Defensive ammo for Colt Cobra

[Bart Noir]

Just got a Cobra, in great shape. I will NOT shoot any +P in it as it is an alloy frame, not steel like my Detective Special. What do you think is a good defensive .38 special standard pressure cartridge?

Bart Noir
"Those who live by the sword, get shot by me", "Indiana" Jones, Cairo, circa 1939

 

[LIProgun]

Cobras are okay with limited use of +P ammo, according to info I received from Colt. I've shot a few hundred rounds of +P ammo through a post-1972 Cobra with no signs of trouble. I practice with standard pressure reloads but have no qualms about running through +P rounds for testing loads and for carry.

Up until recently I'd have recommended the standard pressure 125 grain Federal Nyclad HP ("Chief's Special") load. There are two reasons why I won't now. 1) This load has been reportedly discontinued, though you could probably still find some boxes if you shop around. 2) Recent tests reveal this to have what I consider to be insufficient to marginal penetration for a self-defense load.

I think about the best choice for .38 snubbies today are the Winchester 130 grain SXT HP and Speer 125 grain Gold Dot HP, both of which are +P. My old favorite - the 158 grain LSWC-HP +P - seems unable to keep up with the latest advances in bullet technology that allow the newer, high-tech bullets to provide both adequate penetration and expansion in both bare and cloth covered gelatin testing (i.e. the FBI testing protocols) from a 2" barrel.

If you are settled on standard pressure (non +P) ammo, acceptable choices would likely include the aforementioned Nyclad HP and the Hornady 125 grain XTP.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Std pressure 158 gr lead HP.. you can't guarantee expansion at 38 pressure, but you CAN get penetration with a heavy bullet.

 

[WebHobbit]

Std pressure 158 gr lead HP

Huh? ***?

Who makes this? I've never heard/seen a non +p version of the FBI load.

 

[Gabby Hayes]

If you're set against +P and prefer heavier bullets, Remington still makes a standard pressure 158gr SWC (product code R38S6) that CheaperThanDirt sells for $17.71/50. While it's not an HP, some testers claim that hollowpoints don't expand from 2" barrels anyway, so you won't be losing much. Taking another direction, some of the knowledgeable folks over at Tacticalforums are recommending the plain vanilla 148gr target wadcutter for .38 snubbies, finding in their tests that it penetrates just as well as many of the other popular defensive loads in this caliber, and feeling that its straight cylindrical shoulder will cut and crush more tissue than non-expanding SWCs and others that merely push tissue to the side.

 

[Gordon]

Definitely the 148grain Remington wadcutters. The federals are too slow, the Rems are a little faster than Win. You should get 750fps as I get in my 66 Cobra. Also the wadcutters are super accurate and you can rip thru six in 2 seconds staying on a toso K-zone at 7 yds, at least I can. I slaughtered a goat the other day with one and it penetrated skull both sides! Clean free bleeding hole, these guys at Tactical forum KNOW what they are talking about.