Hello
Most of the 38 Special reviews that I did were shot with two guns.
A Taurus 85 Ulta Lite 2 inch barrel and a Smith & Wesson model 15 with a 4 inch barrel.
First I do forensic exam of the ammunition. Next I shoot a group while chronographing with each gun. 10 yards with the 2 inch Taurus 85 and 25 yards with the 4 inch Model 15. Chronograph is a Oehler 35P
Then the ammunition is shot out of each gun into a 55 gallon plastic barrel of water. The bullets are then recovered, photographed and then measured for expansion. In cases where the bullet fragments and loses its jacket, a weight is taken with all the recovered material and also a weight taken with just the lead core.
Here is the link to all the photos of the review;

38 SPL Winchester 110gr ST JHP — Postimages

Data Sheet



This is the last of the current 38 Special reviews.

Here is another example of marginal velocity delivers marginal performance out of a 2 inch gun. However, out of the 4 inch gun performance and expansion was adequate with no jacket separation. Although as we look at the expanded bullet, if it was going much faster we might see a separation.
Accuracy and recoil nominal.
Winchester should either replace this product with a +P load or, offer a +P variant.
ammoseek.com cost range is from $0.65 to $1.50 per round.

Again, old bullet design that requires a higher velocity for expansion. Thank you for conducting these tests.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I recovered 7 expended Winchester Silvertip 185 grain hollow point bullets from a 45 ACP that I shot a doe antelope with. It took 9 shots to put her light out. All recovered bullets showed textbook expansion.

The 185 grain 45 ACP Silvertip load is advertised as 1000 fps and the chrono results I've read about show it is very close to that magic 1000 fps, so yes, it expands reliably.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

It seems you're a day late and a dollar short. Water tests are unreliable at best. Current production .38 Special Winchester 110 STHP worked just fine in my clear ballistics testing in September, 2024:

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Retired LE Instructor/Armorer

That's an interesting perspective. My understanding is that water is reasonably good in terms of consistancy of expansion potential for hollow points. That it may not be effective in showing expansion of soft points, depth of penetration, or representative of expansion in an animal (including people) is an understandable critisism.

Ok cool.. Water is just a convenient medium to compare one product against another. It is consistent and you don't have to calibrate it or take its temperature, it's just water. It's just a simulation. Jelly is just a simulation.
Now looking at your results in the pic, comparing one product against another, I would much rather carry the Gold Dot load than the Winchester.
Ultimately, everyone makes their own decisions about this, and life goes on..
Cheers