Looking for info on this ammo .38 +P

F

foghorn25

New member
I purchased a box of this way back in the late 80's I believe. At the time, the salesguy claimed this to be an "FBI" load (taken with grain of salt), touted it, and I also seem to recall him saying they didn't make it anymore and he just had a few boxes left (just look at the price on the box!!). I fired some out of my Ruger Speed-six but have maybe 15 rounds left, saved them.

Does anyone have any history, performance data, or general opinions on this ammo? Obviously there are plenty of +P loads out there to choose from. But I just purchased a used GP100 and was thinking I didn't want to load it with .357's due to the likelyhood of any "intruder/confrontation" situation happening at night. Don't want the severe kick/muzzle flash and thought this might be an effective round, but mainly I'm just curious. I do recall it having quite a kick out of my Speed-six (2 3/4" barrel).

SW38P.jpg
 
Smith & Wesson offered branded ammunition from the late 1960s/early 1970s to sometime in the 1980s, IIRC.

They had a fairly comprehensive line of rifle, shotgun, and handgun ammo. A number of chamberings, including the .32 S&W and .410, are quite rare and actively sought after by collectors.

Your particular load is what is generally referred to as an "FBI" load. For many years the FBI used a 158-gr. lead semi-wadcutter hollowpoint loaded to +P specifications as their general issue load. As far as I know, though, FBI's ammo came primarily from Remington and Winchester, I've never heard of S&W supplying ammo to that organization.

While I don't know the specifics on the S&W load, the 158-gr. LSWCHP had a very good reputation in police service. It was used in many police/criminal encounters, perhaps most famously in the Miami shootout in 1986.

Agent Mirelles ended the fight and killed both Platt and Matix with shots from a Smith & Wesson Model 19 loaded with, I believe, Winchester's version of this round.

Recoil can be stout out of a small gun.
 
Good information Mike. I have the same version made by Buffalo Bore for my S&W model 10 4 inch heavy barrel. The track record for the "FBI" round is legendary and considered the best round self defense round in most circles. Your ammo probably is still good if it has not gotten wet.
Regards,
Howard
 
This is very interesting information guys. As coincedence would have it, I've just been doing a lot of reading on the 1986 Miami Shoot-out and even purchased the forensic analysis book now available to the public. I just havent got deep enough into it, so maybe the information I was looking for was right in front of my nose. I'll certainly check now.

Also was just on the Buffalo Bore site (but looking at .380 caliber). Good to know the round is still available. I really think a +P is the way to go for an in-home defense gun if you using a .38 or .357.

Thanks! Of course if anyone else wants to chime in, feel free...
 
I'm pretty sure that Winchester and Remington both still load it.

I can't tell for sure about Remington, because it seems that they think that only bullet weight is important, not the composition or any other specifics. Nor do they apparently feel that the pressure level of the ammunition needs to be discussed.

Idiots.

And the internet connection here is so incredibly slow, and so prone to hanging, that it is incrdibly painful to try to do an effective search for the information.
 
I have two boxes of the Remington version of the load earlier this year. The price isn't cheap. I paid $45/box, for two boxes. I carry them in my Model 65, and my Model 49 Bodyguard. It's still catlogued.

If you're a reloader, you can buy the bullets by Speer. They're the only maker I've seen lately which has the 158gr LSWCHP. The Speer reloading manual has some great formulae for the +P load.
 
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