[Maddock]

What new loadings would you like to see in factory handgun ammo?
I’m not talking about a leap in technology such as using a new propellant or a flight of fancy.
I’d like to see the factories come out with mid-weight, mid velocity, all lead hollow points for the large bore revolver rounds. Something like a 250 grain swaged hollow point @ 1000-1050 fps from a 4”in the 44 Mag or a 220grain @ the same velocity in the 41 Mag. Maybe they would need to make them as a half-jacket to deal with leading.

[azrael]

.32acp Cor-bon powerball

[Majic]

We already have a rather large discussion about the .41mag on the exact same topic.

[pauli]

link?

[Majic]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=71989

[Jim March]

I have some concerns about how light the Pow'R'Balls have proven to be in 9mm/38/357 - 100 grains :scrutiny:. I'm not willing to "declare" these loads "junk" by any means, but...well, I'm "concerned" about that low weight. I want to see test data though. The "clogproof" feature may help penetration, for all I know.

The 32ACP needs all the penetration it can get. A 32ACP Pow'R'Ball might be as low as 45grains and probably not more than 50 - 55...at that point I'll say flat out I wouldn't trust it. Might work OK in 32NAA (bottleneck high velocity 32).

Maddock: the sort of big-bore medium-power JHP you discuss has just been released, perhaps. But it's a 45LC - a Speer 250grain Gold Dot. Pulls almost 900fps from a 4" tube; it's built like a scaled-up 135grain Gold Dot 38+P - BIG cavity, thin walls held together at expansion mainly by the jacket.

This puppy could prove to be very close to "the ultimate defensive handgun round, period, end of discussion". PENDing test data of course.

--------------------------

I've been asking for years for loads properly "tuned" for snubbies. I was and remain of the opinion that with the spread of shall-issue CCW, there's a massive market for same. Also, the general distrust of expansion from a snub causes the sort of "fear, uncertainty and doubt" that screws up sales and hurts the whole industry.

Some big players are now finally doing it. We have THREE contenders for the title of "ultimate 38+P snubbie special". Damned if I know which will prove to be the best answer.

1) Speer 135 38+P Gold Dot. Has been discussed in detail elsewhere - basically set up to expand at 800fps or more, factory loads pull 850 - 900fps range from 2" barrels. Speer claims particular engineering paid to making sure they don't yank out in superlight guns.

2) Cor-Bon 100grain Pow'R'Ball. Yes, it's light, but not THAT light...a number of 9x18Makarov rounds weigh that or less and perform quite well. Advantage: clogproof. Should also be VERY fast from speedloaders. Yanking properties in ultralights an open question.

3) Bufallo Bore 38+P 158 lead hollowpoint gascheck doing 1,000fps from a 2". Killer energy numbers, finally giving 9mm a good run for it's money. We've had rounds "like this" for years and given how the Winchester/Remington flavors perform from 4" to 6" barrels, these basically are a "gotta be good" round. Better than the other two contenders? No idea. Will they yank in superlights? Dunno.

We need a professional head-to-head comparo with all three of the above.

[Kurt S.]

200 grain .38 Spl, truncated round nose profile at about 700 fps from a snubby.

190-210 grain full wadcutter, .44 Spl at about 700 fps.

240-250 grain hard lead SWC "Keith profile" in .44 Magnum at about 1000 fps.

A few "wimp" loads- a 325 grain JHP at about 1100 fps for the S&W .500 Magnum. A 325-350 grain JHP/JSP at about 900 fps for the .480 Ruger.

A good, hot, functional JHP for the 7.62X25 Tokarev: 85-90 grain bullet at about 1500 something or better that will run in either a T-33 or a CZ-52. While they're at it, a "heavy bullet" load, say 110-115 grains at maybe 1200.

BTW and FWIW, I've seen handloading data for most of the above except the "wimp loads".

[cheygriz]

185 GR +P+ .45 Colt loaded to about 1300 FPS with a Remington G.S.

30-35 GR solid copper sharply pointed .25 ACP at 950 FPS

158 GR .357 Golden Sabre loaded to give an HONEST 1400 FPS from a 6 inch revolver

150-155 GR Silvertip or G.S. in 10MM loaded to an HONEST 1400 FPS frm a 5 inch barrel.

80 GR JHP in 7.62X25 Tokarev loaded to 1650 FPS from a CZ52

[DMK]

Something that will give reliable expansion AND decent penetration, yet still feed reliably.

In other words, bring back Cor-Bon's 9mm Mak HPs! :banghead: :cuss:

[seeker_two]

Medium-velocity "reduced-recoil" loads for the .41Mag, .44Mag, & .45LC that push a 210-250gr JHP or SWC b/t 900-950fps for SD and hunting.

A .44SPL load that ballistically approaches the 200gr .45ACP loads in a snub revolver.

.22Mag loads optimized for pistols w/ 4-6" bbls.

One or more of the ammo companies to "domesticate" the .41 Special and offer good practice & SD loads (can be .40S&W ballistic equivalents).

.25ACP loads that equal .22Mag ballistics in short barrels (it's here to stay--let's make it SOMEWHAT effective).

.30 Carbine--more variety in loads, esp. in Pow'R'Ball & Gold Dot JHP's (it's technically a pistol round).

All I can think of right now....

[BluesBear]

More variation in loads and bullet weights for the .41 magnum. Especially a Hydra-Shok.

And will somebody PLEASE start loading a .10" shorter cased .41 Special?
It would be GREAT for a five shot pocket revolver.