For my new S&W 360 38 special I wanted to have some factory fodder. But slim pickins locally. I found some Hornady 38 special " custom" 125 gr XTP states 900 F.P.S. Item # 90322 not marked +p but at least 25 round in the box for $20 Bucks. I guess it will be OK in the airweight...

__________________
Navy Seabees "can Do"

For my new S&W 360 38 special I wanted to have some factory fodder. But slim pickins locally. I found some Hornady 38 special " custom" 125 gr XTP states 900 F.P.S. Item # 90322 not marked +p but at least 25 round in the box for $20 Bucks. I guess it will be OK in the airweight...

__________________
Navy Seabees "can Do"

Try the 158gr lead HP +P if you can find it. That's pretty much the load for the 38 snub. Everybody makes it.

My 340 PD is loaded with
Buffalo Bore 125 grain 38 +P's.
http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#38spl

Hey Moses, my dad was a Seabee in the first wave in the south pacific WWII. They can do darn near anything with next to nothing and under fire too.

But on to .38's. Local fodder seems to be getting thing. I have settled on either the Gold Dot 135 +P Short Barrel or Double Tap's 125 +P Gold Dots. Both are easy to mail order and the Double Tap prices are pretty good.

Try www.ammunitiontogo.com or other internet purveyors. See what is in stock.

Your local Walmart should, if you're lucky, have 100rd value packs of the UMC +P 125 gr JHP fodder. It's not the best stuff, but it isn't terrible either.

i think those Hornady's should do fine.
i don't think i've ever seen anything from hornady that wasn't high quality.
Regards,
Rich

I tried the 125 XTP from a 4" 38 revolver.
The ammo quality is fine, but the XTP will
simply not expand going that slow. It would
definitely not expand from a snub. They were a
big waste of money. The XTP is not a good handgun bullet except in the Magnum rounds.
Otherwise I have been disappointed with it.

As others mentioned, get the Remington 158gr lead hollowpoint 38+p is great. It will expand in most cases from a snub. The Gold Dots seem ok too. All the rest will shoot like high priced LRN from a snub.

If the only HP loads you can find are XTP right now, just load up with 148 wads or 158 LRN- they will do the same thing.

Have you guys ever not heard of Speer's 135 grain +P Short Barrel Gold Dot?????

It was designed specifically to meet FBI penetration and expansion criteria out of 2" snubs at the request of the New York City Police for issue to their officers who carry either 4" Model 10s/64s on duty or J frames off duty.

It is by far the most consistently expanding snub nose ammo available bar none. It expands when shot from snubs even when shot through four layers of denim cloth as per FBI requirements.

Do not waste your time with anything else for a .38 Special snub nose load.

I agree with Wyatt that Speer SB is good, but believe Corbon 110 DPX and JHP are as good or better.

My 637 Airweight is loaded with the Remington version of the FBI load (+p 158gr LSWCHP) which, according to Stephen Camp, should expand reliably out of a snubby. Its bullet is dead soft lead, whereas the Federal and Winchester versions, of hardcast lead probably will not (but should out of a 4" barrel). If I didn't already have this ammo, I'd probably buy Speer 135gr Gold Dot SB. It certainly has a following.

Cordially, Jack

Why are you stuck with them?

I'll be honest, Federal Hydra Shocks are old tech and better bullets have come along since those were introduced.

Go to Midway USA and order two boxes of Speer 135 grain +P Gold Dot Short Barrel .38 Special. Go to a range. Shoot a few cylinders out of the first box to get used to it, load up your gun and a speedloader with some more, and save the rest. Use your Federals for plinking or whatever.