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Message
re: S&W 38 Special Revolver Ammunition
Posted on 12/31/12 at 11:43 am to BallyHOO
Posted on 12/31/12 at 11:43 am to BallyHOO
quote:LINK
The Numero Uno .38 defense load for your 4" barrel revolver is the Cor-Bon .38 Special+P 125 grain JHP. It is a very high-pressure load and should be used only in modern six-shot revolvers. It has less felt recoil and muzzle flip than the #2 choice, which follows. When I carry a 4" .38, I want it loaded with this cartridge.
The second-best choice is the .38 Special +P 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter hollowpoint (LSWCHP) available from Federal, Winchester and Remington. Ayoob has found the latter to have the greatest expansion, so I would choose Remington (catalog #R38S12). This unjacketed all-lead round (often called the "FBI load" or "Chicago load") is a proven manstopper when fired from a 4" barrel. Your fixed-sight .38 revolver it will usually shoot to point-of-aim with this load; lighter bullets will normally shoot low (some very low). All fixed-sight .38s are regulated at the factory to shoot accurately with standard velocity 158 grain bullets, as this was the weight of the long-time standard U.S. and Canadian police load.
Note: .38 Special ammunition is loaded to two pressure levels: standard pressure and +P. Standard pressure loads may be used in any .38 Special revolver, but +P loads should be used only in steel-frame, six shot revolvers. Firing a few +P loads in your aluminum-framed .38 Special revolver may not destroy it or cause it to explode, but will damage your aluminum-framed revolver if you fire more than a hundred rounds. The main problem with carrying +P .38 Special loads in an aluminum-framed .38 Special revolver, besides excessive wear and tear on the gun, is that the kick is nasty and slows repeat shots. Thus, I recommend standard pressure ammunition for aluminum-framed .38 Special revolvers, as it is much easier to score fast hits.
Posted on 12/31/12 at 12:08 pm to Geauxtiga
quote:
and should be used only in modern six-shot revolvers
Prob not a good recommendation
Posted on 12/31/12 at 12:12 pm to Geauxtiga
quote:
Firing a few +P loads in your aluminum-framed .38 Special revolver may not destroy it or cause it to explode
Does not sound like a good idea
Posted on 12/31/12 at 7:47 pm to Geauxtiga
quote:not for a 50's pistol.
Cor-Bon .38 Special+P 125 grain JHP
Posted on 12/31/12 at 9:58 pm to Geauxtiga
Hard to tell how old some of this info is. From the intro it sounds like CH, or "Anonymous" (hard to tell who) has tried to "update" the Ayoob,Sanow/Marshall info.
Ayoob is a very credible source.
A lot of folks have dissected the Sanow/Marshall report and it is widely discredited in many quarters. IIRC many of the data are considered to be unsubstantiated and statistically invalid (i.e. some think much of the data was faked). I have no dog in that fight, and lack the skill to evaluate the data.
In any event, some of the recommendations are very dated -- as can be ascertained from Ayoob's more recent writings. (Some of the Ayoob books listed in the article were written in the early - mid 1980's.)
In response to the OP, I didn't see any mention of barrel length. If is a snub-nosed revolver (2" or less) Ayoob and Givens currently recommend the 135 grain Gold Dot "Short Barrel Revolver" load (Speer Product Code GDHP - SB 23921).
This load was designed to open up at lower velocities -- Such as those that are achieved through J-frame revolvers. It's considered to be the "gold standard" (no pun intended) for snub nosed .38's.
I'm not sure what Mas currently recommends for longer barreled .38's. I'm sure a Google search will yield that info. I'm pretty sure Evan Marshall currently recommends the CorBon DPX.
Ayoob is a very credible source.
A lot of folks have dissected the Sanow/Marshall report and it is widely discredited in many quarters. IIRC many of the data are considered to be unsubstantiated and statistically invalid (i.e. some think much of the data was faked). I have no dog in that fight, and lack the skill to evaluate the data.
In any event, some of the recommendations are very dated -- as can be ascertained from Ayoob's more recent writings. (Some of the Ayoob books listed in the article were written in the early - mid 1980's.)
In response to the OP, I didn't see any mention of barrel length. If is a snub-nosed revolver (2" or less) Ayoob and Givens currently recommend the 135 grain Gold Dot "Short Barrel Revolver" load (Speer Product Code GDHP - SB 23921).
This load was designed to open up at lower velocities -- Such as those that are achieved through J-frame revolvers. It's considered to be the "gold standard" (no pun intended) for snub nosed .38's.
I'm not sure what Mas currently recommends for longer barreled .38's. I'm sure a Google search will yield that info. I'm pretty sure Evan Marshall currently recommends the CorBon DPX.
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