I decided to chronograph Remington 38 Spl +P 158 gr LHP and Federal 38 Spl +P 158 gr LSWCHP (38G) out of my newly acquired S&W Heavy Duty 5 inch revolver. Curious to see how they would perform out of a 38 Special only revolver with a longer barrel (5 inch):
Firearm: S&W Heavy Duty 5 inch 38 Special
Time: 0700, 29 Aug 2022
Elevation: Approx 4,500 ft
Humidity: Approx 45%
(10 Shot string)
Remington 38 Spl +P 158 gr LHP
Hi 976 fps
Lo 916 fps
Avg 955 fps
ES 60
SD 16
Notes: modest gain in velocity likely due to shorter 38 Spl cylinder compared to my tests of this cartridge in Ruger 4 5/8 inch 357 Mag BH, and the slightly longer barrel length of the S&W HD (5 inch). ES and SD were in the ball park with my previous tests.
Federal 38 Spl +P 158 gr LSWCHP (38G)
Hi 947 fps
Lo 917 fps
Avg 931 fps
ES 30
SD 11
Notes: velocity improvement likely due to shorter cylinder, longer barrel. ES and SD pretty good and within approx range of previous “38G” tests.
Conclusion: I like the Remington load for its slightly greater velocity, but the Federal “38G” shoots more accurately for me. Both nice +P loads in the 5 inch S&W HD.