. Federal's 130gr Hydrashok is good with moderate recoil.

Personally, I'd buy a .357 snubbie and load it with .38s or .38+P rounds with a good JHP. Firing 158gr .357 Magnums in a 23oz steel gun is a bit too much as I have to readjust my grip for each shot.
 
I would agree with BILLCC

Buy the 357 and carry 38+P, yes if your going some where bad you can always drop some mags in it but what ever you do the 357 will have a higher resail price and be easer to sell.
AND stay with the smith.
 
The .38 Special, actually has a bullet diamerter closer to .357 inches.

To achieve adequate stopping power in that caliber, I recommend the .358 Winchester. Even in a short barrelled carbine, a bit much for concealed carry.

Geoff
Who repeats old wisdom. :cool:
 
On the normal market the few bucks extra for the Magnum are worth every cent both on an economics picture and on the combat (ballistics) picture. The Magnum gives the owner the ability to go with the HOT and Fast 357 loads or go down to +P or just the basic 38 Spl.

If it were me.....I would buy the Magnum

Good luck and shoot straight....... :D
 
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