What would you run through your J-Frame?

[Sonny Crocket]

Right now I carry the Speer 135gr.+P JHP. But when the reintroduced Federal 125gr LHP starts hitting shelves I'm going to try it out.

 

[ifilef]

The Speer .38 sp. 135 GDHP +P is my carry load in a 442, but I only have 3 in the cylinder (due to my perceived unremarkable penetration in bare Bal Gel); the two remaining cartridges are the FBI Rem R38S12. The first 3 are the Speer. Why? I can shoot them more accurately than the Rem LHP +P and can tolerate the recoil better. YMMV.

Figure if 3 don't do the job then the remaining 2 Rem should be of benefit. So, I've compromised...

I would never buy a snub in .357 and if I did I'd carry .38's in it and practice with those .38 loads...I'm not a glutton for pain.

If I could find a true defense round, currently manufactured, that has adequate penetration and expansion without the +P I'd go with it. BB should really be tried by me, but I haven't gotten around to it and I don't like the price. Moreover, it's more exotic and less in keeping with more commonly accepted SD rounds.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Originally posted by ifilef:
BB should really be tried by me, but I haven't gotten around to it and I don't like the price. Moreover, it's more exotic and less in keeping with more commonly accepted SD rounds.

There's nothing exotic about Buffalo Bore's loads except maybe their name.

Whatever powder they use evidently allows them to meet SAAMI pressures with much higher velocities OR the mainstream makers are loading very weakly compared to SAAMI stds.

Either way, Buffalo Bore loads the .38 Special as it should be and makes it so that our grand old cartridge cannot be outdone by the 9x19.

BB's 158 gr +P LSWCHP is what rides in my .38 K frames and often is what rides in my .357 as well.

 

[MTKTM]

Originally posted by rburg:
We're growing a country full of pantywaists. Everyone is afraid of a little recoil. History shows it a little differently. For example, back in the early 1930s all you could get with any power was a semi-auto with 38 supers, or the .38/44 heavy duty ammo. It was said to be "fearsome" in his recoil. Then in 1935 S&W came out with the .357 Magnum.

Everyone was scared to death of the recoil, and it was often said only a "real man" could even hold on to the gun. By about 1955 enough shooters had used the 357 and no one lost his arm, so S&W introduced the 44 Maggie. Again, stories of gloom and doom. People of smaller stature were advised against even trying a single round.

As time advanced, we saw some other boomer introduced. Each cycle its been said you can't stand the recoil, be afraid, very afraid, etc.

Now they introduce the 357 in a package that's easy to carry and conceal. And again, even our seasoned shooters are crying and whining, running for cover. In 15 or so years, they'll probably laughing at us, too.

Me? I have a number of J frames. Even a 360Sc. What do I use? I've kind of settled upon my old favorite, 148 gr wadcutters.

Funny post rburg.....it is true how perceptions of recoil have changed. I remember the hype you describe as well, and also how "brutal" the 45ACP 1911 was to shoot.

I have a 340PD and my carry round-of-choice is the Winchester Silvertip 145gr. HP.....mostly because I got a supply of them a few years ago and haven't used them all up, but it's also a good round.

I'm kinda wondering when they're gonna come out with a scandium/titanium/unobtainium 500?

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
Use whatever you can handle 38+p or 357mag
don't expect the bullet to expand at less than
1000fps.
I think we worry about control, blast, kick,
etc To much on a snub that will be used
at almost arms length in the heat of the moment.
Hit your target with the barrel and shoot!!!
The gangbangers do this and have a hit ratio
way higher that they should.

 

[mkk41]

When I carry my M-37 , the first two rounds are Glaser Safety Slugs. The other 3 (and the speedloaders)are usually 125gr Federal Nyclads or Winchester 125gr +P Silvertips.

 

[dannyeller]

I use the .38 +P Glaser Silvers or the MagSafe Defenders. I know already the distain for frangibles....

However, real world stats prove these things to be very effective! they are stepping out at over 1200fps from a 642, are loud as hell, and although they do have some kick it feels less than the standard 158gr practice loads I use. And I shoot those at about 200-300 at a time. And... I still have no problem using that hand for beer curls once home.

The blast is vicious but for this type of gun I feel that blast is a virtue not an issue. This is an up close do it quick type of defense weapon and a huge blast from a foot or two away will certainly help in deterring an attack.

 

[luangtom]

I carry either my M&P 340 or my 340PD daily stoked with Speer GoldDot 135-gr +P SB rounds. If they are good enough for large departments, then they are good enough for me. They would also stand a better chance of cross-exam in court.

 

[norfdet]

The Speer GDHP 135gr+p SB round is probably the BEST all around round you could put in your j-frame. You will probably find that most people with magnum j-frames (especially titanium ones) don't shoot or carry magnum ammo in them. Of those that carry 38's in them, I would wager that most use the Speer round. I use that same round in ALL my 38/357's regardless of barrel length.

 

[glypnir]

I like the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel for .357 Magnum in my 640-3. But it isn't a real pleasure to shoot.

Sorry to be boring and serious, but I've done a bit of experimentation on my own, and the recoil seems siginficantly more painful to me when I shoot the modern way (two handed) than when I shoot with the old one-handed bullseye style that those tough guys of the 1930s used to use.

With bullseye style shooting, the one hand seems to move back and up more, so more of the recoil gets absorbed in elbow and shoulder.

With two-handed, it seems to all go to the heel of my hand.

Also from watching littler guys get moved around by the recoil from things like .44 Magnums, I think that the bigger you are, the less the body moves, and the more the recoil gets absorbed by the heel of the hand.

So I think that us big fat, overweight, overfed children of prosperity, shooting two-handed, get more recoil from the same pistol than those hungry, skinny, Depression era guys shooting bullseye style.

Never mind that they were shooting their boomers in heavy all steel N-frames, while we've got the advantage of Scandium J-frames that weigh less than half as much.

 

[LOBO]

Hornadys "Critical Defense" has caught my eye. I picked up a box of the .38 special 110gr +P load that is loaded with their new FTX bullet. Don't know yet, but it may be a good one for the snubs.

 

[photoman]

CorBon 110 JHP+P

 

[5_Shooter]

I have been using .38 +P Speer GDHP in my snub also....seems to get good reviews and good reports.