[Handyman]

I want to use the same ammo for defence and practice at the range . Because using 357 mag and 38spl. 125 gr. +P jhp is so unpleasant for me to shoot with my 2.25" SP101 , I use 158gr. 38spl. flat nose jsp for practice and carry . I know it's probably not the best defence load but I think its good enough . I've heard that you can get 110gr 357. jhp . Would this be a better option.

[ewayte]

For practice I use Remington 125gr. .357 Magnum. For carry, I use Remington Golden Saber 125gr. .357 Magnum.

I use the stock Ruger grip on mine, with TruIvory inserts.

[MCgunner]

140 grain Speer JHP in front of 17.0 grains of 2400, 1330fps/551 ft lbs. 2.5" accurate at 25 yards and almost pleasant to shoot compared to 158 and 180 grain stuff. Light bullets don't do well out of short barrels in .357 in my experience.

[Big Boomer]

125 gr corbon DPX but that's just because I love the Barnes performance. If they offered a heavier grain bullet I would choose that. These are "medium" loads.

I have ran some buffalo bores through it but the barrel being so short 3" that most of the powder blows out then end of the barrel as these were designed for the 6" hunting barrels. I actually get worse performance in those than lower powered rounds offered.

I do follow the philosophy that heavier bullets perform better in shorter barrel guns. The you can actually get very close velocities as the lower grain weights by jumping up a level or 2 out of a snub. It's even more important if you are using a 2". If you go up to 158 grain you might lose 30fps but are adding a lot of mass to it actually getting better performance. It is a toss up if you go from the 158 to 170 or 180 grains. You really need a longer barrel to get those heavy bullets moving with slower powder without overpressure issues.

I think the most optimal grain weight for a 3" snub is most likely the 158 grain.

[P. Plainsman]

158 grain Buff Bore "spicy" LSWCHP .38+P Gas Check @ 1000 fps or so

- or -

Good old Remington FBI Load: 158 gr LSWCHP .38+P (Item # R38S12)

[Raspu10]

http://www.handloads.org/misc/stoppingpower.asp?Caliber=5&Weight=All

:D

[The_Shootist]

+ 1 to the FBI Load. Real easy out of a SP 101. I find it more controllable than either a full house head banging .357 rd - like the Silvertip, or Buffalo Bores's beefier FBI load.

[.45&TKD]

158 grain .357 Hydroshoks

[P. Plainsman]

+ 1 to the FBI Load. Real easy out of a SP 101.
Yes. I should clarify that I use those two .38+P lead hollowpoint loads for urban/suburban carry.

If I were toting the SP101 as hiking insurance, I'd pick the Winchester 145 gr Silvertip in .357 Magnum - great all around magnum load with genuine power on tap.

And, just maybe, if I was carrying the SP101 somewhere I might run into a big mean hog, the Buffalo Bore 180 gr LFN hardcast "bar the door" .357 Magnum slammers. They recoil right good in an SP, but can be controlled with the Hogue monogrip. Should give 600 ft/lbs of power at the muzzle - from a 2.25" snubby!

[ronto]

I use Speer 357 135gr GDHP "short barrel" for carry AND practice in the DAO model...Not a good idea to carry one type of ammo and practice with another...Don't need any surprises when it will really count.

[nitesite]

Originally posted by Handyman
I want to use the same ammo for defence and practice at the range.


That's a really difficult situation to be in from a financial point of view.

Lot's of good suggestions have been offered, and almost every one of them presents a viable defense load. The stumbling block here, I would think, is cost with regards to getting in enough practice.

Perhaps one of the better inexpensive factory .357 Magnum loads made for practice is Remington's UMC 125-gr JSP. You can purchase it for as little as $17.19 per box of 50 from sources such as http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=25&products_id=74667

However, many shooters might say that a JSP is not the overall best choice when selecting a defensive round against human threats. There are 125-gr JHP loads that closely mimic the UMC load I mentioned, such as the superb Remington R357M1 125-gr SJHP load. In its day it was one of the finest performers in making effective stops. You could buy one box of it for about double the price of the UMC brand but both have identical ballistics so they should feel virtually identical as far as recoil.

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=74659

A bit of a warning: This stuff is not for the faint of heart. The 1450-fps 125-gr .357 was called the "Lightning Bolt" and although its recoil from a 4" or longer revolver isn't brutal, the blast and noise might be considered such.

[nitesite]

Deleted... double tap

[DawgFvr]

125 Grain Corbon DPX

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon%20357%20Magnum%20125%20gr%20DPX%20Ammo.htm

[nitesite]

Sorry, I just re-read your topic starter and didn't catch the part of not wanting to shoot .357-mag (or even hot +Ps) thru your SP-101.

In your situation I will offer what I think is the absolute best non-+P .38 Special load for your 2½" SP that is still somewhat affordable.

Remington R38S6 158-gr LSWC $25.00 per 50

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=74793

Buffalo Bore makes a nice standard pressure .38 Special heavy bullet load for short barrelled revolvers but at over $1 per round it doesn't fit your needs.

Heavy bullets perform better than light bullets from short barrels. They keep more of their intended velocity. They penetrate to the vitals with much greater regularity. They do not decellerate as quickly as light (110-gr) bullets.

LSWC standard pressure .38 Special is a great load with a good bit of thump.



Lot's of great suggestions have been made but just about every one (including my first one) has been off the mark by a mile! :)

[19-3Ben]

Not being a wiseguy but, have you tried practicing with hotter loads to become accustomed to the recoil?

Edit to add:
And since you asked what is MY SP101 defence ammo, I use Speer Gold Dot .357 magnum short barrel hollow points. And that is what I carry every day.

[esq_stu]

I carry mine with Powerball .357 or Gold Dot 135 gr +P .38

[Ghost Walker]

My wife's SP-101 has a 3" barrel. I have her using Speer 125 grain GDHP's.

She practices with Blazers; but, every now and then, I'll load her up with Gold Dots to keep her sharp. It really hasn't been difficult for her to transition to the hotter round. She hits well with either; but, Blazer ammo sure is cheaper to use!

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h39/Me_2U/JosNewRuger.jpg

[Stainz]

My wife's car/bedside gun, a 2" 10, and my CCW 642 also carry the excellent stopper, the Remington R38S12 158gr +P LSWCHP. We shoot the same basic ammo, recoil/muzzle velocity-wise, from Georgia Arms - their G38E. The Remingtons run ~$30/50 - and are well tabulated for stopping power. The GA Arms loads are really equivalent, recoil-wise - just a bit harder lead. At $17.50/100, we practice with them.

Stainz

[nitesite]

I hesitated mentioning it, because some people are bothered that it's "remanufactured" ammunition. But I'd stake my life on Georgia Arms ammo, even reman.

I have a bunch of that Georgia Arms 158-gr LSWC-HP +P. It's good ammo for the price, especially for what I paid. I chrono'd some of it and it had the almost unbelieveable Standard Deviation of under 6-FPS!!!!

I believe they have a 158-gr LSWC standard (non +P) LSWC for under ten bucks a box.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/nitesite9/442_chronotesting.jpg

You can see what their LSWC-HP looks like in this photo. It's third from the right.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/nitesite9/Six_38Spl_loads.jpg

[Diggers]

Howdy Handyman, :)

I read through all this, so first I don't know if 110 gr. .357 would be any better for you. You should try it out and see how it feels (obviously). Nitesite posted some good stuff for you to try out and the price is right too!:)

However I think you are right in using a soft point in the .38 NON +P load so you get penetration, that’s most important. Plenty of BGs over the years have been stopped with out HP ammo.

ANOTHER THOUGHT. Maybe its NOT just about ammo…… :scrutiny:

Have you tried different grips on your SP?? There are a lot of grips out there that might make the recoil MUCH more manageable for you. There is a pic posted with the Houge grip an SP, that’s a real nice one.
Look into that too, with the right grip maybe you will feel fine shooting short barrel .357’s.

[JERRY]

my 640-1 (appx. size and weight of the sp101) defensive and practice ammo is the remington "green box" 125gr. SJHP, aka "full power load".

but then again i had my gun magna-ported so i could get .357 mag. performance and .38spl. recoil.

[BullSkater]

When I was a police officer I shot my 357 at day and at night trying as many kinds of ammo on many different kinds of targets. I like the Winchester 140 grain silver tips for carry and hard cast or full metal jacket ammo in case there was a need for extra penatration. These rounds don't have the recoil and flash like the 125 grain stuf does but they work very good. :evil:

[JERRY]

"Winchester 140 grain silver tips"

you mean 145gr. STHP.

[Stainz]

My 4" .32 H&RM SP101 has a pair of HKS #32-J speedloaders with Georgia Arms 100gr Hornady XTP JHP .32 H&RM loaded - chrono-ed at 1,186 fps for 311 ft-lb. Every revolver I own has a speedloader with defensive ammo loaded. That GA Arms ammo is hot - and pretty nasty. Still, it's reasonably priced - recoil energy is low - but the ME is greater than +P .38 Specials!

My usual Ruger SSM & SP101 .32 H&RM load is a 115gr LRNFP at 800-840 fps. Fun++!

Stainz

[Rexster]

Make sure you are holding high on the grip; the web of the hand should be even with the top of the rubber part of the grip. Just about everyone who handles or fires my SP101s holds them too low, which of course greatly increases muzzle flip. I hold high, and 180-grain hunting loads do not hurt; I am not one of those guys who loves recoil.

[old_ironsights]

Hornady's Frontier .357 Mag JHP.

[2ndamd]

Here is my experience with snubbie ammo.
I like shooting 110 grn 38+p.
I wish I could shoot the .357 mag 125 grn ammo all the time. But, there are people in my family that can not shoot the .357 magnums through the snubbies very well.
So, I went with the Buffalo Bore 158 grn LSWCHP .38 +p with a gas check. I like this round VERY much! and have confidence in it's ability to stop an attacker. But I load 135 grn Speer GDHPs in the speed strips and speed loaders. Because after enough time of banging around the lead hollow points will deform a little. So, lead loaded in the gun and jacketed in the speed strips and loaders.

I do load 125 grn .357 magnums in my carry gun (s). But house gun gets the .38 +p. I may be tied up in a fist fight before able to get the gun and my wife may need to shoot her 5 rounds and NY reload with my 6 rounds.

Lots of variables to consider. Hope I never need it.

[Scotticus]

I have Hogues on my 3" SP101 and to me, 38spl +p's or 110gr .357 are very comfortable to shoot. I carry 125gr .38+p (I would rather carry the Buffalo Bore 158 gr +p that P. Plainsman recommended or that Georgia Arms stuff if I ever get some) in town and 158 gr. .357 in the field as a trail gun.

I obviously see the advantage of carrying what you practice with and visa versa, but with limited finances, I can get more range time in using mostly cheaper practice ammo and I feel that extra time spent is important too.

My wife likes shooting the .38's and does not care to shoot the .357's, but has agreed she could if TSHTF.

[P. Plainsman]

I load 135 grn Speer GDHPs in the speed strips and speed loaders. Because after enough time of banging around the lead hollow points will deform a little. So, lead loaded in the gun and jacketed in the speed strips and loaders.
That's exactly what I do (carry jacketed rounds for reloads), and for the same reason.

[Cosmoline]

I love the 180 grain black talons out of the short Rugers. I use it in my 3" Speed Six and love it. It's incredibly accuracte and has a nice rolling recoil. It also expands very easily. I don't think they make SXT's in 180 but a 158 would be fine too. The little ones are too snappy and I'm not at all convinced that they're the end all and be all of .357 protection ammo. As long as you have good expansion, you WANT to penetrate clear through the torso. Just be careful to avoid the mid to heavy range HUNTING rounds as those bullets are usually designed for slower expansion and longer barrels. A semi jacketed lead soft point in the mid range of weight should be just fine.

[zxcvbob]

158 grain LSWCHP with 4.5 grains of Unique in .38 SPL cases and whatever brand of small pistol primer I have handy. Some load books say this is "+P" and some say it's standard pressure -- it's right on the cusp.

I haven't done any tests yet, but when I run out of swaged hollow-point bullets I want to try plain old 158 LRN's cast from pure lead and see how that works.

I hit a steel plate at 40 feet with a .45 Colt soft lead 230 grain bullet loaded to about 1000fps the other day and it expanded to over 1.5". (I don't know what that means, but it was impressive. Looked like a little saw blade)

Bob

[PhrankKastle]

Another vote here for the 135gr Gold Dot short barrel.

[Seven For Sure]

I've never heard of 140 gr. speer gold dot's. Maybe you meant 135's? I'd go with the 135 357's if you're recoil shy or the 158 357's if you're not. Those 158's might not open that much but they'll open some. They won't clog and they will penetrate right through ribs, a pelvis or any other bone it hits. I like the 158's for carry and the 135's for the nightstand.

[Gary A]

Lately, I've been wondering if the 158s don't have another advantage that the lighter full power loads don't have. Out of a snubby, the 158s generally exit the muzzle at a bit below the speed of sound which at my altitude is generally about 1115 fps which lessens the "crack" associated with .357. Of course, the Speer 135s are designed to do so. Of course, they recoil a bit due to the weight/speed. Might be significant, especially indoors. Still plenty loud though :).

[zxcvbob]

Lately, I've been wondering if the 158s don't have another advantage that the lighter full power loads don't have. Out of a snubby, the 158s generally exit the muzzle at a bit below the speed of sound which at my altitude is generally about 1115 fps which lessens the "crack" associated with .357

I have both a .357 and a .38. I use 158 grain .38's for HD for exactly the reason you just mentioned. If I have to fire a shot or two indoors, I don't want to be totally deaf for the rest of my life. I've lost enough hearing already from just one incident standing 10 or 12 feet away from someone firing a couple of shots from a .41 Mag without hearing protection -- outdoors.

[Gary A]

I shot a hundred rounds of .357 today from a New Vaquero. Mostly 158 grain Blazers (which are fairly mild loads) but also some 158 Magtechs at full power, some 110 Remingtons and some Remington 125 High Velocity. Even with ear plugs and muffs, I could easily tell the difference in blast and report between the full power 125s and the 158 grain loads. I really prefer the 158s.
I wish I had had some 180s for comparison.

[BikerRN]

I don't know what to tell you.

In my Airweight J-Frame I shoot 38 Special 125 Grain SJHP's and in my 357 Magnums it's 125 Grain SJHP's or JHP's.

You may want to look at a "lighter" caliber to learn on and then move back up to the 38 Special and 357 Magnum.

Biker

[Gary A]

As to the original question, I find that Winchester 110 .357 feels very similar to a good .38 Special 158 LSWCHP+P in the recoil department. Remington 110 feels a bit sharper. Between 110 357 and 158 38 it's a matter of do I want a light, fast or a heavy "slow" load. I've not shot too many of the Speer loads, but they look to be pretty good in the handling and accuracy department.

[Gunsnrovers]

Federal Nyclad .38spl 158gr LSWCHP +P.

Use it in our SP101 and our 2" Model 15.

[The_Shootist]

Hey nitesite - how do you suppose the GA FBI load is with expansion/penetration. One of the reasons I like the Remington brand (R38S12 flavour) is that the lead seems to be softer and expands better - at least thats what it looks like in mr Stephen Camps excellent tests.

But at that price on their website (vs almost $ 28/box 50 BEFORE delivery costs of the Remington) you can afford to practice big time with that as your carry round.

[RandyB]

FBI load 158 LHP +P from any of the major ammunition makers.