The Best 'NON' +P .38 Defense Load?

[statelineblues]

I just picked up a really nice S&W Model 40, and am considering using it as an alterative to my regular carry gun (RIA 1911A1 Compact). Since it was made about 40 years ago, before the creation of .38 Special +P, I would like to get some imput as to what ammo I should use. Is there any standard .38 JHP out there I should try? Any I should stay away from?

 

[CaptMac]

Remington

Remington 158 Gr Semi-Wadcutter

 

[mbt2001]

Winchester 115 gr. Silvertip

 

[TT]

I think the Silvertip is a 110 grain. There is also a standard pressure .38 Gold Dot 125 grain- it's in the LE line and a little hard to find.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

Buffalo Bore standard pressure .38s rival most +P loads.

 

[1KPerDay]

The Buffalo Bore non +P 158s are supposed to be the bee's knees... they sure pack a wallop in an airweight, though.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I like the Winchester 158 gr. LSWC. Sharp shoulder w/ slightly better than nominal .38 special ballistics.

 

[skoro]

Almost like +P...

I'd say the BEST would be Buffalo Bore's std pressure loads, either the 158gr LSWCHP or the 150gr hardcast, depending on the effect you're after.

 

[SASD209]

I'll just throw the Federal 110gr Hydra-Shok low recoil out there for discussion. I've got 2 boxes, seems OK....it's for my GF who doesn't like the "kick" of +p's.

 

[Deleted member 66305]

I vote for Buffalo Bore 158-gr LSWCHP standard pressure.

 

[Speedo66]

Handload a wadcutter backwards.

 

[tblt]

I use the federal 110 gr hydra-shok in my older 38 and speer 135 gr. +p short barrel in my new 38.
I will do a test soon on both loads in phone books

 

[dagger dog]

The 125gr half jacket hollow points from any of the major manufacturers,in standard loadings are good personal defense rounds. Handloading really makes the .38spcl come alive.

 

[jaholder1971]

Federal, Winchester and Remington all make 110 grain JHP options in standard velocity .38 special. Black Hills has 125 grain JHP's in their remanufactured line.

Most defensive .38 Special loadings are +P, so your options become pretty limited staying at standard velocity.

Pick up a couple boxes of each and shoot it. Carry what groups the best for you.

 

[janobles14]

130 gr. gold dots and the winchester sxt 130 gr. loads in non +p were made for 2" barrels and do quite well.

 

[DrLaw]

I go the opposite way. 195/200 grain round nose atop 3.8 grains of Unique. This load comes from a 1975 or so issue of GUN DIGEST. The load was made for snubbies. It is stable until it hits something, then it will tumble. The effect is like having a .45 ACP for snubbies, or as they put it, the difference between getting hit with a baseball (125 grain) or a basketball (the 200 grain) going at the same speed.

The load is essentially what the British used so effectively for a long while in their .38 revolvers with shorter cases than .38 Special.

The Doc is out now.

PS, any other the other suggestions are good ones, too.

 

[VegasOPM]

I prefer 158gr semi wads- but I would say that any factory defensive load would do the job WITH PROPER SHOT PLACEMENT.

 

[45crittergitter]

I use 110 gr. Silvertips to meet that criterion.

 

[chupacabrah]

buffalo bore!

however, nowhere local to me has NON +p .38 spl, so I ordered online. Ended up getting some Hornady 158 gr JHP (XTP or whatever they call it) std pressure loads. Don't know how well they work, hopefully I won't find out.

 

[rklessdriver]

I would say the Federal Nyclad 125gr HPs but for some reason they don't make them anymore. Hence impossible to find now.

Aguila and Mag Tech both make 158gr SJHP for standard pressure .38 Special. They appear to be the exact same round. Feels pretty hot out of a little Alum Colt D Frame. I use either round in my 1959 Colt Cobra. I've shot a few rounds into wet pack and expansion is probally not going to happen (A little deformation around the hollow cavity) but it is a heavy bullet and the penetration is good. Seems to penetrate about twice a far as the non +P green box Remington 110gr SJHPs.
Will

 

[kmrcstintn]

Federal Nyclad 125gr lswchp (if you can find them); Winchester Silvertip 110gr jhp; Federal Hydrashok 110gr jhp; Hornady XTP 125gr jhp; ?Buffalo Bore? standard pressure 150gr wadcutter or 158gr lswchp -- I'm not too familiar with Buffalo Bore, but I have read that they make standard pressure loads

 

[Jim March]

Ended up getting some Hornady 158 gr JHP (XTP or whatever they call it) std pressure loads. Don't know how well they work, hopefully I won't find out.

The XTP is a deep-punch high velocity hunting slug. Loading it in 38Spl was the dumbest idea Hornady ever had. The only way to make that load expand is to pull it out of the shell, whack it with a hammer and load it into a very high powered slingshot. It's just junk.

BuffBore's 158 is probably the most serious standard-pressure load out there, followed by their 125 and then 150. Nobody else can even touch BB in standard pressure.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I go the opposite way. 195/200 grain round nose atop 3.8 grains of Unique. This load comes from a 1975 or so issue of GUN DIGEST. The load was made for snubbies. It is stable until it hits something, then it will tumble. The effect is like having a .45 ACP for snubbies, or as they put it, the difference between getting hit with a baseball (125 grain) or a basketball (the 200 grain) going at the same speed.

The load is essentially what the British used so effectively for a long while in their .38 revolvers with shorter cases than .38 Special.

Very interesting. How fast are those bullets going? Any ballistic gelatin tests available showing the tumbling effect? How much pressure is generated with those deeply-seated bullets? Is that a +P load you describe? Thanks.

 

[c1ogden]

Smith & Wesson came out with a load designed specifically for the J-frame snubbies.

It was a 125gr Nyclad bullet. It was called the Chief's Special load.

They later sold the Nyclad line to Federal. Last time I looked it was still available.

I carried it for years.

I'm now using Federal's 158gr LSWCHP+P load. This was the FBI issue load for many years and I was able to buy several cases of it at a really good price.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would suggest Federal 110gr Hydra-Shok JHP Part #PD38HS3H or Winchester 110gr Silvertip Hollow Point ammo Part #X38S9HP.

If you like a heavier bullet like I do, both Remington and Winchester produce a standard pressure 158gr LSWC round, Part #R38S6, and Part #X38WCPSV respectively. Both are reported at 755 fps from a 4" barrel but for that heavy a bullet that's not a bad velocity especially for an all lead bullet that will probably expand easier than a jacketed one. Even if it doesn't expand it will penetrate fairly well...

BTW, not so called +P .38 Special ammo of today (except for the very hot stuff like Buffalo Bore and CarBon) won't damage your post-war revolver because it's not any hotter than the "normal" .38 Special ammo of 30 to 40 years ago. I won't tell you to shoot it but just be aware ammo loaded to 18,000 PSI like most of the so called +P ammo isn't all that hot.

.38 Special old SAAMI standard = 18,500 PSI
.38 Special new SAAMI standard = 17,000 PSI

.38 Special +P oldest standard = 21,500 PSI
.38 Special +P old standard = 20,000 PSI
.38 Special +P new standard = 18,500 PSI

As you can see, as revolvers and steel got better for some reason the pressure standards were dropped lower. It would seem there would be no rational reason for this but hey, who knows??

They also dropped the .357 Magnum standards from 40,000 PSI to 35,000 PSI in response to those 12oz Magnum revolvers released by S&W. I don't think that right at all to neuter a fine caliber just because some people want to buy a way too light Magnum revolver. Why punish an entire shooting community for some shooters? I guess instead of S&W telling the owners which ammo is safe to shoot in their revolvers SAAMI felt it necessary to treat all shooters as children. Normally I wouldn't mind but they also neutered all the reloading data for the .357 Magnum too. (sorry for the rant)