LCR carry ammo

I'd recommend the following two rounds:

1) Buffalo Bore Standard Pressure Short Barrel Low Flash Heavy .38 Special Ammo - 150 gr. Hard Cast Wad Cutter

2)Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 38 Special +P 135 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point

I'd also consider these

3)BUFFALO-BARNES LEAD-FREE Tactical 357 Mag Low Flash-Short Barrel - 125 gr. Barnes XPB @ 1225 fps

My choice for the 2" small frame revolver is Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr. JHP.

I have tested fired it through several layers of light cotton shirt and several layers of heavy demin from a Taurus into a barrel of water. Each round expanded 100% of the time whereas the Hydra-Shoks I tested at the same time only expanded 50% of the time.

There is also a strong case to be made for the old so-called "FBI load"; 158 gr. LSWC from these revolvers due to their better penetration.

Regardless of the recommendations that are made here (including mine) it is important that you test it yourself in your gun.

I have no problem getting off 5 quick shots with my charter 357 mag using full house Fiocchi 357 125 gr JSP ammo. I would not want to go to the range and shoot a hundred rounds with the Charter. But shooting it 10 or 15 times is not punishing. Yes, it has a huge muzzle flash. I have shot it at dusk. I was seeing spots but I could still acquire and hit a target at 10 yards.

I would not shoot 38 +P ammo as my SD load. If I wanted a 38 spl I would have bought a 38 in the first place. The 38 spl is going to have a muzzle flash from a 2.5" barrel. My JA-22 has a muzzle flash. I don't think low flash 38 spl ammo is going to do anything but lighten your wallet $30 for 20 rounds. It is still going to have a good sized flash.

2)Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 38 Special +P 135 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point

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If I carried a snub .38, this is what I would use.

I carry .357 winchester silvertips in mine. 145gr.

I wonder what velocity you are getting with the silvertips out of the short barrel. Have you ever chronographed them?

Well, it's a Ruger and a .357 at that. I would try the full house 125 gr. and go from there.

351 WINCHESTER said:

Well, it's a Ruger and a .357 at that. I would try the full house 125 gr. and go from there.

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Been there done that with Rem UMC 125gr. Humongous flash and blast wave, and recoil to match.


I keep Golden Saber .38s in mine for now. I've got some of the GS in .357, but I haven't had the chance to try them out. My self-imposed limit is that I be able to shoot the gun one-handed and not have uncontrollable recoil (arm flung skywards, etc). I'm hoping the .357 GS rounds will be just the right balance.

Edit: PS, if you have to have a full-power .357 load, try the Hornady Critical Defense (125gr). They seem to shoot just a little softer than the UMC 125s, and more of a boom than the sharp crack.

I'm a big fan of the Hornady Critical Defense 125gr FTX. It is surprisingly soft shooting for its power, and has some great low-flash powder.

http://www.hornady.com/store/357-Mag-125-gr-Critical-Defense/

Tony_the_tiger said:

I wonder what velocity you are getting with the silvertips out of the short barrel. Have you ever chronographed them?

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No, i have yet to chronograph them. I probably should. But they are shiny so thats something.

I have the 38 version and I keep it stoked with my handloads. 158gn Hornady Lead semi-wadcutter Hollow points loaded over 6gn of Power Pistol with a standard primer. Lolts of pop, good expansion. Still a little painfull after 10 or so.

Full on buffalo bore LSWCHP+P .38 Special load in my Sp101. As the company points out, it's approaching low end .357 ballistics; perfect for strong snubs.
JMO.