Lead Round Nose bullets for S.D.?

The round profile does help with speed loaders, but that's the only advantage that comes to mind. Comes in handy when competing at the range.

If it were legal I'd pop a turkey with one so as to not damage as much meat, but around here it's only leagal to blow their heads off with a 12ga.

I do think lead bullets are great for SD, but as mentioned before a SWC will make a better hole.
 
Lead Round Nose bullets for S.D.?
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Wild Bill Hickok used a brace of Navy Cap-n-Ball .36s using simple lead balls.

Once when 5 men accosted him in a barn he killed all five with them two guns (and no reloading.)

Of course he was a dead shot and had some real steady hands.

Deaf
 
This thread reminds me of the 'Nyclad' bullets, which are dead-soft lead hollowpoints coated with nylon to prevent leading. Mas Ayoob has recommended them highly for snubbies. I've had a hard time finding them for a while, though.
 
You have to ask what is "self defense". I know that the situations that I have had here in my house/garden/neighborhood, a round nose 22LR would not just make a difference for the better, but the required difference.

If I were in an actual gun fight, I might just want something else (probably a fast handling rifle). Sometimes self defense is a matter of changing someones mind/attitude. A lead round nose in 38/three-fifty-etc is more than the candidate IMHO.

Have you ever noticed that in conflict of any kind, the one who intimidates most wins? It's the aggressors overbearing presence that gets them the advantage. Not what a bullet is made of. That is why hijackers were able to fly planes into skyscrapers... because they intimidated and terrified people. The folks who lost and died did not get cut with a box cutter. And I mean that most respectfully.

It's all in the mind. But carry what you feel confident with. There are times that having even a Leatherman have given me the confidence to walk right in to the shadow of the valley.

-SS-
 
I'm curious where the guy referred to by the OP got the idea that RNL bullets "mushroom reliably". In 40+ years of being a hand gunner I don't think I've ever heard of a RNL bullet "mushrooming" on a flesh and blood target.

Dave
 
For SD I either use a LSWCHP 158 +P round such as Remington or Buffalo Bore. A second choice would be Buffalo Bores 150 gr hard cast wadcutters. I like these better than the newer hollow points for a 38 special revolver.
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and this also illustrates my comment to newton



 
Shot placement is important but how many of us are real "Deadeyes" under stress and have Charlie Askins' coolness under fire.
Regarding Wild Bill Hickock's feats, I recall a Phil Spangenberger article where he noted that people in general wore more clothes back then, hence penetration was considered more important-and they hadn't heard of the Thompson-Lagarde tests. Cruder medical care, no 911 to call. Also I wonder if we haven't gotten too fixed on the "Struck by Lightning" notion and the Instant Stop Shot. Also how many modern day RNL bullets are pure lead as opposed to an alloy?
 
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I carry Buffalo Bore 158gr SWCHP, both +P and non-+P, which are all lead, and Speer Gold Dot 125gr +P JHPs, which are copper jacketed lead, in my 38s.

I would not carry a round-nosed bullet in a revolver, lead or jacketed, unless I had no other option. I have no doubt that they are effective in many cases. But I have other choices that I consider better. I am fervently hoping I never find out whether I made a good choice.
 
...Flat nose, semi-wadcutter or wadcutter lead bullets are far better choices for self-defense than LRN...
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How do round nose but with a large flat-nose bullet compare to semi-wadcutters? That is, does the sharp-shoulder of the semi-wadcutter offer any advantage over just a large, flat meplate?
I have noticed that round-nose bullets do not catch on the cylinder, are quicker on the re-load when using speed loaders as do/are semi-wadcutters.
 
I gave up trying to use the WCs out of a speed loader, it's a real fumble fest, SWCs are a little better. I still like RN in my speed loaders, I'm thinking a loaded revolver is better than not.
 
My uncle was a Ft Worth cop and killed one man while on duty. He killed him with the standard issue 158gr LRN given to cops in the mid to late sixties. He used a model 15 and killed the guy with one shot. He dropped right where he stood.

A LRN would not be my first pick but if its what I had and needed it right then you can bet I would use it. But I would prefer almost any other bullet shape for SD.

If you can find a box of Sellier&Bellot 158gr RNL pick up a box. This stuff is loaded hot. IIRC they list it on their site as getting 960fps and I beleive them. And it is NOT listed as +P ammo. I do wish it would occur to them to load some 158gr lead hollow points to the same velocity.
 
"You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong."
- Bob Hagel
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That's Flat Top's signature line on the Marlin Owner's forum. If you substitute "cartridge" for "rifle" and "stop the threat" for "kill an animal" I think the same reasoning applies here.
 
The plain lead bullet is the most reliable projectile, it mushrooms consistently, and never breaks up".
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Just curious...who said that?
It surely wasn't anyone I will ever take advice from. :rolleyes:
What is a "plain lead bullet"?
--An RNL?
--A SWC?
--A LSWCHP?

The thread title refers to "Lead Round Nose Bullets For SD".

If that is a question, the answer is "No".

The Speer short-barreled .38+p JHP rounds are (IMO) the cream of the .38 crop.
Differing opinions welcomed. With evidence to back it up...
 
it's your life

If you can justify using an inferior load in your gun then I'm okay with it.
I do some pretty careful research(keeps gun writers employed) and then make a desicion that I feel comfortable with.
There may be situations where a round nose design will outperform a different load.
 
I dont need to add my opinion about RN bullets. Anyone thats shot much game with the standard RN stuff knows how pathetic they are, including 45 auto RN and 45 Colt RN. Seeing jack rabbits run off after body hits with RN bullets starts to get old, and leaves you wondering where all the legends came from about certain loads. Keith bullets have a dramatically different effect on game of all sizes, and the wounds, when autopsied, leave little doubt as to their comparative effectiveness.

Reagrding Hickock and his Navies,

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Lead Round Nose bullets for S.D.?

Wild Bill Hickok used a brace of Navy Cap-n-Ball .36s using simple lead balls.

Once when 5 men accosted him in a barn he killed all five with them two guns (and no reloading.)

Of course he was a dead shot and had some real steady hands.

Deaf
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Elmer Keith wrote that a couple Civil War vets he knew, that had both seen much action, stated that the Colts Navy pistol was a noticably better fight stopper than anything they had seen from a 38 spl. This was in the days when the RN load was about all that was available commercially. He said the round balls, being very soft, and driven to fairly high velocity with a full load in the Navies, had a pretty respectable performance on game in Keiths hands, and people judging from his sources. Both the Civil War vets had said the balls were better on men than the conical bullets in the Navies.
 
The 38 special round nose lead bullet was used for years in police work. Accuracy was important to get good results, which should be the case with all defensive ammo. Many here will argue the 158 rnl bullet because of profile and shape, yet carry a 45 with ball or a 32 acp or 380 with ball because of penetration and not think about it. How many hear ever carry a small 32 acp or 380 and use only ball ammo? I picture a long nitting needle going through a person front to back into a vital area, not a good day here. There is much better ammo out there, but accuracy "placement" and penetration is what works best. Many in the medical world have said that they can't tell any difference in a wounds tracks from a 32 or a 45 when ball or round nose lead is used.
 
The Speer short-barreled .38+p JHP rounds are (IMO) the cream of the .38 crop.
Differing opinions welcomed. With evidence to back it up...
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Orion, you want evidence to back up someone's preferred SD cartridge, but give none for yours.
 
Many here will argue the 158 rnl bullet because of profile and shape, yet carry a 45 with ball or a 32 acp or 380 with ball because of penetration and not think about it. How many hear ever carry a small 32 acp or 380 and use only ball ammo?
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My experience is that ball is recommended when better ammunition doesn't function well in your gun or expanding bullets don't give adequate penetration. Not because it otherwise better or as good as ammunition with expanding bullets.

Since revolvers aren't picky about bullet shape for feeding (for the first charge anyway) there's no reason to carry it loaded with LRN if you can afford something better.
 
Also one of the arguments against JHP bullets is that they are often defeated by thick clothing while an RNL or FMJ will still penetrate.
 
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