I have been searching and searching the net to learn more about what makes a good home defense round. After reading several reviews I wondered how accurate these reviews can really be. How often does one actually get the opportunity to shoot a bad guy?

I have heard the terms "stopping power", "penetration", and "expansion" time and time again. Then I proceeded to read about several ballistic tests which see like Japanese to me. I know that different rounds work better in certain revolvers.

Two questions...

1. What home defense round do you have in your revolver right now...and why?

2. Can you recommend a good home defense round for my S&W 15 .38 Special with a 4 inch barrel?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Scotty

Just get a good +P self defense round for your model 15.
You will drive your self crazy reading and getting every ones
opinion. Don

__________________
"Don't worry be happy"

Remington or Federal 38+P 158gr lead hollowpoint "FBI" load
or Federal 38 +P+ 147gr Hydra Shok

You will drive your self crazy reading and getting every ones
opinion. Don[/QUOTE]



That's the best advise.

When dealing with modern American premium defense ammo, there is no "best".

What is on top in one test will be number 2 or 3 in another test.
For the .38 Special, most any premium +P round in anything from 125 grain to 158 grain will be as good as any other.

Personally, I like the +P 158 grain, lead, semi-wadcutter, hollow point.
This is variously known as the FBI, Chicago, St Louis, LAPD, New Orleans etc, etc round.
The street cops called it the ".38 SPLAT" for the sound it supposedly made when it hit.

This was the round that pretty well ended police complaints about the .38 Special being a "widow maker" after many failures to stop with the old .38 round nose lead round.
Its also one of the cheapest .38 Special rounds, even in a premium brand.

Other than Speer Short Barrel Gold Dots I prefer the Federal 110+P+ Controlled Expansion JHP. Here is one recovered from a rapist that tried to put a knife in me. I was carrying my issue S&W Mod 15 4" It opened to .612 through the heart, into the lower lobe of the lung and lodged in the fatty tissue just prior to exiting the back. They called it the Treasury Load.

__________________
20 years Military

Glaser Safety Slugs are the safest in home round. They will not penetrate a normal wall (sheet rock to sheet rock) but they will do a number on you. On the REI (Relative Encapacitance Index) a 9mm Glaser has the same stopping power (one shot stop) as a 44 magnum with hollow points. They are specifically designed to overcome over penetration, ricochets and to put 100% of the kinetic energy into the target

__________________
Curtis M Brier #2217

My 15-2 4" stays loaded with 158 gr +p LSWCHP. aka "FBI load" This does not change whether I am at home, or on the street. IMHO, if it is good enough for the FBI, it is good enough for me.

P.S. ammo selection is very caliber, and for that fact barrel length specific. This is the only caliber I do not use a jacketed bullet in.

Agreed.

The longer you are into guns the less you'll be concerned about exotic ammo.

Frankly, I'm not even sure you need +P ammo. I've interviewed several gunshot survivors, some were shot with .38 specials, they all said it was "like a ball of fire" or something like that. None were unaffected by the hot lead in their bodies, all were instantly disabled. However, none were on drugs.

An associate of mine, a large, strong black belt (one of my instructors) was killed with a .32 auto in the upper back area from quite a distance.

Bullet placement in what's important, not the type of ammo.

158 LHP (aka FBI load) is tops any brand- also try Speer 135 Gold dot JHP EXCELLENT load but expensive (how much is your hide worth?