Self defense ammo

E

Echolmes

Inactive
I have a S&W model 65 and I'm wondering if for self defense I should use .357 or if there are good .38 special self defense loads. I've heard and read a lot of negative opinions about .38 special so I'm just looking for some honest opinions
 
Barrel length?

Either of the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain loads (.38+p or .357) will be excellent self defense loads in 2" to 4" barrel guns.
 
I carried a Smith 64 (same gun in 38spl) for years. Lots of good SD ammo choices.

I like the 158gn LSWCHP +P, in a fullsize gun there is very little recoil and blast and that bullet still performs very well against the more "modern" ammo.

In a 2" lightweight J frame it can be a little heavy in recoil, but your steel framed K frame will soak up the recoil and snap right back on tgt as fast as you can run the trigger
 
An all-lead bullet like the Remington 158 grain is a decent choice for a 3" M65 unless you have to shoot through barriers like a car windshield or a car door. A bonded bullet like the 135 grain Gold Dot is going to perform as designed under a much broader range of conditions. It's really no contest in my opinion. Only trouble with the 135 grain is finding some in stock...
 
Honestly, the glory of a revolver is that you don't have to worry about whether or not any type of ammo will feed in the gun. Any commercial 357 or 38 Spec ammo is a good choice.

I personally prefer 38 or 38+p, since most of my carry is indoors, and I would rather not blow out my hearing with 357 blast volumes if I can avoid it. I'm personally partial to Hornady ammo, and since 158 grn is what I shoot at the range, that's what I carry.
 
Any name-brand hollow point 38 Special should be fine, especially if you have difficulty with follow-up shots using magnum loads. A good hit with a 38 Special is going to end just about any threat. If the assailant gets up, take off running.
 
Defense ammo's are as common in brands and weights as guns and everyone will have different opinions. You might want to test 4 or 5 and see what you, and your gun, likes best. I vary depending on the gun although I tend to like Golden Saber in general.
 
I prefer a .38 special Lead Semi Wad cutter hollow point LSWCHP in my 3" model 65
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LSWCHP= Lead semi wadcutter hollow point

This was the old FBI load. Soft lead so no jacket to upset before expansion can occure. Sharp shoulder of the SWC provides good tissue damage even with no expansion. Full weight (158gn) gives good penetration for the caliber

Just a really solid proformer even in this time of all the "modern" hollow points. Im a huge fan of modern ammo and in some calibers (like 9mm) it has made a big difference. Out of a 3" K frame. The tried and true FBI load still works great

It is what i load in my J frame and i just deal with the recoil
 
I am not going to encourage you to shoot 38 Special in a 357 gun. Noise and recoil can be addressed with 357 cases and in milder commercial loads.
 
I have a S&W model 65 and I'm wondering if for self defense I should use .357 or if there are good .38 special self defense loads. I've heard and read a lot of negative opinions about .38 special so I'm just looking for some honest opinions
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Don't believe the BS. I use a 110 grain XTP in .38 Special in my snubby and it should put a good lasting hurt on anyone.
 
I occasionally carry my 3" S&W 65 and use the same load I carried when I did entrance security at a federal courthouse. The load is 125 gr. SJHP 38 Special +P. I am very confident in this load as my wife uses it in her 2 1/2" S&W 66 for her home gun.
 
There are quality SD loads in 38 and 357 by most manufacturers.

I suggest that you get a box of a reasonable brand of each and then shoot them at a range. Can you handle the 38 or 357 in terms of accuracy, shot recovery, flinch induction and the like.

Don't be blinded by stopping power as a quality round of 38 SPL would probably do just fine if you are not used to a higher powered round.
 
Do your gun a favor. Buy American made ammo only.

Speer 135 gr. in both 38 sp +P and 357 mag are excellent as is Hornady,Remington, etc.also Buffalo Bore.(not in the same configuration).

Each gun is different and it's up to you to find what you and your S&W likes the best. So, put aside $100 to $200 to go out and buy some ammo and check it out.

One last thought. Go to Ballistics101.com and read what the different ammo is then maybe go on to Utube. I'm pretty sure you can find out what the experts use in a 3" 357 mag revolver. After that, go out and buy what you like.

This was the advice that the Forum guys gave me and I quickly found out what I liked and why.

Good shooting & Happy New Year,

Doc
 
Do your gun a favor. Buy American made ammo only.
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I don't see how a gun cares if you shoot S&B, Agulia, Fiocci, CCI or Federal ammo.

Some of the worst ammo problems I ever had were with Winchester and Remington ammo.

Yet I've never had a single problem with thousands of rounds of Fiocci, Aguila and Prvi Partizan.
 
Dmk,
Then you are a rare & lucky person.
and if you don't think that you gun shoots
certain ammo better than another
then that is realy amazing. and a whole bunch of
posters in this Forum that keeps saying
that certain ammo works better than others
in their revolvers/pistols must be wrong.
IMHO and other opinions also thinks that
foreign ammo is not as good
as American made. Also the great thing
about buying American made is
It's good for your Country and
in a small way of being Patriotic.
GO ARMY.
 
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