el jefe
Member
Let's keep this real simple.
In a HD Only gun with a 3" or 4" barrel,
would you prefer a .38 spcl or .44 spcl?
Fire away.
In a HD Only gun with a 3" or 4" barrel,
would you prefer a .38 spcl or .44 spcl?
Fire away.
Now isn't that special?
- Thread starter el jefe
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Stainz
Member
Yes.
Well, you said keep it simple!
Okay, let's see what I keep loaded... a 296 with five 200gr Gold Dot JHPs in .44 Special from GA Arms. A 2" 10, 4" 64, and 642, all sporting Remington R38S12 +P .38 Special 158gr LHPSWC's.
The 296 & 642 are CCW's that do double duty. The 10 & 64 are real HD firearms, easily accessible to both my wife and myself. I wanted a 327NG for a 8x load of those same Remingtons.
Now, that isn't all - I keep speedloaders/moonclips loaded for HD for everything in the safe. 629's have similar .44 Specials while .357M's have the same Remington +P .38's. You see my confusion re 'which' caliber - except these are in my safe! So, I guess I am in the .38 camp for easily accessed, ie, when weird noises wake me in the night, protection. Also at hand are a charged cell phone and a bright flashlight.
Stainz
Well, you said keep it simple!
Okay, let's see what I keep loaded... a 296 with five 200gr Gold Dot JHPs in .44 Special from GA Arms. A 2" 10, 4" 64, and 642, all sporting Remington R38S12 +P .38 Special 158gr LHPSWC's.
The 296 & 642 are CCW's that do double duty. The 10 & 64 are real HD firearms, easily accessible to both my wife and myself. I wanted a 327NG for a 8x load of those same Remingtons.
Now, that isn't all - I keep speedloaders/moonclips loaded for HD for everything in the safe. 629's have similar .44 Specials while .357M's have the same Remington +P .38's. You see my confusion re 'which' caliber - except these are in my safe! So, I guess I am in the .38 camp for easily accessed, ie, when weird noises wake me in the night, protection. Also at hand are a charged cell phone and a bright flashlight.
Stainz
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If you shoot both equally well with HD ammo, my vote is for the .44 Special.
stantheman86
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I'll take the 4" .38 Special
ab4ka
Member
of your choices I'd go with the .38 Special (my HD gun (other than a Mossberg 500) is a model 19 loaded with some .38 Special 125 grain +p Golden Sabres).
Dave T
Member
Between S&W's 2 "Special" cartridges, I'd pick the 44 every time.
Dave
Dave
"...would you prefer a .38 spcl or .44 spcl?"
I much prefer the .44 Special.
For anybody else, he or she should chose the most powerful weapon they can control and shoot well.
I much prefer the .44 Special.
For anybody else, he or she should chose the most powerful weapon they can control and shoot well.
bountyhunter
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.44 spcl. More stopping power.
Dale53
Member
I have "Special" ammo for my home defense .44 Specials:
These are loaded with 246 gr cast hollow point bullets from a MiHec two cavity Brass Cramer style bullet mould ahead of 7.5 grs of Unique (the old "Skeeter" load).
On the other hand, if I were to use one of my 625's for this purpose, I would use these .45 Auto Rim loaded with a MiHec 200 gr Hollow point bullet ahead of a healthy charge of Unique for a "more than suitable" home defense round:
Back on topic - my choice would definitely be the .44 Special. If I didn't reload, I would use Winchesters 200 gr Silvertip Hollow points.
Dale53
These are loaded with 246 gr cast hollow point bullets from a MiHec two cavity Brass Cramer style bullet mould ahead of 7.5 grs of Unique (the old "Skeeter" load).
On the other hand, if I were to use one of my 625's for this purpose, I would use these .45 Auto Rim loaded with a MiHec 200 gr Hollow point bullet ahead of a healthy charge of Unique for a "more than suitable" home defense round:
Back on topic - my choice would definitely be the .44 Special. If I didn't reload, I would use Winchesters 200 gr Silvertip Hollow points.
Dale53
stantheman86
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.38 Special 158 LRN or FMJ out of a 4" fixed sight Model 10 and a 00 Buck 2 3/4" 12 ga. have been getting it done for a VERY long time now
If it was good enough for cops in some real tough places from 1900-1990's (even today) then it's good enough for my home defense.
One of my main reasons for choosing .38 and in some cases .357 is even though I own .44 Magnum revolvers, I don't handload and can't afford enough .44 Special or Magnum to train with it in any amount. I have fired over 2,000 .38's in the last 3 months or so, I could never do that with .44 Special. I shoot .38 range ammo, and carry Remington Golden Saber HP's in .38+P and .357, depending on the gun I am carrying.
Some people say that a .38 Special is "not enough gun" but I don't see anyone volunteering to take one
If it was good enough for cops in some real tough places from 1900-1990's (even today) then it's good enough for my home defense.
One of my main reasons for choosing .38 and in some cases .357 is even though I own .44 Magnum revolvers, I don't handload and can't afford enough .44 Special or Magnum to train with it in any amount. I have fired over 2,000 .38's in the last 3 months or so, I could never do that with .44 Special. I shoot .38 range ammo, and carry Remington Golden Saber HP's in .38+P and .357, depending on the gun I am carrying.
Some people say that a .38 Special is "not enough gun" but I don't see anyone volunteering to take one
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bionic218
Member
Put me in the 38 spcl crowd. A 12-2 in the nightstand with an LED flashlight does wonders.
Like others have said, it is about all I can afford to train/practice with, and I'll take the one I can shoot well over greater size. Especially in a HD situation. Having a wife and kids in the house makes accuracy mission critical, if you know what I mean.
Like others have said, it is about all I can afford to train/practice with, and I'll take the one I can shoot well over greater size. Especially in a HD situation. Having a wife and kids in the house makes accuracy mission critical, if you know what I mean.
Maximumbob54
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Dale53
I would gladly pay you tomorrow for a cheeseburger cast bullet today...
Those look AWESOME!!!
Bob
I would gladly pay you tomorrow for a cheeseburger cast bullet today...
Those look AWESOME!!!
Bob
Green Frog
Member
As a long-time friend of Dale53, I can speak with authority about the high quality and efficacy of those Home Defense loads he showed in his posting... I've shot them with him at the local range and would not be afraid to trust my life and well being with either of those shown.
That being said, several years ago writers such as Mas Ayoob and others who were discussing all the ins and outs of legalities in home defense. One point that came to forefront was that the image in the courtroom was in some respects as important as performance in the home crisis event. To wit, if you "roll your own" high performance reloads, there was a danger, in some venues at least, that you would be portrayed as a dangerous weirdo who somehow encouraged the opportunity to commit mayhem on the perp. Does anyone have any real life, first hand experiences that they wish to cite here to support or refute this idea?
Froggie
PS Shout outs to Dale53... hope to get back up there and visit you and Ms Marilyn soon (my last schuetzen match of the season is this weekend!)
That being said, several years ago writers such as Mas Ayoob and others who were discussing all the ins and outs of legalities in home defense. One point that came to forefront was that the image in the courtroom was in some respects as important as performance in the home crisis event. To wit, if you "roll your own" high performance reloads, there was a danger, in some venues at least, that you would be portrayed as a dangerous weirdo who somehow encouraged the opportunity to commit mayhem on the perp. Does anyone have any real life, first hand experiences that they wish to cite here to support or refute this idea?
Froggie
PS Shout outs to Dale53... hope to get back up there and visit you and Ms Marilyn soon (my last schuetzen match of the season is this weekend!)
snub56
Member
I would chose the .38 caliber. I have a snubnose .38 that I love and both my wife and I can shoot well. I think my wife would have trouble with somthing more powerful. I also want to keep things simple, staying with .38 spl means that in a high stress situation any round we find we can put in the gun and make it go bang. The ratings of the guns being the same of course.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
The model 20 was the 38/44 heavy duty. The same gun in .44 special was the model 21. I dont think they called it the heavy duty. I did find a 5" barrel many years ago from a 21. I sat on it untill I located a cheap beat up model 20 in 4". I had a gunsmith friend swap the barrels and rechamber it to .44 special. Sold the 4" barrel to someone on this site to help defray the expendse. I probley have aprox $290s in the result. I never had the gun refinished, but might. Here is the result, and it shoots just fine. I own 6 .44 specials, most too good to scratch and dirty up. So this is the one that goes along on my quad when the wife and I go exploreing on the dusty trails!
G.T. Smith
US Veteran
I would choose the .38 special. I have always dreaded having to discharge a gun in the house, but if I had to I would want the load to be maximum result with minimum noise. .22lr perhaps?
.38 special +P
Peace,
gordon
.38 special +P
Peace,
gordon
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
If I ever have to defend myself, noise is the very last thing on my list that I am going to be concerned about.
caryg
Member
I think your question is a very good one. I recently switched my carry gun from a Model 60-9 snubbie to a Ruger Alaskan with 45 colt. Carry it in my pocket with secret service grips on it. Rather have 6 shots instead of 5. Could use the 454 casull but I think the Winchester silver point 45 colt is adequete.
