I just picked up a new 642,no-lock, to give my front pocket a break from the 640 I usually carry. I needed some weight savings since I'm rapidly becoming an "old fart." What is the general consensus on the best factory 38 special +P for this carry pistol. I have tons of reloads and wadcutters to practice with, but I need a good defensive round to carry. Recoil obviously doesn't bother me that much since I fire a lot of rounds for practice from the 640.

-=BDD=-

I'm a fan of the 135gr +P Gold Dot Short Barrel load if it's gotta be +P. But, I shoot standard pressure soooooo much better out of Airweights that I'm currently running Hornady's 110 gr standard pressure Critical Defense round. Try that Gold Dot round, lot of people like it.

I use Speer Gold Dot 125 gr +P. Don't have a clue about it's effectiveness, but it groups about 6"-8" at a full 10 yards, and none of the bullets jump the crimp.

- CorBon DPX 110 grain +P
- Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P Short Barrel (good luck finding it)
- Buffalo Bore 158 grain LSWHC Standard Pressure

Speer Gold Dot 135 +p
Buffalo Bore 158 HP

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The American dream is alive

I have mine loaded right now with 110 gr +p+ Winchester. I also load with 158 gr LSWHP +p

Winchester pdx1 +p 130grn. Standard FBI round.

Here too. Speer SB is hard to find here

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Independent Field Tester/R&D

I believe the standard FBI round was 158 grain lead semiwadcutter hollow core.

I like to be able to reload practice rounds to match my carry ammo, so I tend to pick carry loads for which I can buy the bullets as components. I was unable to match the Speer short barrel 135 Gold Dot factory loads with any of the powders I have available, and so switched to the Hornady Custom 158g NON +P. I can duplicate those velocities, although I have to use low +P charges to do so.

For all day fun at the range, though, I tend to shoot a LOT more of what I call my "cowboy loads" - 158g round nose lead over a not-quite-full case of Trail Boss. Gives ~640fps from a 4" Model 10 and ~600fps from a 2". Very clean, and easy on my hand and joints.

Nyclad LSWC 158 grain.....

hand loaded 158 swc in mine

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

Speer Gold Dot short barrel 135gr +P

I'd look at a grip change too...JMO.

I will work for ammo...good motto.

I prefer the Speer 135 +P Gold Dot for my 442-2 as they hit just above the front sight and are very accurate. Hope this helps!
Jim

158 gr. factory swc works for me.

I want to try some of the Speer SB, but it is really hard to find. Anybody know where I can get some?

-=BDD=-

158gr LSWC +P, mostly because its the only ammo that hits POA in mine.

Standard target wadcutters of good quality (mine are Black Hills) are a winner. I would like to find a decent standard velocity 158 grain SWC for faster reloading, but it's low priority as a .38 J frame is almost never anything but a BUG for me.

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NHI, 10-8.

I prefer reduce recoil for self defense, so I shot 5 rounds of each of these at 10 yards and selected the one with the tightest group: Federal Hydra Shok Premium Personal Defense Reduced Recoil JHP 110; Hornady Critical Defense in 110 gr.; Winchester Silvertip JHP 110; Cor Bin DPX +P 110 gr.; and Federal Nyclad 128 gr. The best grouping for me was the Federal Hydra Shok reduced recoil.

I have my 642 loaded with Speer 135 Gold Dots.

My daily carry is a 642 with Crimson Trace #305 grips. My carry load is Federal's FBI load (158 gr H.P. +P). I practice with .38 wadcutters (home cast and loaded) to make it easy on the gun.

Dale53

Proarms.com stocks it. Massad Ayoob clued me into this site. Also, I have bought some online at Northwest shooters supply. This is a very good choice in ammo. It has the best street record in NYPD and LAPD.

Northwestshooterssupply.com and call proarms at 386-364-GUNS.

Northwest has it in stock for sure.

Northwest Shooter Supply : Ammo : Shooting Supplies : Targets : Tactical Gear

+1 on the Hornaday Critical Defense in 110 gr standard (not +p) for the same reason; I'm much more accurate with the standard load in my airweight 442 and my wife's 642.

I think you can carry any of the major manufacturer Self Defense loads with confidence. Some are specific for short barrels. In my 642, I carry Hornady Critical Defense +P.

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Retired Police, Life NRA

Use a mainstream brand - Corbon, Federal, Winchester, Remington, etc. Run several available flavors in your gun, see what works best for you.

Whatever ammo you choose, run a few hundred rounds to gain confidence in your self-defence ammo. NO, it's not cheap - but neither is your life.

Then for practice, use whatever is economical and available.

I use Federal 110 grain Hydra-Shok for carry. I don't know why, but I've shot a lot of them in my J-Frame and like them. And I would bet my life on this setup.

I use reloads for practice.

If you really can shoot +P as well as standard pressure in your Airweight (be honest!), then the 135gr Gold Dot is probably the best option. I would mention the 158gr LHP+P but they tend to hit high in my Airweights. You'll just have to check your gun for best results.

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Centennial Every Day

I carry the Corbon DPX +P in mine. Why? For one thing they keep the weight down a bit, but mainly because they are very dependable performers. I can't really afford them in a semi because of the cost in testing reliability, but they are fine in the little revolver. The main reason I give the nod to the DPX over the Gold Dot is the bullet shape and ease in using speedloaders. The Gold Dot needs a LOT more practice to be able to reload under stress.

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Loyalty Above All.. but Honor

In my 638, I carry the Buffalo Bore 150 grain DEWC.

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I believe in the wadcutter.

PD,

Isn't the +P+ a Magnum Load? I've got some 147 gr +P+ JHP Federal Hydrashok for the 357,, but thought that was too much pressure for the 642. If they are ok,, then I'll probly put them in my 642,, cause they are tough stuff.

Currently got BB 125gr +P JHP in mine,

Joe

S&W only rates the airweights for +P. You would be using the +P+ at your own risk.

Thanks Robert,

After I made my post,, I checked the owners manual,, and it said not to use +P+,, that the Pressure's were too much.

Also checked with customer service,, and the fellow told me that the +P+ is too hard on the 642,

Joe

Speer or Remington 125g JHP ammo. It also shoots my 158g lead SWC rounds well. Conventional wisdom says not to shoot 158g jacketed bullets in s short barreled gun like the 642.

Not sure I've heard this before. Any idea where it comes from?

Anyone else?

I've got the Buffalo Bore 158gr +P LSWCHP for the 642 right now.

I am on the same track as you (old fart with a bad back) but further down the road. I have settled on the Buffalo Bore 20D load, 125 grain JHP at standard pressure. With the powder that Buffalo uses this load generates 900 FPS at standard pressure.

I tried a number of loads in the 642, several were rather punishing and I was starting to develop a flinch. This load has solved that problem. You will not be able to shoot this lightweight effectively if you are flinching. I would rather hit my target with a controllable load than miss him with a load I can brag about.

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

As you can see, this stuff is reasonably accurate in a 642-1.



That's just a couple rounds fired into water jugs lined up on a table at the range . . . not very scientific. Sorry!

However, the first gallon water jug exploded rather nicely and the bullet stopped before entering the fourth jug in the line.

The recoil of this round matches cheap, normal pressure 130 grain FMJ. I originally bought a case cheap as range fodder, but may carry it as well. Any thoughts? We do already have some Nyclads squirreled away for that purpose.

I just saw this today. The answer just below your question is right on. I can not recommend what others do RE +p+ , however my thinking is...the new frames are Magnum frames, I only shoot 10 or so a year through it, certainly less than 25. If I have to use that round in earnest, it will be close range so I don't feel the need to practice with the same hot rounds I carry. I shoot a lot and have been for 50 years (oh my God!) so I hope my thinking is not too faulty. I have been picking up those +p+ for many years now and the first I found were $8.00 a box of 50 compared to 20 Hydra shocks at $20.00. I have some of the 147+p+ as well for a total of about 500 rounds. That should last me a while.

I will say that at the amount I shoot, I am not afraid of hurting the gun. I use the same loads in my 1983 m-36.

I'm familiar with .45ACP ammo, but not .38 Special. I'm picking up a S&W 642CT tomorrow (my first revolver), and the ammo choices are really confusing.

I need some advice on familiarization/training ammo. I bought a box of WWB 38 Spl SJHP +P, and a box of American Eagle LRN. The American Eagle is going to be target ammo. The +P is just to "test the waters" on the 642.

The questions:
1) Is there any disadvantage to using lead round nose ammo? I see a lot of it for sale (online). Will it leave a lot of nasty deposits, etc?

2) What about FMJ ammo? I've seen things stating that it's not good to use a lot of FMJ in a snubby (?). If FMJ is good to go, I think I'd rather use that as training ammo.

3) Same questions as above for wadcutters...

Thanks in advance!

If you clean diligently, no, lead's not a big deal. Consider getting a Lewis Lead remover. Check with your range ahead of time, though, as some don't allow lead ammo.

Never heard of FMJ being a problem in a snubby or any other revolver -- can't imagine why it could be.

Wadcutters are fine, too, good at the range for their lighter recoil, and some swear by them for defense.

Hapworth,

Thanks, that pretty much answers my questions!

The facts presented in Mr. Hapworth's detailed response are the reasons we chose this ammo. Note the nice round holes, like wadcutters. The 125 grain bullets that result in surprisingly light recoil, no more than the inexpensive FMJ ammo we have tried. And, the partial copper jacket protecting the areas where the bullet contacts the forcing cone and barrel to prevent lead deposits.

We were fortunate enough to find this stuff at $0.35 per round delivered, which convinced me to NOT buy another set of reloading dies.

Okay, I might be lazy too.

Any idea where I might find this ammo, online?
Thanks!

Gunbroker . . . I Just sent you the link in a PM.

I use a bit of a variety of loads in my J's. A pair of them are 642-1's, one from the original production of the +P rated 642-1, and a newer one from the production release when they were first using up their older parts inventory frames to make some new 642-1's in recent years.

Due to ammunition availability both over-the-counter and at my agency, in my J's capable of being used with +P, I've typically been using:
Speer 135gr GDHP +P & 125gr GDHP +P
Rem 125gr HPJ BJHP +P (Golden Sabre)
Win 130gr RA38B/PDX1 +P (same thing; new bonded load)
Rem/Win 158gr LHP +P
Win 125gr JHP +P (old style JHP)

All of those loads have demonstrated good POA/POI in my +P capable J's, in my hands.

Given my druthers, I try to stick with carrying the Speer 135gr +P, Win 130gr +P PDX1 & Rem 125gr +P BJHP. Why? Because I've seen them demo'd in gel testing and do as advertised in the demanding 4 layer denim test shots. (I actually have various J's, speedloaders & speedstrips loaded with all 3 as I write this post, as they were all loaded at different times when different boxes of ammo were closest at hand.)

The 135gr Speer can be hard to get, granted. It's popular and apparently in great demand by LE agencies. It took several months for my agency's order to be filled (from one year to the next). The Win 130gr RA38B +P (RA38B is the PDX1 loaded into 50-rd tan Ranger boxes, versus the glitzy 20-rd PDX1 boxes) was easy to get quickly at that time, though.

I have a fair amount of the 125gr GDHP +P left over, and while I've loaded and carried it when it was the handiest available (while moving, with my ammo mostly packed away, or when the 135gr had been used up at the range in quals/practice), I mostly save it for range use.

I don't recommend +P loads to any of our folks unless they're tried them and have demonstrated the ability to accurately, rapidly & effectively shoot them in their J's (and their J's are capable of using +P loads).

Some folks simply shoot standard pressure loads better. There's something to be said for that.

I remember talking to Dr Roberts one time about his experience with helping train another agency when they were starting a program to allow .38 Spl snubs as both secondary & off-duty weapons. As I recall, he said that preliminary range results indicated the majority of the officers were better able to shoot standard pressure target wadcutters than with +P loads. The ability to make faster, better hits by folks is something to consider.

Obviously, hits on the intended threat target are needed, and misses are just that ... misses. I'd rather hit with a wadcutter than miss with the best +P ever made.

I have a 37-2 for which I keep a couple of standard pressure loads on hand. I'm not going to risk potentially damaging the gun (like cracking the frame at the bottom of the barrel) by using +P. It's too nicely made of a DAO (limited run) Airweight, made on the older "pre-Magnum" alloy frame, to risk damaging it. Instead, I'll rely on being able to make accurate hits with standard pressure JHP loads.

Just my thoughts.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Thank you for sharing your wisdom, sir! Although my experience level is orders of magnitude lower than yours, I concur heartily.

The particular +P round we found may be unusually mild because it feels just like light commercial normal pressure ammo when you shoot it in either our 638-3 or 642-1 J-frames. Despite being cheap, it shoots accurately to Point of Aim for us.

We were fortunate enough to acquire a few boxes of normal pressure, 125 grain Federal Nyclads for carry purposes. They feel just like this semi-jacketed hollow point ammo and their point of impact matches.

Life is good!

FORGET Plus P ammo in an Model 642.
Winchester-Western Silvertip-Standard Velocity.

I stick with standard pressure .38s in my snubbies, especially my 642. I don't care what it will "handle" - I care what I can control in order to get a second defensive shot off. What happens at the range stays at the range. What happens on the street is a whole nuthuh smoke! Presently, and I had to take it out to look, actually, I have Hornady XTP rounds in my 642. I could just as easily have had Winchester Silvertips in there - that's why I had to look. I can't recall if they're 125 grains or 158 grains but I will presume 158 grains because that's my preference, heavier, hollow point bullets.

I would not gainsay the use of FMJs or wadcutters and I've done it without considering myself undergunned.

I do use +P .38 Special ammunition but only in my .357s, including my snubbie M19 and M686+. But I don't stoke my short barreled Model 10s that way when I choose to carry one of those and I don't even practice with +P ammo in my J-frames. I might do it at the range a time or two, just to "see", but that's the extent of it when it comes to those little guns.

***GRJ***