I just bought a S&W 642 and am waiting to get my hands on it.

I strongly subscribe to the thinking that says, a hit or two with a low powered round is better than several misses with high powered rounds.

So I think I'll limit myself to regular pressure 38s in this gun. I have an m60 and an m686 for higher power if I want it.

So what is the best regular pressure defense round for a S&W 642 (or 442)?

I have some FMJ 130 grn standard pressure and some LRN 158 standard pressure for practice.

Looking for factory ammo as I don't reload -- although that may change at some point.

Dave

Two schools of thought:

If you like 158gr, the SWCHP is a favorite.

In the lighter loads, the 135gr Gold Dot Short Barrel is popular.

Personally, I use the Gold Dot Short barrel for carry and the 148gr WC target loads for practice.
Once a month, 25 low power wadcutters for practice and then the 5 Gold Dots I have been carrying so I don't forget what they are like.
Then I clean the gun and load with 5 fresh Gold Dots. YMMV

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Science plus Art

Hi Dave, appreciate your previous 'likes' of my postings. As to your query: You can use factory target wadcutter loads despite their low velocity. NYPD cop and shootout veteran Jim Cirillo recommended them in his writings as the best load for 2" bbls. In his later experiments, he recommended handloaded full WCs in big-bore calibers also.

Next: Somebody, somewhere, still makes semi-wadcutter service velocity/standard pressure loads at 'regular' prices. You'll have to look around a bit.

Next: BuffaloBore makes 2 standard pressure loads: one is a full WC at service velocitiy. This was originally produced before WWII. Also a SWC hollow point, standard pressure, at service velocity. These loads are pricey!

Next: I find today's +P loads to be little hotter than the standard pressure stuff. I find the 158 LHP is controllable for double-taps at 5-7 yards in a 642.

Now you have the fun of finding what best 'fits your pistol!' Ain't shooting grand? Hope I've helped.

Standard velocity WC are the first choice, but hard to reload with in a hurry, for which a standard velocity SWC is the winner. I would not bother with HP loads at standard velocity. Also, my recollection is that the 135 grain short barrel load is labeled +P, and I found it more unpleasant to shoot in a snubby than the 200 grain Gold Dot in my 296.

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NHI, 10-8.

I would recommend the Buffalo Bore standard pressure 148 gr hardcast wadcutter and 158 gr softcast SWC-HP loads. Pricey at over $25 per 20, but no more so than any of the fancily-named JHP loads. I handload the equivalent of these two and feel confident in them for self-defense purposes. I don't know how much cheaper they are, but you also might consider the Winchester or Remington 158 gr lead SWC-HP's- no fancy name but pretty effective. For soft recoil, you might get some 148 gr WC's. Even though they produce only moderate velocity, some like them for self-defense due to an effective bullet shape plus light recoil which allows for faster follow-up shots.

I have settled on Buffalo Bore's 38 Special 125 grain JHP for my 642. Standard pressure load with a good solid crimp on the bullet. Recoil is very manageable as well in case you are experiencing arthritis in your hands. I have also used Buffalo's 150 grain wadcutter and achieved good accuracy with a little more felt recoil (and I have never had a Buffalo bullet "walk" out of crimp).

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

Hey Dave, these other posters think like I do... No wonder they're right!

Humbly,
Kaaskop49

Dave: I applaud your decision. I reload, usually 158 SWC or 148 gr WC , all cast, at good old 38 special velocities and pressures.

Federal gold metal 148 WC's are the best target WC ammo, but any bulk ammo, standard velocity you can find will work. Better to shoot a lot and well than a little and poorly.

In sane times, finding ammo that qualifies isn't hard.

You may want to try reloading. Look at some of the reloading manuals for specifics. If you don't rush, you can find used equipment quite reasonably.

My model 38 and M 42 are very accurate and pleasant to shoot. You will be well armed with your 642 with ammo you can shoot.

Not sexy, but effective.

+1 on the buffalo bore in 125 JHP. From what I've read, these loads produce the equivalent of +P velocity. I've shot them and couldn't tell the difference between the buffalo bore brand and the Remington 125 +P JHP. Soooooo, I've been buying the Remington product for (back when wally world could stock them) about $33 per HUNDRED. I also have some old (really old - they don't make them anymore) Federal Nyclad HPs in 'regular' .38 special.

Oh, I'm shooting these out of a 642 pro series - the rounds are 'moonclipped' and drop right in - very quick reloads.

Edit: I know the OP said he didn't reload, but I do reload and have worked up some different SD loads based on 148 gr WC and 158 gr LSWC. I gave up on the LSWCHP because, in my testing, they rarely, if ever, expanded (velocity too low). The important thing about these loads, and the reason I mention it is: I test my loads shooting through phone books at water jugs. Guess what? The blunt tip WCs and LSWCs change direction so regularly after impacting the phone books that it might take 2 or 3 shots (dead center) to actually hit the 2 liter soda bottle behind the phone books (the slugs go off to the side half - or more - of the time). Of course the buffalo bore and nyclads DO regularly expand while the Remington 125gr +P SJHPs expand intermittently.

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But then, what do I know?

Moonclips are a great idea. Almost 100 years ago they were developed for use of the 45 acp in revolvers. Stll a great idea

That said, you only need them if you're a competition shooter or if you've done a lot of missing with the ammo in you revolver to begin with.

I'd rather hit what I'm shooting at with the first shots than worry about how fast I can reload after emptying my revolver.

I plan on hitting what i shoot at the first time.

Still talking about ammo for a 442 here...

I do not disagree. When I bought mine, there were two to pick from, both no-lock 642s. The Pro Series one cost a whopping $10 more. ($399 vs. $409) Sooooo, for just a few more beans, you're 'Zombie ready', that is; you can take down a whole herd of zombies with quick reloads of your favorite SD ammo

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But then, what do I know?

I was wondering why Hornady Critical Defense in 110 38 Spl.or the 110 in 38 Spl.+P was not mentioned?Everything I read is positive.

I purchased Buffalo Bore ammo for short barrels, low flash, standard pressure (158gr and 110gr JHP). Last week I just purchased some Federal Premium 110 gr Personal Defense Hyda-shok because I couldn't find any Hornady ammo but have since received 10 boxes of Hornady 90gr Critical Defense ammo. I haven't had the chance to shoot the Federal or the Hornady but hope to do so Tuesday.

I'm looking for some ammo with low recoil for my sister and hope that the Hornady will be good for her....or at least better than the Buffalo Bore. I can't test the ammo for effectiveness so I can't help you out as far as telling you whether it's adequate for self defense or not.

I'm using the Hornady and maybe the Federal out of a model 637 Wyatt Deep Cover PC revolver and might also use it in my model 60 Pro Series. I think I'm going to keep using the Buffalo Bore with my Ruger GP100 and S&W 686s.

I would actually like to use the same defensive ammo in all my revolvers so I wonder if the Hornady 90gr would be OK for all of them???

This weekend I shot Federal Premium 110 gr Personal Defense, Hornady 90 gr Critical Defense and Remington UMC 130 gr . These were shot from a 640 Centennial. I couldn't tell any difference in recoil from one to the other.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Kinda depends on whether you subscribe to the light fast JHP school of thought or not. I don't. I prefer a heavier (although slower) bullet which I think will give better penetration. A soft 158 gr SWC-HP will penetrate and hopefully give some expansion to boot. A hardcast 148-158 gr WC or SWC will definitely penetrate and cause a lot of damage by punching/cutting through tissue etc. I think the best of both worlds would be a soft sharp-shouldered wadcutter, like the Speer swaged BBWC, at 850-900 fps or so, but unfortunately most folks must not agree as it was discontinued. One or two couple custom bullet makers offer a soft-cast wadcutter but I haven't tried them.

There are a number of standard velocity defense loadings that will get the job done as well as the old standby WC and SWC loads. I carry Rem Golden Saber or Hornady Critical Defense in my 642.
You mentioned reloading and that is great because you can load up lots of inexpensive shells and practice a lot but I would NOT use any reload for defensive purposes. In today's litigious times you don't want to be on the witness stand explaining to the plaintiff's lawyer why you loaded up those extra lethal rounds that orphaned Bubba's 17 kids and widowed his 3 common law wives.

I'd recommend this: Law Enforcement - Federal Premium LE, Speer LE, BLACKHAWK!, Eagle - Handgun Details

Where do you find "this"?

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Chief,
I've ordered it from here in the past, but, like everyone everywhere, they're currently out of stock.
PISTOL AMMUNITION - Speer Gold Dot LEO - SPEER GOLD DOT 125gr .38 (53722) - 50 ROUNDS

I carry Hornady 158gr XTP standard pressure rounds in my 442. Can control them, and should stop the threat if need be. Just have to know where to place your shots. Make them count!

I carry Speer 135 Short Barrel in mine.
A great lighter load, but hard to come up with is the Federal NyClad.

Buffalo Bore is probably the best option at the moment. You can probably get a box of them in a reasonable amout of time.

Bob

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ICORE MO2908

There's a current thread on the ammo forum about Atomic Ammo's +P "lead hollow point". It's a reversed HBWC that does about 875 fps out of a snubby. Might kick a mite but it'd be pretty effective. I think the original poster paid about $35 for a box of 50- a bit more than "standard" 38 ammo, but cheaper than the $25 per 20 designer stuff.

I ordered three boxes of those Atomic Ammo cartridges yesterday when I saw that thread.

If they are too hot for my 642, I'll use them in my Ruger LCR 357 or in Smith M60.

I also picked up some BB std pressure full wad cutters and some Double Tap target wad cutters.

My chrono thinks the Remington 158g lead SWCHP +P is identical to the standard pressure Buffalo Bore with the same bullet. The BB load is NOT a light recoiling load, especially in a lightweight snubby, despite being standard pressure.

If you don't want a premium self-defense load, just get some 148 grain wadcutters and call it a day.

Hi Cal, me again. Always remember, the best load for your gun is the one you're carrying in it at the moment. Whatever it is, whoever does not like it, it's going to be better than empty chambers. Wish I had $ for every person I've come across who fired every single round they had during their range session and went home without even 5-6 rounds J.I.C.

So if you have to throw your J Frame at someone are you better off with an Airweight or an all steel model?

I have kept the 110 gr. +P load in my 642 since about a month after I bought it. I tried the 125 gr. +P Golden Saber, 135 gr. +P Short Barrel Gold Dots, Winchester 130 gr +P PDX1, and Federal 129 gr. +P Hydra-shoks and 125 gr standard velocity Nyclads. At the end of the day I picked the load that gave the best combination of control and (not unrelated) accuracy.

Having said that, only the Golden Saber had objectionable recoil, and that barely, with stock grips. I would not feel underarmed with any of them.

I also believe in integrating what I carry into practice sessions and bought an extra box or two before the drought.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Depends on whether distance and speed are as important as terminal impact. Me-I throw thew steel one .

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Forum consigliere

I second the Nyclad recommendation although I have no idea whether or not they are still in production. The 125 gr Nyclad HP had a lot of good reports from LEOs some years ago so I scarfed up several boxes to use in Airweights. I've never tested the round myself but I remember seeing some pretty decent penetration/expansion test results at one time.

I also use the 135 gr Gold Dots but in the +P version. They seem pretty mild in recoil to me. Gold Dots are probably more readily available.

I'm a big fan of the Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr FTX for EDC. For practice, I just use Wnchester WB 130 gr FMJ.