Is 38 +P as good a defensive round as 9mil?

[West Chester]

Just to put things into perspective ... If you have every played paintball, generally a paintball gun shoots at anywhere from 75 to 125 fps. And paintballs are soft and are supposed to splat when they hit. They still sting like crazy and can leave some nasty welts or even break the skin. Multiply that by 9 and instead of a soft paintball make it a lead hollow point or jacketed round. It's going to hurt.

Most fields have a 250fps limit but paintball guns are able to deliver rounds above 300 fps.

The truck example doesnt work. Comparing two different JHP's that will expand differently is the issue, not how fast they are going. That is why most people measure the end result, penetration and reliable expansion.

So if I throw a bullet at a gel block or shoot it at a gel block the speed doesn't matter? Speed certainly affects bullets. Why do rifles have to shoot so fast then, why not slow the rifle rounds down to say 1000 fps to make the recoil more manageable in rapid fire? Come on, speed of the round does matter.

[Yoder]

You know what, you guys are right. A 9mm would be like getting hit with a rocket launcher compared to the puny .38 +P round and a .45 must be like a atomic bomb.

[orionz06]

Most fields have a 250fps limit but paintball guns are able to deliver rounds above 300 fps.

Most are 285 to account for spikes in velocity up to 300. Cheap crappy markers are not as consistent.

So if I throw a bullet at a gel block or shoot it at a gel block the speed doesn't matter? Speed certainly affects bullets. Why do rifles have to shoot so fast then, why not slow the rifle rounds down to say 1000 fps to make the recoil more manageable in rapid fire? Come on, speed of the round does matter.

You are not seeing my point. Of course speed matters, but for comparison, what value does it have when we are shooting at a gel block?

NONE! We worry about penetration, expansion and/or fragmentation. When there is a "standard" such as the FBI's 12" minimum, why worry about other stuff that people cant understand anyway? So in the long run, if we know the velocity, trajectory, ballistic coefficient, muzzle energy, energy at 50 yards, and its gel test performance, which will you base your decision on?

[bgeddes]

1. The delivery system generally has more muzzle flip and felt recoil (revolver).

This is incorrect in my experience. My wife carries a .38sp wheel gun because of the lack of felt recoil. It comes off as more of a push to her, versus a snap. It is a more effective weapon for her because of confidence in the gun.

If a .22 was all she could handle shooting, she'd carry one, and lots of rounds. If a 9mm or .45 were possible, she'd carry one. Right now the most powerful and effective weapon for her is the .38sp +p.

Nothing wrong with either 9mm or .38sp, you get to the point of splitting hairs. A miss with either renders the shot less effective than a $5 slingshot that hits.

[Alchemist77]

I don't feel caliber-challenged carrying a .38sp stoked with +P 125gr SJHP, but I don't own a 9mm for direct comparison. However, if I'm stuck carrying a revolver and have the choice, I'd rather be carrying my .357MAG with 125gr SJHP compared to the .38sp. Most of the time, though, my carry choice is double-stack .45ACP or .40S&W because of higher capacity and ease of reload. For range practice, 9mm ammo seems to have been more available and cheaper for the last few years compared to .38sp, at least locally.

You can read the ballistics tables just like the rest of us, but for carry and defensive purposes, and assuming modern JHP ammo, I think the significant difference between .38sp +P and 9mm +P is in the choice of handguns, capacity, and ammo availability. From that perspective 9mm has the practical advantage, IMHO.

Alchemist77

[Asmodeus6]

I think for most practical purposes 9mm wins. Assuming good ammo, and only slightly comparing the delivery system. It edges out the .38 +P.

Because there's 9mm +P too. Lest we not forget.

[timdennis]

Nothing wrong with either 9mm or .38sp, you get to the point of splitting hairs. A miss with either renders the shot less effective than a $5 slingshot that hits.

I think you've summed it up nicely with this comment.

[Neko456]

Bottom line which can you shoot best with is more important then these two rounds ballistic difference. SHOT PLACEMENT IS THE KEY FACTOR imho.

38spl have for years been a good defensive round. In revolvers I like the 3"-4" barrel guns shooting 38spl + p easy to load and shot, then the 9mm revolvers which are not as easy to load with the C-clips and all.

9mm has for years been a good defensive round. In 9mm I like the compact semi auto easy to load and shoot.

Not that much difference in ballistics to concern our self with, shoot placement is the key imho.

Both are cheap and easy to load or buy and shoot.

[nailer]

I've shot both and found the +p to be more powerful than the 38spl. How it compares to the 9mm is difficult because the 9mm will be exiting a longer barrel. If you carry a 2 inch barrel 38, it is highly concealable and loaded with +ps highly deadly. I have an XDm in 9mm, but find it difficult to conceal comfortably. Therefore, my S&W 442 with +ps, conceals much better. I don't feel outgunned, especially when I suprise the bg within 10 yards. Regarding the 22, I have a 22mag. It is not a round to take lightly.

[rikilii]

38 special bullets fall into roughly the same weight range as 9mm. The difference is that a .38 +p is still typically at a lower velocity than standard pressure 9mm for the comparable bullet size, and substantially lower than 9mm +p.

But I would not make a decision to carry one over the other based on that difference. I would consider other factors, like capacity, ease of carry, and which you are more comfortable operating.

In my opinion, there is a 9mm out there that can match any available 38 revolver feature for feature. I am perfectly comfortable with the operation and reliability of a semiauto pistol, and favor the other advantages of an pistol over a revolver, so I personally opt for the 9mm.

If you are set on using a revolver, and depending on your budget, comfort level with recoil, and application (home defense vs. concealed carry), however, you might want to consider a .357 revolver instead of a 38.