Stainz
Member
Okay, history lesson time. The .357 Magnum was in response to J. Edgar, etc, and their need for a round that could hole the car doors of the day in return fire at fleeing felons. Hoover's men had little chance against the bg's, often armed with a national guard's ripped off military firepower. Doug Wesson took the new S&W .357 Registered Magnum and it's ammo hunting - and dispatched every form of North American game with it - it was an impressive round.
Skip ahead to the sixties - the FBI is using a relatively new round - a .38 Special +P 158gr LHPSWC - designed to be effective from a short barrel .357 Magnum - or a beefed up .38 Special. The winds of chain pointed towards the higher capacity or a 9mm bottom feeder - the reason they abandoned the 'FBI' load. Most LEOs of the time carried .38s - with 158gr LRNs - which would gain the 'widowmaker' title as they were ineffective against the drugged-up bgs of the day, leaving many LEOs fallen due to the bg's use of semi-auto's. This is, I believe, what you will find Mas Ayoob's, a fine and most knowledgeable fellow, remarks concerning.
Even today, if you trust the compiled data of Marshall & Sanow, the 'FBI' load is considerably more effective than the infamous .45 ACP 230gr ball ammo from a 1911. Of course, modern hollow points in .45 ACP quickly pass the .38s - but also just don't feed as reliably in some case tossers. Shot placement is important - but the +P 158gr LHPSWC round, even fired from a snubby, will have enough velocity to open properly for enough enlargement to cause a significant wound channel - larger than a .45 ball ammo round. It is a fine snubby to 4" HD round - without the flash, crack, and recoil of a .357 Magnum. While a 1911 is a great weapon, I want the dependability of a revolver for my home use - this fits.
There are other 'snubby' .38 rounds with promise - the Speer +P 135gr Gold Dots, for example. Even full wadcutters could be used for the very squeamish or small of stature, those who would never pick up a 1911, etc. My pockets, if large enough, carry my HD guns - a 296 or a 642. I feel fine, protection wise, with that 642 stoked with the 'FBI' load... okay, a bit better with my 5-shot Airweight .44 Special and Speer 200gr Gold Dots. But, I can carry the 642 with those 'FBI' loads 100% of the time - which beats the heck out of the 75% carry of the .44 Special (due to size). It's hard to pick 'good' days and 'bg' days!
Stainz
PS About 'minimum' considerations... remember that we got to the Moon that way...
Skip ahead to the sixties - the FBI is using a relatively new round - a .38 Special +P 158gr LHPSWC - designed to be effective from a short barrel .357 Magnum - or a beefed up .38 Special. The winds of chain pointed towards the higher capacity or a 9mm bottom feeder - the reason they abandoned the 'FBI' load. Most LEOs of the time carried .38s - with 158gr LRNs - which would gain the 'widowmaker' title as they were ineffective against the drugged-up bgs of the day, leaving many LEOs fallen due to the bg's use of semi-auto's. This is, I believe, what you will find Mas Ayoob's, a fine and most knowledgeable fellow, remarks concerning.
Even today, if you trust the compiled data of Marshall & Sanow, the 'FBI' load is considerably more effective than the infamous .45 ACP 230gr ball ammo from a 1911. Of course, modern hollow points in .45 ACP quickly pass the .38s - but also just don't feed as reliably in some case tossers. Shot placement is important - but the +P 158gr LHPSWC round, even fired from a snubby, will have enough velocity to open properly for enough enlargement to cause a significant wound channel - larger than a .45 ball ammo round. It is a fine snubby to 4" HD round - without the flash, crack, and recoil of a .357 Magnum. While a 1911 is a great weapon, I want the dependability of a revolver for my home use - this fits.
There are other 'snubby' .38 rounds with promise - the Speer +P 135gr Gold Dots, for example. Even full wadcutters could be used for the very squeamish or small of stature, those who would never pick up a 1911, etc. My pockets, if large enough, carry my HD guns - a 296 or a 642. I feel fine, protection wise, with that 642 stoked with the 'FBI' load... okay, a bit better with my 5-shot Airweight .44 Special and Speer 200gr Gold Dots. But, I can carry the 642 with those 'FBI' loads 100% of the time - which beats the heck out of the 75% carry of the .44 Special (due to size). It's hard to pick 'good' days and 'bg' days!
Stainz
PS About 'minimum' considerations... remember that we got to the Moon that way...