In the snubby game now.

JasonMPD

Got a fair deal on a new S&W 360J.  It's rated for 357 Magnum, but I intend to use 38 Special (and maybe +P).  I shot 50 or so rounds today and stuck to 5 yards for today. 

I got accustomed to the sights and rapid fire was quite successful (5 shots in 3 seconds).  I am first of all quite enamored with this gun.  It's a lot of fun to shoot.  But next up, I start training from concealment and working on drills and shooting/moving, etc.

Has anyone tested hollow base wadcutters loaded in reverse for .38 caliber?  I remember some testing around here like that with larger calibers.

Diver43

Looks like you found a keeper.

Gene L

Looking good.  A .357 in such a small, lightweight gun would be a handful.  Nothing wrong with a .38 Special.

Bigslug

There's a couple good "snubbie" HP loads out there that don't suffer too much from the lack of velocity and penetration that comes with the short barrel.  One other option would be to just rock 130 grain flat point FMJ's that are becoming pretty common target loads. . .with a WFN profile bullet.

JasonMPD

Wadcutters in the 130gr range are acceptable to me as well.

Wambli Ska

FWIW, I had a Scandium J frame for a while and .357 mag premium SD loads of lower weight than 130gr were manageable for me.  I could empty the gun in seconds to COM.  But I think I’d be fine with WCs in the gun too.

bullsi1911

Zee and I (mostly Zee) have done some interesting tests with Matt’s HBWC bullets in .38 in both water and gel. They are interesting, but will not give the penetration you would need for SD.  

The jacketed wadcutter hollow points were much more interesting, and what I have loaded in my Model 10 snub right now.  Let me find the link

bullsi1911

https://forums.gunsandammo.com/discussion/40954/38-spl-load-work-testing/p1

bullsi1911

https://forums.gunsandammo.com/discussion/39858/38-special-handload-experiment

bellcat

Good looking piece! I’d like a snubby 

Zee

Looks good. I’ve reversed several caliber Matt’s Bullets HBWC Bullets. They work well. 

zorba

SUPER-SNUB!!!

Linefinder

My oldest sister worked a fairly high profile job with the DA's office. They decided that her being armed was a good idea. Their idea of a "good idea" was a S&W snubbie in 44 Mag. I bought her a LadySmith in .38 Spl. I don't know what she did with the 44 Mag, but I'm pretty sure she never fired it.

Mike

Gene L

I'll try here to post the ballistic results from a 360j.  A positive review with some surprising ballastic numbers.  Check it out.

Review: Smith & Wesson Model 360 Airweight - Handguns (handgunsmag.com)

JasonMPD

Gene L said:

I'll try here to post the ballistic results from a 360j.  A positive review with some surprising ballastic numbers.  Check it out.

Review: Smith & Wesson Model 360 Airweight - Handguns (handgunsmag.com)

Not bad, 1.9" barrel and all.  I don't have a chrono that I can shoot over anymore (only Magnetospeed for rifles), but I may try and borrow one to see what I am getting in some 38spl+P loads.  But, 140-158gr wadcutters at 600-700 FPS will penetrate quite reliably, so I am not overly worried about knowing exact numbers.  It's a light gun for summer carry and NPEs, and the prverbial "get off me" gun.

burroughs85

JasonMPD said:

Got a fair deal on a new S&W 360J.  It's rated for 357 Magnum, but I intend to use 38 Special (and maybe +P).  I shot 50 or so rounds today and stuck to 5 yards for today. 

I got accustomed to the sights and rapid fire was quite successful (5 shots in 3 seconds).  I am first of all quite enamored with this gun.  It's a lot of fun to shoot.  But next up, I start training from concealment and working on drills and shooting/moving, etc.

Has anyone tested hollow base wadcutters loaded in reverse for .38 caliber?  I remember some testing around here like that with larger calibers.

I'm into snubby revolvers too but they are for personal security and not competition. I have a Smith Airweight 642 and a Smith Governor on the way. Snubbies and/or small-frame revolvers are to facilitate ease of concealed carry and stowage in tight places like kitchen drawers, glove compartments and medicine chests. 

Jayhawker

burroughs85 said:

JasonMPD said:

Got a fair deal on a new S&W 360J.  It's rated for 357 Magnum, but I intend to use 38 Special (and maybe +P).  I shot 50 or so rounds today and stuck to 5 yards for today. 

I got accustomed to the sights and rapid fire was quite successful (5 shots in 3 seconds).  I am first of all quite enamored with this gun.  It's a lot of fun to shoot.  But next up, I start training from concealment and working on drills and shooting/moving, etc.

Has anyone tested hollow base wadcutters loaded in reverse for .38 caliber?  I remember some testing around here like that with larger calibers.

I'm into snubby revolvers too but they are for personal security and not competition. I have a Smith Airweight 642 and a Smith Governor on the way. Snubbies and/or small-frame revolvers are to facilitate ease of concealed carry and stowage in tight places like kitchen drawers, glove compartments and medicine chests. 

Thank you for that synopsis on the use of a snub nose revolver...I have several of them laying around and had no freaking idea what to do with them or what they were for.....
You do indeed have a gift for stating the obvious...

skwirrel

I took my last deer with a SP101 in .357.