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Old November 20, 2012, 04:02 PM   #1
ZVP
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Snubby load?

Who makes a 125gr .38 Special safe for use in an older Chieef Special?
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Old November 20, 2012, 04:03 PM   #2
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Buffale bore makes a very nice 158gr load.
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Old November 20, 2012, 04:36 PM   #3
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I have used the lighter, 110 gr Silvertips, and the heavier 148 gr wadcutters for years with no problems.
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Old November 20, 2012, 08:57 PM   #4
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To answer your question Speer makes a gold dot in 125 gr
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Old November 20, 2012, 09:59 PM   #5
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Any standard pressure .38 will do fine in a Chief's Special. In fact, it will hold up fine with limited use of +P.
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Old November 20, 2012, 11:45 PM   #6
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Federal has the Nyclad in the 125gr. Believe it was referred as the "Chief Special" and had a decent street record before the short barrel Gold Dots showed up.

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Old November 20, 2012, 11:46 PM   #7
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Thanks!
Will look for those light bullet loads.
Still leery of plus P's.
Thanks.
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Old November 20, 2012, 11:53 PM   #8
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I was once advised to shoot148g Full wadcutters exclusively for self defense loads.
I just want the most F/P with standard .38 pressures.
Thanks guys!
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Old November 21, 2012, 01:59 AM   #9
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Think, state-of-the-art, FBI load for .38 Special. It has been a big secret since the 1980's so don't let it get out.
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Old November 21, 2012, 07:40 AM   #10
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Bottom line, placement is key. If you do your part, the Wally-World 138gr ball load or 148gr wadcutter will do the job. Don't let a fancy (and expensive) bullet become a substitute for practice! Those small carry guns should be the ones you practice with the most!!
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Old November 21, 2012, 08:27 AM   #11
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Shep is right, practice is extremely important, if you can't hit your target no bullet will work well.
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Old November 21, 2012, 09:01 AM   #12
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Despite the ignorant hype about snubs being accurate only at 'bad breath' distances, they are capable of amazing accuracy at extended ranges if the shooter is willing to do his part and master the thing! That takes shooting, real practice (not just blazing away) and lots of it!

Even snubbies have sights; use them!
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Old November 21, 2012, 03:35 PM   #13
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Quote:
I was once advised to shoot148g Full wadcutters exclusively for self defense loads.
Very bad advice, unless you are attacked by sheets of paper. A soft lead slug traveling anywhere from 650-700 fps are only going to make someone angry. I saw lots of inner city folks and a few cops shot with them. One memorable one, was a friend shot in the pelvis, bullet hit his pelvis and stopped dead, he shot the BG 6 times with his 357, sat down reloaded and waited for the cavalry.
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Old November 21, 2012, 04:13 PM   #14
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^ Disagree. Buffalo Bore makes a few standard pressure "Anti-Personnel" hard cast wad cutters. The max meplat and fantastic/incredible penetration will work real good. The .38 Special round will shoot through 24" of ballistic gelatin and the hard cast bullet will punch through the target.
Standard Pressure Short Barrel Low Flash Heavy .38 Special Ammo - 150 gr. Hard Cast Wad Cutter (850fps/M.E. 241 ft. lbs.)
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=111
Better choice than the soft cast 158 grain SWC.
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Old November 21, 2012, 05:41 PM   #15
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Federal 110 grain Hydra-Shok, I have some of the first one's the made, looks like a reversed hollow base wad cutter with a post in the middle. I keep these in my Taurus 85.
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Old November 21, 2012, 06:04 PM   #16
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Quote:
I was once advised to shoot148g Full wadcutters exclusively for self defense loads.
I've never been real good at getting full wadcutters into the cylinders in a hurry - ie - quick reload.
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Old November 21, 2012, 10:25 PM   #17
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148-gr. hard-cast wadcutters are fantastic loads with excellent penetration, including through bone. No expansion to speak of, but the wound channel is consistent, and the cutting action of the sharp meplat seems to work well.
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Old November 21, 2012, 10:43 PM   #18
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Thankyou All again!
Yes,reloading full W/C's is tough.
I always shoot the Chief every session I want it asfamilliar in the hand as my S/A' are! The little Chief is becoming
second nature
A former owner bobbed the hammer and I love S/A!
I need lots of practice for sure...
Thanks!
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Old November 22, 2012, 12:11 AM   #19
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I have a S&W model 36 w/a 1.875" barrel, the sights are regulated for heavier bullets. I load 148gr LWC and 158gr LSWC for about $6/50rnds.
The ability to practice with the same load I carry makes sense to me.
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Old November 22, 2012, 02:19 AM   #20
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Quote:
^ Disagree. Buffalo Bore makes a few standard pressure "Anti-Personnel" hard cast wad cutters. The max meplat and fantastic/incredible penetration will work real good. The .38 Special round will shoot through 24" of ballistic gelatin and the hard cast bullet will punch through the target.
Quote:
148-gr. hard-cast wadcutters are fantastic loads with excellent penetration, including through bone. No expansion to speak of, but the wound channel is consistent, and the cutting action of the sharp meplat seems to work well.
That's not what I observed in living breathing people, but whatever floats your boat.
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Old November 22, 2012, 02:25 AM   #21
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Quote:
That's not what I observed in living breathing people, but whatever floats your boat.
Can you explain that with some basis besides just making a simple meaningless statement?
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Old November 22, 2012, 08:22 AM   #22
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ZVP, for a fun challenge, try some long-range shooting; you will be surprised what a snub can do!
This is a video of Bob Munden taking a 200 yd shot with a J-frame!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=Tied-t1fFsk
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Old November 22, 2012, 08:49 AM   #23
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Buffalo Bore standard pressure 158gr LSWCHP is good medicine for a snubby. And I have no problems loading quickly with these. I wont carry anything else.



https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=110
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Old November 22, 2012, 01:07 PM   #24
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Federal 110 grain JHP Hydra-Shok these are not +P ammo

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Old November 22, 2012, 01:49 PM   #25
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Quote:
Can you explain that with some basis besides just making a simple meaningless statement?
As I mentioned in post #13.

I worked LE in the revolver era and as we transitioned to semi auto's kicking and screaming. I worked for the Ft Worth, Texas PD and the US Border Patrol in El Paso, TX during the 80's and 90's. I saw lots of people shot with lots of guns. In the 1980's RG revolvers in 38 special were very popular with the folks in the inner city. These people would usually buy their ammo one bullet at a time from a pawn shop, and they bought the cheapest. The cheapest usually translated to target wadcutters.


Most people I saw shot with wadcutters were angry, a significant number refused medical treatment articulating that it was "only a 38" and refused to press charges vowing revenge instead. Those folks usually did not do so well after a night of internal bleeding and some toxemia thrown in.

In my experience ( 25 years as a street cop) 38 wadcutters suck worse than anything else for personal protection. They are designed for low recoil target shooting. If you were to say increase the velocity to about 1000 fps, then you would have something.

Call me a liar if you want, but I know what I saw, investigated and experienced.
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