38 Special Personal Defense Ammo

[Booner]

Buffalo Bore 158 LSWC-HP +P.

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

The only loading I use in a 2" .38 Special is the old "Treasury Load" 110 +P+ ammunition that was produced by either Federal or Winchester.

Winchester 38 Special +P+ (110) JHP
Symbol: RA38110HP+ * Winchester Ranger Jacketed Hollow Point
Shellcase: 38 Special +P+ nickel plated brass shellcase
Bullet: 110 grain (7.1 gram) Jacketed Hollow Point
Brass jacket, lead core
Diameter 0.357 inch (9.07 mm)
Powder: Clean burning, low flash
Primer: Winchester non-corrosive primer * boxer type
Fired in a S&W Model 15 revolver with 2 inch (5.1 cm) barrel
Energy: 239 ft-lb (324 joules)
Pressure: 23,500 psi max. average (1,621 bars)

[Bang]

.38 is too big for home defense. I downsized to 7.62x39.

[Berncly]

Federal Hydra Shok or Hornady Defense.
No special reason, it's just what is usually in stock when I drop into a store and ask for the best 38 self defense ammo they have on hand.

[Orive 8]

At this time, I only have one .38 special revolver, a S&W Model 38 Bodyguard (original bodyguard). Its my "I'm not carrying a gun" gun. I am now loading it with Hornady's Critical Defense Lite 90 gr FTX ammo. I have found it to be VERY shootable out of my snubby and it is very accurate in my gun. I also like the Pink tip

[eatmydust]

Hornady Critical defense, standard pressure, in wife's HD 686 and in my CC 442. See the luckygunner.com lab for penetration and expansion info.

[ROCK-IT3]

Thanks for all of the input. Driswalds and eatmydust, thanks for the luckygunner link, very good information there. I also watched some Paul Harrell videos on youtube. He is not a big fan of the lighter weight projectiles, where the penetration isn't too good, and the hollow points generally show very little expansion out of short barrel guns. He does one video on 158 grain projectiles, Semi Wad-Cutter Hollow Points, which give the best penetration, but also very little expansion. It seems to me 38 Special is in a funky little zone where there isn't enough speed to make hollow points expand effectively and consistently, and lighter projectiles, which move a bit faster, don't penetrate terribly well.

Fortunately, what I am looking for will be used in a 4" barrel gun, so there will be more speed achieved, and according to Luckygunner, there are a few loads with penetration meeting or exceeding FBI standards, and within standard pressure loadings (not +P), like the Hornady 58 gr Custom XTP, and the 125gr XTP American Gunner. For a little more information, this is not for my own use, but for a 73 year old woman who has never shot a gun other than a 22LR rifle, so I am looking for a low-recoil load. The problem right now is finding something in stock!

[ray h]

I use anything with the Hornady 125 gm XTP bullet in +p variety.
A lot of guys prefer a heavier bullet. I like the higher velocity of a lighter bullet. I think the velocity helps the hollow point open up. I think I'm using Underwood right.now but I also use Fiocchi or Hornady.

[ROCK-IT3]

I use anything with the Hornady 125 gm XTP bullet in +p variety.
A lot of guys prefer a heavier bullet. I like the higher velocity of a lighter bullet. I think the velocity helps the hollow point open up. I think I'm using Underwood right.now but I also use Fiocchi or Hornady.

This is generally my thinking, too. I like middleweight bullets with some extra velocity to help with expansion. The problem seems to be, if you look at the Luckygunner.com tests linked to earlier, that most of the hollow point projectiles don't expand, even the +P. The velocity, especially from a short barrel, just isn't enough to create reliable expansion. I think in that case, penetration trumps expansion potential, so heavier bullets are preferable.

[jthrelf]

135gr+P Gold Dots are the best in class