.38 Snubby ammo choice

[Voldemort]

What is the load of choice out there? Looking for non +P loads for my wife.

 

[Fargo]

Speer makes a 135 grain gold dot load optimized for short barrels but I don't know if it is made in a non +p. I carry it in mine. Corbon DPX is also supposed to be good but again I'm not sure they make it in standard pressure.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Quality wadcutter running something like 700-800 fps. Low recoil, good terminal ballistics.

 

[Snapdragon]

For self-defense, Hornady makes a low-recoil .38 soft point. It's in a pink box.

 

[cosermann]

Quality wadcutter running something like 700-800 fps. Low recoil, good terminal ballistics.

^^ This, OR a heavier snubby with a +p load (i.e. not an airweight). OP, what snubby are we talking about?

 

[Dean C.]

The Hornady Lite Critical Defense would be a good choice my Grandmother really like it in her Smith

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Handgun :: Choose by Caliber :: 38 Special :: 38 Special 90 gr FTX® Critical Defense® LITE

 

[Snapdragon]

The Hornady Lite Critical Defense would be a good choice my Grandmother really like it in her Smith

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Ammunition :: Handgun :: Choose by Caliber :: 38 Special :: 38 Special 90 gr FTX® Critical Defense® LITE

Yep, that's the one.

 

[Voldemort]

^^ This, OR a heavier snubby with a +p load (i.e. not an airweight). OP, what snubby are we talking about?

Just picked up a LCR. The Hornady "Lite" doesnt seem to have good performance on the all knowing YouTube though....

 

[cosermann]

Just picked up a LCR. The Hornady "Lite" doesnt seem to have good performance on the all knowing YouTube though....

Yep, that Hornady round is going to perform about like it's corresponding .380 ACP load: Same weight + similar diameter + similar velocity + similar bullet design = similar result.

LCR, got it. Well, the airweights with +p loads aren't all that fun to shoot. No way around the physics. As BBI recommended, a wadcutter is often the suggested standard pressure alternative (usually in the 140ish gr weight).

Another alternative might be a heavier steel snubby with a +p load. The extra weight soaks up some of the recoil.

If you're not married to the idea of a revolver, the small 9mms have less perceived recoil (IMO) and better ballistics (as well as better sights, are faster to reload, etc).

It's all about tradeoffs. YMMV. Some restrictions apply. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required.

 

[Snapdragon]

Good point, cosermann. She could just adjust to the recoil like I did. I keep Golden Saber 125 gr. .38 +P in my .357 LCR and my other .357's.

 

[VERT]

Speer Gold Dot 135 grain short barrel load. Unfortunately they are plus P. But they shoot excellent in all of the 2"-4" guns that I have tried them in. Recoil is similar or less than the 158 grain non plus P jacketed hollow points. The "lite" loads are going to be exactly that. If those are the only option then Hornady Critical Defense or find a good 148 grain wadcutter.

edit: I found these in a search. I have had good luck with Fiocchi ammo so far as reliability. It seems to be a smidge hotter as well.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...38-special-148-grain-lead-wadcutter-box-of-50

 

[Voldemort]

All good thoughts, Im thinking of going with the new woopey doo ARX Polycase..

 

[9mmfan]

I keep Critical Defense 110 gr in my 642. They are by far the most accurate of the various brands I tried.

 

[VERT]

All good thoughts, Im thinking of going with the new woopey doo ARX Polycase..

Or you can buy one 20 round box of Speer short barrel loads. Fire 5 of them to check accuracy and function (which will be spot on and perfect). Then practice with Wadcutters. Every so often rotate out the carry ammo by firing 5 crusty gold dot (which will continue to be perfect). Rinse and repeat. No reason the gun or or wife needs a steady diet of defense ammo. Besides its not like they are super charged magnum anti vehicle rounds.

Yeah they kick harder. That is what they are supposed to do. Everything in life is a trade off. In full disclosure I practice with light Wadcutters and carry duty ammo.

 

[ru44mag]

Or you can buy one 20 round box of Speer short barrel loads. Fire 5 of them to check accuracy and function (which will be spot on and perfect). Then practice with Wadcutters. Every so often rotate out the carry ammo by firing 5 crusty gold dot (which will continue to be perfect). Rinse and repeat. No reason the gun or or wife needs a steady diet of defense ammo. Besides its not like they are super charged magnum anti vehicle rounds.

Yeah they kick harder. That is what they are supposed to do. Everything in life is a trade off. In full disclosure I practice with light Wadcutters and carry duty ammo.

I have to agree here. In a life or death situation, recoil and noise are rarely noticed.

 

[Voldemort]

I have to agree here. In a life or death situation, recoil and noise are rarely noticed.

Starting to lean in this direction, if God forbid she had to use it, her hand may be sore but the bad guy worse...

 

[clayshooter99]

The whole thing of life vs death, it won't be noticed......mostly true.

But....one must be able to handle the gun well, shoot one handed, shoot one handed weak hand and shoot wounded/dragging a loved one. For this I truly believe in a little less power that can be handled much better. Over the last 10 years or so I have shot hundreds of rounds of 38 spl out of J frame guns, both steel and alum. I have settled on the Hornady 90 grain pink tip load for my wife as she has the alum frame 642. If I was carrying the 640 in steel frame, I would likely have the Speer Gold Dot 135 +p short barrel ammo. The Hornady 90gr does not have all the energy of others but I believe the ability to handle it well much outweighs the energy factor. My wife is no wimp, but the J frames can be a handful for females. She shoots around 3000 handgun rounds per year and around 1500 shotgun rounds per year. While not the 38 spl in question......there is valid reason why SO MANY law enf agencies are and have been dumping the 40cal round and returning to 9mm.

 

[Snapdragon]

That being said, the LCR has less felt recoil than a J-frame, IMO, so there's that.

 

[VERT]

The whole thing of life vs death, it won't be noticed......mostly true.

But....one must be able to handle the gun well, shoot one handed, shoot one handed weak hand and shoot wounded/dragging a loved one. For this I truly believe in a little less power that can be handled much better. Over the last 10 years or so I have shot hundreds of rounds of 38 spl out of J frame guns, both steel and alum. I have settled on the Hornady 90 grain pink tip load for my wife as she has the alum frame 642. If I was carrying the 640 in steel frame, I would likely have the Speer Gold Dot 135 +p short barrel ammo. The Hornady 90gr does not have all the energy of others but I believe the ability to handle it well much outweighs the energy factor. My wife is no wimp, but the J frames can be a handful for females. She shoots around 3000 handgun rounds per year and around 1500 shotgun rounds per year. While not the 38 spl in question......there is valid reason why SO MANY law enf agencies are and have been dumping the 40cal round and returning to 9mm.

True but we are not talking about 40 which is a capable service cartridge becoming less popular then the 9mm which is another capable service cartridge. The OPs question is about lite 38 loads. In this example the 135 grain gold dot in a 2" snub is a capable service cartridge while the 38 lite loads are ..... Well... They are not. I am not one to discount the idea of a physiological stop, bad guy stops it is a win! And I have no doubt the lite loads are lethal, but be careful you aren't giving up too much. If a person can't shoot full powered ammo one handed, weak hand or while dragging a body then I seriously doubt reduced power ammo is going to make a difference. I would say the low capacity, heavy DA trigger and lack of high visibility sights are more of a contributing factor. Besides we are not talking about automatics where ammo selection can have a direct impact on reliability. So high volume practice with range ammo is fine.

 

[Sniper 79]

Quality wadcutter running something like 700-800 fps. Low recoil, good terminal ballistics.

Plus one on the above. That would be a great do it all load.

If memory serves me correctly my sis bought an Smith Airweight some years back. My brother in-law and I loaded some wadcutters flush with the top of the case with a small powder charge. It was like shooting a cap gun. I believe there is factory ammo available loaded flush like that.

Funny she still thought it was a cannon and had to use the trigger finger on both hands to get the Airweight to fire. Even with the springs swapped out to softer ones she hated the experience. Just goes to show you have to shop for your own guns and try a bunch out before you buy.