.38 Spl snub nose SD ammo?

Linefinder · February 2018

That says it all.

I tend toward something bigger, but this is what my friend bought his wife.

That being the case, any SD ammo recommendations?

Mike

Jayhawker · February 2018

I carry 129 grain Federal Hydra Shok +p in my Ruger LCR....I've tested them in wet newspaper and am satisfied with their performance....

Linefinder · February 2018

Jayhawker wrote: »

I carry 129 grain Federal Hydra Shok +p in my Ruger LCR....I've tested them in wet newspaper and am satisfied with their performance....

Thanks. That's exactly what I recommended. But since I don't carry that, I wasn't sure.

Mike

NN · February 2018

If the +P ammo turns out to be a problem for the lady there is always this to try:

zorba · February 2018

NN wrote: »

If the +P ammo turns out to be a problem for the lady there is always this to try:

I bought a box of this for my wife a few years back. It shoots OK, but she doesn't really "need" it as she's not recoil sensitive with "normal" .38 loads. Full house .357 is a bit much in her snubbie, but we've never tried +P in it - advice?

Linefinder · February 2018

Thanks, guys.

Mike

NN · February 2018

zorba wrote: »

I bought a box of this for my wife a few years back. It shoots OK, but she doesn't really "need" it as she's not recoil sensitive with "normal" .38 loads. Full house .357 is a bit much in her snubbie, but we've never tried +P in it - advice?

All the macho guys are different than little old me.
I tried +P in a .38 LCR and never again.

Now the gun in question in is an unknown snubby; so, who knows.

Linefinder · February 2018

NN wrote: »

All the macho guys are different than little old me.
I tried +P in a .38 LCR and never again.

Now the gun in question in is an unknown snubby; so, who knows.

S&W 642, laser grip.

Mike

LMLarsen · February 2018

My old Charter Arms Off Duty gets Federal Personal Defense Hydra Shoks. 110gr at a little under 1000fps from a test barrel; recoil feels about the same as a 158gr magnum from my 686.

Big Al1 · February 2018

Linefinder wrote: »

S&W 642, laser grip.

Mike

I have the same gun. I carry 125 grain gold dots +P's. They are a little brisk!!

terminator012 · February 2018

My wife carries Hornady 110 gr FTX +P.

That's the first time I've ever saw the ammo mentioned above. It's definitely different.

ETA .. hers is a 442 with Crimson Trace laser grips.

NN · February 2018

Linefinder wrote: »

S&W 642, laser grip.

Mike

It is an ounce heavier than a LCR so who knows what the recoil will be.

Bigslug · February 2018

There never was anything wrong with the 158 grain +P lead semi-wadcutter "FBI load", and I believe the Big Three are all still loading their respective versions of it.

zorba · February 2018

NN wrote: »

All the macho guys are different than little old me.
I tried +P in a .38 LCR and never again.

Hers is a Charter Arms "Mag Pug" snubbie. I shot a cylinder of .357 in it. Although I could tolerate it (rubber grip helps), it wasn't what I'd call fun, and I won't be doing that again anytime soon. Maybe I'll try some +P in it just for kicks, but I'll leave the .357 for my Security Six 4".

Linefinder · February 2018

Bigslug wrote: »

There never was anything wrong with the 158 grain +P lead semi-wadcutter "FBI load", and I believe the Big Three are all still loading their respective versions of it.

Thanks, Slug.....that's what I'd carry in that chambering. I just don't want to scare her off the first time she pulls the trigger.

Mike

Bigslug · February 2018

Linefinder wrote: »

Thanks, Slug.....that's what I'd carry in that chambering. I just don't want to scare her off the first time she pulls the trigger.

Mike

The Winchester "Train and Defend" W38SPLT is their flat nosed 130 grain FMJ that claims 900 fps (probably out of a 4" or 6" tube). Given the noted lack of penetration one commonly gets with HP's at snub velocities, I'd carry that as a low recoil alternative any day of the week.

Big Chief · February 2018

Bigslug wrote: »

There never was anything wrong with the 158 grain +P lead semi-wadcutter "FBI load", and I believe the Big Three are all still loading their respective versions of it.

Nuthin wrong with that load. I think I have some bullets left to load some of my own. Speer I believe and they are 158 grain Hollow Point SWCs. The lead bullets are cold swagged coated in some kinda slippery lube.

Hornady makes some too for reloading.

NN · February 2018

zorba wrote: »

Hers is a Charter Arms "Mag Pug" snubbie. I shot a cylinder of .357 in it. Although I could tolerate it (rubber grip helps), it wasn't what I'd call fun, and I won't be doing that again anytime soon. Maybe I'll try some +P in it just for kicks, but I'll leave the .357 for my Security Six 4".

AT 23 oz it should be shoot able with .38 +P.

BigDanS · February 2018

knitepoet wrote: »

Another good load, IMO, is the Speer Gold Dot short barrel load

These are unicorns. I don't know if Speer makes them anymore. I have 25 and I wish I had 150 of them.

D

Teach · February 2018

At the velocity a snubbie is able to produce, those lightweight flying ash trays might be OK in summertime T shirt weather. If getting through a few layers of winter clothes is needed, I'd pick a heavy hard cast bullet stoked up as hot as the shooter can handle.
Jerry

zorba · February 2018

NN wrote: »

AT 23 oz it should be shoot able with .38 +P.

I'll put it on my list of "things to try".

Eli · February 2018

I know that it's kinda against the grain, but I carry plain old 148gr. wadcutters. Great penetration, very mild recoil, about the same expansion as a lot of the HP offerings (that is to say, no expansion whatsoever), but most importantly to me, they hit to point of aim out to 25 yards in basically every short barreled .38 I've run them out of. That's something that a lot of modern defensive rounds don't do.

Eli · February 2018

Pretty good video on the "why" of wadcutters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPXDwi7O0jg

breamfisher · February 2018

Eli wrote: »

Pretty good video on the "why" of wadcutters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPXDwi7O0jg

Gonna watch the video later, but one thing I've thought is... why not a 158 gr. LSWC. Makes reloading a bit easier, at moderate velocity recoil's not too bad, cuts a full-caliber wound channel, decent penetration...

Cheetoh734 · February 2018

My wife's LCR is loaded with Hornady 110gr FTX Critical Defense. Not the +p variant. I wanted something that would expand at low velocities and when she ran a few cylinders of it through at the range to feel what the SD ammo was like I didn't want to scare the bejeezus out of her. I am sure there are more powerful or efficient rounds out there but I felt that these looked reliable and balanced. I used to run the Speer Gold Dots designed for short barrel revolvers (135gr IIRC) in my Sp101 2.75" .357 mag when I carried that and felt very confident with those, I think I still have some of their big brothers in my Redhawk.

ETA: I remember looking at the "Lite" variant and being a little concerned that we were getting too close to .380 ballistics. I have since looked it up and they list the "Lite" variant as actually having more energy with the 90gr than the standard 110gr does...just something to consider.

NN · February 2018

148 gr .38 spl seem to shoot very well even in a revolver that supposedly was made to shoot 158 gr ammo.
They just have to be tried in a 14 oz revolver to see if the shooter can handle them.

HAWKEN · February 2018

I carry 158 grain Nyclad's in my model 85 Taurus and Charter undercover. They shoot a little harsh for TKOTCB, so she has 125 grain JSP or JHP's in her Ladysmith........robin

Squawk Box · February 2018

I had 125 grain +P, Nyclad HP in mine, they were a pretty weak load for me, but all things considered they were a good load.

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