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earlyagain
Posts: 7,928 Senior Member
38spl+p
earlyagain
Posts: 7,928 Senior Member
I've had an interest in 38spl+p for occasional use in 357mag revolvers for a long time.
I also have a tendency to make impetuous purchases when I see things on sale as opposed to buying something that's generally reputed to be the best performing product of its type.
Like this ammo here. I have a stash of it I've never fired.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VCSVmunM4OI
The video shows what might be considered a failure. But I actually think it performed pretty well. Reason being that if used in a crisis. The target won't be static or perpendicular. If hits are made, they'll likely be at odd angles and possibly include limb extremities, and even hits after a solid barrier penetration.
I have a couple other brands of the +p ammo, and some handloaded hot 38spl. In all honesty Ive not ever carried it, opting instead for full magnum cartridges when used. But I do like having a less potent loading avialable for HD or even certain other circumstances.
The lighter bullets seem to be the way to go for factory fodder. My handloads are 158gr cast lead swc's..
A small 357mag revolver carries with great ease and convenience. The +p 38spl gives it pretty good versatility.
I also have a tendency to make impetuous purchases when I see things on sale as opposed to buying something that's generally reputed to be the best performing product of its type.
Like this ammo here. I have a stash of it I've never fired.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VCSVmunM4OIThe video shows what might be considered a failure. But I actually think it performed pretty well. Reason being that if used in a crisis. The target won't be static or perpendicular. If hits are made, they'll likely be at odd angles and possibly include limb extremities, and even hits after a solid barrier penetration.
I have a couple other brands of the +p ammo, and some handloaded hot 38spl. In all honesty Ive not ever carried it, opting instead for full magnum cartridges when used. But I do like having a less potent loading avialable for HD or even certain other circumstances.
The lighter bullets seem to be the way to go for factory fodder. My handloads are 158gr cast lead swc's..
A small 357mag revolver carries with great ease and convenience. The +p 38spl gives it pretty good versatility.
Replies
If I recall correctly, Ruger came out with an LCR with a 3" barrel that might make for a more utilitarian camp gun
In the world of compromise where handguns reign. It may provide a viable option. Depending on how much compromise the user is willing to endure, versus whatever might be gained in the compromise.
As I was typing the OP.. I couldn't help but wonder if the 9mm parabellum in its current guise. Might not actually rival or even best the versatility of bullet weight and velocity options of the 38spl, 38+p, 357mag cartridges???
But I’m gonna post a thread on it and the .357 Sig that was used by someone else as well.
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain
A chrono would be good.
The penetration of the Remington load was pretty good I thought. Regardless of expansion.
I think the 9mm might be a serious contender with anything less than full throttle 357mag..
Its origins lie in the blackpowder era when about all you commonly saw was round nose lead - that could penetrate fine, but not give much for "special effects".
There's the +P and standard pressure loads and appropriate gun issues to consider.
Then you have a huge potential range of barrel lengths greatly affecting velocity.
And lastly we have the fact that any given bullet is typically engineered to perform at a certain impact velocity.
So odds are that whatever is loaded is the WRONG bullet for the job: we're going to have .357 bullets that won't expand at .38 snubby speeds; .38 snubby bullets that might either come apart or fail to penetrate adequately at .357 speeds, or at least not deliver as much for the money as possible.
We are living in the age of "engineered" bullets. A manufacturer can pretty much tell their slide-rule commandos that they the need a final result of ______, and they can usually manage it. We could probably solve the .38 Special issue with the introduction of several bullet classes that are advertised as making FBI performance guidelines when fired at various points along the power curve.
The current problem is that we don't necessarily know what the designer of a bullet had in mind, and that any .358 bullet can potentially be fired out of anything as pokey as a .38 Short Colt to something as aggressive as a .35 Whelan. This is a case where labeling with intended performance specs matters, and it hasn't for the most part been done.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain
Attention.
#2. It's a consumable item. If they like it, they'll buy more. If it's already directed at where they want to go, they'll start there.
#3. Your whole "I'm gonna try lots of options" encourages the customer try - and risk them liking - SOMEONE ELSE'S PRODUCT.
#4. Eliminating most of the need for the "I'm gonna try lots of options" approach assists the "I ain't got time and money for that tinkering crap" customer.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee