Buffalo Bore Ammo Is it worth the price?

[gmh1013]

I bought 20 rounds for my SP101 for HD, 158 GR SWC-HC they suppose to be for Snub revolvers with low flash etc. at 850 ft per it SHOULD pack a punch at close range. I was told they are hard to shoot and have a hefty recoil
even in non +P ....I wanted to use these in the wife's Rossi .38 also but if it
has to much of a kick I was thinking of staying with the 110 GR Winchesters
that I know are pretty easy for a women to shoot....
Has anybody shot these and how bad is recoil?

[pps]

I carry these in my 340pd. They chronograph 1000 FPS

Remington's FBI load runs about 800 out of mine
Speer's .357 MAGNUM 135gr GDHP-SB runs 950 (Actually less KE and Momentum than the BB 38special +p)
Remington 125gr sjhp in Full House .357 runs 1200 from my snubby.

It's a handful. Yes it's worth it for carry. I hand load a .357 round that duplicates the BB so I can cheaply practice.

[indiandave]

I use them in my carry guns. The recoil is a bit less then the "FBI" load to me. Would not want to get hit by one of those babies.

[jfh]

20A (38 Spl, 158-gr., 1000+ FPS. and their 125 gr load at 1000 fps.

They absolutely performed as advertised for velocity. Others, (such as brassfetcher, I believe), have tested them for ballistic performance. AFAICT, it's very good ammo. Go by their specs to determine optimum performance for the barrel length you are shooting and you should be GTG.

Probably the bigger issue is selecting the round / performance level that makes sense for you. If I want to do a lot of mental masturbation, worry about that: Should I carry something bigger than an "FBI800" round? What about the 38+P GDSB 135-gr? Or the 357M GDSB 135-gr? Or the BB?

For me, I now worry only about shooting 38+P loads from my M&P 340. Yes, I can shoot the BB20A from that gun--but I prefer a faster follow-up time. YMMV.

Jim H.

[coach22]

BB's of different types are in my 4 J frames and Ruger SS Speed Six 2 & 3/4 inch 357. The standard pressure 158's are in the nickel 49 and nickel 442, both with Pachmayr Compacs. My 640 (38) has those as the first 2 up, followed by 3 BB 158 +P's. That gives me a faster first 2 shot time and warms me up for the next 3. My 340 PD has the BB 125 +P's, so there are no lead issues. Both the 640 and the 340 PD have the same grips (see picture). The Speed Six is loaded with the BB 158 +P's and has Pachmayr Compacs. Worth the price? For me, yes.

[D Rudd]

Pardon me if come across as being harsh.
Worth the price, if it saves you or someone in your family, then it is definately worth the price. I have to believe that if you or a loved one has to shoot a gun in self defense, they won't even recall the recoil afterwards. Generally these situations will be close encounters, and you want to remove the threat with the first shot. Buffalo Bore designs these cartridges to do just that. I'd be willing to bet that you or your wife could empty the gun and not feel the recoil in that situation.
Yes they may feel a lot of recoil when practicing with them but thats not the same situation.
Luckily I have never had to shoot at a threat, but if I did price would not enter the equation.
Just my opinion.

Dana

[doc540]

bought some mistakenly thinking "low pressure" meant "lower recoil"

It doesn't.

If you can shoot them accurately and consistenty, yes, I think they're worth the price.

I don't carry them, though.

I carry Speer Gold Dot, Short-Barrel 135 grains or CorBon DPS with 110 Barnes Bullets.

ymmv

[1KPerDay]

They're a handful in my airweight. For me. I carry them, but don't shoot them a lot. They hurt. Your wife may be tougher than I am, though.

[batmann]

Is the price worth it? YES. They are probably the best .38 Spl + P load out there at this time. Expensive, yes, but you will only shoot five and then carry five and keep the rest so recoil should not be an issue.

[KBintheSLC]

They are certainly over-priced... I mean its just a cast lead bullet in a basic brass case with a standard pistol primer and a little extra powder than most. I can't really see why they cost $1.25/round for 38spl that is not much more than just a really hot loading under an antique bullet design.

I have to admit, I did buy a couple of boxes and have been happy with the performance. However, I doubt I will do it again because I just don't see the value justifying the price. There are plenty of top-grade defensive 38's priced at or under $1/round to choose from.

[earlthegoat2]

Yes they are overpriced but Remingtons +P LSWCHP 158 gr is over priced too. So are the Winchester and Federal equivalents. Granted those ones are less than the BB but not my much. I like the LHPs so I pay the price but I have not bought BBs. They really are a low volume item I think and that is the reason for the high price. If they were priced the way they should be like at around 20.00 for a box of 50 then maybe they would be more popular.

[atlanticfire]

"I can't really see why they cost $1.25/round "
Yep, I research and reload my own "BSBORE" round thank you very much.

[The_Shootist]

The standard pressure 158 SWCHP ones are what I carry in my 642/M85 and while you know you are shooting them, they are controllable and I found to be VERY accurate. Well worth the money. I mean, I run a couple of boxes every 3-4 mos through my 642 to keep my hand in , but actually practice with the cheaper Georgia Arms version of the FBI load, which has equivalent recoil/ballistics.

[skoro]

I think the BB +P ammo is top shelf. It's what I keep loaded in both of my 4" k-frame revolvers for home defense. They seem to be the perfect match for those particular handguns. In my j-frame snubby, the recoil is intense. I can shoot the Speer Gold Dots and Remington Golden Sabers much more effectively from that little guy.