anyone use the winchester personal protection ammo in thair .38 snubbie?

[megatronrules]

I just bought a box of these at wally world they are the 125gr. jsp's 50 to a box for $10.97 and am just wondering if they perform ok as far as expantion and penatration? Has anyone here tested these in say milk jugs filled with water or even geletain? I was carrying 158gr.+p lswchp but they were old and need to be replaced I felt. At any rate do you feel these are a decent round for a j frame revolver? I coulden't find anything on ammolab about these bullets either so thats why I'am asking here thanks guys

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I have a 686 4" and will probably get a snubbie 686 at some point. I prefer Winchester Silver Tip Hollow points. Winchester for range or personal protection has always worked in my guns.

 

[ChristopherG]

Snub .38s are notoriously difficult to supply with loads that will reliably expand. A JSP will certainly NOT expand at snub velocities; I doubt it would do so at any normal .38 velocities.

Long story short, the load you had in it was probably the best defensive load available for a snub: the 158 gr. LSWCHP +P, or 'FBI Load'.

Long story longer, there are maybe one or two other loads that have a good chance of functioning (i.e. expanding), particularly the Winchester 130 gr. +P JHP.

Long story complete, do a search on something like '.38 snub ammo' and you will get all the reading your heart could desire on the subject. Ammolabs test JSPs 'cause there isn't really any reason to expect that they'd work.

While doing your reading, load those LSWCHPs back into your snub and put the JSPs in the plinkin' pile.
CG

 

[FPrice]

Mastrogiacomo...

"I have a 686 4" and will probably get a snubbie 686 at some point. I prefer Winchester Silver Tip Hollow points."

I generally prefer WW SilverTips myself with Federal HydraShoks a very close second. However, I stopped using SilverTips in my 2" snubbies because they seemed to produce a brilliant fireball in daytime, so I was concerned about what they would be like at nighttime.