The standard pressure softcast 158-gr. FBI load and 150-gr. / 158-gr. hardcast wadcutters referenced by Jellybean and myself from Buffalo Bore are two great performing loads out of your 38 Special snubnose. +P loads in lightweight revolvers are much more difficult to control.

Any of the 110-gr. jacketed copper HP's from Barnes will also work. In my S&W J-frame, the Speer 135-gr. Short Barrel load had the most recoil of 7 loads tested in my two snubnose revolvers.


Buffalo Bore Short Barrel:
** 158-gr. Standard Pressure Lead Semi-Wadcutter HP (20C) @ 854 fps in 2” barrel. Less recoil & similar velocity as Speer’s 135-gr. Gold Dot @ 860 fps.

Buffalo Bore Short Barrel Low Flash 158-gr. FBI Load

* 150-gr. Standard Pressure Hardcast Wadcutter (20D) @ 868 fps in 2” barrel.

Buffalo Bore Short Barrel 150-gr. Hardcast Wadcutter


Other good choices are:

Double Tap:
** 110-gr. +P Barnes Tac-XP Copper Jacketed HP @ 1,125 fps in 1.875” barrel.
Double Tap 110-gr. +P Barnes Tac-XP

* 158-gr. +P Hardcast Semi-Wadcutter @ 900 fps in 1.875” barrel.
Double Tap 158-gr. +P Hardcast wadcutter

Corbon – Dakota Ammo:
** 110-gr. +P DPX [Barnes XPB] Copper HP (DPX38110-20)
See also: 38 Special: Hornady FTX vs. Speer 135-gr. Short Barrel vs. CorBon 110-gr. DPX

Speer Short Barrel Gold Dot:
* 135-gr. +P Gold Dot HP (23921) @ 860 fps. See also: Speer Short Barrel Ammo Website
Performance Tests of Speer Short Barrel 135-gr. +P
38 Special: Hornady FTX vs. Speer 135-gr. Short Barrel Gold Dot vs. CorBon 110-gr. DPX


Winchester Supreme Elite: Civilian version of bonded Ranger T
* 130-gr. +P Bonded PDX1 (S38PDB) @ 950 fps / 835 fps actual in snubnose

Winchester 130-gr. +P Bonded PDX1

Winchester White Box USA Brand: Low-Budget Load at Walmart – When That’s All You Can Find!
150-gr. Lead Round Nose (Q4196) @ 845 fps
130-gr. FMJ (Q4171) @ 800 fps