Godsgunman
Member
So I have been working on a reliable defensive load for my newly acquired S&W 36 and discovered some interesting results. I loaded up some target rounds with 4.0 gr Unique under a 158gr LSWC and also a few with 4.5 gr of Unique also. While at my reload bench I figured I would cook up a few rounds with my Hornady XTP 140gr bullets. I did a load of 4.4 of Unique and also 4.7. (All of these are with Fed 550 primers since thats what I had around).
My media I shot into was a slab of beef ribs with 2 milk jugs stuffed with wet pack, a pumpkin (that time of year
), and some water jugs behind. The first XTP round of 4.4 gr of Unique went through the rib bone and stopped in the back of the 2nd wetpack jug. The penetration measured 9.5" after passing through the bone and the bullet had massive expansion 10/16th of an inch! The 2nd round with 4.7gr of Unique experienced jacket seperation with the lead core in the 2nd jug but the copper jacket just into the shell of the pumpkin. So about 10" after passing through rib bone with jacket seperation. The lead core had expanded to 3/4 of an inch with nasty jagged edges, almost ripped in half it expanded so much!
I really wish I could put the pics up to show the proof but I am writing this from my phone. I know neither hit the "magical" 12" of penetration but this wasn't a bare gel test. Both bullets went dead center through meat and bone and then wet pack so I would say it at least equals 12" of bare gel if not beats it, but I am no expert. Anyways I am very impressed with these results for a .38 spl load and will probably work up some more and carry them upon further testing.
BTW both loadings of LSWC passed clean through everything so that seems like more penetration than I would like. Sorry for the length but thanks for reading. Happy and safe shooting!
My media I shot into was a slab of beef ribs with 2 milk jugs stuffed with wet pack, a pumpkin (that time of year
), and some water jugs behind. The first XTP round of 4.4 gr of Unique went through the rib bone and stopped in the back of the 2nd wetpack jug. The penetration measured 9.5" after passing through the bone and the bullet had massive expansion 10/16th of an inch! The 2nd round with 4.7gr of Unique experienced jacket seperation with the lead core in the 2nd jug but the copper jacket just into the shell of the pumpkin. So about 10" after passing through rib bone with jacket seperation. The lead core had expanded to 3/4 of an inch with nasty jagged edges, almost ripped in half it expanded so much! I really wish I could put the pics up to show the proof but I am writing this from my phone. I know neither hit the "magical" 12" of penetration but this wasn't a bare gel test. Both bullets went dead center through meat and bone and then wet pack so I would say it at least equals 12" of bare gel if not beats it, but I am no expert. Anyways I am very impressed with these results for a .38 spl load and will probably work up some more and carry them upon further testing.
BTW both loadings of LSWC passed clean through everything so that seems like more penetration than I would like. Sorry for the length but thanks for reading. Happy and safe shooting!
