Ammo recommendation for daughter's 38

[Arik]

I'm afraid that is an issue. Every other week she has her daughters (8 and 11) in a bedroom across the hall. The entry to the apartment is between the two bedrooms. It is a bad set up.

Maybe the answer is a .410 or 20 gauge?

She may need to look beyond just a gun. Simple thing like door jamming devices. They are cheap and effective against your avg break in. It's not going to stop a determined person but he would have to kick through the door, which takes time to do. There are a million variations and they are mostly under $50. It's not fool proof but it adds time and it may stop a simple opportunist

Adding a second set of locks, like dead bolts.

None of these are going to stop anyone determined to get in but it gives time for her to get the gun, get in her daughters room with a phone, lock herself in and call the police. Maybe have a similar thing in the bedrooms. Makes it that much harder to overcome yet another door.

If she is allowed to....maybe add a laud audible alarm for the door. If the door is opened at night it sets of a siren laud enough to wake the dead....and the neighbors. No one is going to stand around there as it draws instant attention.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

In the .38 Special for close range personal defense it is hard to beat the 148-grain wadcutter target loads. Minimal recoil, minimal muzzle blast, dead soft lead slug with full caliber-diameter flat nose that transfers energy very efficiently.

About the only downside to wadcutter loads is that reloading the cylinder can be difficult to do under stress. Pointed or tapered bullets are easier to insert into the chambers, either individually or with a speed loader. So maybe a cylinder full of wadcutters backed up by a speed loader with SWC or JHP ammo.

 

[ContinentalOp]

She may need to look beyond just a gun. Simple thing like door jamming devices. They are cheap and effective against your avg break in. It's not going to stop a determined person but he would have to kick through the door, which takes time to do. There are a million variations and they are mostly under $50. It's not fool proof but it adds time and it may stop a simple opportunist

In addition to slowing intruders, attempting to break through such a barrier will also cause a lot of noise, hopefully enough to inspire the neighbors to call 911.

 

[dogsoldier]

While low recoil and accuracy are good stuff, I would not recommend ball rounds for defensive purposes - I've worked on a case in which one of these 130-grain ball rounds penetrated one person and hit the person behind him.

DITTO! Many years ago I shot a 7-lb rooster with 158 gr LRN fired from my grandfathers Model 36. Range was approximately 10 feet. Sights were centered on the rooster's chest when I fired. The rooster ran off, showing no evidence of being hit. I found him 20 minutes later, dead. Skinning it found a single, small hole dead center in his chest, and a similar exit hole in his back. THAT was my 'wake up call' regarding using the BEST defensive ammunition available.

 

[cmort666]

I have the Federal "FBI Load" in all of my .38s and .357s.

It's accurate and not at all punishing, even in a 2" 36.

 

[Whitwabit]

Though no one has asked .. has this pistol been shot lately .. wondering with ammo that is suppose to be 25 years old .. has the gun set for that long ?? I'm guessing it has been maintained properly ..

I would make sure it is functional and then get newer self defense ammo .. there are many different brands and almost all perform well ..

 

[Execpro]

Execpro

First thing to do is have the gun inspected by a licensed gunsmith and find out if a 60 year old gun is safe! and can use modern ammunition ( plus P or regular velocity)and has or can be upgraded to a hammer safety. My ministers son was killed when the hammer came back part way and released,firing the gun on a older 38.If either of these items fail, trade it in for a S&W or Tauris Judge with 410 gauge shot shells. For apartment living I would get the Judge. The next question is to find out if the young lady is ready and willing to take someone's life without hesitation. If not,get a door bar as mentioned in above post or get a dog. Either/or is a good suggestion. Look into a reputable hand gun training course and have her take it. It will cover current laws and gun safety. As mentioned in another post, she should spend time on the range and provide a safe/lockable place at home for the gun when not there or having guest. Be safe!

 

[watsonrg]

Though no one has asked .. has this pistol been shot lately .. wondering with ammo that is suppose to be 25 years old .. has the gun set for that long ?? I'm guessing it has been maintained properly ..

I would make sure it is functional and then get newer self defense ammo .. there are many different brands and almost all perform well ..

Good point, but the gun has not been sitting idle all this time.

My Dad passed it to me about 35 years ago. It received its' share of range time. I passed it on to my daughter five years ago. It has been to the range a few times since then.

Dad always cleaned it after every firing and that tradition has been maintained.

The S/D ammo was replaced with range ammo at the range, hence its' age.

She does have a dog (Cocker Spaniel) that at least can sound the alarm if not physically protect.

But I will make it a point to get her to the range sooner rather than later and find a cartridge suitable for her.

Thanks brothers.

 

[Protected One]

She may need to look beyond just a gun. Simple thing like door jamming devices. They are cheap and effective against your avg break in. It's not going to stop a determined person but he would have to kick through the door, which takes time to do. There are a million variations and they are mostly under $50. It's not fool proof but it adds time and it may stop a simple opportunist

Adding a second set of locks, like dead bolts.

None of these are going to stop anyone determined to get in but it gives time for her to get the gun, get in her daughters room with a phone, lock herself in and call the police. Maybe have a similar thing in the bedrooms. Makes it that much harder to overcome yet another door.

If she is allowed to....maybe add a laud audible alarm for the door. If the door is opened at night it sets of a siren laud enough to wake the dead....and the neighbors. No one is going to stand around there as it draws instant attention.

This should also buy her enough time to collect her daughters and bring them into her bedroom, leaving her free to safely cover the bedroom door.

 

[DEG]

I would abandon the Glasers and any other such political gimmick. You can select a round that will stop a threat OR you can select a round that won't penetrate an apartment wall; you can't have both.

 

[haywood]

I see others suggest securing entry ways to start. They think like me. Alarms, window blocks to let Windows remain open only enough to let air in not people. Dead bolts or the door blocking devices that have been shown here. If they make a lot of noise trying to get in you get plenty of warning and can prepair.

 

[Moe Mentum]

Any hollow point ammo will do nicely.

 

[.455_Hunter]

First thing to do is have the gun inspected by a licensed gunsmith and find out if a 60 year old gun is safe! and can use modern ammunition ( plus P or regular velocity)and has or can be upgraded to a hammer safety.

The is no fundamental reason why an almost 70 year old gun with a known history should be unsafe- no more than a brand new firearm. A 1948 M&P is fitted with the modern style hammer block from the factory and does NOT need to be "upgraded". Given the amount of ammo to be fired by the daughter, +P should not be an issue.

 

[BearBio]

In my snubbies, I carried either the FBI load (158 gr lead hollow points) or 148 gr wadcutters. In my Model 15, wife's K38, etc: 125 gr JHP (usually Hydo-Shoks)

 

[bigdaddyrobb]

What about ratloads or snake shot?

 

[star1]

If she can get the girls into her bedroom perhaps wait in there with a 20 ga shotgun with the revolver as backup.
from The Box O' Truth #22 - 20 Gauge Shotgun - The Box O' Truth

"I was surprised by the penetration of the #3 Buckshot in the 20 gauge. It performed much better than I would have expected. I would not be too quick to discount Buckshot in a 20 Gauge for home defense"

 

[nodpete]

Right off the bat, I'd be concerned with the different points of impact of those different types of rounds from her fixed-sight gun. Say she misses with a 158-grainer and it goes into something it ought not . . . she hasn't been practicing with these rounds and they have grossly different velocities/points of impact: my lawyer nose smells negligence in the water.

What's wrong with the Speer Gold Dot 135-grain +P rounds that seem to be state-of-the-art with police these days? They're pretty easy to find and she'll be able to practice with them. And they're the rounds that are issued by a lot of police departments who still authorize wheelguns.

Just answered the door bell and it was UPS with my order of these very rounds. I agree completely !

 

[Mister X]

Every other week she has her daughters (8 and 11) in a bedroom across the hall. The entry to the apartment is between the two bedrooms. It is a bad set up.

Maybe the answer is a .410 or 20 gauge?

I think sticking with a handgun makes the most sense since moving to the children/through the house is highly probable.

If it was my daughter, I would buy her a new handgun and retire the old M&P from defense duty and relegate it to simply being a family heirloom.

I also believe choosing a DAO weapon or having it converted to it if it's not already is a good idea on a defensive handgun. Needing to make a precise first shot isn't of high enough probability to offset the negatives associated with having single-action capability. Responding to a home invasion is very different from controlled range conditions. Panic will likely set in and you wouldn't want her rushing to the kids or directing them through the home with a cocked revolver.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I like the 148gr. wadcutters, but as pointed out, above, they can be slow to load/reload due to the bullet design. I'd stay with a standard velocity, 158gr. bullet - particularly the LSWC (Lead Semi-Wadcutter) design. The revolver should be regulated from the factory for this ammo, it's relatively cheap, and it is much easier to load the cylinder with this ammo:

Cheap 38 Special Ammo For Sale - 158 gr LSWC Federal Ammunition In Stock - 50 rounds

Good luck,

Dave

 

[Gamecock]

I like the 148gr. wadcutters, but as pointed out, above, they can be slow to load/reload due to the bullet design.

I have wadcutters in my 38s. I have FMJFP in my speed loaders. Your reloads don't have to be the same as what's in the gun.