Ok, I'm not new to firearms but, am fairly new to snubbies. I just picked up a S/W 642-2 not long ago and will start using it for carry purposes. I also picked up a box of HPR .38spl JHP in 158gr. Is that to much for this little pocket gun?

Here's the ballistics info"

Ballistics Information
Muzzle Velocity: 780 fps
Muzzle Energy: 214 ft. lbs.

No, I don't think so.
I would be inclined to buy at least three boxes of ammo.


Sorry could not resist...............


The 158gr is a very good SD load for that weapon.
Lots of brands to try out.....
have fun.

Seems like a very light load. Either that, or those figures were arrived at in a 2" barrel.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I like 158s in my 442, as they seem to hit closer to my POA.

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Because of the metric system?

I'm using 135gr Gold Dot +P in my 637. I believe it's rated at around 860 FPS. Packs quite a punch in that little revolver, but manageable.

I only shoot a limited amount of this ammo in my snubby's. No issues at all.

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-Mike-

A forum member has posted good test results from snubbys and Buffalo Bore 38's.

770fps is the standard factory 158 lead load today for a 2" J frame....

Years ago they did 850fps or so and then went down to 820
and then down to 790 and then..................

If you find a box that does 800fps or more you did GOOD !!

Are you using plus p? I have the same gun and have it loaded with Speer Gold Dot 135 Gr plus p based on what I've read. There made for short barrel but I have not shot them yet. I'd rather use 158 gr and I have Hornady standard pressure 158 gr jacketed hollow points but don't know if they would do for self defense. I have Federal 129 gr plus p also. I would also love to know how the 158 gr you bought handle in that 642. I have fired plenty of standard pressure and they are manageable. If you wouldn't mind let me know what you find out....

I did not know what to buy for my snubby so I went with:

Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 38 Special +P 135 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point

I figured that Speer Gold Dots were a good brand and choosing a round that was specifically made for a short barrel seemed to make sense to me. I'm sure there are other brands and bullet weights that would work but I feel comfortable relying on Speer Gold Dots. I have them in 9mm and 45acp for my other self defense guns.

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18-4, 15-4

They are not +P and once I get a chance to try them out, I'll post a report on what my thoughts are.

For standard .38 loads I've used 125 gr. gold dots over 4.5 gr. Bullseye with CCI 500 primers. For +P 125 gr gold dots over 4.8 gr. Bullseye or 5.7 gr. of Unique with Winchester SP primers. As always, use caution when trying to duplicate load data.

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Doug

Find an accurate load in your revolver and stick with it. Don't get caught up in the "faster is better" craze that seems to be overtaking the whole shooting industry. If super fast bullets,were necessary the 45-70 would be useless but it isn't. Big and slow works very well too and all the speed in the world will do you no good unless you hit what you shoot at.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

The Speer 135 gr Gold Dot for short barrels seems to be state of the art currently. Hope you can find it. Second choice would be the old FBI load, the 158 gr semi wadcutter hollow point +P from Remington or Federal. The Gold Dot might be hand to find in some areas. Buffalo Bore seems to be developing a good following, but I have no experience with them. I'm not a fan of Hydra Shok out of short barrels because they do not perform consistently. While I wouldn't consider them gospel, there are some interesting YouTube videos on bullet testing that tend to reflect real world performance.

I carried the FBI +P 158 grain load for years b/c it was our duty round, it worked and shoots just fine out of my Models 37 and 38.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I remember qualifying with my 442 (BUG) and using PMC 158 gr +P ammo. By the end of the course I was ready to THROW that little 442 at the target!

No surprise there! That's why I switched to a snubbie K frame - I can shoot one of those all day and not feel like throwing the gun at the targets.

Hornady makes a relatively new Critical Defense Lite load for snubbies. It's better in J frames than most normal stuff we shoot but it doesn't make them into *****cats.

I agree, and I use exactly the same load in my 637. It shoots to point of airm and groups well.

The Speer GD 135 Grain Short Barrel +P is an excellent load and has shown to consistently expand in Ballistic test gel & denim tests. The chronographed velocities from my 2" M60-7 Chief's Special has been around 830-840 fps which is only 20-30 fps slower than Speer advertises (that's actually good). I believe the ME is 222 foot pounds at that velocity.

Buffalo Bore's 158 grain +P LSWCHP-GC has consistently chronographed 1020-1040 fps out of the same 2" Chief's Special and will deliver a ME of about 375 foot pounds (a little shy of almost double what the Gold Dot delivers). While the BB does expand consistently, it does give you a bit more felt recoil and will slow down follow-up shots a little. The BB is more of a low end Magnum performing round in the 2" Revolver and has never exhibited any FTF for me - either has the GD.

For most who use a lightweight revolver, the Speer GD is the way to go because the BB load in a M637 is going to be a REAL HANDFUL! I personally would not use the BB in an alloy frame gun - but keep it in mind for your similar steel guns.

I dwell at the other end of the spectrum to be sure. The Buffalo Bore .38 Special 150 grain hardcast wadcutter is the round I choose for my 638. (And my older K-frames, but I digress.)

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I believe in the wadcutter.

I stick with the FBI load, as it hits where I am aiming. The lighter loads do not.

For my 1971 M60 2'' I've gone full circle and have come to the conclusion that the original .38 Special works. I rely on the standard velocity 158gr but choose a solid SWC bullet for its stability while penetrating soft tissue. The lower velocity produces less recoil and the non expanding SWC provides sufficient penetration at standard velocities.

I use the Grizzly 158 grain SWC standard pressure round in my speed loaders.

At the end of the day, if I wanted to use a round that was at or near .357 Magnum performance, I would carry a .357 Magnum.

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I believe in the wadcutter.

I tried a bunch of lighter weight "modern" loads in my J frame...all seem to hit varying degrees of "too low".

The Rem.158grn LHP +p does well in my backyard tests.... water jugs mostly. Most important they hit right where the front sight is when I pull the trigger.

Keeping the sight in the right spot...that's a whole nuther' subject

No, it is not! If it were "too much" for an entire class of revolvers there would be warnings to that effect on the box! Ammunition manufacturers, especially the majors, are not irresponsible.

Whether it is "too much" for you is another matter entirely, but it is fine for the gun.

That is my experience as well. My three year old 442 shoots to POA with the 135 grain Speer load. The forty year old M60 shoots low with them. All my old .38s get 158 grain ammo, period.