Hi, I just ordered a J-Frame 642 S&W revolver. Its backordered at Cabela's for 4-5 weeks (Christmas rush?) anyways, looking to pick up decent FMJ range ammo and good self-defense hollowpoints. I am looking for 38 special, not the +P variety.
What would you recommend? Personal experience is preferred. Thanks!
Recommend me a 38 Special Ammo FMJ and HP
- Thread starter FirstNissan
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No personal exp in .38spl (.45acp and .40s&w my owned cals), but here's a generic ballistics list.
http://www.ballistics101.com/38_special.php
About 1/2 down the page, Hornady FTX gets some velocity out of the standard .38 Special load w/ their 110gr bullet.
How come you don't want +P for your defensive choice?
edit: Just noticed the OP gun is snub. Believe the figures on the referenced ballistics site were based off 4" brl.
Your specification of non-+P makes the choice a bit more difficult.
My go to snub loads are either the 135gr short barrel gold dot, or the old "FBI load"-a 158gr LSWCHP but both of these are +P loads.
158gr is the "standard" weight for 38 special, and most fixed sight revolvers will shoot to POA with 158gr ammo. FMJs are not super common in 158gr 38 Specials. I like just a standard 158gr lead round nose or semi-wadcutter for range use(granted I cast my own SWCs). With that said, I think S&B(or Cabelas house-brand black box Herter's Brass) sells a 158gr round nose that's either jacketed or plated.
If you opt for a lighter bullet, the big three all make either a plated or jacketed 125gr or 130gr round nose that's economical and probably as good as anything for range use. If you want to practice with a +P ammo, Wal-Mart use to sell(I haven't looked recently) a pretty affordable Remington 125gr +P jacket hollow point in 100-round boxes.
Any 38,22,44,357 round will kill you....some make fun of 22s,,if it will penetrate a 1/2 piece of plywood, it will kill you.....I use cheap 38s and a small 5 shot pistol, fits in my pocket--why??-- just because I wanna make sure it clears the plywood,,lol..
Any issues with white-box winchester or remington green box range 38 special ammo? I have had issues with them in the 9mm variety.
Any ammo will work for target practice. I am curious why you want FMC. It's popular in automatics but not so in revolver ammo. I d buy whatever is cheap. When I was a kid I would go out and shoot phone books with various loads and calibers. I found the .38 Special really didn't have enough zip to fully mushroom any jacketed Hollow point ammo. Not the way .357 magnum and 9 mm did. What I did find to mushroom and expand the best was plain old lead round nose bullets. Very impressive in .38 Special. I know all he companies hype up thier jacketed Hollow points and almost all are +P which I didn't have access to when I was a kid but you said you didn't want +P so I would carry good old fashioned lead round nose ammo. It does better than people think it's just not cool tactical ammo to most but killed many a gangster and coppers in it's day.
About the best, performing most reliable non +p 38 spl Ammo is the Hornady FTX. If you find it still too much from your stubby 38 they offer a lower recoil version in addition.
I bought some critical defense bullets years ago.That is what is loaded.I use wadcutters for practice.I have read they are very good for self-defense also. That FBI load 124? grain is good.I use whatever is on sale. Accuracy with my stubby is really good.
I reload home casr Semi Wad Cutters . No problem with them .
Buy some ammo with cheap cast bullets & have fun .
As far as terminal effects , I will bet the flat nose of a SWC will do about as good as a soft point or hollow point . And will work regardless of velocity .
I suspect you are way over thinking this .
Wyr
God bless
Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Hi, I just ordered a J-Frame 642 S&W revolver. Its backordered at Cabela's for 4-5 weeks (Christmas rush?) anyways, looking to pick up decent FMJ range ammo and good self-defense hollowpoints. I am looking for 38 special, not the +P variety.
What would you recommend? Personal experience is preferred. Thanks!
For standard pressure self defense ammo I would use either the Hornady Critical Defense or the Underwood Extreme Defender.
For practice ammo...take your pick.
Originally Posted By: ron17571
I bought some critical defense bullets years ago.That is what is loaded.I use wadcutters for practice.I have read they are very good for self-defense also. That FBI load 124? grain is good.I use whatever is on sale. Accuracy with my stubby is really good.
I agree with Bunnspecial. .38 Special just doesn't have the juice to light up all these catchy named jacketed hollow point bullets. Good old fashioned lead bullets do best. It's hard to find lead semi wadcutter hollow points but I would second it better than and jacketed fashion ammo in that caliber out of a snub.
The new federal hst 38+P is awesome defense ammo. For range ammo I would use whatever I can get my hands on.
Check out this lucky gunner ballistics test, it does 38 spl. (std and +p) and 357 mag, all in both short (2") and long barrel (4")
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/
"Low Recoil" = Less powder. Less velocity. And less overall penetration and performance. It's basically the exact opposite of +P or +P+. It's just a selling disguise to move lower powered ammunition, without saying it's lower powered.
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