38 special-best defense boolit?

[MikeS]

Tim: One more musical correction. The band you're thinking of is Aerosmith, not Arrow Smith. But I can understand the mistake, after all, with your musical taste you're wondering if your pickup truck will start when you get out of jail, and if momma got run over by a train, etc. (Country Music)

And back on topic (sort of), my idea of the best 38 defensive load is a 45ACP

[MBTcustom]

As a matter of fact, My momma's truck broke down on the RR tracks once. Luckily, a friend noticed her little predicament, and helped her push it off the tracks.
Also, as a matter of fact, Mrs. goodsteels first pistol was a 3.5" 1911. She was darn good with it too, but it was so heavy that she never carried it, so I got her the S&W 36 and did a trigger job on it so she can use it one handed. Sometimes compromises must be made. That being said, I love that little gun! It's amazingly accurate for such a small pistol.

[jdgabbard]

One of the tried and true was the good 'ole Elmer Keith 358429HP (358359?).... I believe it came out of the mold at the 160g range. But one could also just have a 358311 HP'd and you'd have one heck of an accuracte/efficient boolit. But kind of like the whole 38 v 9mm argument, it kind of depends on what you feel most comfortable with.

[MtGun44]

I'm surprised at how long this thread has been going.

I refer newcomers back to post #21.

Bill

[jdgabbard]

Bill, one on #21 is the same as what I was talking about...

[Balkandom]

Gonna toss in 2 cents, maybe at my peril.

If you have something that shoots big bullets fast and hard (10mm, .41, 44), it really does not make much difference.

If you're shooting something smaller at lower velocities, specifically a .38, alternately loaded HBWC's are the way to go (One reversed, one not, in the cylinder). A reverse loaded hbwc is a rather nasty HP that will get someone's attention and keep it, and the straight loaded HBWC is a bullet that isn't going to let a rounded surface (Cranium) deflect it like a RM or SWC will. A straight wadcutter makes the same hole in a skull as it does in a piece of paper, pretty much regardless of the angle. That's what people tell me, anyway.

Quarter-inch lockwashers in a 12 gauge take all that guesswork away though.

Mike

[MBTcustom]

Now that seems like a reasonable idea, but now comes the near impossible task of trying to decide which of the two configurations you should load three of. (five shot remember)
Maybe in the winter you swap out one of the backward ones for one of the traditional ones.....

[StrawHat]

(double tap).

[StrawHat]

...but now comes the near impossible task of trying to decide which of the two configurations you should load three of...

Just use a hard cast DEWC and load it as fast as a 158 SWC.

[brghp]

The 158gr lead hp FBI load is one of the most proven defense loads in 38 special. This is both 4 inch and 2 inch revolvers. 4 inch velocities run around 915 fps and 2 inch velocities run around 800 fps. These velocities are easily attained with powders like Unique, Accurate #5, 231, HS6.

[9.3X62AL]

Threads survive because their contributors believe passionately in what they post therein.

My view concerning both the 38 Special and the 357 Magnum is that the single best and most useful bullet weight in either caliber is the 155-160 grainer. I don't carry a 38 Special socially because I'm limited to the 125 grain +P loading, which doesn't do the caliber's best work--though it beats throwing rocks convincingly. For many years, I was similarly required to use the W-W 158 grain JHP in my 357s, which I think very highly of. Just recently I learned that my agency has switched to the 125 grain Federal JHP in 357 Magnum. I wasn't real thrilled about that, but given the 357's power level just about any bullet weight will do the job if placed half-decently. And ball-powder handloads duplicating the Fed 125s REALLY light up adjacent hillsides at dusk. They would likely singe an assailant's eyebrows at 7 yards, too--so be careful shooting paper/cardboard targets up close. It could start a brush fire.

[popper]

Quarter-inch lockwashers in a 12 gauge take all that guesswork away though.

I like that. I agree with Gear, and single handed shooting. Based on a documentary of an armed lady with a revolver. She pointed in the general direction, emptied it and was reloading as she chased they guy down the street.

[tactikel]

The most accurate .38cal boolit I have ever found was the 168 gr Keith swc. if you had to carry cast boolits that would be my choice, superb accuracy and penetration. If you would consider J bullets Gold Dots would be my recommendation.