38's?

[Weezy]

A .38 special loaded properly will work just fine for the trip across the room to where your 12 gauge is.

 

[Water Garden]

38 Special has proven itself for a very long time. I chose a 38 and a 12ga for home defense many years ago and I dont plan to change it up anytime soon. I do change the ammo up about once a year just to be safe. The year old stuff gets sent down range.

 

[wep45]

the .38 special caliber is a good SD round, but............shot placement is most important

practise your SD scenarios with live and dry fire until you are proficient and confident with your firearm

 

[brisendines]

How many times has it been said- Yes, I believe 38 is fine for protection, WHEN thats the best you have. Shotguns are cheaper and several level of magnitudes of power above any pistol cartridge. Also, to the notion that "anything that starts with a 4 (or a 3) will do the trick", are you serious? Are you saying a 380 is better than a .357 mag because the number is larger? I hope you know better. I'm sorry, but when my life is on the line, its either #4 or 00 buck for me. Every day, when I have to compromise, it is different.

 

[Brian Dale]

brisendines, perhaps Tamara (handgun expert and collector, former THR Moderator) took what you're driving at and said it best:

All handguns suck.

As you and she have pointed out, though, sometimes that's the best you have.

 

[brisendines]

Brian-
Very true. Loving your signature, by the way. I should have read it before posting.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Sythefwd,



You'd relayed -

.357 MAG (never exceed load for this powder)
146 Gr Jacketed bullet
5.6 gr IMR PB
885 fps
36000 cup

.38sp (non +p never exceed for this powder)
146 gr. Jacketed bullet
10.7 gr h4227
979 fps
15700 cup

Which brings to mind ( if I recall correctly, ) the revised loading for .38 S & W Special, of June 1899 -

158 grn RNL
24.5 grns FFF ( Black Powder )

Giving, 950 fps


Dunno on 'cup'...


I presume a five, if not six inch Barrel for that...where, most loadings now, anticipate shorter Barrels.



Too, another old time fun Hand Load for .38 S & W Special, one uses two .36 Calibre Balls...set into the Cartridge Case, of course, and the top ball gets the crimp just upward of it's center.


Another, a 'defense' Load, not menioned in his thread yet far as I'd seen, is using a 148 Hollow Base Wad Cutter, loaded into the Case backwards...whatever one's elected Powder or Pressure-range may be.



Phil
l v