Which Would You Carry?

take one of your lswhp and see how easily the lead deforms.

I've had loads of that round that were made with lead so hard it wouldn't deform. recovered rounds were marked with rifling only. No expansion. if they are indeed softer lead, go with either one. I have 125 gs in one of my house guns.
 
GS looks pretty good. I load the Missouri bullets too. When they say hardcast,
they show you. I only load them as +P+ or .357 mag. I'd want to see what the GA 158 gr. load does first, it might be similar. I like Gold Dots or Nyclads, depending on what revolver of the month I'm packing. Nyclads are really soft lead. The size mouth on the GS reminds me of the Nyclad somewhat.
 
Shadi Khalil - Normally I would recommend the 158 LSWCHP+P with little doubt except for one thing: you said the Remington load recoils a bit more than the GA load, did you not? That causes me to wonder if the GA load is fully a plus P load. In my experience the heavier loading in plus P should be the more heavily recoiling round. A 125 grain load at 900 fps should be roughly equal to a 158 grain load at only 712 fps which is standard pressure territory, velocity-wise. A 158 at 800 fps should recoil substantially more.
 
Laz,

I don't have any reason to believe that the GA's are not loaded to certain levels. However, I've just always found the Gold Sabers to be stout rounds. The GA's are warm but the GS's are just plain hot. Maybe it's just me but I've always found the GS's to plain hot.

As for the lead on the WC's, the non HP's are not as soft as the HP's.
 
So, for SD carry in a Airweight revolver, which of the two would you carry?
Click to expand...

In a snub, I'd prefer the Golden Sabers. They're kinda like the Gold Dots that I've carried for years in my 642. I keep my 4" HD revolvers stoked with FBI loads, though.
 
I also like Buffalo Bore standard pressure low flash .38 special 158 grain LSWCHP. I carry it in my model 36 2" and my model 10-5 3". POA is POI.
 
I like the FBI load in my snubbies. I'm going with the de facto recommendation of the FBI on that decision, and then there's the fact that fixed sight .38's usually shoot to point of aim with 158gr bullets. I roll my own using the Speer LSWCHP and 4.7 gr of Unique which gives me 815 fps from a 2 inch barrel. They kick a bit in an airweight so I developed a practice load using the same bullet with 2.7 gr Trailboss or 3.5 gr Unique for around 600 fps.
 
The often cited FBI trials seem to favor heavier bullets over light hollow points because of their deeper penetration and non-reliance on the hollow point which have been shown to plug-up and not expand on certain target media. I have always favored light hollow points, but my experience with them has been on game animals and they were not expected to penetrate heavy Winter clothing.
Aside from that, because of my philosophy of defensive shooting, it does not make any difference. Being Polish, I always aim for the Polish center of mass...the groin area.
 
If the GA loading uses soft enough lead to reliably expand at snub velocities, then it would be my choice. As has been mentioned, performance of various manufacturers' "FBI Load" varies quite a bit due to differences in velocity and hardness of lead. Of the "mainstream" ammo houses, the Remington version of the "FBI Load" is generally considered the best because it has the best combination of velocity and soft lead (Winchester uses harder lead and Federal doesn't drive their bullets as fast).
 
I carry 200 grain standard velocity in my nickel airweight S&W model 38.

It tumbles and acts like a .45 once it gets sideways. No recoil and very accurate.
 
Hello all,

Well I got a chance to fire the two rounds side by side today and I think the Gold Saber is the winner. It was not nearly as stout or flashy as I remember but just as accurate. The GA LSWCHP was just as accurate and as easy to control so it's really just a matter of personal preference. The test I linked to earlier is really the deciding factor for me. The results of both the penetration and expansion of the Gold Saber's looked pretty good but it was only one test. I have no problem carrying either but for now, it's the Saber. Next weekend the wife and I are heading up to the farm where I might be mixing up a batch of gelatin. Short of that I'll at least do water jugs or phone books.
 
I am carrying Golden Sabers and Mag Tech's in my 442 Pro Moonclip.

I have an additional consideration making sure the 38 Special brass is moon clip friendly. Mag Tech and Remington both are.

Bob
 
All fixed sight 38 Special revolvers, Colt®, EAA®, Llama®, Rossi® Ruger®, Smith & Wesson®, Taurus®, and any other(s) I forgot to mention; are regulated to shoot to POA with 158gr ammunition at the factory. Many additionally will shoot to an identical POA/POI with other weight ammunition; and many will not. IMEH, they shoot best with 158gr ammo. My S&W® and Taurus® 38 Special revolvers are most accurate with 158gr ammunition. So, I would make that my starting point to find the most accurate self defense ammunition for my gun(s). My Airweight® Mdl 37 is loaded with the Buffalo Bore® standard pressure 158gr LSWCHCGC. One of my hunting partners however has a S&W® Mdl 637 and it is most accurate with Winchester® 130gr ammo, both FMJ & JHP. My wife's Mdl 88 Lady Rossi® does the best with Federal® Nyclad® 125gr LHP. Try every HP there is and carry the one that is the most accurate.
 
For me it would depend on what you're shooting it out of ... I fired two of those +p FBI loads from my Smith 637 and thought I'd need reconstructive surgery ... the lighter JHPs are no treat either, but they are a lot easier on my hand than the 158gr +p's ... I do shoot them, but out of a 686+ where the greater mass of the gun makes the recoil easy to deal with ...

If I'm carrying the 637, it's loaded with Federal 110gr Low Recoil JHPs ...
 
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