Personal Defense Ammo for 38 Spl.

[Jkwas]

IMO do yourself a favor and stay away from the +p ammo. As stated most manufacturers have good SD ammo for snubies in 38spl. Want +p ammo buy a 357mag

I agree 100%. Standard pressure quality SWC's or Low recoil self defense loads would probably be best. Federal makes a low-recoil ammo for snubs.
Tough thing now is finding anything at all in .38spl.

 

[Nnobby45]

These loads will not harm older more fragile revolvers. Again, these loads recoil far less than our +P 38 SPL ammo. All three of these loads are flash suppressed, so firing them in the dark wont blind you."

I have not actually fired them yet, but they "read well".

I have fired the BB std non plus P. They achieve the same velocity as the older +P LSWHP's and have about the same recoil. They get good velocity by the use of a good powder and gas check system. They're mad of soft lead for good expansion.

I've found DPX to be easily shootable for +P. out of a M642 Airweight. snubbie. Speers' 135 +P recoils more, but is managable.

All the 158 lead swchp +P loads that were available from Rem, Win, and Fed, have pretty stout recoil in comparison. Similar to BB's non plus P.

Federals' Nyclad std. pressure is, maybe the best stuff available in 38 Spcl. Don't know why it would be restricted to LE. That isn't why they re-introduced it.

I don't believe the Hydrashok was ever completely reliable, expansion wise, when fired from short bbl'd. snubbies (or even long bbls). Old bullet technology. At least the 158 gr. lead loads still work.

BB's +P .38 stuff (according to their site) was essentially developed for .357 mag. snubbies to work with shorter ejection rods. These loads kick like a mule. I wouldn't use the +P BB in a snubbie, since the recoil beats me up more than in my young whippersnapper days.

 

[jhco50]

Let me step back in time and tell you what my generation found to be excellent. A hollowbased wadcutter bullet loaded normally except the bullet is seated backwards. It is a super hollowpoint.

 

[Elvishead]

bamiller/OP

Guys, remember this is for my wife. Are the +Ps recommended going to shock/scare her? Right now I'm leaning towards either the Nyclad (although I'm told they're only sold to LE now?), the Silver Tips, or the low recoil Hydra-Shoks...I think.

I bought a Rossi 461 (.357 steel snub) for an 75, now she's 80 years old, with more bark than bite, she's weak.

When I got the gun, I bought some Hydra Shoks 110g low recoil, but I found them to be pretty stout for a "Low recoil" round. I compare them to reg. Federal 130g FMJ for recoil.
So I bought her some S&B 147g WC from www.Ammunitiontogo.com at $19.95 for 50 rounds, those have very mild recoil.
The "Wad cutter" has a long history of being a very good SD round, if not a good killing round, they tumble and distort in soft tissue, and I think they are good hitting hard bone too.

I have and use GDHP 135g +P short barrel in my own snubby, but that's only because I got a great price on them, but I'm a big strong man like Bull.
TBS, they kick pretty darn good, and your wife might not like shooting them.


B. Lahey

Just make sure that if you are going to carry any of these lightweight-bullet defensive loads (compared to 158gr, anyway), you shoot some to find out where they are going to land.

Many .38 revolvers will not shoot anywhere near point of aim with 125gr HPs, nevermind 110gr.

"Hitting what you aim at is more important than with what."

OK, I don't give this guy validity on most of his statement, but, the last statement I agree in quotations.


Elvishead, see ya in Vegas!