What load are you using in your 38 snub?

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I normally carry Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman (same as you) in steel guns and the standard pressure version in Airweights (alluminum frame) but I would consider the Wadcutter load just as good as that load.

Personally, if the shot is well placed I consider expansion a bonus, it is really well placed expansion doesn't matter and in fact may not help.

Riposte
 
I’m not a fan of high priced specialty ammo. I much prefer standard velocity target wadcutter ammo. You can fool yourself with specialty ammo, but in a short barreled revolver you’re only adding to the ammo manufacturers profits, not buying anything that’s going to make a difference in the field. This is the ammo that’s easiest to shoot and hit with in a snub. Those are the most importantly features of the ammo I use.
 
Either one is fine. Mine are usually stoked with the +P LSWHP. Underwood also makes similar loadings which are cheaper. It’s about as good as you can get in the snub.

I reload medium-hot 148 grain MBC BBWCs as well which I feel fine in carrying similar to the buffalo bore Wadcutters.

At .38 special velocities expansion is iffy no matter what the bullet type with JHPs less likely to expand than the lead SWCHPs. So there’s nothing wrong with Wadcutters.
 
Rpg said:
I’m not a fan of high priced specialty ammo. I much prefer standard velocity target wadcutter ammo. You can fool yourself with specialty ammo, but in a short barreled revolver you’re only adding to the ammo manufacturers profits, not buying anything that’s going to make a difference in the field. This is the ammo that’s easiest to shoot and hit with in a snub. Those are the most importantly features of the ammo I use.
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BB 150 grain wadcutter in 38 special is standard velocity. I'm only aware of two companies that make that wadcutter load for SD. If one wants to carry wadcutter 38's there's just two choices listed here

BB and Underwood.

I use the BB 38 fbi loads in the steel 640-1 instead of 357's.
 
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FWIW I wouldn’t get too wrapped up looking for a ‘perfect’ snubby load.

The late Paul Herrell had a good video on snub loads and that chasing something ‘perfect’ was probably wasted effort.

Everything that happens depends on what and where the bullet hits and other than shot placement once it hits everything goes random. Lest one forgets an unaimed point shot with a LRN at very close range by Jack Ruby hit Oswald with pretty quick incapacitation and bounced around enough to hit and tear up just about every major organ (including the aorta) in the process.
 
jakeintexas said:
FWIW I wouldn’t get too wrapped up looking for a ‘perfect’ snubby load.

The late Paul Herrell had a good video on snub loads and that chasing something ‘perfect’ was probably wasted effort.

Everything that happens depends on what and where the bullet hits and other than shot placement once it hits everything goes random. Lest one forgets an unaimed point shot with a LRN at very close range by Jack Ruby hit Oswald with pretty quick incapacitation and bounced around enough to hit and tear up just about every major organ (including the aorta) in the process.
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No accounting for luck with the old widow maker load. Too many failures in police shootings, hence the moniker widow maker
 
I try to avoid any ammo that loosens screws or my teeth. My Centennials are currently loaded with Gold Dot +p 135 grain short barrel. It shoots POA and the recoil is more tolerable than the 158 LSWHP +p. Second is the Gold Dot 125 grain standard pressure. It also impacts POA. I haven’t seen too much regarding its performance, but what I have seen suggests it has adequate penetration without being excessive. Accuracy and penetration characteristics are what I’m primarily looking for. Lastly, there’s good ole 148 grain wadcutters. I’m probably going to buy my next batch from High Desert Cartridge Co. They make both lead and plated. At some point the later may become my #1.
 
Rpg said:
I’m not a fan of high priced specialty ammo. I much prefer standard velocity target wadcutter ammo. You can fool yourself with specialty ammo, but in a short barreled revolver you’re only adding to the ammo manufacturers profits, not buying anything that’s going to make a difference in the field. This is the ammo that’s easiest to shoot and hit with in a snub. Those are the most importantly features of the ammo I use.
Click to expand...
I don't use botique ammo in most guns, but unfortunately standard .38 factory wadcutters are so slow I had one bounce off a bowling pin - it did not knock the pin over nor did it dent the plastic "skin"!

I would be happy enough with 800 fps which doesn't take a lot of pressure but that is 150 to 200 fps faster than most factory wadcutters.

Of the three makes of "FBI Load" I've tried none of them go over 800 fps from a 4" revolver and only one of them expands in test medium, none expands in a 2" (that is OK BTW - at least they penetrate).

Riposte
 
Mostly Speer Short Barrel 135s in .38 for my 638 or .357 for my 340 PD. My 340 is really light which I like in the pocket, but I have never experienced the level of accuracy that I have with that 638. I am pretty consistently 5 for 5 at 30 yards on an 8" disc, occasionally 4 for 5. My 12-2 isn't that good. My 66-1 2.5" isn't either. My 19-6 2.5" is up to it but definitely doesn't fit in my pocket. All DA shooting.

I also have some BB Wadcutters that I have in my 12-2. I wanted standard pressure but full powered ammo for it. I'll be looking at the High Desert and Lost River offerings when it's time to replace them. Double tap also has a possibility... After all, the BB are a bit spendy and there are more options than when I got the BB load.
 
xtrtsqrt11 said:
Mostly Speer Short Barrel 135s in .38 for my 638 or .357 for my 340 PD. My 340 is really light which I like in the pocket, but I have never experienced the level of accuracy that I have with that 638. I am pretty consistently 5 for 5 at 30 yards on an 8" disc, occasionally 4 for 5. My 12-2 isn't that good. My 66-1 2.5" isn't either. My 19-6 2.5" is up to it but definitely doesn't fit in my pocket. All DA shooting.

I also have some BB Wadcutters that I have in my 12-2. I wanted standard pressure but full powered ammo for it. I'll be looking at the High Desert and Lost River offerings when it's time to replace them. Double tap also has a possibility... After all, the BB are a bit spendy and there are more options than when I got the BB load.
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High desert 148 grain wadcutters are listed at 725 per from a 2" snub
Lost River 744 per from a snub
BB 150 grain 868 per.

I'll stay with the BB wadcutter and the extra velocity over the other two offerings.
 
I use the 135gr GDHP +P in my 340, 2” & 3” 64’s, 3” 65, and my 2” 12-2. The 135gr GDHP is our current authorized .38 Special load, so I use it on and off the clock. Previously our authorized .38 load was the 158gr LSWCHP +P. The switch to the 135gr GDHP was because we couldn’t get the FBI load from our authorized vendors anymore.
 
jakeintexas said:
FWIW I wouldn’t get too wrapped up looking for a ‘perfect’ snubby load.

The late Paul Herrell had a good video on snub loads and that chasing something ‘perfect’ was probably wasted effort.

Everything that happens depends on what and where the bullet hits and other than shot placement once it hits everything goes random. Lest one forgets an unaimed point shot with a LRN at very close range by Jack Ruby hit Oswald with pretty quick incapacitation and bounced around enough to hit and tear up just about every major organ (including the aorta) in the process.
Click to expand...
When in college, I shot one of my grandmother's roosters (she told me to!) using my granddad's Model 36 and 158gr LRN. The sights were centered on its chest at 10 feet. At the shot, it ran off. I found it 20 minutes later. Skinning it showed a perfectly centered shot. The bullet exited its back, just missing its spine. The heart was 'ripped open'. Not too impressive. LRN is only good for PRACTICE.
 
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Riposte1 said:
I don't use botique ammo in most guns, but unfortunately standard .38 factory wadcutters are so slow I had one bounce off a bowling pin - it did not knock the pin over nor did it dent the plastic "skin"!

I would be happy enough with 800 fps which doesn't take a lot of pressure but that is 150 to 200 fps faster than most factory wadcutters.

Of the three makes of "FBI Load" I've tried none of them go over 800 fps from a 4" revolver and only one of them expands in test medium, none expands in a 2" (that is OK BTW - at least they penetrate).

Riposte
Click to expand...
FWIW, current production R-P and Federal wadcutter loads went ~690 fps from my M49. I use the Federal version in the M49 because I could get it cheaper. My reload for the M49 is the current production R-P standard-pressure 158-grain LSWC, which runs 738 fps in that gun. I use the 135-grain Gold Dot Short Barrel load in my 642-2 because it hits to POA, while the wadcutters hit high.

Current production R-P 158-grain LSWC-HP +P averaged 794 fps from my M49, 840 fps from my 3" M64-6, and 863 fps from my 4" Official Police.
 
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