I have seen lots of gelatin test results for the 357 and 38+P short bbl ammo from Speer. Anyone know if these two loads have been fight stoppers on the street?

It's my understamding that the NYC police have been satisfied with the results......

Don't have a current place to steer you for written evidence though!

BUG's: .380 ACP vs. .38 Sp - M4Carbine.net Forums

DocGKR, Gary Roberts, is a top authority in this field and knows of what he reports.

FWIW, LAPD, along with NYPD, LOVE this round. No links, just what I've read from people in the know with each department.

That's a great article. Thanks for the link...I am using all Speer products now, and have Speer short barrel ammo loaded in two snubs. Thanks again, B

Great article. Now I'm wondering if I should switch to Speer GD over my current Federal factory load or my on-order Hornady CD in my 640-1.

Not what you asked, but...

I have never been a user of Corbon, but "DocGKR" at m4carbine.net and others including John Farnam seem to rate the lightweight 110 grain dpx load in .38 and the 115 gr dpx load in 9mm quite highly, at least for use in short barrels with the benefit that they have a bit less recoil in light snub guns. I found the Speer short barrel stuff a bit a little harsh in something like a 642. I am going to try some of the DPX.

I have also read favorable comments on the 9mm version by Stephen Camp, who always seems to be a rational man.

The DPX stuff seems unreasonably expensive to me so I consider it only for short barrels/light guns where the expense may be warranted.

I agree with some things in that article and disagree with others. Overall it was good. I'll start with my disagreements. The .357 offers a significant power increase over the .38 in 2" guns. Not many can handle them, but for those of us who can the power is worth it IMO. My wife and I both tried 110 gr. DPX +P and Speer SB +P side by side in her 3" model 60. We both felt that the recoil was indistinguishable between them.

Agreement; the ballistic test of DPX is quite comparable to the results I got in Perma-Gel. In my case Speer SB +P didn't expand in four layer denim, but every other test I've seen online showed that it did. I just think my denim must be extra evil or something. The prestressed lines in the bullet were visible so that bullet was on the very edge of it's expansion threshold. The Hornady .38 FTX results mimmicked the results I got with FTX in .380.

To answer Robert's original question, all I have to offer is internet rumor, but the buzzz, and I never hear anything contrary, is that the SB+P is working well on the street. Gel tests indicate the same. If SB+P is working well SB .357 can only be even better (of course shot placement being equal). SB .357 did better in my four layer test. It expanded very well.

I finnaly got my hands on some of the SB in .357. I have a 2" Ruger SP101 and the round has shot very well out of it. Recoil was very manageable and there was not much muzzle flash. I have been very impressed with the way it shoots so far. I am going out hunting and camping this weekend and I am hoping to get to shoot some critters with it to see how well it performs. If I get to recover any bullets I will post some pics and details.


snakeman