Spent some quality time at the outdoor range here in Winthrop WA. A bit windy today.


I wanted to chrono a few factory offerings in .38sp, both loaded to actual full power levels vs the the typical mouse fart stuff being toted as '+p' these days. I also threw some target pressured wadcutters and range ammo across the screen while I was at it.
In my Bulgarian Makarov, ammo was 95gr fmj American Eagle.

Std pressure Buffalo Bore 150gr hard cast wadcutters and Sellier and Bellot 158gr FMJ was shot through a 2" Colt Cobra snubby and 5" Police Positive Special.

In +P, I had the Buffalo Bore 158gr 'FBI load on steroids', it was shot through a 2" model 442-2, 242 with a 2.5" bbl and mod 64ny1 4" bbl, the S&B 158gr and black Hills 148gr wadcutters were also shot through these guns.

Lots of data and pics, so I'll just get the info down and fill in the pics as I go, bear with me.:supergrin:


Buffalo Bore standard pressure 150gr hard cast wadcutter

Colt Cobra 2"
887
882
852
860
866
Avg:869fps

S&W 242 2.5"
871
840
893
902
879
Avg:877fps

S&W mod 64NY1 4"
932
957
915
981
982
Avg:953fps

Colt Police Positive Special 5"
944
955
950
951
936
Avg:947fps

Not bad for std pressure .38.

From the Makarov, I used the 95gr fmj from American Eagle, pretty much the most common loading you'll find from most makers in this round.
It does pretty fair for being range ammo.


1054
1013
978
1016
1033
Avg:1019fps

Shot 20rounds, 4@3yrds, 6@5yrds, 6@7yrds and 4@10yrds, results;



Plus Pee Buffalo Bore was used in the +p safe guns, so that would be my trusty 442-2, the L framed 242 and K frame model 64 DAO NY1 revolvers.

Buffalo Bore 158gr +p LSWCHP

S&W 442-2, 1&7/8" bbl
923
974
945
980
929
Avg:950fps


S&W model 242, 2.5"bbl
988
1054
977
1018
1044
Avg:1016fps


S&W mod 64NY1, 4"bbl
1068
1110
1108
1111
1121
Avg:1103fps


Sellier and Bellot 158gr FMJ

Colt Cobra 2"
681
711
682
667
671
Avg:682fps

S&W 242 2.5"
734
795
782
764
765
Avg:768fps

Model 64NY1 4"
636
718
723
768
758
Avg:721fps

Colt PPS 5"
727
727
712
642
748
Avg:711fps

Black Hills 148gr HBWC

S&W 242 2.5"
655
684
677
671
(Error reading)
Avg:672fps

Model 64NY1 4"
680
633
675
705
693
Avg:677fps

Speer 135gr Gold Dot jhp +p

Model 242 2.5"
857
863
873
871
828
Avg:858fps




Today's numbers were mostly consistent with what I've seen from other people's efforts at chronoing these loads. Weather was mid 50s and windy, elevation was about 2000ft near Perrygin Lake.
Contrary to what some say, I didn't find recoil all that objectionable from the +p Buffalo Bore load n my Airweight 442, in fact it felt milder than last I remember shooting it...but it also chrono'd about 60fps slower today. It will sting the hand, but not out of control and or difficult to manage. No sticky cases in any guns.
The std pressure Buffalo Bore Wadcutter was right on the money velocity wise in the Colt revolvers, a solid offering for someone that likes the Wadcutter theory for self defense purposes.
I had heard some claiming the S&B was warmer for std pressure 158gr.....not so much IMO.
The 2.5" bbl model 242 makes pretty good use of its barrel length vs the longer barreled guns like the 64- which often has fast numbers in its own right. The virtuous 135gr Gold Dot +p looked a little weak today from the 'fast' 242, I had expected mid 900s, got mid 800s.

Excellent post and contribution. Thank you.

Really great info, thanks for sharing! Did you happen to notice any crimp jump from the BB FBI+p in your 442?

I didn't look on this occasion, but the first time I tried the ammo a few years back, it presented no issues in the 7 shot 242, meaning no creep was observed in the last round after 6 firings. That is a 18oz gun. In the 442 no creep was observed after four shots, it chrono 1012fps avg that day, but it was slightly higher elevation and warmer temps.
They are tightly crimped.