38 spl +P in a Snubby-Ammo Question

[drotis]

Agreed to buy a Model 649 no dash snubby today. Plan to carry when the situation fits. I know it can handle occasional +P loads. Just wondering if it's worth it. Out of a 2" barrel am I just getting more recoil and muzzle flash? Am I better off with a solid .38 spl hollow point defensive round?
If you have specific ammo recommendations I'm all ears.

 

[OKFC05]

I prefer Speer short barrel +P 135gr .38 in a 442.
A "short barrel" load uses powder that is efficient in a short barrel.
I was surprised to find the Speer SB ammo chrono in my gun matched the advertised speed, around 860 fps.
For most practice, I use wadcutters over HP38.

Just to be clear, a max load of slow powder will produce speeds over 900 in the short barrel, but at the expense of blast and flash beyond what I find acceptable.

 

[DocB]

What OKFC05 said. I actually carry wad cutters for SD. I have them in my wife's little 38 too. They are effective and adequate. If necessary, I want her to be able to easily get off a second or third shot.

 

[murphydog]

Agree with the above ammo choice. Many practice primarily with standard pressure ammo, and use a few (expensive) +P rounds to verify function and zero - this will not unduly harm your 649.

 

[Alk8944]

"....solid .38 spl hollow point...." Huh?????

 

[dusty3030]

Speer Gold Dot 135grain +P is what I keep in all our .38's (my 637, wife's 442 and her 3" 64.)
Haven't run through a chrono though but on a big fat raccoon the bullet opened up as advertised and went through and through.

 

[BC38]

"....solid .38 spl hollow point...." Huh?????

In this case I think "solid" is being used as a synonym for dependable...

 

[fedoff]

Speer Gold Dot 135grain +P is one of the better ammo choices for a snubby. It has excellent ballistics at 10ft. and with a short barrel 10-20ft is going to be the most accurate range.

 

[ruger 22]

I use Glaser safety slugs in my 38 special 649-2. Low recoil and very good stopping power but a bit expensive for lots of practice. I practice with wadcutters or cheap 158 gr solids. I also have Crimson Trace Lasergrips on it.

 

[Hapworth]

Yes, it's worth the (very little) extra flash and bang.

 

[OLDSTER]

I never shoot .38+P; more of a cost thing than recoil. With my J frame snubbies I practice with the cheapest "plinkers" I can buy, and carry .38 110gr Hornady Critical Defense

 

[Pointblank2U]

I've gone over to the new Hornady American Gunner. It's loaded with the XTP bullet that favors penetration over expansion and it's a standard pressure load. It's priced very reasonably.

 

[drotis]

In this case I think "solid" is being used as a synonym for dependable...

Thanks for the info, all.

And yes, by "solid" I meant "high quality and dependable".

 

[Az. revolver fan]

Best to stick with either hard cast sharp-edged 158 grn. wadcutters or semi-wadcutters in standard .38 spl. loads out of a 2" barrel. Another alternative is the old "FBI" recipe of a 158 grn. soft-lead HP in a +p load.
All of us old time cops from the .38 spl. days know that jacketed HP's are a waste of $$ out of a 2" .38 spl., that is why the late Bill Ruger brought out the SP-101 in .357 mag for snubby lovers that wanted to stick with JHP's and obtain reliable expansion.

 

[kaaskop49]

Best to stick with either hard cast sharp-edged 158 grn. wadcutters or semi-wadcutters in standard .38 spl. loads out of a 2" barrel. Another alternative is the old "FBI" recipe of a 158 grn. soft-lead HP in a +p load.
All of us old time cops from the .38 spl. days know that jacketed HP's are a waste of $$ out of a 2" .38 spl., that is why the late Bill Ruger brought out the SP-101 in .357 mag for snubby lovers that wanted to stick with JHP's and obtain reliable expansion.

What he said! Guess I'll just keep carrying my W-W 158gr LHPs in my 2" J-frames, as I've done for years... decades.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. Az revolver fan: Never heard that one about the reasoning behind the SP101. Very interesting. Any more skinny on that?
Stay safe, partner.

 

[Hapworth]

Best to stick with either hard cast sharp-edged 158 grn. wadcutters or semi-wadcutters in standard .38 spl. loads out of a 2" barrel. Another alternative is the old "FBI" recipe of a 158 grn. soft-lead HP in a +p load.
All of us old time cops from the .38 spl. days know that jacketed HP's are a waste of $$ out of a 2" .38 spl...

All great loads you can't go wrong with -- but I'll stick up for the new crop; bullet design has advanced considerably in the last twenty years and loads like Speer's Gold Dot Short Barrel and CorBon's DPX are game-changers that do provide reliable penetration and expansion from 2" barrels.

 

[Az. revolver fan]

All great loads you can't go wrong with -- but I'll stick up for the new crop; bullet design has advanced considerably in the last twenty years and loads like Speer's Gold Dot Short Barrel and CorBon's DPX are game-changers that do provide reliable penetration and expansion from 2" barrels.

No offense, but it sounds like you read all the latest gun magazines. Standard .38 spl. out of a 2" barrel is way slower than listed on ammo boxes or in "gun magazines", sometimes not even reaching 700 fps.

As for the "high tech" JHP's you listed, I refer you to Massad Ayoob's reporting or any other official account of the infamous Skokie, Ill. bank robbery gunfight. I believe "American Handgunner" carried the account recently.

 

[Hapworth]

No offense, but it sounds like you read all the latest gun magazines. Standard .38 spl. out of a 2" barrel is way slower than listed on ammo boxes or in "gun magazines", sometimes not even reaching 700 fps.

As for the "high tech" JHP's you listed, I refer you to Massad Ayoob's reporting or any other official account of the infamous Skokie, Ill. bank robbery gunfight. I believe "American Handgunner" carried the account recently.

You say "no offense", then proceed to deliberately offend by reducing a fellow member's researched and considered opinion to parroting shill articles in gun rags; I guess we know how much meaningful information you bring to the discussion.

Sounds like you're stuck at whatever point in history you found something you liked and decided to stay put; that's fine, but you may want to hold fire when the subjects you haven't kept up with are on the table.

Amusing that you open with deriding gun magazines as a source of information, and close with pointing to one to support your position.

 

[hangnoose]

ALL DUE RESPECT TO "THE NEW HIGH TECH AMMO"

An old fashioned flat point hard cast wad cutter, a 148 gr double ended seated flush for me with a miserly 2.7-3.2 gr's of bullseye, hit the steel plates & bowling pins so hard I'm often asked which 357 ammo am I using. At bad breath to a car lengths distance these flying ashtrays of the 38 world would have to ruin someone's day. NO hollow points/jackets, human results, ballistic gel, or Chrono's used, JMO. VERY low cost to make, very little recoil or flash, & it's the same load I practice with all the time. If it doesn't get the job done, you put it in the wrong spot, & a corbon etc. wouldn't make much difference.

 

[Pisgah]

Your revolver will hold up to +P loads long after your hand has been reduced to a bruised, broken, immobile claw. As to whether it gives any advantage, my answer would be that it sure could IF you can hit what you're shooting at. If the buck 'n' roar is too much for you, you're better off sticking with the milder standard stuff.