Quote:
Originally Posted by Bhfromme
More questions:
I assume SJHP is semi jacketed hollow point ammo. Can someone please tell me when one would want SJHP vs the more traditional JHP?
I also am wondering what standard loads are for .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special and .44 Magnum.
And when I read guns are sighted at the factory using standard loads, what distance are they sighted for?
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Back in the day:
SJHP indicates the jacket does not extend to the tip of the bullet, it leaves exposed lead for better expansion. These were almost always revolver bullets, very few semi-auto pistol bullets were semi-jacketed.
JHP indicates the jacket extends all the way to the edge of the hollow cavity, this design is used mostly in semi-auto pistol bullets, but also in some revolver bullets.
These days you see the SJHP nomenclature a lot less often, but the basic design of bullets has changed little. What has changed is jacket design and the alloy of the jacket. Back in the day, the jacket tended to be a relatively thick, copper alloy. With lower velocity cartridges like 38 Special, that jacket would never allow expansion. To get expansion, you either used soft lead hollow point bullets or semi-jacketed hollow point bullets driven at +P velocity. Modern bullet designs, often using lighter bullets, can have the jacket all the way to the hollow cavity and still expand. The Speer 135 grain Gold Dot JHP 38 Special +P is a prime example of a modern bullet.