Back during the 1970's a bad guy was taken down with one shot from a .38 special out of a 2-inch Model 36. Bullet impact was just below the sternum with penetration downward, nearly perpendicular to the front of the body. Autopsy photos showed much of the small intestine was turned into mush.

The bullet? 148-grain hollow-base wadcutter loaded backward (hollow-base forward) over 3 grains of Bullseye (probably around 700 FPS out of the 2-inch barrel), a target load essentially. Recovered bullet had penetrated about 5 inches before stopping, expanded to over 0.60" diameter, remaining weight over 140 grains.

Coroner said it was the most devastating handgun wound he had ever seen.

Our police range ammo was remanufactured on automated equipment, and the hollow-base ended up loaded this way in a few rounds. The officer involved in the shoot had culled these from range target ammo.

Since then I have loaded and fired many hundreds of that load. They will not penetrate a windshield, but will penetrate side windows easily. They will frequently be deflected by a fully inflated car tire. Residential walls (1/2" drywall on each side) are penetrated, but the bullet will usually be stopped by a second wall. If a 2X4 wall stud is hit the bullet will not go through. A one-gallon milk jug filled with water will stop the bullet, but the plastic jug will be shredded and water will be thrown several feet.

All in all, absolutely devastating for a close-range defensive load, with very little blast or flash. Overpenetration is much less of a concern in residential areas. I recommend it frequently for home defense ammo in the .38 special.

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