Best Non +P Self-Defense Load for a .38 Spl Snubbie?

[Cityboy]

The answer is: "the load that you can shoot the most accurately with..."

The .38 special is not a slouch cartridge by any means and pretty much any 158-grain bullet will do the job. As with every CCW, shot placement is key and the person that puts the most lead in critical places typically is the one that survives the fight. I don't know anyone that would stand in front of the business end of a snub nose revolver, even with cowboy loads.

IMO, +P in .38 special is not my "go-to" cartridge out for my carry M85 or 605.
For me, they are harder to control and stay accurate at distances beyond 10-feet. If I feel more power would be needed, I would carry a .357 magnum over a +P .38 special.

I practice with my .38 special M85 at 20', with standard loads and I demand accuracy within a 4" group at that distance. Anything more is not acceptable, and in my experience, I get a lot of fliers with hot ammo out of the shorter 2" barrel.

Ozzman,

I agree with you, 158 gr +P is just to hard to control out of a lightweight snubby. I shot one cylinder-full out of a S&W 340 (Scandium frame) once and that was all I wanted of that stuff.
Thanks for your recommendations.

Cityboy

 

[satx78247]

Ozzman,

I agree with you, 158 gr +P is just to hard to control out of a lightweight snubby. I shot one cylinder-full out of a S&W 340 (Scandium frame) once and that was all I wanted of that stuff.
Thanks for your recommendations.

Cityboy

 

[Coop45]

Ozzman,

I agree with you, 158 gr +P is just to hard to control out of a lightweight snubby. I shot one cylinder-full out of a S&W 340 (Scandium frame) once and that was all I wanted of that stuff.
Thanks for your recommendations.

Cityboy

The best decision I have ever made was to give my 340PD to a friend.

 

[HawkeyeSATX]

HawkeyeSATX,

Just noted that the data provided are from a 7.7" barrel--any idea how much the velocities and energy would be reduced shooting these loads from a 2" barrel?

Cityboy

On average, you lose or gain 25fps per inch of barrel length you lose or gain.
Hope this helps.


Hawk

Sent from my REVVLRY+ using Tapatalk

 

[RevolverGuy]

Wadcutters.
Plus they make nice hole punches in paper.

This.

Federal Gold Medal Match, to be specific.

I go loaded with WCs and carry the +P HPs for reloads.

Also they generally shoot to point of aim in fixed sight guns.

 

[mongoose]

The Range Officer of my local Police Dept. and my Dad were friends. He use to load us wadcutters with the bullet turned upside down so the concave of the bullet was facing up. He called them Dum Dum rounds. He swore by them for SD situations.

 

[Texasjack]

The FBI used lead 158 grain semi-wad cutters for many years and found them to be extremely effective at the short ranges that they typically were used. They moved to a 147 grain +P+ Federal Hydra-Shok in the late 80s.

If you're talking a snubbie, you're probably most worried about close range, and you can't really go wrong with a wad cutter or SWC. They're also easy to reload and fun to target shoot.

 

[Axxe55]

Several ammo makers make ammo specific for short-barreled pistols used for self defense. Those are some I'd look at.

 

[satx78247]

The FBI used lead 158 grain semi-wad cutters for many years and found them to be extremely effective at the short ranges that they typically were used. They moved to a 147 grain +P+ Federal Hydra-Shok in the late 80s.

If you're talking a snubbie, you're probably most worried about close range, and you can't really go wrong with a wad cutter or SWC. They're also easy to reload and fun to target shoot.

The FBI used lead 158 grain semi-wad cutters for many years and found them to be extremely effective at the short ranges that they typically were used. They moved to a 147 grain +P+ Federal Hydra-Shok in the late 80s.

If you're talking a snubbie, you're probably most worried about close range, and you can't really go wrong with a wad cutter or SWC. They're also easy to reload and fun to target shoot.

Texasjack,

FWIW, I suspect that you are generally CORRECT.

About a decade ago, the USMS did a study on SHOOT-OUTS where ANYBODY got wounded or killed.

Beyond 3 METERS (about 9.5 FEET!!) it was found to be UNIKELY that anyone in a shooting between 2 persons would be hit. = When they are hit (for example in drive by shooting incident) by one or more bullets, it is MOSTLY a result of a LARGE VOLUME of bullets expended & MOSTLY by accident. - The sort of ammo expended was found to have been important in less than 15% of shooting incidents.
(PROBABLY, .22LR bullets KILL more people than any other caliber.)

I was "slightly involved" in a very strange incident in 2010 in Prince George County MD where 4 thugs got into a "running gun battle" after a package store robbery with 6 LEOs.

Over the next 40 minutes, after the FIRST shot was fired by one of the robbers, over 200 shots were fired & only ONE person (a thug from Washington, DC) was hit by 3 double ought shot, which was fired by a MD LEO & days later DOW.
(Fyi, I fired NO shots, as I actually SAW only ONE criminal & there was NO opportunity to fire at that single robber, W/O the chance to hit an innocent bystander in the nearby homes/yards.)

That is a TYPICAL "mass shooting", as generally neither the criminals nor the police shoot WELL under stress.

NOTE: 4 days later, the 3 unwounded thugs were captured, pled guilty to robbery & other offenses & thereafter were imprisoned.

yours, satx

 

[Axxe55]

Hmmmm............