I have been looking at several brands of home defense ammo. I also have some read very good things about the Corbon ammo in .38 special. I noticed that there is a Corbon brand and Corbon DPX. Can anyone tell me the difference between these two ammos?

PS How does the Corbon brand match up versus the Speer load?

Thanks,

More info will offer more help in your quest. The brands you mentioned are both fine. If we knew your circumstances, the suggestions would be easier to make? IE: apartment, town house or single family dwelling? Other family members in the home? Type of construction of the home? Frame size and barrel length of the weapon you intend to use? There are a large number of fine loadings from a great many makers any more.

DPX is meant to be deeper penetrating. A company called Double Tap offers loads that are usually a bit less expensive than Corbon's offerings. Note that some Corbon offerings bear warnings from the maker that continual use in alloy frame revolvers might be a problem.

I own a single family home and have a Model 10 Heavy Barrel.

Thanks....

I've read that CorBon's conventional JHPs use Sierra bullets. I took an assortment of JHP HD type rounds out to the proverbial gravel
pit and had a big stack of soaked magazines -
fired at least one of each type into it - took it home and let it dry out for a day. I found the convntional CorBon JHPs to really blow up and lose a lot of bullet weight. WW SXT and
Speer GD retained bullet weight and penetrated
better.

CorBon's DPX line uses the Barnes XPB solid Copper hollow point bullets that are supposed to retain 99% bullet weight but being solid copper are longer than jacketed or cast bullets of the same weight. DPX/XPB bullets depending on caliber/wieght run 80 cents and more a piece.

Model 60 3" Bbl. .357 Mag. I use
.38 SPecial +P 125 gr. Gold DOt JHPs which
at approx. 1000 FPS are sub-sonic which
is preferred for indoor HD use.

9MM - I'd look at the 147 gr. JHP with a quality bullet at sub-sonic velocity as well

.45 ACP - no +P needed imo just a good bullet the're mostly sub sonic.

.

Yes, traditional Corbon JHPs use Sierra bullets. The DPX line uses the Barnes X bullet. I would be comfortable with either one. If you put those two up against the Speer short barrel 135 gr. Gold Dot, then picked the most accurate one, you would be in great shape. The Remington version of the FBI load ought to be in that test too IMO. I think Buffalo Bore has a real sizzling gas checked FBI load that you might want to look into also.

As the gentlemen above said....
What on the list your gun shoots the best, is the real key. Classic tough six gun your using! She'll work well for you. My wife's 4 inch Model 66 though a .357 chambered gun, runs an FBI load (158 grain, Lead, Semi, Wad, Cutter, Hollow, Point, +, P. abbreviated LSWCHP+P) as her bedside guns load. I don't run the Magnums in the house. There's virtually NO .38 Special +P or +P+ loading your gun won't handle. So select what you shoot best.
And BTW- WELCOME!

When I bought my 637 Airweight four years ago, I also bought a box (20 rounds) of Cor Bon's +p 115gr Sierra hollow points. After firing five of them, I swore on the spot that I would never do that again. The remaining fifteen rounds are relegated to my 686+. I believe this load is no longer offered. I have also fired the original standard pressure .38 DPX. I found it to be quite acceptable. It also is no longer offered in standard pressure due to a stability problem out of snubbies. The upped the charge a bit to get into +p range, and this round now has an excellent reputation.

Indeed, we are blessed with some excellent handgun loads these days.
Cordially, Jack

IIRC that 115 gr. Corbon load was a +P+. I think they had to ditch that one because they joined SAAMI. The 110 gr. +P JHP that Corbon offers feels pretty hot. It has more recoil than DPX or Speer SB. I would describe it as ".357ish". IMO 110 gr. is light for the .38 special, but I would consider that hot Corbon 110 grainer. It has power.

Can't go wrong with any of the Cor-Bon offerings. I have Powerball, DPX, and regular JHP Cor-Bon ammo in 380 ACP, 9mm, 10mm, and 45 ACP.

They used to use Nosler 135 in their 40 load. Switched at some point to Sierra, I still have examples of both. Mostly shot up now. I'm using the CB 165 until I run out. Probably go with Gold Dot as I can't find the Corbon in 50 round boxes anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by acmf74:
I own a single family home and have a Model 10 Heavy Barrel.

Thanks....

In my opinion there is no better round for your Model 10 with fixed sights than a round with a 158gr bullet. It will shoot POA=POI. Like mentioned above, I would highly suggest you use the FBI load in your revolver. There are a few still made but I prefer Remington 158gr LSWC/HP .38 Special +P rounds, part #R38S12. (Remington calls them Lead Hollow Point +P) From a 4" barrel Remington rates them at 890 fps with 278 ft/lbs of energy at the barrel.

I now shoot these round in my S&W M638 after trying many. They work and they don't cost over $1 a round. There isn't anything wrong with Speer Gold Dot, Remington Golden Saber, Winchester Silvertip, DoubleTap, Buffalo Bore and a host of others but I feel the old FBI load is best, especially in a revolver it was made for.

I bought a box of corbon 38 DPX last year.
I shot them last weekend. I had three rounds out of a box of twenty that did not go bang. Kind of strange since everything always worked in this S&W. Kinda turned me off of Corbon. I went back to the 135 grain GD's.
But if it works for you, the bullets are suppose to be very good.

John!

I'm long sold on the +P 158 grain SWC lead bullet for all .38 Special self-defense duties.

My 4" .38 Service Six has 158-gr LSWC in it.

Accuracy and penetration over everything else.