Revolver to take hunting

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Doug.38PR

Moderator
Most people prefer a .357, .41, or .45 caliber revolver for a sidearm as hunters. The only one of these I have is a .45 but it is an automatic. I prefer revolvers in such situations. I do have a medium frame .38 special. If I were to ever find myself in the wilderness camping or hunting would using this gun be sufficient to stop a dangerous animal (a wild cat or bear) Maybe not in one shot but 2 or 3. What about hydroshock bullets would they make up for the lack of stopping power in a .38?

Please discuss,
Doug
 
I'm no expert , but I'd have to guess if you were facing a mountain lion a .38 special might do, but a regular .38 probably wouldnt. I'd save the .38 for things like possums or scorpions ;p
If you want a good sidearm and wild boars, bears, etc. are an issue i would bring no less than a .357mag with 125 grain JHP bullets. A .38 special wouldn't cut it for anything bigger than a mountain lion. And even then you should have +P loads.
 
I would not consider the 38 special or 45 auto as a resonable choice , When people speak of carrying a 45 I hope they are carring a 45 colt revolver capable of handling hot loads . My thinking is the minimum for bear is a 44 mag with 300 grain hard cast bullet .
A bear can move very fast for big toothy critter you had better be quick and good if it occurs at close range .
 
Your .45 semi-auto would be a much better choice, ballistically, than any .38 load you could get. Think about it in terms of 'power factor,' a measure of the kind of momentum/force you need to get into the vital bits of an animal like a bear or cougar; a hot .38 might throw a 158 gr. bullet at 900 fps; 158 x 900 = 142,200 = pf of 142. And that's a hot .38. The .45 throws a 230 gr. bullet at around 850 (not 'specially hot) fps. 230 x 850 = 196 pf.

If you must use the .38, use a solid, flat pointed SWC, +p if you can find it. The hydroshocks would be less effective for your proposed situation because, if they work, they expand, which stops them in the target before penetrating very far--when what you need in this context is a bullet that will penetrate gonzo.

Among your choices, I'd definitely take the .45 with either 230 gr. ball (FMJ) or, if I was to load rounds myself for the context, a 255 gr. SWC (assuming they'd run in the gun).
 
Unfortunately

My .38 revolvers are .38 special only. They are of older models that will not take .38+P. They might take it a full 6 rounds but it still might damage the gun in the longrun. And even then while it won't blow up the gun or anything it could do other damage. One of them has a fractured recoil plate that is depressed in the gun causing occasional jamming when popped primers get caught in the depression. I'm guessing some fool used .38+P in the gun.

So penetration is what I need. I would think the damage and force of a hydroshock or hollow point would be required.

I would use the .45 auto but there are too many things that can go wrong with an automatic in my opinion to use it as a defense gun (pull the gun out and the following things have to be thought of: Is the mag loaded, is the mag in the gun, is the gun cocked, is their a round in the chamber, is the safety on.) With a revolver it's ready to go and you know it. All you do is pull the trigger. and it's less likely to jam than an auto (granted autos are unlikely to jam but it is known to happen) and if it misfires you have to pull the clip out and get the round out, with a revolver you just pull the trigger and it fires the next chamber.
 
Doug.38PR,

If I was forced to carry a .38 special in the woods for protection against large critters, what would I choose to load it with? This is the question that I am getting from your post. I would not use Hollowpoints, as Chris W has already stated. Hollowpoints clog up with hair and flesh which stops penetration. Your best bet is to hit vital organs that are beneath layers of fat and muscle. You should go with a heavy hard cast SWC bullet getting as much velocity as you can pack into the gun and casing safely.

If we are talking about self defense from Humans, then the Hollowpoints would be the choice. Good luck.

.44mag
 
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