Just purchased a model 36, intend to carry it.

What ammo would you all recommend? The guy I got it from said he used to carry "Super Vel 110gr" in it, but obviously Super Vel no longer exists.

Cannot decide if I should do a decent weight bullet and normal speed, or +p light and fast

[I use the following load as it is standard pressure with the energy of a +P loading.............
• Click it

IMHO it is simply the best!

__________________
David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

Well I'm glad I asked, I have never even heard of that ammo company

You'll have several folks giving you the Buffalo Bore recommendation. And I'm one of 'em.

Their "+P" load is very stout, and even their "standard pressure" load (which is what I have in mine now) is every bit as strong as other folks' +P rounds.

As an alternative, I also use Remington's 158gr +P LSWCHP (the "FBI Load")

The short answer - whatever works well in your gun, for you, with which you can afford to practice regularly.

The long answer (ones mentioned most often on the Forum) - the Buffalo Bore loads noted above, the 135 gr Speer Gold Dot or Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr in standard or +P, and the Federal 125 gr Nyclad. Try them and see which works for you.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

IMO the best defense ammo today is the best ammo of yesterday, the FBI Load. (158gr LSWC/HP +P) If you want to carry a lighter bullet the Speer short barrel 135gr GDHP ammo is probably best. I know there are a lot of fans of Buffalo Bore but I feel there is no way for them to achieve such high velocities without pushing the SAAMI pressure limits. You never get something for nothing and if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is...

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Any good JHP, 125-158 grain in either standard or Plus P. I recommend premium ammo for carry.

I also use Buffalo Bore standard pressure loads in my M36, although it's the jacketed hollow point version......

I would recommend the Winchester 38+P 158 lead hollowpoint
(catalog WIN38SPD)or the Remington variant. Been around since
1971 and is proven. Light and fast in a snub nose does not have that good of a reputation.

My two favorite choices for a self-defense load in a snub are the Federal 125gr Nyclad and the Speer 135gr Short-Barrel Gold Dot. The Nyclad is an excellent low-recoil load and has a good track record in stopping attackers. The Gold Dot has more kick but should be easily managed in a steel J-frame. It's developed an excellent track record in actual shootings.

If you can handle the recoil the various incarnations of the FBI load (158gr LSWCHP by Remington, Winchester, Buffalo Bore, etc.) are also good choices and probably have the longest successful track record of any .38 Special loading.

However, the most important thing is for you to try out any of the ammo you're interested in and choose the one you shoot best. The most powerful manstopping round will do little good if you can't get quick, accurate hits where they count.

i buy ga arms version of the fbi load. they're local for me and reasonably priced. 158 grn lswchp at 900 fps.

As important, or more so, than ammo is getting a handle on this little gun that you can comfortably hang onto and point properly and control!

CorBon DPX. The best bullet design out there and, even though it is a +P round, it has less felt recoil than other +P rounds of the same bullet weight.

__________________
Centennial Every Day

I carry Cor-Bon DPX 110 gr. hollow points in my Model 36. Not saying mine is good or yours is bad, however following will be photos of bullets recovered just 2 days ago from an antelope. I have experimented over the years with recently downed animals. I shot the 2 bullets into an antelope that had been dead less than 1 minute (I angled the shots at a severe going away angle) entering at the last rib aiming for the off shoulder. Both bullets broke a rib on entry, one went through the heart and was lodged in the neck muscle, approximately 24" of penetration. The second bullet broke a rib going in and was recovered in the off shoulder after breaking the light weight shoulder blade approximately 20" of penetration. Why both of these bullets showed such an odd expansion I do not know as I have used these before with good results. I can only speculate that it was because of the initial rib hit at such a severe angle (I refuse to kneel down in a catus patch to get a better angle). If you would like to see another picture of a DPX removed from an antelope I posted pictures on the .380 Duty Ammo thread. Again this is not mine is better than yours just a demonstration of actual results not theory.

Thanks for posting 30-30. Nice penetration for an "underpowered" round like the .38 Special. I can see the laceration potential of the round also.

__________________
Centennial Every Day

In the (unlikely) event that you do need to defend yourself, you may want to consider what happens if the first round does not stop the Bad Guy. One problem I encountered with the "super power" loads was getting back to point of aim in a reasonable amount of time because recoil on that little revolver with +P loads can be challenging! Self defense ammo is expensive. Buy a box, practice with it and if it's too much to handle, take it down a notch.
This is not a "macho" thing. It is an "accuracy and repeatability" thing.
Just my dos centavos.

That is very sound advice. It is THE REASON Federal® Nyclad®s are so popular with many of us. My wife carries this load for the very reason(s) you outlined.

__________________
David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

I have become quite impressed with Hornady 110 grn FTX......there are several great tests of this ammo on Youtube......I put this round in my model 36 and in the wife's model 6368

It's been a while since I shot Nyclad and DPX back to back, but be sure to try both as I think the recoil is very similar and the DPX bullet is lightyears ahead of the old Nyclad (I'm not anti-Nyclad, use them in standard pressure applications).

__________________
Centennial Every Day

I run "Safe Stop" 148+P LWSC in mine but unless you have a private stock like myself forget it. Second choice is the Speer short barrel +P load, fairly accurate, easy to find and comes very highly recommended since it was originally developed for a major P.D. Third choice would be the new Federal Nyclad load.

With you on the "Safe Stop" thats what I carry in my back up 642.

Pete

I carry the +P version of the BB 158 grain lswc/hp/gc. It has been reported by a couple of researchers on this very board to achieve 1000fps or a tad more from a 2" gun. It is even more impressive in a 3" j-frame. It is a stout load, but in my experience (80 or so rounds in j and k frames) it is not nearly as punishing to the shooter (me) as full house .357 mag loads are from a k-frame. Spent shells fall easily out of the chambers, and there are no other obvious high pressure indicators. I believe this ammo makes a two or three inch j-frame a very viable self-defense weapon rather than a marginal one.
Heavy .38 Special +P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

__________________
Georgia On My Mind

It's still my opinion BB ammo and a few of the other designer ammo's cost too much. The more people buy it the less likely they are to lower the prices because their sales are good at the current prices.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Another vote here for the Speer GD 135gr+ P or the Remington 158gr LSWCHP +P

148 grain target wadcutters actually work quite well, with their sharp shoulder and deep penetration. They're also easy to shoot well in small frame guns.

Actually, the more people buy it, the more likely that other companies would make competing rounds. Buffalo Bore gets their price because they're a small niche manufacturer, that makes a quality product.

Some years ago there was a certain "popularity" in reloading the 148 hollow base wadcutters with the hollow base to the front (backwards).

In very unscientific "tests" wet phone books etc they seemed to expand quite well. The weight in the projectile being in the rear & what had to be terrible aerodynamics would likely be bad for any distant accuracy via a tumbling bullet. The bullet tumbling (if it hits it's mark) might prove to be a very effective unorthodox stopper.

If it was common it would be cheap(er).