Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot and Gold Dot2 (G2) and the Hydra-shok D. The GD and G2 don't get as big as the HST but still generally exceed protocol requirements. The HST is my favorite. What we see with short barreled pistols and revolvers is that the penetration is about the same, however it doesn't get as big (expansion). Expansion and penetration work in concert. The penetration is there because of the slightly reduced expansion. Expansion still meets the FBI protocol of 1.5 times the original diameter. FYI, my wife carries a J frame and carries 148 grain full wadcutters in it. I have shot them in calibrated gel and get 14-15 inches of penetration. She likes the fact there is little recoil and she shoots them very well because of this. I have seen two post mortems in my LE career as a result of .38 wadcutters and the results were telling. I think they are pretty effective and I'd rather she shoot something she knows she can hit with vs a fire breathing, hard recoiling +P HP that is hard to manage.
Can I shoot +P ammo in my Model 36?
- Thread starter gila_dog
- Start date
That's kind of what I saw when comparing the Federal Punch to the Hydra-shok Deep. More expansion with the Punch, but less penetration. The H-S D was the opposite. Less expansion with more penetration. I settled on the H-S D for my .38 Spl. carry load. I do have an old box of HST but just haven't carried them in .38 Spl. Do you know why they were discontinued? They are still my preferred carry load in 9mm, .40 S&W, & .45.
I’m retired LE. I have the modal 60-7 which I’ve been told can handle the +p loads, but I seldom bother for the reasons you mentioned. I either carry the wadcutter rounds we used for range training for years. More recently for LEOSA training I’ve been using the 130 grain FMJ round as it works in my speed loaders well and little to no leading issues.
For defense use I been using the Remington 110 grain SJHP in the standard load. They make it in +p loading, too. I think the Treasury department used a light bullet in +p or maybe +p+ loading. It was one or more went light and fast vs the FBI heavy load. Anyway, I also use the same Remington load in my pre Modal 10 M&P revolver.
Dump, I don't have any real answers on why they do any of this stuff, except it being demand. I thought the 130 grain short barreled HST was a great idea but it's no longer in the catalog. . The Hydra shock is still available in .38spl and it does work well. The HST is sort of driven by the LE market and I guess there is just not enough .38 spl still in use.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Unless you like sore hands. I have several snubbies and none of them are enjoyable to shoot. Had I ever needed to use it, there would be no hesitation. Nevertheless, great little guns.
I’ve never tried the lightweight stuff in my 36. But at 20 yds it shoots 158+p federal FBI load to POA.
We all have our own comfort zones. I could shot +P from that gun for self defense reasons and don't be bothered. Pressures over the decades have gone down from my reading so years ago standard pressures were closer to what +P is now.
Roger that. The .38 spl is still a very viable cartridge for self defense. I don't think folks think about it, but all we have done by developing heavy (147 grain) 9 muther-muther loads, is reinvent the .38 spl.
WHY ?
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