Winchester .38 FMJ
- Thread starter ploz357
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I shot some today at the distance of 10 yards. it seems to have shot a bit low but at that range hard to tell. I was shooting doubles and lost my front sight a few times. Also it had very little felt recoil in my vintage Model 42 with grip safety. it seemed clean and was reliable.
ACP230
Member
Had some of those a couple years ago. My M649 liked them quite well. I was surprised to find they shot to the same point of aim as my reloads with 158 grain LSWCs and Unique.
BreakerDan
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My Model 36 shoots to point of aim with anything in the 125-130 range.
The 130 gr 38 Special is a good round for target shooting- only thing
better being a 148 HBWC in my opinion.
The 130 gr 38 Special is a good round for target shooting- only thing
better being a 148 HBWC in my opinion.
stevieboy
Member
I find that most 120 - 130 gr. .38 special ammo, including Winchester, fires to POA from my Model 36. I'm curious: does anyone know if these lighter weight rounds were designed for J-frames? Or conversely, do they sight the J's in at the factory for lighter rounds?
thedogfather
Member
I recently read that J's are still sighted for the .38 Special 158 grain RNL bullet.
john traveler
Member
The 130 grain RNFMJ .38 Special was US Military standard for a couple generations in the M41 loading. Since that load has been declared obsolete since the late 1980s, the various major manufacturers have been loading and selling it off as a light general-purpose .38 Special load.
All of S&W .38 Special and .357 Magnum revolvers have been sighted for the standard velocity 158 grain RNL or SWCL bullet. If the 130 grain RNFMJ happens to shoot to point-of-aim in your revolver, it is more by luck than by design.
All of S&W .38 Special and .357 Magnum revolvers have been sighted for the standard velocity 158 grain RNL or SWCL bullet. If the 130 grain RNFMJ happens to shoot to point-of-aim in your revolver, it is more by luck than by design.
stevieboy
Member
Interesting. I acquired my 36 a couple of months ago. On my first trip to the range I started by firing some 148gr. wadcutters, just to get a feel for the gun. Everything I shot was consistently high of POA. Midway through the session I switched to some 130 gr. FMJs that I happened to have in the range bag. They shot right to point of aim. Since then, I've been using lighter .38s (120-130gr. rounds) in the gun with great success.
I've wondered whether it's me or the gun. To be honest that front sight is awfully hard to visualize on the 36 and it may be that I'm actually aiming the gun consistently higher than I think I am. Thus, my TRUE POA may be somewhat higher than I think it is. Lighter bullets, as a rule, tend to hit lower than heavier rounds, and perhaps the lighter rounds are simply compensating for my aiming error.
I've wondered whether it's me or the gun. To be honest that front sight is awfully hard to visualize on the 36 and it may be that I'm actually aiming the gun consistently higher than I think I am. Thus, my TRUE POA may be somewhat higher than I think it is. Lighter bullets, as a rule, tend to hit lower than heavier rounds, and perhaps the lighter rounds are simply compensating for my aiming error.
ACP230
Member
Other light bullet .38s shoot low in all my snubnoses.
The Winchester 130s are the exception.
The Winchester 130s are the exception.
flop-shank
US Veteran
Stevie, my opinion is that you shouldn't screw with something that's working, regardless of why. There are so many great loads in that caliber, that there's no reason not to use something in the weight range that you and your gun are shooting best with.
stevieboy
Member
I agree. I had a range session after I wrote my post, fired my 36, and it was dead on with 125gr. .38s. I own more .38s and .357s than I can keep track of and that's the only one that seems to prefer the lighter weight bullets. All of my others get fed a steady diet of 158gr. 38s and magnums.
The Winchester 130gr FMJ has been the most available .38 round lately in my neck of the woods, and my 640 shoots pretty much to POA at about 7 yds with them.
amd6547
Member
I got some recently at Walmart in the 100rd box. It was very accurate in my Model 15-3, which I had previously sighted in with Remington +P LSWCHP 158gn.
I wouldn't call it "RNFMJ", though. The ammo I bought has a wide flat point.
I wonder if anybody has chronographed this stuff. It was hitting the steel plate at 25yds pretty well.
I wouldn't call it "RNFMJ", though. The ammo I bought has a wide flat point.
I wonder if anybody has chronographed this stuff. It was hitting the steel plate at 25yds pretty well.
IndianaDave
Member
Finally got to the range with my Model 10-5 (4 inch skinny barrel) and some Winchester 130gr. loads. It seemed to shoot a bit low at 21 feet. I also shot some of their 130 gr PDX +P and they were a bit low.
My results may not be reliable because i realized my 54 year old eyeballs aren't what they used to be.
My results may not be reliable because i realized my 54 year old eyeballs aren't what they used to be.
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