Favorite 38 spl self defense load

[millerj7]

You should love the hell out of these! 13" of penetration and .73" of expansion, according to the Lucky Gunner tests!
View attachment 782860

Those are exactly what I was talking about. I contacted Federal and was told all Micro loadings have been discontinued due to low sales.
Thanks for clarifying what I was talking about.

 

[REParker]

Those are exactly what I was talking about. I contacted Federal and was told all Micro loadings have been discontinued due to low sales.
Thanks for clarifying what I was talking about.

Didn't know that...thanks. Happily, I was able to score a coupl'a boxes early on. Accuracy is great, but I can't speak to real world terminal performance. Unfortunately, they look like they'd be a Bitch to try to speed load! But you could always back them up with a speed loader full of easier loading rounds.

 

[millerj7]

Didn't know that...thanks. Happily, I was able to score a coupl'a boxes early on. Accuracy is great, but I can't speak to real world terminal performance. Unfortunately, they look like they'd be a Bitch to try to speed load! But you could alleys back them up with a speed loader full of easier loading rounds.

I too bought 4 boxes when first introduced. Shot up 2 cylinders full to assess accuracy (very good through my LCR and S&W M60) so still have 3 and a half boxes to last me. Have conventional loads (Critical Defense) in the speed loaders.

 

[PBBISHOP]

What is your favorite 38 special self defense load? It would be for a new Model 19, 4” barrel.

A good overview and analysis of 38 snub nose ammunition is done by Paul Harrell here

Those are exactly what I was talking about. I contacted Federal and was told all Micro loadings have been discontinued due to low sales.
Thanks for clarifying what I was talking about.

 

[Greymann]

For my mod 49, I've settled on Nyclad 125 gr +p for summertime and for winter Gold dot 135 gr +p or BB 158 gr swchp standard pressure.

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

For me, it’s Federal Punch or Hornaday Critical Defense.

 

[shawn mccarver]

What is your favorite 38 special self defense load? It would be for a new Model 19, 4” barrel.

I like, in no particular order, the "FBI Load" (also called the St. Louis or Chicago load), which is a 158 grain Lead Hollow Point +P, the Gold Dot Short Barrel, and the old 38/44 load adopted by the FBI in their Police Positive revolvers when the standardized on the Police Positive in 1934, give or take. The 38/44 load is a stout load consisting of a 158 grain Keith semi-wadcutter at around 1,150 fps. You do not have to go around front to figure out if your gun just went off! Buffalo Bore makes the 38/44 load and replicates the 1929 load pretty well. I believe BB calls theirs the "Outdoorsman" naming it after the S&W revolver.

 

[PauldL]

Underwood 100gr Xtreme Defender

 

[Mark IV]

Of late I've been filling up my Model 60s with the new PPU .38 load, the 158 grain SWC-Hollow Point. It's advertised velocity is 900 FPS and you can believe it. I bought a couple of cases of it.View attachment 782452

I've always had good results with PPU , and I looked closely at this same ammo recently, but it seemed to have a lot of negative reviews, largely due to the very soft lead used, and how badly the lead residue stuck to their bores.

 

[Tony Tiger]

I got the bullets from midway on a closeout and reloaded my own, they all shoot to POA. 130 gr HST

 

[Casual]

Used by a friend and worked great to stop a robbery; 148gr hollow based wadcutters seated upside down on 7grs of Unique. 2 went in and never came out the other side... Perp dead before he hit the floor. 1cas