Rummaging and found Nyclads....

[Old Corp]

Was going through some of my stuff and found this box of Federal .38 125 gr. Nyclad JHPs, and it's standard, non-+P.
Looks like 'contract packaging', which is always interesting.
I recall when Nyclad came out, but never used any or had experience with it.

IIRC, this came in with some estate stuff when I was working at an LGS. The store does not sell pre-owned ammo, so sometimes it got doled out to guys that worked there.

Anyone recall carrying this or ever hear of it's track record?
Do recall hearing it was a favored snub load, but SD ammo has come a ways since this was marketed, complete with 'short barrel' specific offerings.
I usually carry either +P equivalent handloads (158 gr LSWC-HP) for woods carry or factory Speer +P Gold Dot JHP's when carrying a .38.

Just like to hear anything solid from guys that may have experience with it....
Was it ever offered in +P or .357?

 

[merl67]

The only thing I remember about the ammo is that is supposed to be a frangable round designed to break up upon contact with a hard surface perhaps used by sky marshalls, but I could be wrong...

 

[colt_saa]

No,
Nyclads are soft swagged projectiles with the body wrapped in nylon and then coated with a blue polymer

 

[KSDeputy]

I recall the coating was to keep the barrel from lead fouling. The frangible ammo was Glaser Safety Slugs.

 

[colt_saa]

Was going through some of my stuff and found this box of Federal .38 125 gr. Nyclad JHPs, and it's standard, non-+P.
Looks like 'contract packaging', which is always interesting.
I recall when Nyclad came out, but never used any or had experience with it.

Anyone recall carrying this or ever hear of it's track record?
Do recall hearing it was a favored snub load, but SD ammo has come a ways since this was marketed, complete with 'short barrel' specific offerings.
I usually carry either +P equivalent handloads (158 gr LSWC-HP) for woods carry or factory Speer +P Gold Dot JHP's when carrying a .38.

Just like to hear anything solid from guys that may have experience with it....
Was it ever offered in +P or .357?

The NyClad ammunition was available for several decades

It was originally offered by Smith and Wesson. I do not recall the year when Federal took it over.

The Federal Syntec is basically the same coating but in red and without the nylon

I probably know hundreds of people that carried it, myself included. The 38 Special +P rounds were very popular for BUGs and off duty weapons.

Even with all of the ammunition "Advancements" I would have no problem carrying the NyClads today. In some cases I would actually prefer it

There was a South Florida department that used it as their issue ammunition. I can not recall which PD, but I know that they came through our range for qualification

I think I have a box or two of the 357 Magnum remaining in the ammo closet

Back in the olden days, I came into a 5 gallon bucket of NeClad projectiles. Some were double dipped in the polymer coating and were WAY to big in diameter to sort out. Instead of sorting the good from the bad, Federal just gave them away.

It took me several years to get through the bucket. Overall I tossed several thousand of the double coated projectiles in the trash

 

[Fishinfool]

I believe it was pretty much a soft lead (swaged) bullet with a nylon coating that was supposed to make it cleaner for indoor range use, less leading, and maybe a little more velocity. It worked well for SD use. Had a good reputation for expansion.

At the time, there was a bit of controversy with this round, as it was claimed to be a "cop killer bullet" that would penetrate thru police soft armor. Not true, and it was the Teflon coated stuff it was being confused with. Testing at the time found the Teflon coated stuff did not penetrate armor any better than regular ammo either, but like the horror of those new fangled Glocks beating metal detectors, rumor can be hard to dispel.

Don't remember what variety of loads were offered, but I think Federal still offers it in 38 spl.??.

Larry

 

[elpac3]

Nyclad was purchased by Federal Cartridge back in the mid 80's. The bullets as stated, were swaged lead and coated with a nylon powder, Rilsan, then baked to harden/fuse the polymer.

The intent was to decrease airborne lead in firing ranges and reduce barrel leading. It did reduce airborne lead from gas erosion but did not address the airborne lead contribution from lead styphnate primers. High volume ranges like LE ranges were quick to pick up on the bullets as it reduced the cost as compared to using jacketed ammo for qualifications and reduced airborne lead exposures to range workers.

 

[ContinentalOp]

From what I've read, the Nyclad line was originally designed as a way to minimize airborne lead when shooting at indoor ranges, as was mentioned. I think it was later found that the soft lead made it a good expanding round.

The Nyclads were manufactured for a while, then discontinued. I believe in the late 2000s/early 2010s Federal re-introduced the .38 Special 125gr version. They discontinued it again a few years ago, and as far as I know they're not currently being manufactured.

It's my favorite low-recoil self defense round for the snubby revolver. I still have a couple of boxes from the last run that Federal did.

From what I recall, it had a good reputation as a stopper in actual shootings, and at least one article I read said that its real-world performance was better than it's gel (or other test media...can't remember) would suggest.

I would have no problem buying up as much as I could if Federal ever re-re-introduced it, even if limited to 20-round boxes.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

As others have pointed out, the original intent was to reduce airborne lead dust in indoor range environments. Unfortunately, the so-called "investigative reporters" got on top of the story and turned it into "cop killer bullets" because the nylon-clad slugs seemed to penetrate Kevlar body armor more efficiently than some others.

 

[transit]

The standard pressure 125 grain NYCLAD was the "Chief's Special" load, as opposed to the 158 grain +P "FBI" load version.

It was well respected at the time. Not a deep penetrator, expanded pretty well, I think it ran around 800 fps out of the snubs. Easy to shoot, accurate, clean.

I believe mousegunaddict had a pretty complete review, with video on that site, from some years back. If I can find a link, I'll add it. (Is that permitted?)

Found it:
Pocket Guns and Gear: Federal Premium 38 Special Nyclad HP Complete Test

 

[Nevada Ed]

You stumbled into a great find.

That is one of the best Early loads for the little J frame snub nose for SD use
if you are looking for light recoil that will still work.

Some think it is a collectors item.

 

[stevejeff]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[stevejeff]

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[kbm6893]

The NYPD issued 158 grain Nyclads, first in LSWC +P and then the hollow point +P version. I still have several boxes of each. As someone totally new to guns at the time, I asked the range officer about them and he told me it was to help with leading in the barrel and to minimize lead particles in the air for indoor use.

 

[stansdds]

I used Nyclad 38 Special +P back in the 1980's. I'm sure it was good ammo, fired cleanly, no lead in the barrel, but I never could seem to get the accuracy that I could with cast lead or jacketed bullet ammo. Up close, I'm sure it was good defensive round, but these days there are better options.

 

[BE Mike]

I bought a box of hollow points when on detail to Miami in the early 80's for my snub revolver. I still have the partial box. I gave a daughter the revolver with about a half a box of the ammo many years ago. It was supposed to expand well with relatively low velocity. As others have said, I think it would probably be a decent self-defense round today, as long as it has been stored properly.

 

[Old Corp]

Thanks for replies - may just shoot it up.
On the occasions I CC a .38 it's always loaded with some version of energetic +P ammo. I have no issues with recoil, even in snubs.

Back in the last century, I was in a OIS and our duty load at the time was S&W brand (boy, does that date me) .38 Spl. 125 gr. JHP +P. (In a M66 .357)

Without going into a lot of detail - I felt like it nearly got me killed.
Four of those placed in the 'X-ring' had very little effect - - as in NONE.
The last opportunity I had was a last and 6th round to the CNS and is what saved my backside.

For a long time I refused to carry any .38 or 9mm for OD use and routinely violated policy by OD carrying a M1911 .45. To say that incident stayed with me would be an understatement.

So, even now I can't say I place a plentitude of confidence in a lightly constructed, lightweight, mild, non- +P .38 round.

Again, thanks for insight and replies.

 

[transit]

Hi OC,

Just curious, was your M66 back in the day a 4" or a snub barrel?

I took a quick look at some gel tests on (Remington) SJHP 125 +P .38 Specials and they seemed to do well out of 4" barrels, but drill right on through out of snubs.

Was that the failure mode you saw with those first four rounds in the real world?

Thanks.

 

[Old Corp]

Hi OC,

Just curious, was your M66 back in the day a 4" or a snub barrel?

I took a quick look at some gel tests on (Remington) SJHP 125 +P .38 Specials and they seemed to do well out of 4" barrels, but drill right on through out of snubs.

Was that the failure mode you saw with those first four rounds in the real world?

Thanks.

Transit -
I was just a very young beat cop, the uniform duty revolver was 4" M66. The department decision to use .38 ammo was like many at the time - an early version of what became known as 'PC'.

I did see the recovered bullets - and they could've been in an ad. Most expanded reliably and only one fragmented (that 6th round).
So, not relating that my feelings of the round was rooted in 110% hard logic - just many misgivings.

 

[transit]

Transit -
I was just a very young beat cop, the uniform duty revolver was 4" M66. The department decision to use .38 ammo was like many at the time - an early version of what became known as 'PC'.

I did see the recovered bullets - and they could've been in an ad. Most expanded reliably and only one fragmented (that 6th round).
So, not relating that my feelings of the round was rooted in 110% hard logic - just many misgivings.

Wow.

Sounds like a highly motivated perp.

Glad the good guys came on on top!