Standard Pressure:
Federal 125gr Nyclad HP
Winchester 110gr Silvertip HP
Remington 110gr SJHP
+P:
CorBon 110gr DPX
Speer 135gr GDHP
Federal 158gr LHP
+1
I have to agree with Photoman..
There are two schools of thought.. heavy and light..
The heavy bullets in a 2" gun will not expand, but they WILL Penetrate..
Light Bullets, moving as quick as you can push them, will expand (hopefully) but they lack the ability to penetrate deeply..
Pros of heavy bullets, they usually are loaded with powders and charge weights that do not produce much muzzle flash. They will penetrate heavy clothing better, or body mass..
Cons: however they are not much for delivering hydrostatic shock..
Pros of light and fast, They IF PUSHED FAST ENOUGH, generally considered to be 1000 FPS+, open up and produce hydrostatic shock.(not that easy in a 2" unless you really push the envelope). in the right place it will disable or disrupt the Central Nervous System more efficiently. The results of proper shot placement are instantaneous.. generally.. (NOTHING IN A GUNFIGHT IS GUARANTEED, NO TWO GUNSHOT WOUNDS ARE ALIKE !)
Personally I carry hand loaded ammo in the 110 range in my 2" revolvers.. Just because modern revolvers can handle the pressures, and SEMA (?) specs require commercial loaders and manufactures to load in pressure ranges that are safe to use in the oldest guns in that caliber, the .38 Special is a VERY OLD cartridge, developed in 1899..
Cons: Muzzle flash is usually discerning, unless it is a load specifically worked up for use in Short Barreled Pistols.. (they will use faster burning powders that will produce less flash at the muzzle.)
They do not penetrate heavy cover/clothing as well,
The loads listed by Photoman are all good to go...
However I personally would not use glazer safety slugs.. they are notorious for lack of penetration.. or what we referred to as "surface bursts" is is a really NASTY wound, and it sends tiny shot everywhere... it can be devastating, as long as it is not winter time, wearing heavy coats and clothes, or does not weight in at 300 lbs... but for a head shot, they are DRT.. (dead right there)
Midrange Match Wadcutters are also a good choice in 2" revolvers.. they cut clean wide nasty holes, they have very controllable recoil, they are accurate, they have little or no muzzle flash, they often tumble (solids or "double ended" are more likely that hollow based) when they are disrupted on the terminal end (after they hit what they are pointed at)
It depends upon your preferences, your environment, and your skill set and comfort level.. Heck I made a scene once where a guy fell instantaneously immediately dead when hit in the above the knee with a 22 short.. but that was the freak shot of the century.. (the bullet entered just inside and above the knee, he was seated. Later autopsy revealed that they bullet bounced off the bone, and entered his femoral artery, followed the path of least resistance, the artery right up into his heart.. he never knew what hit him.. Was a WW 22 short. fired out of a Clerk 1st revolver..)
