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A snub nose .38 is relatively marginal as a self defense platform due mostly to velocity loss of the shorter barrel compared to 4" and longer. While these 158gr JHP's will likely shoot fine out of your handgun and be perfectly good practice ammo you will not be using anything that would be a...

Clean your chambers thoroughly with solvent and a good brass brush. Accumulated residue in the chambers can cause these issues. The other cause could be that some of the rounds are out of size spec. as OKFC05's solution indicates.

I carry police surplus ammo as it is some of the most tested ammo in both lab and real street use. Have a wide variety but currently my Glock 19 is loaded with Federal BPLE 115gr +P+ HP. The new HST test better than the older Hydra Shocks but the Hydra Shock is still decent ammo. A lot...

Most of the .22 rifles that are pumps, bolt action or lever action are marked for S, L and LR so the shorts should feed and function fine. They have too low a velocity to operate most semi auto's unless specifically chambered for them but they can be fired from a semi if you manual feed them...

You have a great gun. I bought mine used from a little gun shop 40 years ago when in college. Still one of my favorite pistols.

The serial number is always stamped on the frame of the gun and never on a removable or replaceable part. The number on the cylinder crane show on file Ip8J0GI.jpg is a manufacturing part number that has no relation to its serial number which is stamped on the bottom of the grip portion of the...

If you read the description in the older manuals they often said that "start loads" should only be exceeded if the ammo was to be shot from heavy frame handguns. Guns like the S&W N frame .38 spl and .38-44 as well as Colts heavy framed Official Police revolvers. There's no universal...

All 9mm JHP's are quite good regardless of bullet weight. If you compare Marshal/Sanow data for the 9mm standard velocity jhp's the 147gr are only marginally less effective than some of the lighter JHP bullets and superior to most or equivalent to some .38 spl +P loadings. 9 mm Stopping Power...

I load 4.7grs of W231 for +P 158gr Speer LSWCHP and LSWC bullets, Winchester case and WSP primers. These are pretty much right at Winchesters factory +P 158gr LSWCHP velocity (890fps) from a 4" barrel with a chrono'd average or 892 fps from my S&W 67. For general shooting at paper I usually...

Grease is used to keep lubrication in place. I've used Gunslick graphite lube on slide rails and other sliding parts for 48 years. Only a very small amount is needed. Formulated for firearms its better than using an automotive product IMO.

Here is some information scanned from my .38 spl circa 1993 "One Book". Data is for Lyman 148gr DEWC and 168gr SWC that may be helpful. Velocities where from a 4" vented test barrel. Federal cases and CCI500 primers where used. Link to shared PDF file on my Dropbox drive...

I would be annoyed with the QA if finding cases split "before" firing but cases splitting after firing when using reloads is just a fact of life. As a hand loader a split case is telling me that case is no longer useful. Many of the re-manufacturers buy or take in partial trade cases from...

Both copper jacket and lead seal the bore as well so the pressure will be very similar. Lead bullets have less "pull" resistance in the bore, hence the higher velocity for the same pressure. Lead bullets are lubed so that the bullet has a lubricant between the lead metal of the bullet and...

The Hornady 9mm bullets have a more abrupt shoulder at the start of the taper than most other bullet makes that have a more gradual taper. Loading the bullet long can result in failure to chamber properly if your pistols has short lead and that shoulder gets into the rifling before fully...

If you want specific .38 spl level load data for the .357 mag look at the "cowboy action" data. You will find they are .38 spl loads for the .357 mag case.

Fat, muscle and even bone doesn't make anyone bullet proof. If you shoot the big guy in the belly you're not going to stop him or any one else that's determined. They may die of blood loss later but they will still have time to kill you unless you happen to hit the spine. Upper chest between...

The 158gr LRN .38 spl was standard issue for many police departments for 1/2 a century when revolvers where the primary LEO sidearm. There where lots of shootings using it that where documented thoroughly. When Marshall and Sannow did their stopping power study in the 1980's they found...

The only time I've seen cratered primers in the .38 spl is with very light loads. I see cratered primers in my Taurus 9mm PT92 as the firing pin hole is overly relieved (see the picture below of a factory load). It does this with all factory ammo but is reliable in ignition and has no failures...

Make your own conclusions and inferences. Relative comparison using Marshall/Sannow data. (these should not be construed as odds) 9 mm +P+ Stopping Power 9 mm +P Stopping Power 9 mm Stopping Power LEO surplus ammo including +P+ is available at much lower cost per round than commercial...

Manufacturers do not use canister powder the way reloaders do. They buy powders in bulk drums and determine the load for each batch in their lab to achieve the pressure and velocity they want in their ammo while reloaders use a standardized burn rate canister powder and published load data...