… loads like Hornady, Speer or Winchester PDX-1 for self defense. You do, however have a few choices to make, choices that will determine your path in life. Best 38 Special ammo for self defense - YouTube. But for Every Day Carry it would be bulky. The .38 Special was introduced in 1898 as an upgrade to the .38 Long Colt during the Philippine–American War. I & II; Gun Digest Big Fat Book of the .45 ACP, Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Gun Digest Book of the AK and SKS, Gun Digest Book of the Glock and Gunsmithing: Pistols and Revolvers, among other titles. So if you are curious about the Best .38 special ammo for snubbies that you can use, continue reading on for an in-depth guide to finding out. While mostly used for training, manufacturers make some frangible ammo, such as this, for self-defense. In terms of the best “stopping power” for .38 Special, I personally like 150 grain full wadcutters or 158 grain hollowpoint semi-wadcutters. You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get. Hornady Critical Defense Lite 90-Grain FTX. The 90 grain Lite load expanded to 0.500” and penetrated to … M36. It is known in the metric world as 9×29.5mm. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. To cut through the maze of opinions, we went straight to a well-known authority in firearms: the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As a starting point, knock 100 fps off of the book value of a load if you are using a snubbie. If you do not anticipate barriers, then you will be happy. Please try again. If we face facts, the vast majority of people who care about the best 38 Special ammo for self-defense are carrying small guns. Some favorite loads include Remington Golden Saber 125-grain JHP, Speer Gold Dot 135-grain JHP, and Winchester SXT 130-grain JHP. Word to the wise: all handgun cartridges (with the likely exception of .44 Magnum and maybe even .357 Magnum) are “underpowered” for self-defense. Video: The Colt Paterson Revolver And Other Early Repeaters, Choosing Handgun Ammo: The Facts That Matter Most for Self-Defense, Know Your Cartridge: The Dependable .38 Special, Best 10mm Ammo For Self-Defense And Hunting (2018), Particulars Of Reloading For Semi-Auto Pistols, Reloading Revolver Cartridges: Keys To Success, 6 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2021), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2021), 8 Budget AR-15 Options: More Bang For The Buck (2020), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2021). Like all cartridges, there are a lot of 38 Special ammo options out there and they come from many different manufacturers. Light weight bullets or heavy? Primary law enforcement service cartridge from 1920s to 1990s. This cartridge had an average diameter of .72 inches, making it easily the widest shot diameter. Long ago, due to its performance through barriers—particularly sheet metal and windshields—the FBI deemed the .38 Special unfit for service. The best 38 Special ammo for self-defense Reactions: ChanceMcCall , Wirenut and Annihilator Choosing .38 Special Ammo For Self-Defense. Tap to unmute. Ask me which gun I carry the most and you would get a different answer. (No other round was over .57 inches) However, it only has a penetration of 12.66 inches, which is above the FBI’s standards, but just barely. So we’re here to help you figure out what is the best 38 Special ammo for self-defense. Six major concealed carry insurance programs are now available to the millions of Americans who carry concealed. However, I use the Buffalo Bore 150 grain hard cast wadcutter rather than the 148 grain target loads. Many self-defense experts rely on Blazer Brass for protection. 1. 158-gr. To make this list, we looked at the rounds with the largest shot diameter without going over 18 inches in penetration. The best .38 Special ammunition and .357 Magnum ammunition. In indoor situations, over-penetration could cause a bullet to travel through walls and create the chances of injury. This makes for EDC problems. Choices for .38 Special ammo breaks down in a three-axis decision making tree. The best ammo I used was Remington Golden Sabre's in .38 Special +P 125 Grain. To help you find the best .38 Special ammo for self defense, we conducted a variety of tests as part of these independent self-defense ammo tests. Therefore, the .357 can shoot .38 Special ammo. To make this final Top 5 list, we looked at the fastest cartridges that have less that 18 inches of penetration and at least .5 inches in shot diameter, which is actually less than the unofficial standard of .5355. Therefore, the right balance of penetration is required, which is why we go with the FBI’s standard of 12 to 18 inches. .38 Special Revolver Background. © Copyright Ammotogo.com 2021 All Rights Reserved. The FBI requires ammunition be properly tested before agents use it. Best 38 Special Ammo For Home Defense. It is important to determine what your carry need is. It just took a long time to develop something better and get it out where it could be tested. One of the top choices is the Federal Personal Defense Micro with 130-grain JHP bullets. The .38 was invented in the late 19th century, given up for dead in the latter half of the 20th, and resurrected by the time the 21st rolled around. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. Federal Hydra-Shok 110 Grain Low Recoil. Federal took a different approach. If you’re just looking for some suggestions, here’s the top three we’d recommend for shooters with a 38 special firearm similar to the Smith & Wesson 640 we used for testing. Snubbies knock off around 100 fps of muzzle velocity. In this measurement, the bullet with the largest diameter was Federal’s Personal Defense Micro. 38 Special self defense Ammo Sort by Price: Low; High; Filter Department; Ammo; Handgun Ammunition; 38 Special; Ammo Type; self defense; Brands; Federal; Hornady; Remington; Ruger Arx; Sig Sauer; Speer; Winchester; Winchester [+] Show more. Be honest with yourself on this one, because no one else is going to take the recoil hit for you. CCI Ammunition: Blazer 158 Grain JHP. A round needs to be able to deliver not only a deep wound, but also a wide wound. If you live in close proximity to others, frangible can be a wise choice to avoid hitting bystanders. Get the 74th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. They took the old reversed hollow-base wadcutter, put a jacket on it, tuned the jacket for consistent expansion, and then loaded it to normal .38 Special performance, not wadcutter performance. For this analysis, we take the speed, expanded diameter, and penetration of 17 different .38 Special ammo options. 38 Special ammo has a bullet diameter of .357 inches, this means the bullet should expand to at least .5355 inches. It is loaded with a 130-grain jacketed hollow point bullet. Today’s self-defense .38 Special is most commonly used in short-barreled ‘snub nose’ revolvers such as the Ruger LCR and Smith & Wesson J-Frame. I now have a M637 Airweight. SWC $29.99 brownells.com. These are the current best of the best, with one old-school comparison. (Accuracy is also affected by numerous other factors.). It just doesn’t perform well in barrier testing. It also makes a big difference on accuracy, as faster bullets tend to be more accurate. This makes it less likely to penetrate through walls or ricochet back at the shooter. These take the classic lead semi-wadcutter and add a cavity to the flat nose, with no copper jacketing at all on the bullet. Outstanding! Don't anymore, to much recoil and blast (I hunt with a Ruger SRH in … Winchester PDX1 Defender 130 Grain Ammo. But changes needed to be made and the powder charge was increased from 18 grains to 21.5 grains of black powder.The bullet weight also needed to be 150 to 158 grains.. Even if it does not work out in pistols, I suspect that the Honey Badger load for a backup or snubbie may just be the perfect load of the future. Fastest: SinterFire Special Duty 110 gr Frangible HP: 1,060 feet per second. With 886 fps in velocity, is was the fastest cartridge that measured above .51 inches in shot diameter. How much expansion is enough? Caribou Media Group may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. To compile this list, let’s look at the deepest penetration below 18 inches, which were: Deepest Penetration: Black Hills +P, 125 gr JHP: 22.12 inches deep. load we all used. carry ammo and tested it to demonstrate how these modern loads perform. Ammo choices for a .38 Special breaks down on a 3-point scale: Lightweight or heavy bullets; Lead or jacketed bullets +P or standard pressure; The combination of more velocity and more weight nets a better performance but also more recoil. Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links. History of the Ammunition. For example, the faster the bullet is traveling, in general the more the bullet will expand. Hotter loads are generally easier to shoot out of larger revolvers. You’ll most likely find a handful of revolvers of the .38 Special caliber that will be small enough to be concealed. A long time ago, a cop friend told me to carry it with Speer Gold Dot HP 135 gr ammo. Most people who carry .38 snubs, do so because they don’t expect to need a lot of ammo or a fast reload. Bianchi first invented the speed strip. It is now a viable choice for those who feel a compact carry gun is more important than shooting through cars. Best 38 Special Ammo; Best 38 Super Ammo; Best 380 Ammo; Best 40 S&W Ammo; Best 41 Rem Magnum Ammo; Best 44 Magnum Ammo; Best 44 Special Ammo; Best 45 ACP Ammo; Best 45 GAP Ammo; Best 45 Long Colt Ammo; Best 454 Casull Ammo; Best 460 S&W Ammo; Best 480 Ruger Ammo; Best 50 AE Ammo; Best 500 S&W Mag Ammo; Best Shotgun Ammo . Generally around 125 to 130 grains, they are compromise loads. What you may not know is that the 38 Special is identical to that of the .38 Short Colt, .38 Long Colt, and the .357 Magnum. You will also want a fast round that delivers decent shot diameter. CCI is known for manufacturing excellent ammo using their patented CCI primers. The best loads for .38 Special revolvers with 4" or longer barrels: ... Never use ball (FMJ) ammo for self-defense in a rifle..22 Long Rifle. The Best Self Defense Ammo – Ballistic Testing, these independent self-defense ammo tests, Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 Grain +P Ammo, Federal Personal Defense Micro with 130-grain JHP bullets. This means that from loading to firing, you’ll be able to get smooth … There are some loads that feature weights less than full but not all the way to light. Ask five different gun owners, and you might get five different answers. Shooting less powerful ammo helps beginners handle recoil and muzzle blast. For those folks, (me included) a speed strip will work much better. In the summer, I used to carry a S&W “Chief’s Special. This product had an average penetration over 22 inches, which, because of over-penetration would eliminate it from contention as the best .38 Special ammo for self defense. The FBI load in .38 Special, 158-grain, lead semi-wadcutter, at +P pressures, worked then and works now. Smith & Wesson .38 Special $415.56 guns.com. Shopping. The difference is the length of the cartridge. Learn how your comment data is processed. They are also fairly bulky to carry. Experts showcase top choices for .357 for self-defense. Largest Overall Diameter: Federal Personal Defense Micro 130 gr HST JHP: .72 inches. You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get. So, you have to determine how much recoil, blast and difficulty in shooting you are willing to put up with to get the performance you desire. Best 38 Special Ammo for Self Defense Federal +P HST Micro 130 Grain Ammo. It;s cheap and you'll need to practice a lot , throw in some full power 357 to get the feel. The smallest have diminished capacity, five shots vs. six. Velocity makes a big difference for overall performance of a cartridge, impacting both the penetration and expansion of a bullet. The reverse is not true. The .38 Special +P 158gr LSWCHP was created by Federal with concealed-carry self-defense users in mind. Thank you! The .38 Special is well known for its accuracy and relatively mellow recoil. Steinel Ammunition’s You might be tempted to dismiss this round offhand, … Regained popularity due to small concealable revolvers. There are many factors at play for expanded bullet diameter, including velocity, bullet design, and overall energy. Watch later. How resistant to recoil are you? Is this a main gun or a backup? This Blazer Brass JHP shoots at a muzzle velocity of 1,150 FPS, with a muzzle energy of 464 ft.-lbs. Get the latest news and reviews from Gundigest.com. But how does it fare from a short barrel using part of the FBI testing protocol? The absolute most … You're signed out. Velocity is the final stat we measured. $71.46 brownells.com. Best .357 Magnum Home Defense Ammo. Poly-case ammunition and copper solids offer excellent penetration. The term “38 Special” actually refers to the round a 38 caliber .357–.358 inches long. It is super-soft to shoot, but the extra velocity can cause it to hit low, below your usual point of aim, due to barrel lift timing differences. Federal Law Enforcement 38 Special +P 158gr. It was and is a 158-grain swaged lead semi-wadcutter … One of the agency’s requirements is that during gel testing the bullet penetrates at least 12 inches, but no more than 18. Shop with confidence. Today, we focus on 38 special and how we can help you find the best .38 Special ammo for self defense. You can have jacketed hollow points, all-lead or lead hollow points. For those guns, I toss JHP and any +P round in the trash, because the simple physics say that it’s not going to do anything. They offer more mass for more penetration, but you have to either give up velocity or accept a bit more recoil. There has been an error with your Email Subscription. Winchester 130-Grain PDX1 Defender +P. Best 10 Gauge Ammo; Best 12 Gauge Ammo; Best 20 Gauge Ammo; Best … A lightweight .38 Special ammo choice that won’t punish you would be the Hornady Critical Defense, or Critical Defense Lite. Just be sure they understand they must make use of the tack-driving accuracy that wadcutters offer. However, in our tests, the cartridge measured little to no expansion, so it was left off this list. Editor's Notes: This article is an excerpt from Choosing Handgun Ammo: The Facts That Matter Most for Self-Defense by Patrick Sweeney. ammo. This is a new approach, and we see it working in the .38 Special. Patrick Sweeney is the author of many of Gun Digest books' best-selling titles, including Gun Digest Book of the 1911, Vols. The .38 Special round is generally accepted as an effective cartridge for personal defense. The original load, a lead round-nose 158-grain bullet, was marginal as a stopper. Let your fellow shooters know – share this article using the Facebook, Twitter and other social media icons below. The standard pressure limits for the .38 Special are just fine for the snubbies and make for a soft life for the medium-sized revolvers. Superior Reliability. Featuring a bonded, jacketed hollow-point bullet that has … For self defense, it’s often best to have a faster round as long as it does not over penetrate. It was earth-shattering in 1898, when invented, but even before WWII we knew better. These frangible loads can come in handy for home protection. They are easy to shoot, but they will not deliver performance like the stouter loads. To measure this stat, we simply measured the diameter of the bulletafter it struck the target. They offer a full-diameter cutting shoulder, and yet they penetrate as well as anything else out there. If you’re looking for a revolver that is proven to be reliable, the .38 Special is known for being one of the most reliable out there. What is your carry need? Over-penetration, however, can also be an issue. Ask me which handgun I would want in hand if I knew I was going to have to defend myself, and the answer would be a 1911 .45 ACP. How compact/concealed must you be? FBI Old School. Of course, we get deeper into our methodology below. Jacketed bullets or lead? It also allows for a lighter trigger pull on guns with a shorter barrel length. This cartridge was also within the standards of penetration (12-18 inches), making it a top candidate for the best self-defense round. In lightweight bullets, you have high speed and normal. Best .357 Magnum for Self-Defense. The best defensive loads in .38 Special are loaded to “+P” or higher than standard pressure. This allows the bullet to effectively stop the target. Choosing .38 Special Ammo For Self-Defense; Why You Don’t Want A .38 Special Revolver. My EDC during the winter here in the North is a 3" barreled Ruger GP100, very simular to your 627 and I used to carry 125gr. +P ammunition does not function well out of snubbies.
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