I just purchased today a new-to-me S&W Model 38 (no-dash) Bodyguard Airweight revolver. This is my first wheelgun and I'm looking for some SD and practice ammo that won't beat the gun up.

The only 38 special ammo I have currently is PMC Bronze 132 gr. FMJs. I have no idea if these are good or bad for this old gun.

I planning on using this revolver as a BUG, so I want to become proficient with it ASAP. What ammo do you guys recommend for practice and SD in older j-frames?

For practice I use Magtech® 38 SPL 158 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat #38P

For SD/Carry ammunition I use Buffalo Bore® Standard Pressure Short Barrel Low Flash Heavy .38 Special Ammo - 158 gr. Soft Lead SWCHCGC (850fps/M.E. 253 ft. lbs.)# 20A/20

Both POA/POI in all my fixed sight 38's are identical.

__________________
David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

The PMC 132gr FMJ is a great snub practice load, IMO. They're what I use right now. For SD it's hard to go wrong with Federal 125gr Nyclads, especially in an airweight gun that's not rated for +P ammo. I think the two go together well for a practice/carry combination.

Hornady FTX Critical Defense work well - make sure you get the standard pressure - they make them in +P as well.

Thanks for the quick replies guys. Very useful information.

I found some Buffalo Bore 158gr lead semi-wadcutter HPs (non +P) on MidwayUSA. User reviews are excellent from owners of older air weight j-frames. Might be a good option. And only $25.49 for a box of 20! What a steal!

Glad to hear my PMC ammo will work with the Model 38.

I gotta go with 158gr. RNL/SWC @ 800 fps or so. It's what the gun was built for, Std. Vel. .38 Spl. Why pay more? Ample power for a 2" Airweight.
JMHO

Larry

Standard pressure Federal Nyclad ammo for SD in that older revolver...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

My current carry gun is an M38. SD load for it is Speer 135 grain "short barrel" hollowpoints.

I use reloads to practice but Winchester "white box" .38s with 130 grain flat point FMJs shoot well out of most of my snubnose revolvers.

Update on my Model 38. I originally thought it was manufactured in 1971-73, but S&W e-mailed me that it was made in 1983. It's one of the "floating J" serial number guns.

I've bought some of the PMC .38 132 grain FMJ mentioned earlier from "The Armory" for $ 250.00 per case, $ 12.50 per box plus S&H. It came to about $ 275.00 and delivered in a week. New ammo, shoots well and I reload the brass. I've never found lower prices on that ammo but others sell it for much more.

As pointed out by others, (1) stick with standard pressure loads in your Model 38, and (2) your fixed-sight revolver was regulated for standard loadings, such as the 158-grain SWC, etc, so should not have significant issues with POI vs. POA.

Other considerations with lightweight revolvers are recoil and muzzle blast, neither of which are conducive to good shooting under stress.

The 2" tubes aren't capable of achieving the potential (velocity and energy) of most ammunition, when compared with longer barreled revolvers. Attempts to increase performance via higher performance ammo will bring relatively little benefit, but can be counted on to significantly increase recoil, muzzle blast and flash.

For these reasons I stick with standard velocity loads in my J-frame revolvers.

I use Independence 130 grain 38 Spl for practice, in my BUG,
an airweight S&W 38 Spl but it is rated for P+. I thought all of the new ones were P+ as mine has it on the barrel. I think the rounds are pretty good for practice because I fired 237 of possible 250 which is better than I fired with the 38 Spl Taurus 851. I prefer to use it for range practice because the rounds are cheaper and easier to get than for my CA 44 Bulldog 3" which I have trouble getting practice rounds for. After reading your post, I took unholstered my S&W 38 Spl to make sure it has P+ on the right side of the airweight stainless steel weapon. It does. My self defense rounds regularly in it are Remington Golden Saber 38 Spl P+ 125 Grain Brass jacketed H/P. But I don't fire many of them in practice.

In older Airweights, the hottest load I'll use is the 125gr Nyclad Standard pressure. It clocks an honest 830+ fps in a 2" barrel, and expands nicely.

I also prefer it in the 342 AirLite.


Regards,

Pat

Nice cartridge. I carry it in my very old 36. Accurate and not much of a recoil.

I also shoot them in my older M36. That's why I recommended them in an above post. Like above, I agree they shoot accurately and expand well too.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437