What is the best 38 special ammo?

Best 38 Special Ammo for Self Defense

• Federal +P HST Micro 130 Grain Ammo.
• Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 Grain +P Ammo.
• Winchester PDX1 Defender 130 Grain Ammo.
• Federal Hydra-Shok 110 Grain Low Recoil.

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Similarly, you may ask, is 38 special a good defense round?

38 Special are that it's effective in a self-defense capacity in service-size pistols. It doesn't produce excessive recoil, so most shooters can accurately shoot it. 38 Special has a certain problem. You see, revolver rounds typically need a little more barrel length and velocity to get good expansion from JHP rounds.

is 38 special more powerful than 9mm? 38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm.

In this manner, will a 38 special stop an attacker?

38 comes in revolvers. Some people object to the capacity issue, but we should note that “average number of rounds until incapacitation” for this round is only 1.87. Two or three shots properly placed shots will take down an attacker more often than not. If your revolver is loaded, it is ready to fire.

Why is 38 special so weak?

. 38 Special has earned a reputation as being under powered or weak based on its performance. The old standard police load of a 158 grain round nose bullet fired at 900 feet per second earned the nickname “ Widowmaker” because of poor performance in police use.

Related Question Answers

Is a 38 powerful enough?

38 Special is absolutely a lethal round. Yes, of course, But it depends on the Bullet's powder charge. So a bullet is only as powerful as the actual Bullet design. Police used the .

Is 38 snub enough for self defense?

38 Special is most commonly used in short-barreled 'snub nose' revolvers such as the Ruger LCR and Smith & Wesson J-Frame. These revolvers are purpose-made for concealed carry and have features that make them ideal for self-defense.

Does a 38 have stopping power?

38 S&W Special, as the . 38 Long Colt was known to be lacking for stopping power. Initially, it was made with black powder but was quickly changed to smokeless. 38 Special revolvers were standard police issue in many departments for many years.

What is the effective range of a .38 Special?

“Effective” range is actually a mix of variables that can include factors individual to the shooter. But on strictly technical grounds; a . 38 special cartridge travels at nominally 900 feet per second. Setting aside factors such as drag, that bullet would drop about 5 feet after the first 100 yards.

What is the best caliber for concealed carry?

Handgun studies overall do not report a much statistical difference in “stopping power” between 9mm, . 40, and . 45 ACP cartridges, as long as quality HP ammo is used. Generally, I recommend the 9mm as the best all-around caliber for concealed carry licensees, but with HP ammo, +P load, and 124 grain weight.

What is a 38 Wadcutter?

A wadcutter is a special-purpose flat-fronted bullet specifically designed for shooting paper targets, usually at close range and at subsonic velocities typically under approximately 900 ft/s (274 m/s). Wadcutters are often used in handgun and airgun competitions.

What does +p mean in ammo?

Overpressure ammunition

What makes a 38 special so special?

38 Special is a low-pressure cartridge, one of the lowest in common use today at 17,000 PSI. By modern standards, the . 38 Special fires a medium-sized bullet at rather low speeds. In the case of target loads, a 148 gr (9.6 g) bullet is propelled to only 690 ft/s (210 m/s).

What can a .38 special kill?

The . 38 Special was used by Lee Harvey Oswald to kill Officer J.D. Tippet, and in turn by Jack Ruby to kill Oswald. It was issued to the U.S. troops as a sidearm during both World Wars, and Great Britain even adopted it as their service cartridge for a time.

Is a revolver a good home defense gun?

While there are advantages to using a single-action revolver, the double-action revolver is the superior choice for home defense because of its ease of use. Because of its simple design, the revolver is an extremely reliable weapon. Unlike semi-automatic weapons, it is nearly impossible for a revolver to jam.

How many bullets does it take to stop a person?

There are many variables and no magic number. It must be at least one bullet, but even twenty bullets does not guarantee death/killing. I know people that have been shot 14 times with a mix of rifle and pistol rounds less that 15 yards and lived. Shot placement is key, and on paper targets its easy.

Are Wadcutters good for self defense?

Even though the wadcutter doesn't actually expand, it tends to penetrate soft tissue very reliably. Penetration is really the most important thing we want to see in a good self-defense round, so when you combine that with light recoil, a . 38 special wadcutter is actually a pretty formidable self-defense round.

Is a 38 special a good carry gun?

Some people like the old way of doing things, and for just such a person . 38 Special revolvers are a great option of concealed carry gun. 38 Special guns that are good for concealed carry revolvers and other uses, including target shooting, home defense and so on.

Is a 357 more powerful than a 38?

The comparisons we've given have the same bullet sizes, making it clear that the . 357 Magnum is more powerful. 38 Special Super-X with a 158-grain bullet has a muzzle energy of 200 feet per second, while their . 357 Magnum Super-X with a 125-grain bullet has a muzzle energy of 1,370 feet per second.

Can you shoot 9mm out of a 38 special?

38/. 357/9mm Convertible Blackhawk. So yes, you can shoot 9mm out of a . 357 bore weapon, with pretty good accuracy too.

What is the difference between a 38 and 38 special?

38 caliber weapons do better the faster you push the bullet. 38 S&W, which was shorter, tapered, and had a different (I think) bullet diameter. . 38 Special has a longer case, straight walled, has more power, and is not really . 38 caliber at all, being .

What is the best 38 caliber revolver?

1. Ruger LCR-LG 38 Spl+P Revolver with Crimson Trace Lasergrips. Best Laser Equipped.
2. Taurus Model 85. Taurus Model 85.
3. Charter Arms Undercover Lite Standard. Charter Arms Undercover Lite Standard.
4. Colt Detective Special. Ahhh, the Colt Detective Special…
5. Rossi 352.
6. Smith & Wesson M&P 340.
7. Smith & Wesson 642.
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Which is more powerful 9mm or 357 Magnum?

The potency of the Magnum is attractive for those who are able to handle the cartridge. The 9mm simply cannot push a 124-grain bullet to 1350 fps, while the 357 Magnum can push a 125-grain bullet to more than 1400 fps.

Can you shoot 38 in a 38 special?

38 S&W uses a fatter case and a slightly larger bullet than the . 38 Special. If your chambers are sloppy, or if the cases are undersized, and you can fit them into your gun, yes, you can shoot them.