springer99
Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2007
- Messages
- 416
Yup, that about answers the question.I'm pretty sure the human species has not evolved bullet-resistance since the FBI test.
A 158-grain SWCHP in the 8 ring still settles most matters.
Yup, that about answers the question.I'm pretty sure the human species has not evolved bullet-resistance since the FBI test.
A 158-grain SWCHP in the 8 ring still settles most matters.
Thanks for the information Cooldill. So in summary, it seems like the modern Remington 158gr lead hollow point has lost about 100 fps since its heyday, and now hits about 800 fps out of a 2" snub barrel. Certainly it seems lackluster, and the youtube videos linked in that thread don't make it look too good either: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bso9byEQOoU&list=PLR1aaUn5HrAdvr6XJ4YP954EAYG20T5v7&index=15If you are talking about the Remington HTP 158 grain LSWCHP "+P", than I think the answer is no. Read this thread for why:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/ammo/369540-just-tested-new-remington-htp-fbi-load-vs-old-one.html
In short, the new Remington "HTP" version of this round has pitiful velocity, and supposedly a harder bullet and probably won't expand worth a hoot from a snub nose. So, they basically ruined there own product. This exact same load seems to have lost about 100 FPS or more compared to the old Remington Express version that ceased production a handful of years ago.
No other manufacturers make the FBI load anymore either, except Buffalo Bore. From tests I've seen, there 158 grain +P LSWCHP makes a mess out of ballistics gel, good penetration and massive expansion. But, it is a VERY HOT load... with significant recoil. Truly off the charts power for the cartridge, but I prefer something more controllable.
I personally use Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 grain +P in both my snubs and 4" duty revolvers. It does wonderfully in BOTH platforms, which is very rare for a .38 special. NYPD did or still does issue that same load for not only their backup guns, but also for the remaining officers still toting S&W Model 10s etc. on duty. It couples good penetration with very nice and consistent expansion, with controllable recoil and minimal muzzle blast/flash. It truly is excellent IMHO.
I highly suggest you look up that Speer load. The FBI load WAS a great load, and I think it still would be about tops IF it was still produced by more manufacturers and the folks over at Remington etc. didn't ruin the current offering how they did.
I hope this answers your question, and I apologize if it is more than you wanted to know.
(RE: Glaser). Not enough penetration to reliably reach vital organs with those. Good on paper, bad on the streets.
I think in this thread, you're going to get some responses from folks recommending whatever load they use in their revolvers. Often times, they haven't done the homework to know what said loads will do from their specific guns. Things like marketing, price, or hearsay have a very very large influence on anyone buying defensive ammunition... unfortunately, more people care about those things vs actually learning about what they're buying and what it does in the real world.
I recommend only those loads that I've THOROUGHLY researched and personally tested, and know that they do in fact have the capacity for excellent real world performance. OP, and anybody else reading, make sure you know how your ammo really performs from your gun. Don't rely on a magazine ad, commercial, or a fancy cardboard box to make that decision for you. This goes with all calibers, not just .38 special.
Just saying.
...I thought part of the reason for the popularity of FBI load was that it did not have the flash, blast, and recoil of 357 Magnum loads.
125 grain bullets were considered the best weight for defense/police loads in 357 Magnum? Also, I thought part of the reason for the popularity of FBI load was that it did not have the flash, blast, and recoil of 357 Magnum loads.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob93.htmlIn the late 1920s and the '30s, efforts were made to find something more powerful. These included the .38/44 round, simply a high velocity 158-grain .38 Special; the .38 Super Automatic from Colt, with a pointy nose 130-grain full metal jacket bullet at some 1200 foot per second, generating perhaps 420 foot-pounds of energy; and the .357 Magnum cartridge jointly introduced by Smith & Wesson (the gun) and Winchester-Western (the cartridge). In the Magnum, the 158-grain bullet was retained, but with a flat point and much greater velocity and energy.
A 158-grain SWCHP in the 8 ring still settles most matters.