Ammo for new 442

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Diggers

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Hi all, thought I would beat this dead horse some more. ;)

Any opinions here of magtech ammo? I like the 158 semi jacket hp for use in my soon to have 442. Good match? Too subjective to say?

This is the +p version of this ammo there is also a non+P (funny their site doesn't note the difference.)

http://www.magtechammunition.com/si...tails&templateId=14&pageId=103&search=details

Whats nice about it is less expensive then say federal or winchesters swc 158 grain HP.

midway, when they have ammo again, sells it for 22 bucks.

Last thing, I went to winchester, remington, and federal and could not find any 158 grain HPs listed.......am I looking at the wrong page or are they not making this ammo any longer?

Thanks for the input.

OH never mind I found winchester and remingtons 158 HP ammo.....:eek:
 
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I like a heavy bullet in the 38 and carry the Remington +P 158gr LHP (as in LEAD Hollow Point). It is AKA the "FBI load". The recoil out of an Airweight J frame is pretty stout.

Remington is the only 158gr bullet that will expand out of a snubbie. Federal and Winchester also offer a version of this LHP load but the slugs are too hard of a lead. Any 158gr SJHP is going to be very iffy on expansion.

Other than the Remington load, Speer offers the 135gr Gold Dot "short barrel" load will do a good job out of your 442.
Will
 
Thanks for the info. I'm not too worried about recoil, Im used to my .44 mag so I'll deal. I know this isn't a range gun.

I shot a M&P 340 with Fiocchi 130 grain ammo a while back.. Fiocchi doesn't say its +P, but it would if it was made by an American company. Its moving around 940ish FPS and did have a little bite to its recoil in that 12 oz gun but its not anything to write home about.

I'll try a little of both +P and non +P just to see.......if I can find some any place. :(

I really like heavy bullets better but Buffalo Bore makes a nice non +P (they say :) )125 grain JHP that opens up well in gel tests and penetrates well too.

It will be fun trying out different loads. :)
 
I carry the "FBI Load" in my J frames, the Remington R38S12 ammo to be exact. (158gr LSWC/HP +P) Buffalo Bore ammo has a good reputation but at ~$30/20 rounds it's hard to afford practice with it. Last time I bought the Remington ammo it was $32/50 rounds. Still not cheap but nowhere near as bad as Buffalo Bore, Speer, CorBon and the other ammo "we just can't do without."

If you want a JHP bullet instead of Lead take a look at the 125gr .38 Special +P ammo from DoubleTap. I've shot it in my Airweight and it's accurate and controllable. (I still like the FBI Load better!! LOL)
 
ArchAngelCD,

I agree with you on the price of these special SD ammo, good stuff but sheesh. :eek:

The remington ammo will most likely be the stuff I use. Have you had any issues with leading in your gun?
 
I carry Speer Gold Dot 135 gr +P in my 642. Have also carried BB 158 gr LSWCHP +P.

BTW-Stay away from Remington UMC +P for range ammo. Had a lot of FTFs, but Remington is taking them back.
 
No real leading to speak of. I usually clean my revolver as usual after a range trip without any special attention because lead. What little does get left behind is removed during the normal cleaning. (Hoppe's #9)
 
if you want to use the 158gr slug...go with the all lead SWC-HP

i converted to the short barrel specific load, for my 642, a couple of years ago...Speer Gold Dot 135gr
 
Is the 135 Gold Dot a +P load ?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is. From Speer's Technical Data Package on the round:

Product Maximum Average Pressure
38 Special +P 21,500 psi
 
I chronographed magtech's standard pressure SJHP loading in two of my revolvers. Magtech claims 807 FPS for this loading, but it never broke 700fps (694fps average) in my model 36 snub. Out of my 5" K frame it averages 733fps. For comparison mastercasts 158gr SWC averages 869 in the K frame and 770 in the J frame.

The remington FBI load (158gr +P LHP) has been around for half a century because IT WORKS! I carry that load in ALL of my .38's.
 
wnycollector

Thanks for that important bit of info. Good to know. That pretty much rules magtech ammo out for any thing other than the range.

The maker always seems to give a higher PFS than what the ammo does in real life, but that much less is too much.
 
That pretty much rules magtech ammo out for any thing other than the range.
Click to expand...

If we are talking .38 ammo from magtech, I agree that its range only. I have chronoed their 155gr .40 JHP and their guardian gold +P .45 230gr JHP and the ammo was within 30-40fps of the magtech claims.
 
The 442 has an enclosed hammer. If you get open-backed grips, you can get an unusually high hold on the gun, which negates much of the torque generated by the stouter loads. It still kicks, but it comes straighter back into the hand/arm resulting in less muzzle flip.
 
Remington 'FBI' load (158gr lswchp +p) or Speer 'short barrel' Gold Dot (135gr jhp +p);

if you opt for the Remington leadhead, you'll need to spend a bit more time cleaning your gun to remove lead fouling
 
Its been awhile since I was here, the 642 is out of stock but the 442 is ready to go.
Just a finish difference?
 
My reading and shooting have led me to the same place as a lot of other folks on this thread: I carry the Remington 158 gr LSWCHP .38+P (Item No. R38S12) in my 642. For a reload I carry a speed strip or speedloader of the Speer 135 grain Gold Dot JHP .38+Ps.

The 135 grain Gold Dots are very hard to find right now. I've stopped shooting them in practice until availability improves. The Remingtons are a little easier to find, though you must still keep an eye peeled.

I would also consider Buffalo Bore's STANDARD pressure 158 grain lead HP .38 for your gun. (I love the Buff Bore 158 gr lead .38+P in a steel Ruger SP101 but that +P load is just too feisty for me to shoot well in an airweight J-frame.)
 
good

a good load for the 442 ( I carry a 442 regularly)...
is the
buffalo bore 150 Gr. wadcutter...
the corbon dpx 110 gr h
...I am
not a big fan of the 158 gr plus p in an airweight
snubby simply because it hurts to shoot the thing!
and that is not helpful for my accuracy...either of the
above carry plenty of pop, penetrate well, and will
be easier to manage well than the
BIG bullets some suggest...AND, I'd recommend
you consider porting for your revolver...think I am
going to port all of mine...and get the TK custom moonclip
coversion while you are at it...check with gemini custom,
pinnacle guns, etc.
 
Picked up my gun, 442-1, a few days ago and shot it yesterday for the first time. :)

What a great little revolver!!. I shot a box of 130 grain non+P and 10 rounds of Rem 125 grain JHP +P ammo. The difference was obvious but not really a big deal at all.

Good Stuff!! :D
 
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