looking for a good self defense load, but not so expensive that I cannot practice with it, I know it's a trade-off, recommendations are appreciated.

thanks

Non +P and target use.

Simple.

Shoot the 158 grain lead SWC for every thing.

Generally self-defense shooting is conducted at close enough ranges so that practicing defensive shooting with cheaper ammunition is entirely satisfactory. I have no suggestions on choices among the more expensive ammunition brands and types which are marketed specifically for self-defense use. My feeling on that issue is that the ability to achieve proper shot placement consistently is far more important than what "defensive ammunition flavor of the year" is used. And that is precisely what practice is intended to develop.

As stated above, not a bad choice, but my preferred non+p .38 Spl load of choice is always going to be factory loaded 148 wadcutters. But be aware that target wadcutters are a beast to reload in an offensive or defensive situation. A speed strip or speed loader with SWC would be advisable...

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jd SWCA #3276

Lead semi-wadcutters, or full lead hollow-based wadcutters are my favorites for everything.
Tactical reloads with the HBWC loads are a little slower, and a little practice reloading helps a lot.
The superior bullets and loads that can be bought or reloaded yourself compared to what's available in some other calibers means fewer shots may have to be fired to have the desired effect.
In a defensive situation situation, what is the likelihood of needing more than five or six shots rapid-fire anyway?

Remember, every fired shot has a lawyer attached to it.

Speer offers a 125 gr non +p load. It must be a different bullet than the 125 gr 357 magnum load as I've read that it does expand at 38 non +p velocities.

It's on the Speer LE site and is reasonably priced in 50 round boxes.

If I am carrying non +P I use Winchester 148gr wadcutters in the gun and Magtech 158 SJHP for reloads. The Magtechs have enough taper to reload quickly and the Win. wadcutters seem to run a little faster than other brands, at least according to the Lucky Gunner tests. I really don't stay up nights worrying about my carry load as long as I can hit with it.

4.8 grains of Unique under a 158 grain cast lead semi-wadcutter. Will clock 859 fps from a 4-inch barrel.

4.8 grains of Unique was once a moderate charge with 5.4 being generally shown as a maximum charge weight in loading manuals for many years. In more recent times the maximum charge weight for Unique has been repeatedly lowered to the point that 4.8 grains of Unique is represented as a maximum load, in some manuals even over maximum.

I've used the 4.8 grain charge weight since the 1970s in a number of Smith & Wesson revolvers as old as the first decade of the 20th century, shooting jillions of rounds with perfect satisfaction. Have long considered it the general purpose field load for my .38 Special revolvers.

I have been shooting .38 Special since 1972, which is the same year that I started reloading (and the year before I started casting bullets). Since that time I don't recall buying factory .38 Special ammo more than 2 or 3 times. I regularly reload a thousand or two every year, and with homemade cast bullets the ammo cost is little more than .22LR for me, allowing me to shoot as much as I want and as frequently as I want.

That said, just about any major manufacturer's offerings in 158-grain SWC should do the job as well as anything else. The 148-grain wadcutters are an excellent choice for short range defensive use, but as others have noted reloading these can be tedious at best. I prefer to do my practice shooting with the same ammo I intend to carry, so we seem to be on the same page about that issue.

After 40 years or more of super-duper high velocity hollow-point newest and bestest ever stuff, you might actually have to shop a bit to find a source for basic and reliable factory-made standard pressure .38 Special ammo. When most customers seem to be paranoid about zombies the ammo makers tend to crank out zombie loads by the truckload.

Is there a specific reason why you are looking for standard pressure .38 Special load? There are very few and the available ones don't usually use a quality bullet.

Standard pressure .38 Special ammo has a SAAMI pressure limit of 17,000 psi but the factory stuff usually doesn't come close. It's the same for the +P stuff, 20,000 psi limits but usually generate less than 18,000 psi. Of course the boutique ammo is more powerful but it's also very expensive.

I'm just asking why because it's possible to figure something out that will work well for you without breaking the bank.

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SWCA #3437

If you want factory stuff , consider " Georgia-Arms " . Best prices in bulk . If reloading and you want something that equals factory , 158 gr cast bullet , swc or RNFP on top of 5.0 grs of Unique or even 3.7 grs of titegroup will serve you well . The unique load is an old favorite for most of us . Hope this helps , Regards, Paul

The only reason I listed the 158 grain SWC lead bullet was it's design and
how it was easier to reload with the pointed tip vs the round bulky
full surface of the bb or HB 148 lead bullet, in a rush loading.

I am not saying a non-+p is best for a SD loading but.......
if that is what you must have, it is a little better than a .22.

Hornady makes a 38 special Critical Defense 110 grain Bullet. Standard velocity

It seems Hornady is also selling a standard pressure 125gr American Gunner round using an XTP bullet. I did not know that, it should work well if it's accurate in your gun. I am not a fan of 90gr or 110gr bullets in the .38 Special. I don't like 125gr bullets either but at standard pressures it's probably the best choice. That American Gunner 125gr round is highly rated from what I read after seeing it in the Hornady site.

I found this after I posted. The Hornady 125gr AG round is rated #1 on this site.
10 Best 38 Special Ammo for Self Defense | Best Home Defense Gun

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SWCA #3437

It sounds as though all of the mentioned rounds would be a good choice. I would also add the 130 gr. Winchester Train and Defend. The entire purpose of this combo is to give you a practice round that has the same recoil, POI, etc. as the defensive (Defend) hollow-point round at roughly half the price. The "Train" round differs from somewhat cheaper standard Winchester White Box mainly in that it uses a lead-free primer. I can't speak to how the velocity compares, however. The plus side of this T&D option is that the combo can be found pretty much anywhere. If it shoots well in your gun, it seems to be what you're looking for.

Are those Winchesters +P or not?

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SWCA #3437

HEY hillybillydruggist, WELCOME TO THE FORUM...

JIM CIRILLO, FAMED GUNFIGHTER OF THE NYPD'S "STAKE OUT SQUAD", USED WHATEVER BRAND OF STANDARD PRESSURE, FULL WAD CUTTER. LEAD TARGET AMMO IN .38 SPL, THAT HIS DEPARTMENT WAS USING FOR TRAINING/PRACTICE, AS HIS DUTY AMMO. HE KILLED A DOZEN OR SO OF ARMED CRIMINALS, AND STOPPED COUNTLESS OTHERS WITH THIS LOAD.....

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU TRY A LOAD WITH A BULLET AS CLOSE TO 158 GRAINS AS YOU CAN FIND, IF YOUR WEAPON HAS FIXED SIGHTS. THAT WILL MAXIMIZE THE CHANCE THAT POI WILL COINCIDE WITH POA. I WOULD GO WITH FEDERAL BRAND AMMO, WHOSE SOFT PRIMERS WILL ENSURE RELIABLE IGNITION.......

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Winchester makes the Silvertip in 110 grain that is not +P.

uniformity of ammo and recoil for everyone, and some of mine are not +P rated

thanks...especially the Federal primer tip

Check out the Paul Harrell channel on you tube. He has ammo tests and recommendations for 38 non +P. For factory loads he makes a lot of sense.

Mag Tech factory reloads .38 Spl. 148-gr lead wadcutters. 50 in a box
for under twenty bucks (Buds Gun Shop). I have shot quite a lot of them
from snub nosed j frames with no failures.

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I like to check the Luckygunner ballistics data before making a new ammo purchase and I pay particular attention to the bullet expansion images. Notice that the results are for 2" and 4" barrels...

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/rev...cs-test/#38spl

Whatever 158 grain SWC (hollowpoint or flat nose doesn't matter) that is accurate, doesn't have too much recoil, and that you can consistently shoot well offhand out to 25 yards or so is the best choice. It's important that the bullet strike close to point of aim with fixed sight guns. Most standard pressure 158 grain loads should do this.

How long is the barrel? I only practice with jacketed ammo enough to be familiar with it. I like Golden Sabers, Gold Dots, Hornady XTP

I reload rounds that are similar to my JHP defense loads to practice with. I could use fmjs to practice with, but I shoot way to many for it to be economical.

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