Best Home Defense Load for S&W 586, 6" barrel 357Mag

[canoesota]

I am sure you oldtimers see this question all the time, but I am new here. I have a S&W 586-1 (with the M mod) and a 6" barrel. I am using Speer Gold Dot 38 Special +P 135 GDHP-SB. I know this is for the short barrel guns. Should I be using the 125 grain bullet instead. I do live in a single family house, but still worry some about collateral dammage. Should I be using a 357 Mag cartrige for home defense. The 357 load seems like a bit much, though I shoot the FMJ version all the time at the range. Any other thoughts, brands, bullet types would be appreciated!

 

[canoesota]

I am sure you oldtimers see this question all the time, but I am new here. I have a S&W 586-1 (with the M mod) and a 6" barrel. I am using Speer Gold Dot 38 Special +P 135 GDHP-SB. I know this is for the short barrel guns. Should I be using the 125 grain bullet instead. I do live in a single family house, but still worry some about collateral dammage. Should I be using a 357 Mag cartrige for home defense. The 357 load seems like a bit much, though I shoot the FMJ version all the time at the range. Any other thoughts, brands, bullet types would be appreciated!

 

[Duke426]

I have a model 13 for my house gun and I load it with Federal 158gr Hydrashok 357 Magnum ammo. The recoil is manageable for me and I don't get a lot of muzzle flash.

Personally, I think the load you are using is a good one if you are comfortable and shoot it well.

Hope that helps.

 

[BreakerDan]

The short barrel Gold Dot load utilizes a very fast burning powder so as to efficiently burn
all the powder before the bullet leaves the barrel. I would chronograph them in your 6" and see, they might be slower but that is doubtful.

If you use 38+p in your gun, go with the Remington 38+P 158gr lead hollowpoint. I would pick the Remington first as it garnered quite the reputation on the street as being equal to 45 military ammunition. 1-2 shots will likely do the job required with that load. It wont overpenetrate and will be mild in both recoil and flash from your 6" tube. Few loads can beat the following and reputation this load has.

If you go with a 357 load, I would opt for a lighter one like the Winchester white box 110 gr JHP. This load is not going to overpenetrate and will be plenty powerful. I would hate to fire off a 357 Magnum in an inclosed area, but you do what you have to and the blast from this load is not bad.

I generally carry my Model 28 stuffed with the brutish Rem. 125 JHP that garnered a reputation as the meanest pistol round made. I however dont use that load when my gun is for Home defense.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

For longer barrels, such as your 6 inch, I use the Speer .38 +P 125 grain. So far, my experience has been the the SB bullets come apart when fired from the longer barrels.

I chronoed my 125s at a little over 1000 fps from my 5 inch 27, and over 1100 from a 6 inch 586. In water, they held together and mushroomed perfectly, while penetrating to an adequate depth. Recoil in either pistol was negligible.

 

[canoesota]

You guys have given me some great information! Thank you all.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Remington, Winchester, or Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P lead semiwadcutter hollow points.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Originally posted by Wyatt Earp:
Remington, Winchester, or Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P lead semiwadcutter hollow points.

My 6" M10-5 lives on my wife's nightstand with the Buffalo Bore load noted. From the lightwieght M10 barrel it is very managable and would be even more so in your 586 with it's full lug. These FBI loads are proven fight stoppers.

 

[canoesota]

Question? Is there any worry about bullet velocity using the semi wadcutter hollow points like there is with the bonded bullets as far as maintaing their integrity? Also do the semi wadcutter hollow points pass through cloting, jackets, etc ok without deforming for penatration? The only time I have shot wadcutters is for target shooting, but not in +P. I am sure the the +P makes them more deadly. Again thank you all for responding to my post!

 

[BreakerDan]

To hopefully answer your question:

The semi wad cutter hollow points will be fine when fired from a 6 inch barrel. I have recovered lots of these bullets and they all stay together and expand nicely. At 950 or so fps, they are not going to break up. I have handloaded these up to 1100 fps and they stay together.

The load in question will be just fine through heavy clothes. It will penetrate them as good as any JHP and will stand a better chance of expanding after passing through them. This bullet also does not have a reputation for excessive penetration when used for self defense.

Check this out for more info on a comparison of your Gold Dot to the 158 gr lead hollowpoint FBI load we are telling you about.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38%20Snub%20Ammo%20Test.htm

Hope that helps.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

I think some people obsess about the results of FBI protocol gel testing, with its four layers of denim.

Number one, the 158 grain SWC/SWCHP +P load has been making people assume room temperature for over sixty years.

Number two, the overwhelming majority of those people were wearing at least one layer of clothing.

Number three, hardly anyone wears four layers of denim. I can't remember the last time I say someone dressed that way.

 

[canoesota]

The website information is very good, and easy to understand. Again thank you all for helping me out with my questions!

 

[emtprn]

Federal has reintroduced the Nyclad Rounds
http://www.federalpremium.com/products/details/handgun.aspx?id=828

 

[BreakerDan]

Generally, the FBI doesnt know which way is up with their ammo test protocols and limits.
Which is why we all worry about denim tests and min. penetration. The FBI 38 158 LSWCHP is one of the few times they got it right. Otherwise they missed the boat with their 9mm 147 gr and the 38 +P+ 147 grain.

I can understand your concern with penetrating
heavy clothes since you live in MN. However,
the FBI load was issued in Chicago and was extensively used by the Canadian Mounties, so it has been doing its job in conditions similar to your area. Some cops called them "38 splats" because of the splat noise the bullet made on impact.

Also, I did some "clothes" tests just last weekend. I balled up a bunch of t-shirts, socks, etc into a ball and taped them up.
There was at least 20 layers of heavy fabric.
A target 38 special at 625fps penetrated over 15 layers and the 185gr 45 autos- not known for great penetration- blew through the whole pile of clothes. Clothes dont impede bullet penetration much. The only factor with them is generally that the clothes plug up the hollowpoint. The 158 gr LSWCHP FBI 38 shouldnt have that much trouble getting plugged up.

Just so you know the FBI load is cataloged by Remington as R38S12.

Here is a source for it:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=548921

My 4" Model 28 Highway Patrolman rests beside me stuffed with Remington FBI 38s in it.
I trust them completely.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree with the above suggestions for the "FBI Load" for home defense. Shooting a .357 Magnum round in a dark enclosed area is very hard on your eyes and ears.

I like Remington 158gr LHP .38 Special +P ammo best. (Part #R38S12 - link above) It's good ammo that doesn't cost near as much as all the "new and better" ammo out there. Don't get me wrong, it's all good ammo but it costs way too much to buy. The Remington ammo isn't cheap but you can do some practice with it without going broke. I use it in all my snub nose revolvers because the lead is soft enough to expand when fired from a short barrel yet hard enough to penetrate too. Since you are shooting a 6" barrel if you can find the Winchester FBI Load (Part #X38SPD) at a better price buy it because it will reliably expand from a longer barrel. Federal also has a .38 Special +P 158gr LSWC/HP round Part #38G. Until recently I didn't know Federal was still manufacturing that round but it is and it's listed under it's LE products. That ammo can be used in any barrel length and it will preform reliably.

Don't worry too much about what you use. In a 6" barrel any "name brand" .38 Special +P ammo will do a good job I'm sure. As for bullet weight, I would choose the bullet weight that shoots best in your revolver. Anything between 125gr and 158gr will be fine. Actually, in a 6" barrel even a 170gr or 180gr bullet would probably work quite well too. (IMO of course)

Hope this helps some...

 

[canoesota]

Originally posted by Duke426:
I have a model 13 for my house gun and I load it with Federal 158gr Hydrashok 357 Magnum ammo. The recoil is manageable for me and I don't get a lot of muzzle flash.
Hope that helps.

Thank you Duke! I went with your advise! My local gun shop feels the same way. They said as long as you are shooting 357Mag out of your 586, go for the 357Mag as your defense cartridge. I went with the Federal Premium 357 Magnum 158 Grain Hydra-Shock JHP. Thank you all for the great comments, and suggestions for my questions. This is really a great site!

 

[flop-shank]

The beauty of the .357 magnum is that it is such a great cartridge that there are few bad loads. There's a lot of velocity to expand even mediocre bullets of various weights.

I think full power ammo is a good choice, provided you shoot them well, Canoesota. If you only have six on board, each one might as well be a blockbuster punch! A 6" .357 is like a handrifle as much as a handgun.