2 inches 38 snubs

[jer]

Just read in Tactial Briefs that the 148 grain wadcutter target load is the best to use for snubs. Has anyone other information on this.I carry 110 and 125 grain premium ammo in my 442.

[4V50]

Best for what?

I use to use 148 HBWC, inverted. Today, largely because of deep pockets, it's strictly factory ammo for me - even if it costs more..

[Rob Pincus]

Jer,

That sounds like a theory I heard a while back that the 2inch barrels don't allow the bullets to attain a high enough velocity to perform as they are designed to (ie-expand). For some reason the wadcutter design was deemed to be more damaging than a non-expanded hollowpoint. This had something to do with the wadcuter "cutting", while the HP pushed through the body.
Personnally, I don't subscribe to that theory. I believe that, if you can't carry .357 or +p 38s, carry a frangible or soft bullet. I really like the Silvertip in a situation like this, also the .380 and .32 autos are good candidates for the silvertip, because of its inherent mushyness.

[Kodiac]

I was the only officer in my police academy to bring a snubby to the firing line for our qualification course.
Let me tell you about what it feels like to have 25 big fellas laugh at you hard enough to fall to the cold snow dusted ground... No, I wont tell you how that feels - you can imagine it.
I simply said "Lets see what the targets look like when we are all done."
They all had the SIGs and GLOCKS and all the high tech toys... I had my little round gun. Loaded it up with 158 grain LSWCHP - that my beloved father in law hand loaded special for me for that day. (I call him Dad, love the guy)
Once the shooting started all I saw was the target and the back of my gun. All I could hear was the range commands.
We did the whole course of fire and my concentration was hard enough to etch diamond. When we ceased fire and every one stopped shooting to brag about their peppered pattern targets... I calmly ejected the last brass and re-skinned my iron. Very soon all the bragging stopped as people one by one looked at my target. The X ring was blown out totaly, and that was it... just one ragged hole. That shut up the jesters and hecklers...
The snubnosed revolver can be very deadly in the right hands. (This is a no BS story...) The ammo you select should be powerful and most modern loads will will do fine - but shot placement is the key.
Custom match grade ammo helps http://www.thefiringline.com/ubb/smile.gif

[chris in mo]

Jer...From what I understand the HBWC inverted was the in thing for a while quite some time ago. I have read thet they are very unstable and begin to tumble very quickly as indicated by keyholing the target.

I am assuming that the Tactical briefs you referr to are from Firearms and Tactical. There are many people who disagree with their line of thinking on ammo. They completely disregard the lighter faster hollowpoints such as Corbon and sit on the side of the heavy slow bullet. I am not saying either side of that argument is right (personally I think the truth lies somewhere in between) they both make some valid points. Youi should just be aware of any bias involved when getting ammo recomendations.

If I understand the theory right about the WC it is that the shoulder of the WC will cut a full diameter hole instead of a smaller diameter puncture such as a rounded profile bullet would give. It is exactly what happens when a WC hits a paper target, whether or not it holds up in the real world I can not say.

There are hollowpoints such as the Federal Nyclad that are made from a very soft lead that will increase the chances of expansion when fired from a 2" snub. Chris in MO

[Rob Pincus]

I thought the Nyclad was a standard alloy coated with Nylon to reduce barrel wear. I did not think it was designed to expand any differently. more info?

[chris in mo]

Rob...From what I understand the Nyclad has only a trace of Tin (I think). I am not a bullet caster and am not positive on the metalurgy. The reason for this is to keep the bullet as soft as possible to allow easy expansion. The soft lead could lead to barrel leading problems and that is the reason for the Nylon coating. admittedly it gives the bullent an awfully cool look, but that is not its purpose.I would assume it is along the same line as a bullet made from pure wheel weight lead. I am not sure if the Nyclads used in the plus P ammo is the same composition, they may use a little harder lead.

[4V50]

Chris,

You'r right. When fired, inverted HBWC will tumble. Try it yourself at the range and you'll notice how they keyhold into the paper at 25 yards. Yes, you don't have the accuracy and none of the expansion, but I accepted that because I thought the unstable bullet will hurt a lot more.

Ahh, those happy college years...

[Kodiac]

Nyclads do expand and mushroom nicely...
The lead alloy in them is very soft... like a Silvertip. The blue colored bullets look very cool in a wheel gun.

The coating makes them very slick - They will chamber in the worst autos.
If you have a gun that needs throating - load it with Nyclads. If it is still giving you problems... scrap the gun.

[Gino]

I use nycads in my CCW 2" 38 stubby for two reasons:
1) good ballistics, only round that is advertised as being designed for a stubby.
2) It is recommended by the local police for their off duty officers. The jury might just take that into consideration if/when the opposing lawyer uses a "killer bullet" tactic.

The only problem is the muzzle flash. Pretty large fireball! I would prob drop the round if I were traveling in bad areas at night!

[Ed Brunner]

The inverted hollow base wadcutter was one of Bill Jordan's favotites. He claimed he loaded them that way by accident http://www.thefiringline.com/ubb/wink.gif

[gdeal]

I wouldn't go more than 125 grains sjhp.

[GunsnRovers]

The house load here for the 2" snubbies and the 4" M28 is 158gr LSWCHP +P Nyclads.

[Mal H]

I think this thread might have snatched 1st place fom the previous oldest thread dredged up from the distant past for no apparent reason. I believe the previous winner was only about 5 1/2 to 6 years old, this one is over 7 years old.

[Sulaco2]

Old thread or not, that it keeps coming back indicates the interest in it. I thought Nyclads were no longer made?

[MillCreek]

More is the pity, indeed Nyclads are no longer made. Federal, who bought the line from S&W, recently discontinued the manufacture of new Nyclads. I no longer have any left of my .38 special 125 grain JHP Nyclads manfactured by S&W which was a very soft-shooting round that reliably expanded from snubby barrels. If I recall correctly, the Nyclads were merely a thin nylon coating over a pure lead bullet, a 125 grain JHP and a 158 grain SWC. They were originally designed to reduce leading and lead exposure when used in indoor ranges. Back in the 70's and 80's, the JHP loadings were all the rage for carrying in an off-duty snubnose revolver.

From time to time, I see people selling Nyclad bullets on EBay, and I have contemplated buying up a supply and reloading my own Nyclads. I am not sure, though, if I could do any better for carry than my usual .38 carry these days, the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain JHP for the short barrel.

[Mal H]

... that it keeps coming back indicates the interest in it.

Just curious - in what way does it keep coming back? The thread started Oct 27th, 1998 and was finished almost exactly one day later. The next post didn't appear until over 7 years later. That surely doesn't show much interest in that 7 year period.

Are you speaking in astronomical terms? Halley's comet keeps coming back also, but with a very long time in between.

(Are you getting the idea that dredging up old threads for no good reason is one of my pet peeves? :) )

[mtnbkr]

(Are you getting the idea that dredging up old threads for no good reason is one of my pet peeves? )
And if we started new threads, someone would complain that we DIDN'T USE THE SEARCH ENGINE. :p

Chris

[Mike Irwin]

Wow, Mal!

You've shown us a bitchy side I never knew you had! ;)

[Mal H]

Oh, yes you did!

Either that or you haven't been paying attention. :)

[Mike Irwin]

"Either that or you haven't been paying attention."

Huh?

Did you say something?

[jroth]

Am presently using Hornday 140 gr XTP's, in both 2" & 4" .38, feel defiantlely confident with them.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Nyclads are still available on the net - folks. Ammoman.com has them. I've bought regular and +p from them.

[TommyR]

I have a .38 Colt Cobra for home defence. Someone on the forum mentioned a "killer bullet" and how the bad guys attorney could use that against you.

I purchased a box of "SoftShot" .38 Special 100 RHHP Self Defence HP.

They are frangible bullets.

Could they cause a problem with the other guy's lawyer?

Best regards,

TommyR :)

[orionengnr]

Speer still hadn't loaded the 135 gp 38 spl +p SB short barrel rounds. Made for the snub barrels, they get some pretty good reviews in 2005.

Another case of time marching onward. Want to move with it, or live in 1998 (0r 1958)?

BTW, Mal, I noticed that seven-year stretch and was going to comment on it, but you beat me to it...

[Tamara]

Seven years ago, I'd've agreed with the wadcutter idea.

Nowadays, I'd probably suggest Speer's 135gr +P JHP.

[gfen]

'Cept those of us shooting revolvers not approved for +P wish we still could get nyclad new off the shelves.

[mtnbkr]

That brings up a good point...

Why is it whenever a good standard pressure load appears, it goes away only to be replaced with a +P version? CorBon's 110gr DPX for the 38special looked good in the tests I saw, but all that's available now is a newer +P version.

Chris

[Andrew S]

I have a .38 Colt Cobra for home defence. Someone on the forum mentioned a "killer bullet" and how the bad guys attorney could use that against you.

I purchased a box of "SoftShot" .38 Special 100 RHHP Self Defence HP.

They are frangible bullets.

Could they cause a problem with the other guy's lawyer?

Best regards,

TommyR


If you are ever in the position where you have a lawyer holding a bullet with "Self Defense" in its name against you I think you will beat the wrap :)

[gfen]

"Progress," I guess. When fate offers me a S&W Bodyguard that's got +P on the barrel and no funny holes in the side, I'll move onto the proud shooters of +P, as well.

As it is, I did some searching and opted for Hornady XTP 140gr. If they don't expand, well, they're almost as heavy as 158gr, should be moving a bit faster, and there's always that chance they'd open up.

Unfortuantly, "EXtreme Terminal Performance" isn't as friendly a name as "Safety Slug," but, nothin' is perfect.

[Geoff Timm]

According to articles written when Nyclads were new, from Smith & Wesson, by way of Fiocci, they said the coating was developed to cut down on lead exposure on indoor ranges.

The 125 gr HP worked very well in my Model 38. Unfortunately, the Police started looking at the blue coated projectiles as "TEFLON COATED COP KILLER BULLETS."

Which pretty much killed the ammo. Now I'm trying to find 110 gr Winchester Silver Tips, as the 125 gr are only loaded +P.

Geoff
Who thinks propaganda is responsible for too many corporate decisions. :barf:

[Tamara]

On those days when I get the urge to tote my '66-vintage 2" Model 12-2, it's stuffed with plain old 148gr wadcutters.

[riverkeeper]

Recently bought a couple boxes each of Speer GD +P 38 cal 135gr AND 125 gr.

Saw a test where in a snub the 125's spread about 13 inches of jeaned and naked jelly to about 0.6".

Anyone know what the 135's do? Supposed to be better.

[Ultraman]

Any brand... 125 gr +P JHP.

[Jkwas]

plus 1 to ultraman. Just make sure they shoot straight and you practice with them. not all bullets fly the same, especially out of a short barrel. ;)