A friend of mine picked up a box of tubular PMC .38 Special 66gr ammo today at a local show.

What would any one of you guys estimate it's worth?

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Lost it all in a boat accident

66 grain .38 Special loads? Didn't know they made such a light bullet for the cartridge?

As for its worth to me.....nothing. I would rather hit someone/something with 125 to 158 grains.

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Stu

Like...gag me with a spoon. Totally bogus, Man...

PMC's Ultramag 66THP rounds go for about $2-3 ea. The .44 Spl Ultramags sell for up to $5 ea. A box of the 38Spl would probably sell for maybe $30-40.

I've seen photos of this round shot into ballistic gel and they cut out a good chunk of gel as it passes through.

The Feds used a similar bullet on the Branch Dividians in Waco, TX., made from steel and designed by Guilford Engineering Assoc. many years ago. Here's an old archived link on the bullets from the IAA Forum:

International Ammunition Association {iaaforum.org} - View topic - guilford engineering oddity

Those tubular PMC bullets were produced in the late '80s.

They might have some collector value, but from a practical standpoint they are worthless.

Very inaccurate. I had some. They and the .44 Special version hit 1-2 FEET below point of aim at 25 feet. Disappointing in terminal ballistics also as I recall.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Moxie is correct. They shoot very LOOOOOW.

Will penetrate a vest though.

Only the early 38Spl that was loaded with the brass THP. PMC had to change to the copper THP because the brass bullet was declared AP.

I had (and have) a bunch in .38 Spl. It is true that they shoot very low, which is to be expected of a light bullet, but they are very accurate, even at distance. On my 2.5" Model 66 and my 2.5" Model 19, which are sighted in for 110 grain .357 Mag factory ammo, the 66 grain .38 Spl tubes require that the sight adjusting screw be turned one revolution (360 degrees).

From a practical standpoint, I suspect that those Dick Tracy bullets work just fine, but I have not tested their penetration in gelatin (or anything else but a vest, which they did not penetrate).

P.S. One can sight a quote on the web site which CTG COLLECTOR cites which mentions another advantage of the tubular bullets:

When the Chief asked about them one day at the range, I replied "see, this way I can tell how old the perp is by using the 'core sample' and counting the rings".