I want to load my model 19 with a good 38 special home defense round, I do not want to use 357s due to the muzzle blast and noise in a bed room. I am considering remington 158 grSWLHP (fbi load) or remington 125gr +P load that I got on sale a few years back. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks

With .38 spl it is pretty much a wash between the two you have if you look at the MS comparisons, Others have different theories, just not stats. Lots of pics on YouTube of informal tests with both types of ammo.

Lately when my 3" 65 has been serving home defense duty it's usually been loaded with Speer .38 Special 135gr Short-Barrel GDHP. It's developed an excellent reputation for stopping violent attackers and is very controllable in a steel K-frame with very little, if any, muzzle flash and the blast isn't bad as far as I can tell (indoor range with electronic muffs). I believe the .357 Magnum version would also be a good choice as it's on the low-end of the magnum power spectrum.

However, I would also consider the Remington FBI load to be a good choice, too.

I like the Buffalo Bore 158 gr Standard Pressure Short Barrel Low Flash. Pretty stout for a non +P load. I reckon it's about the same as the FBI load. Gotta go with what shoots best in your guns, though. Like they say, you are only outgunned if you miss.

I did some wetpack testing this week with several 38 Special loads, and the Remington version of the FBI load did as well as anything else, aside from some core/expansion ring separation. The mushroomed section was found within a half-inch of the core, so it was pretty hard to call it any kind of a failure, penetration was 6" or more in densely packed phone books, which had been saturated for 24+ hours before testing. I'm also pretty fond of the Speer Gold Dots, but the FBI load isn't as pricey, and is easier to find.

I load my S&W 19 with the Speer 135 gr. +P the first 4 rds., and the last 2 rds. .357 mag.

+1 on Remington "FBI" round. This is the proven round over the years. I use this in my model 10 4 inch heavy barrel. I have tried the Buffalo LSWCHP +P but the recoil is very stiff. I would imagine in a shorter barrel model 19 this round would be a handful.
Regards,
Howard

I agree, the FBI Load is a very good and time tested load. It will serve you well as a SD round especially inside a dark bedroom or hallway.

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