.3i80 and .38 special range report

Intro: it’s cold, weather is wretched with snow, rain and ice here in mid coast Maine, and I’m old. So, I don’t get out to the shop to do reloading very much.

I know this is about cast bullets, but in consequence of the above, I started looking at what ammo can be bought, and there were complaints of scarcity, political turmoil, and possible shutdown of US manufacture ammo, over on the Politics thread. I posted an article about finding and buying .41 Magnum ammo, and then a range report on lever guns thread. Politics thread gets recycled and deleted as it ages, so my article there is gone now.

But in this spirit, I wanted to buy some ammo for two handguns, which I did, and finally shot them today, and give a range report.
Foreign manufacturers are delighted to make and sell ammo into the US. All I have seen so far is good, reloadable, brass cased ammo. I bought Aguila (Mexican) and Fiocchi (Italian). Costs about $22 a box of 50, plus shipping. Delivery 4 to 5 days. A hundred rounds (2 boxes) seemed enough.

.380 auto Husqvarna Swedish military bushed from .380 long to .380 Auto, when they came on the surplus market, back around 1962. Aguila .380 95 grain FMJ. Group 5 into 3.15” at 25 yds wrist rest.

.38 Special S&W model 10 4” barrel , fixed sight. Fiocchi .38 spl 158 grain JHP, 850 fps. Group 4 into 1.8” at 25 yds wrist rest, outliers at 8 and 12 o’clock due to poor light on sights.

Both guns grouped at point of aim. By the way, measuring to a twentieth of an inch, 0.05”, is easy with a draftsman’s engineer’s scale.

OMG only 850fps, the speed queens will be having fits. Just kidding, but I did get accused of liking weak ammo by a YouTube reviewer.

Fiocchi prints that right on the box. For .38 special, they make 110 gr @ 1100 fps, 125 gr @ 1050 fps, 158 gr @ 850 fps, 148 gr @ 750 fps.
The gun is an old police Smith and Wesson model 10, fixed sights. I picked what I thought would shoot to the sights. It did.

When it gets cold here(7degrees right now) I only shoot handguns at close range.
You chose some very good ones to shoot!
And some good Ammo.
I like the brands you mentioned and also Monarch(Academy)brand from Serbia.
You Northern people have my respect for surviving and thriving in the cold!


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Yes, my hat is off to our New England and Great Lakes states Yankees for living with such cold winters. Heck, I don't even care to go out and shoot if it is much cooler than 50, and we are at 8 this morning in West Central Texas.
I did manage to put about 70 rounds through the LCP Max last week: a box of Armscor 95-grain FMJ flat points, which seemed to have plenty of oomph; 10 Hornady Critical Defense 90-grain gummy tips; and 10 rounds trying the new-to-me Lee TL-356-95 RF over 3.3 of Unique. I wish I had brought my chronograph.

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Originally Posted by Texas by God

When it gets cold here(7degrees right now) I only shoot handguns at close range.
You chose some very good ones to shoot!
And some good Ammo.
I like the brands you mentioned and also Monarch(Academy)brand from Serbia.
You Northern people have my respect for surviving and thriving in the cold!


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Hey, I remember it getting cold in Texas when I was stationed there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Walkingwolf

Hey, I remember it getting cold in Texas when I was stationed there.

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You ought to see what happens with they get a 1/4" of snow in Dallas. You'd think the entire highway system came to a halt... I'm from SE Oklahoma, and it would amaze me while in Dallas how they have zero ability to drive in even the lightest of snowy conditions.

Yes, 1-10 in Katy was closed today by an 18-wheeler on its side in a skiff of snow.

Hey Texans can DRIVE in snow and ice. Just can’t turn or stop!

I learned long ago in Texas to just stay home for snow and ice road conditions.
That day (or week’s) pay won’t cover fixing your vehicle!


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To be honest, when it snows here (in Maine) you want to stay off the roads. People here don't drive well in snow or other wintry conditions. I have a little Ford Focus with un-studded snow tires that get me anywhere I need to go in snow.

I'm from central Northern Lower Michigan. We get Lake effect snows. It's not bad driving until you get to the urban areas. Then, you're driving with the "Citiots."

Back on topic, years ago: My uncle born and raised here had a trucking company in Texas. They got a freak snow (less that 2 inches). He pulled his trucks off the road when two drivers tangled together in the parking yard without clearing the gate to the road.