due to job loss & financial issues I have sold my semi handguns which leaves 2 snub nose lightweight 38 spl revolvers; I have 3 non +p loads amidst my stash...'09 vintage Federal Nyclad 125gr lead hp, Hornady Critical Defense Lite 90gr GTX, Sinterfire 110gr Special Duty frangible hp; I am seeing which of these 3 NON +P loads y'all would use in 2" barrel revolvers; thanks...
which of these non +p loads for lightweight snubbies?
- Thread starter kmrinpa
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If you don't mind light bullets I'd choose the Hornady. Otherwise any of them will be fine.
Any of them. I use old timey lead 158's in a snubbie. Squeezing performance out of a snub is like squeezing a dehydrated lemon for lemonade.
Per oodles and oodles of data that the FEEB's have on file, it takes an average of 2 pops to pop Mr. Malignant, regardless of caliber. I use the "good stuff" in all my stuff EXCEPT for the .38
"It generally isn't enough difference to make a difference."
Paul Harrell
Per oodles and oodles of data that the FEEB's have on file, it takes an average of 2 pops to pop Mr. Malignant, regardless of caliber. I use the "good stuff" in all my stuff EXCEPT for the .38
"It generally isn't enough difference to make a difference."
Paul Harrell
Federal Cycled has a long and distinguished history of working and performing well in revolvers...especially the snubbies and lightweights...
Bill
Bill
Probably any, I don't care for non jacketed lead heads.
Agree.
ok...thanks all; the idea was to use what offered best performance within the loads I have...not buy new stuff (job loss = little to no $$$);
to those who stayed within the loads mentioned...thank you; for what it is worth...I am using the Sinterfire load for now
to those who stayed within the loads mentioned...thank you; for what it is worth...I am using the Sinterfire load for now
Gonna go against everyone and say 148 grain TARGET WADCUTTERS. +P's are brutal to shoot out of airweights and you still rarely if ever get enough velocity to get even minor expansion. So why not use FMJ's? Targets Wads fly about 650-700 feet per second, are the most comfortable rounds to fire out of a lightweight snubby and the instead of the pushing and parting the muscle and insides like a .35 caliber ice pick, the wads punch, crush and pulverize. They are so light shooting you won't be flinching and hating to practice and lightwieght snubbies demand lots of practice. I can dump 5 target wads into the center zone of a target quickly and easily. I'd rather have 4 or 5 700 FPS target wad hits versus 1 or 2 +P hits in quick succession.
Gonna go against this and say - he lost his job, had to sell most of his guns, he doesn’t have any money to buy ammo, and he asked us what, from his existing ammo stash would work better, and you recommend that he go buy new ammo that he has already said he can’t afford. How does this help him?
I would say use whichever load is closest to the gun's point of aim. Snubbies don't usually have adjustable sights.
The 90gr and 110gr are pretty light and might hit low. No way to know for sure unless you hit the range.
Hornady Critical Defense is my favorite for civilians.
The 90gr and 110gr are pretty light and might hit low. No way to know for sure unless you hit the range.
Hornady Critical Defense is my favorite for civilians.
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The first one I'd choose is the one that shoots closest to point of aim.
I'm dead serious about that. Being able to put the bullets to the sights is worth more than getting a little better bullet performance.
If by some lucky chance what you have is about the same in that regard...
I am in a similar situation for different reasons. I carry a 2" S&W model 12. Since that's an unfamiliar model to most people, the 12 is an aluminum alloy framed K-frame that was never rated for +P. There is some debate among S&W fans about their strength, but I play it safe and am careful what I shoot in it. I use a couple of types of ammo, but one is what you have:
Federal 125 Nyclad
I have, I think, three full boxes left. I baby them by keeping them in a closed ammo can in a cool dry place.
The penetration with these isn't that great, but hopefully a little more depth won't be needed. Expansion is pretty much a sure thing with these, which really costs on penetration here since they don't start out with much weight or speed.
I'm dead serious about that. Being able to put the bullets to the sights is worth more than getting a little better bullet performance.
If by some lucky chance what you have is about the same in that regard...
I am in a similar situation for different reasons. I carry a 2" S&W model 12. Since that's an unfamiliar model to most people, the 12 is an aluminum alloy framed K-frame that was never rated for +P. There is some debate among S&W fans about their strength, but I play it safe and am careful what I shoot in it. I use a couple of types of ammo, but one is what you have:
Federal 125 Nyclad
I have, I think, three full boxes left. I baby them by keeping them in a closed ammo can in a cool dry place.
The penetration with these isn't that great, but hopefully a little more depth won't be needed. Expansion is pretty much a sure thing with these, which really costs on penetration here since they don't start out with much weight or speed.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
^^^ Yep, one target - one decision ^^^
I own three 38 snubs - and don’t figure you’d use one past 10 yards anyway …
I own three 38 snubs - and don’t figure you’d use one past 10 yards anyway …
Hornady
Whichever is reliable and you can shoot with good accuracy, with a 2 inch barrel you cannot expect great accuracy at distance thus I said 'good', and ammo should do the job as far as stopping the assailant too.
Federal or Hornady
The Federal 125 Nyclad SWC HP was actually designed for 2" guns, was known, back then, as "The Chief's Special load" . Use it with confidence. If things get down and dirty, reccomend a double-tap as a minimum. I carried these for years when they were available in my M642 and M640. The real-world reality is that, in a small light revolver, 5 center mass hits with anything beats a peripheral hit and 4 misses with a heavy +P load.
When i was in LE back around 1970, we didn't have High-performance loads for our M37 Airweights, which were our backup guns. Generally most of us carried 148gr wadcutters, controllable and cut a .35 caliber deep hole.
When i was in LE back around 1970, we didn't have High-performance loads for our M37 Airweights, which were our backup guns. Generally most of us carried 148gr wadcutters, controllable and cut a .35 caliber deep hole.
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