chaim
Member
So, I have renewed my commitment and interest in small framed (and sometimes medium framed) snubs. Unfortunately, out of a 2" barrel, both .38spl and .44spl can prove unreliable when it comes to JHP expansion. There are a few rounds that work reasonably well, but they are expensive, there are only a few (so they can be hard to find in an ammo shortage which seems to happen every few years), and even the better rounds will not always expand.
So, I've long been a proponent of LSWC-HP, and regular LSWC when the hollow point variety isn't available. They seem to me to give all the benefits of a WC (which can also be a popular traditionalist choice) with some advantages of their own. The LSWC and WC have the full caliber width sharp shoulder which is better at cutting a wound channel than JHP should the HP fail. Compared to a WC they are usually heavier (158gr vs. 148gr in a .38spl). The LSWC-HP has the hollow point if it does expand, and if it fails, it has the same sharp shouldered wound track of a regular LSWC or a WC. Finally, probably the biggest advantage over a regular WC, the tapered point of a LSWC or LSWC-HP makes reloads in a speed loader or speed strip far quicker and easier.
Yet, the regular WC still seems to be popular in short barreled snubs. Why? Is there something I'm missing? It isn't any cheaper, if you buy the more effective loads for defense (Buffalo Bore, Underwood) recoil isn't any better, and if you buy target loads for less recoil you may not get enough penetration. Yet, on any snub thread you often see people who use that as their load and BB and Underwood seem to sell a lot of them. While I clearly prefer the LSWC/LSWC-HP, I'm considering buying a couple boxes of WCs from BB or Underwood when I can't get my preferred loading.
So, what is your choice (assuming you are a traditionalist) and why?
So, I've long been a proponent of LSWC-HP, and regular LSWC when the hollow point variety isn't available. They seem to me to give all the benefits of a WC (which can also be a popular traditionalist choice) with some advantages of their own. The LSWC and WC have the full caliber width sharp shoulder which is better at cutting a wound channel than JHP should the HP fail. Compared to a WC they are usually heavier (158gr vs. 148gr in a .38spl). The LSWC-HP has the hollow point if it does expand, and if it fails, it has the same sharp shouldered wound track of a regular LSWC or a WC. Finally, probably the biggest advantage over a regular WC, the tapered point of a LSWC or LSWC-HP makes reloads in a speed loader or speed strip far quicker and easier.
Yet, the regular WC still seems to be popular in short barreled snubs. Why? Is there something I'm missing? It isn't any cheaper, if you buy the more effective loads for defense (Buffalo Bore, Underwood) recoil isn't any better, and if you buy target loads for less recoil you may not get enough penetration. Yet, on any snub thread you often see people who use that as their load and BB and Underwood seem to sell a lot of them. While I clearly prefer the LSWC/LSWC-HP, I'm considering buying a couple boxes of WCs from BB or Underwood when I can't get my preferred loading.
So, what is your choice (assuming you are a traditionalist) and why?