Good defensive ammo for non-shooters?

[NoirFan]

So my situation is this: my parents are in their 60s and not really gun people. My father is former army and at least knows how to operate a gun, but is not exactly interested in going to the range in his own time. My mother is strongly anti-gun and will do her best to avoid touching a weapon. I do want them to have a weapon in the home for their defense, however. I left them my S&W Model 19 and gave them instructions on how to do basic operation and safety rules, so they have at least that much knowledge.

As for ammo, I left them a box of 38 wadcutters under the logic that they are very low recoil and penetrate more than adequately, which is good for a low-proficiency shooter. Sometimes I have second thoughts about that though. Are wadcutters enough or should they have something with a little more power on hand like a lead hollow point? I'd like to hear your thoughts, thanks.

 

[MedWheeler]

In my snubs, I keep Winchester's 130-grain JHP from their "Train and Defend" line. It's a standard-velocity load I find to be easily manageable. The "practice" ammo that comes with it is also a 130-grain round, but in a truncated-nose FMJ load. I find that weight to be a nice balance between the snappiness a 158-grain can have from a snub, and the lower likely penetration of something significantly lighter.

My Ruger Police Service Six and my Taurus M66 (their version of your 19) are both loaded with a 125-grain +SJHP from R-UMC. I find this round very tame in these heavy revolvers.

When I started in law enforcement way back in wheelgun days, our issue load was Winchester's 95-grain +P Silvertip HP. The light weight of this load made for a soft shooter, but I lacked confidence in it's penetrative capabilities from a LE standpoint. I'm sure it would do fine in a self-defense scenario, though. I don't know if it is still made. Keep in mind, though, that a lightweight bullet will hit low, especially from a gun as heavy as a Combat 19, unless it's sighted for it (not really much of a concern in an inside-the-home-distance scenario, though.)

 

[shenck]

I think you are right on with the 38 wadcutters. Lower recoil, adequate penetration. A 38 wadcutter that they are willing to use, beats a 357 that they won't use every time.

 

[rpenmanparker]

Sorry, but IMO folks who don’t want to be associated with guns should not. No good will come of what you are doing. Wadcutters, JHPs, etc. it all makes no difference. The gun will just sit there and probably better it does. I believe it would be better they don’t even have it.

 

[RPZ]

Wadcutter are probably the best way to go. In the unlikely event they have to use the revolver it will be much more manageable than full house .357, and given their experience and enthusiasm for training about the best way to go.

If they ever really need to use it, can access it, this is something aLOT better than nothing.

 

[JTHunter]

My mother is strongly anti-gun and will do her best to avoid touching a weapon.

Ask your mother what value she places on her life. Then ask what she would do to PROTECT her life if the alternative was rape, "great bodily harm", or even death.
Then show her how to protect herself.

 

[hdwhit]

NoirFan wrote:
My father is former army and at least knows how to operate a gun, but is not exactly interested in going to the range in his own time. My mother is strongly anti-gun and will do her best to avoid touching a weapon.

So, you left a gun with someone who has no interest in attaining (regaining) and maintaining proficiency with a pistol and someone who doesn't even want to know anything about them?

Why?

What's the point of giving a gun to untrained, unqualified personnel?

I can't see that this does anything to increase their security.

If anything, all it seems to do is create the potential for creating a statistic (i.e. one of your parents going to jail for shooting the other one accidentally).

Are wadcutters enough or should they have something with a little more power on hand like a lead hollow point?

ANY 38 Special cartridge is more than enough to kill.

Unless you are clairvoyant and know precisely 1) the circumstances under which the cartridge is going to be used, 2) how it will be employed, 3) what distance it will be shot from, and 4) what its trajectory through the target is going to be, then perceived (i.e. imaginary) differences in lethality are meaningless. Buy whatever is on sale so that you waste the least amount of your money since you've already said your Dad isn't going to go to the range with anything you leave him and your mother isn't even going to touch it.

Personally, I would go back, get the gun and the ammunition, apologize for not following the 4th or 5th Commandment (depending on the ordering to which you subscribe) and work on trying to persuade rather than berate your parents into seeing things like you do.

 

[NoirFan]

Sorry, but IMO folks who don’t want to be associated with guns should not. No good will come of what you are doing. Wadcutters, JHPs, etc. it all makes no difference. The gun will just sit there and probably better it does. I believe it would be better they don’t even have it.

I’ve taken my dad to the range and shown him how the gun operates. He can load, unload and shoot OK. He just wouldn’t take the time to go shooting on his own. I would call his attitude towards guns for self defense accepting, but somewhat indifferent. In any emergency, he would be the one in the house to use it.

Personally, I would go back, get the gun and the ammunition, apologize for not following the 4th or 5th Commandment (depending on the ordering to which you subscribe) and work on trying to persuade rather than berate your parents into seeing things like you do.

You are making an awful lot of assumptions here. I’m not berating anyone, and I also believe you don’t have to be a pistolero to successfully defend yourself with one. Guns are called equalizers for a reason. Anyway thanks for your feedback on the ammo.

 

[Cump]

I think the wadcutters are a good option, and I would prefer them to something like Hornady Critical Defense "lite" in 38 special, which shoot soft but may not penetrate adequately.

I think it is important to point out that NoirFan isn't forcing a gun on anyone. He has provided a self-defense tool, and some training. His parents could have declined, or they could return the firearm at any time.

 

[The Evangelist Cowboy]

So, you left a gun with someone who has no interest in attaining (regaining) and maintaining proficiency with a pistol and someone who doesn't even want to know anything about them?
Personally, I would go back, get the gun and the ammunition, apologize for not following the 4th or 5th Commandment (depending on the ordering to which you subscribe) and work on trying to persuade rather than berate your parents into seeing things like you do.

Woah! First off that analogy is all wrong, He was fulfilling Christ's command through the Apostle Paul under 1 Timothy 5:8 8 "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

But enough of that we could go on forever with that debate, and if you want to debate it PM me I'd be more than happy to discuss the Gospel in that context. The .38 wadcutter will work in a SD situation but I would really pick something up in a modern hollowpoint if you could. If your father is in his 60's is he strong in his 60's or frail, if he is stronger Id even recommend getting him gentle magnums (the remmy golden sabers come to mind) if not than the wadcutters will be ok though federal makes a cool wadcutter hollopoint in their micro line, Works well from snubs should work better in a 4 inch barrel.

 

[hank327]

I would get them some Remington .38 Special 158 grain Lead Semi-wadcutter Hollowpoint +P rounds. I've found the old FBI load very controllable out of a 4" Model 19 and much more effective than those target wadcutters.