Ballistic gelatin test results : 158 grain +P lead hollowpoint (test 2)

[JE223]

Cartridge : Remington 158 grain +P lead hollowpoint ('FBI load') (Load # R38S12)

Firearm : .38 Special revolver with 1 7/8" barrel length.

Calibration : All depths corrected (From 9.8cm @ 609 ft/sec)

Shot 1 = 11.5" penetration.

Shot 2 = 11.5" penetration.

Shot 3 = 11.8" penetration.

Shot 4 = 11.3" penetration.

Shot 5 = 11.0" penetration.

Average final diameter (5 bullet average) = 0.592"

[Jim March]

Yup. It works . One of the best defensive ammo deals out there.

Question: John, can you do a night-flash-comparo between this load and the Buffbore 158 standard pressure?

Basically videotape the muzzle flash and post stills of the biggest fireball moments of each?

Because it looks to me like that's the main reason to pick Buffbore over this stuff. UNLESS of course your gun is "marginal strength" and you want to avoid +P in it...but for those not in that boat, muzzle flash is the main difference, supposedly...

[P. Plainsman]

Man, that's good.

Look at the data for those five shots and consider: that's your J-frame full. Not bad performance for a 15-17 oz pocket piece.

I keep vacillating between the Remington 158 LSWCHP+P and the Speer 135 Gold Dot for carry in my Taurus 85 Ultralite. Looking at this, I think I'm going to standardize on the Rem stuff, even though availability is a pain. (Why can't Midway stock it!? )

The 85 really likes it for some reason -- shoots the load with less smoke than any other revolver I own, and I've pinged plates with it from the little Taurus at 20 yards.

Since the Ultralite is "+P for duty use," I stick to standard .38 for most practice but include a cylinder or two of +P each time.

[Gordon]

Thats what I carry. And in a 4" or longer barrel it is all one needs under 25 yards on anything under a bear, really.

[JE223]

@Jim March - I'm not sure how to look at a guns flash signature, outside of using high speed video. I haven't found a photographer/videographer here locally that will touch the job. There's just something about guns/terminal ballistics that makes some people's blood run cold... I guess that I found some of them in my area. Any ideas?

[Cato the Younger]

Dear Sir,
Thank you for doing this testing. It is quite interesting to see how effective this round is.

[sm]

Old stuff still gets the job done, and better than newfangled...

[mormonsniper]

{P. Plainsman
I keep vacillating between the Remington 158 LSWCHP+P and the Speer 135 Gold Dot for carry in my Taurus 85 Ultralite. Looking at this, I think I'm going to standardize on the Rem stuff, even though availability is a pain. (Why can't Midway stock it!? )}


Is this it?
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=548921

ms

[floridaboy]

Yep, that's it. JE, do you know what the velocity was?

[P. Plainsman]

Hello Mormonsniper,

Well what do you know? They didn't use to carry it. Heh.

I much appreciate the tip!

[MICHAEL T]

Works here and on the street See no reason to change to a lighter round. Oh wait their new and in style I guess even tac cool.

[JE223]

@floridaboy - I did not record the bullet velocities of this test event... sometimes what happens is I will get to the testing later in the day, or during times of failing light. What matters the most in gelatin testing is recording the impact velocity and penetration of the calibration BB, so recording this velocity is a priority. After that is done, then the block can be shot at any range - something that I find particularly important with hard-to-aim guns, such as the brand-new 642 that I used in that test.

The impact velocities of the bullets, have not been useful for anything (calculations) so far, but they are interesting and included for completeness wherever I can record them. I think that I have done a few 642s with the velocities at impact recorded... they should be on my website.... to give you an idea of what to expect.

[cheygriz]

Question: John, can you do a night-flash-comparo between this load and the Buffbore 158 standard pressure?

Basically videotape the muzzle flash and post stills of the biggest fireball moments of each?

Jim, IMHO, muzzleflash is greatly over rated. In 22 years of LE, 15 as an instructor, it was never a concern to me, or the other officers I worked with.

Ammo makers have siezed on it as a marketing gimmick to sell more of their "whiz-bang" low flash ammo.