Feeding the Car Gun? (.38+Ps for a 4" Model 19)

[P. Plainsman]

I just replaced the stock "Officer Friendly" wood grips on my 4" S&W 19-3 with slimmer Pachmayr Gripper Pros. The black rubber grips on the dark blue revolver give an interesting, businesslike appearance.

This is going to be my car gun. I propose to load it with .38 Special +Ps, suspecting that the flash, blast and pressure of .357 Mag would be too much in the cramped interior of my compact.

What would be a good load? I have samples of a few reputable .38+P JHP rounds on hand:

Cor-Bon 110 gr (striking label stats, arguably a j.v. .357 Mag)

Cor-Bon 125 gr

Speer 135 gr Gold Dot

Federal 129 gr Hydra-Shok

I've tried all except the Cor-Bon 110s. All were easily controllable and shot well enough, with the Federals being the most accurate.

I suspect any of these would be a decent defense load for the car gun, but I am curious to hear others' opinions and experiences.

 

[ChristopherG]

In a 4" 19, I'd load (in fact I do load, albeit in a 66) the 158 g. LSWCHP +P available from Winchester or Remington--long the gold standard of .38's. The lighter bullets of the loads you mention are in some cases (e.g., the 135 Speer) specifically designed to overcome the problem of making 'expansion velocity' out of a short (snub) barrel. Since that's a problem you don't have, I'd stick with the long and distinguished track record--and pleasant shooting, and outstanding accuracy--of the LSWCHP.

If you want to use a JHP, look at Speer's new 147 gr. Gold Dot. It has the same ginormous cavity as the 135, but with a higher sectional density, since you can push a bit of extra weight up to speed out of a full 4" barrel.

 

[stans]

The 158 grain LSWC-HP 38 Special +P load does have a long track record and is considered the king of the hill in 38 Special.

 

[MLH]

If you have to shoot it inside of your car

I doubt that you notice the difference between the .38 and the .357. Your going to be deaf either way, and if your shooting through the glass you may wish you had used the .357.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Why would you ever fire a gun inside your car?

ps. If you do it with the windows up, you'll be deaf whether it's .357 or .38

 

[isp2605]

Something to consider when selecting ammo used near vehicles. You may be required to fire thru window glass and door sheet metal. Doors are particularly tough as there's all kinds of junk inside the door panels so getting a round thru all of it is pretty much an iffy proposition. However, glass is a given obstacle. Pick a round that tends to hold together thru whatever objects you may be surrounded and have to defeat. If it won't get thru glass without holding together and getting on target then that round won't do you much good. You may want to look at a bonded type bullet or one that has a better than average performance for glass.

 

[ChristopherG]

Why would you ever fire a gun inside your car?

Unlikely, but hardly impossible.

Pick a round that tends to hold together thru whatever objects you may be surrounded and have to defeat.

That would be another recommendation for the Gold Dot, a bonded bullet with precisely this reputation.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Unlikely, but hardly impossible.

No, nothing is impossible, but my imagination is poor. I can't come up with any scenario where I wouldn't drive away from [or over] anyone who needed shooting.

 

[Lone Star]

The guy who lives across from me almost had to fire from inside his car. He came home (we live in a large apartment complex), turned off his car, and retrieved his GP-100 from under the seat and was gathering up a few items before getting out.

A black man who fit the description of either of two robbers who've been active in the area walked up to his driver's side window. This person saw the gun in his lap and abruptly left.

My neighbor thinks it is quite likely that this stranger was about to hold him up, then changed his mind on seeing the Ruger.

If he'd had to shoot, the muzzle might not have been outside the car,, if only to keep the man from seizing the gun.

I think that answers the question about why one would need to shoot a robber or carjacker from within the vehicle. Also, if someone opens the opposite door (if one is stupid enough to have it unlocked), the driver would need to shoot across the car to hit the villain.

Lone Star

 

[ChristopherG]

Why would you ever fire a gun inside your car?

Because you and your threat/target are both in the car.

Because you are in your car and your threat/target is outside the car, but the car is immobile/nonfunctional.

Because you are being threatened from outside your car with a form of violence which cannot be reliably outrun by a car: e.g., a bullet.

Our IDPA club runs car-involving stages pretty regularly--mostly just cause they're fun; but they do make you think.

 

[nhhillbilly]

Having shot several car windows over the years I would go with a 357 mag. Much better round for defensive work and it go through windows better.

 

[Gordon]

Being it is a 4" AND a Model 19 I'd go with Speer 158grain Gold Dot .357 mag hollow points. These drive deep and expand to .65" in my recent testing. What I switched to in all my .357's Except deer hunting use long toms where I like 180-200 grain bullets! Forget the lighter bullet loads!Unless you won't shoot anything over 80 pounds!!! If you can't handle the blast/recoil (and you may practice enough to know the TRUTH) use 158grain LSWCHP +p .38s .

 

[CAS700850]

For what it's worth, I'd go with the 158 grain LSWHP +P .38 loads for general use. THat said, I think I'd drop a speedstrip or two loaded with some of the Magnums, just in case...

 

[Johnny Guest]

Everything in life is some sort of compromise.

Let's face it: No one handgun/load combination will do it ALL. If you're convinced you'll need to shoot through automotive coachwork and safety glass, using a four-inch .357, your best bet is something like a full power magnum 158 jacketed soft point, not a hollow point of any kind, and certainly not a .38 Special load.

On the other hand, the .38 SPL 158 LSWCHP+P is highly controlable, very accurate in my 3" M65, and no slouch for anti-personnel duties. Working on the theory that most anything COULD happen, I usually keep MY revolver loaded with four of the .38s and then two full house magnums.

One man's solution.
Johnny

 

[oldfella]

...For short barrels, up to 4 inches, you might want to try the Winchester Supreme, .38 Special +P 130GR. SXT #S38SP