Originally Posted By: Robenstein
I will say it has me doing some re-evaluating of my 38 special load of choice, the Underwood 125gr 38 Special +p. It uses the same Speer Gold Dot bullet that failed to expand every time in the 357 tests. It appears the heavier 135 grain bullet is the better performer.
The .357 Gold Dot is quite a different bullet in the 125gr(and 158gr) version than the 135gr version.
In particular, if you set them side by side the 125 and 158gr have a very shallow cavity, while the 135 is quite deep and much more aggressive.
I've been told that the 38 special 135gr +P load was actually originally developed for the NYPD's 4" service revolvers(Model 10 and 66). It was found, however, to perform quite well in snubs, which was why it is now sold as a "short barrel" load.
Consequently, I only use the 135gr version in 38 special regardless of the barrel length.
I tend toward the 158gr Gold Dot in 357 mag, as the 135gr 357 Mag is on the low end of the 357 mag power scale. Out of a 2" snub it only gets you around 100fps vs. the 38 special +P. It may speed up a lot out of a longer barrel(I haven't chronoed it-I'm going by published data) but the 158 will give a solid 1200fps+ from a 4" barrel which should be enough for reliable expansion.