Opinion about 38Sp ammo

At the +P velocity the 38 Special is a ballistic twin of the 9mm. You could even reload the same bullets in most guns. I don't like small guns. I have long fingers and muscular hands as I turned wrenches for most of my life. What serves you well is your best bet. You want to enjoy shooting your gun and you want to shoot it often. Get what works for you. It has been my experience that Remington makes the hottest revolver ammo aside from some of the specialty (expensive) ammo. It is good ammo that shoots well - mind you I have experience from 4 decades ago because I have reloaded my ammo for that long and my ammo is better in my guns. I haven't bought new ammo aside from a few boxes of 9mm (new gun) in the last 40 years - aside from rimfire.
My advice is to try a few different brands on paper to see what your gun likes and then buy a bit more to last until you start reloading your own.
 
There are a lot of pretty good factory choices for a 4" revolver...not so much for the snubs. I have tested too many factory loads in snubs that failed to perform.
 
I can't speak as to commercial ammo as all of my 38s/357s get my reloads. I use a variety of bullet designs that i cast myself - usually in the 120 grain weight oe 158 grain weight. I have always found 158 grain to shoot the best out of all of my revolvers - and I have 8 with barrel lengths for from 1 7/8: snub to 6" barrel lengths. I hace always found the 158 gr. to shoot more to POA/POI - but that is my experience and your's may vary.

When I CCW my Smith Model 36 snub, which is one of several different handguns that I may CCW - it is always loaded with 160 grain lead wad cutter loads that I load for SD purposes. I practice with the same load at SD range and have no issues with putting them in central mass.

If I only had commercial ammo to shoot - I'd still stick with 158 gr loads and for SD, pick a good HP self defense ammo - but like all things - whatever SD ammo you pick - practice with some of it. To me, it doesn't make much sense to always shoot 120 ish grain loads for practice/target and then load your SD weapon with 158 gr loads - POA?POI will surely be different.
 
Buffalo Bore

Surprised about little chatter for the BB 38 SPL +p l.s.w.h., and the Outdoorsman. I do not practice with it, maybe one or two rounds a year from my 642, wicked but controllable. Practice often with mild reloads, and some store bought +Ps.
Carry the BB hollow points, and when in the with woods my camera's, the Outdoorsman.

Bear2
 
in my 642 I carry factory reloaded 158gr. LSWC Herters brand cheap but very accurate and reliable.

v-fib
 
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