The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What can and what can't a .38 special do?

willmc33 · July 4, 2012, 09:50 PM

I dont know if the point has been lost or if there was one or if the conversation is veering off course but I am lost. Modern loads make the +P obselete? What does .38 Special have to do with .357 Magnum in this context? The .38 Special is a venerable choice for SD. If it wasnt it would have not stayed in production for the last 113 years. What am I missing? I carry +p because the specs on every load I have ever viewed are better. I dont care if it is by 10 fps or 100 fps. Better is better. I would only load standard pressure .38 Special for range work and if I had a gun I wasnt comfortable shooting it in. I have fired thousands of rounds of +p from my S&W Airweights and they are still good to go.

Just going off stats for Buffalo Bore lets say.

Standard Pressure 158 grain LSWCHP .38 Special: 850 F.P.S / 253 Ft.-Lbs. M.E.

+P 158 grain LSWCHP .38 Special: 1,000 F.P.S / 351 Ft.-Lbs M.E.

To me that is a huge difference. I do not agree with that implied point at all that a modern standard pressure round has taken out the need for +P. If the standard pressure has advanced that much wouldnt the +P loadings have advanced as well? A 158 grain loading is going to penetrate heavy anyway. 1 test I saw the standard round went 20" through simulated media and the +P did 22". That is OVER penetration in my view. I dont use .38 Special to hunt anything and I have yet to meet a man who's heart is 20" deep. Some standard pressure rounds do out penetrate +P loadings and the reason is not advancement in modern bullet technology it is simply the standard pressure doesnt have the velocity to make the bullet mushroom so it in effect acts as a FMJ round. Thats why ammo makers have started dropping the grain weight on "modern" standard pressure rounds to get the velocity up IMO. If I wanted a slow moving standard pressure that will not expand and penetrate like a FMJ then I would just buy FMJ.

Thats just my view on it.

July 4, 2012, 09:50 PM	#95
willmc33 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 2012 Location: Mobile,Al Posts: 473	I dont know if the point has been lost or if there was one or if the conversation is veering off course but I am lost. Modern loads make the +P obselete? What does .38 Special have to do with .357 Magnum in this context? The .38 Special is a venerable choice for SD. If it wasnt it would have not stayed in production for the last 113 years. What am I missing? I carry +p because the specs on every load I have ever viewed are better. I dont care if it is by 10 fps or 100 fps. Better is better. I would only load standard pressure .38 Special for range work and if I had a gun I wasnt comfortable shooting it in. I have fired thousands of rounds of +p from my S&W Airweights and they are still good to go. Just going off stats for Buffalo Bore lets say. Standard Pressure 158 grain LSWCHP .38 Special: 850 F.P.S / 253 Ft.-Lbs. M.E. +P 158 grain LSWCHP .38 Special: 1,000 F.P.S / 351 Ft.-Lbs M.E. To me that is a huge difference. I do not agree with that implied point at all that a modern standard pressure round has taken out the need for +P. If the standard pressure has advanced that much wouldnt the +P loadings have advanced as well? A 158 grain loading is going to penetrate heavy anyway. 1 test I saw the standard round went 20" through simulated media and the +P did 22". That is OVER penetration in my view. I dont use .38 Special to hunt anything and I have yet to meet a man who's heart is 20" deep. Some standard pressure rounds do out penetrate +P loadings and the reason is not advancement in modern bullet technology it is simply the standard pressure doesnt have the velocity to make the bullet mushroom so it in effect acts as a FMJ round. Thats why ammo makers have started dropping the grain weight on "modern" standard pressure rounds to get the velocity up IMO. If I wanted a slow moving standard pressure that will not expand and penetrate like a FMJ then I would just buy FMJ. Thats just my view on it. __________________ "Perfection is the enemy of good enough"