Best defensive bullets for a .38+P handload?

[horsey300]

I reload for .32 and .45 Colt and I have my preferred loads for them. .32 is restricted to Hornady XTP bullets as I don't think a non expanding bullet in .32 is a good projectile for defense, .45 Colt gets either a full wadcutter cuz it's nice and cheap and very effective.

When I bought my .357 revolvers I knew I'd eventually load for them, but didn't think about any defense loads for them. Well, after having shot my 6 inch Charter .357 and 2 inch Rock Island so well, I've got to start thinking about some "business" ammo.

I figure for anything .357 I'll use a JHP, either Speer Gold Dot or Hornady XTP, but for .38 I'm not sure. I could go with a full wadcutter like I do for .45 Colt, pay for JHP's, or try a lead hollow point and see how that does.

For my .38 snub, I'd have to load them to standard pressure, but for my .357's I could load the .38's right up to max .38 +P. So, I guess I should probably do a standard pressure handload to be used in any .38 or .357, and a hot .38 load that would most likely be used in .357's only.

I guess for the standard pressure load I should go with the wadcutter and not have to worry about expansion. The hot load I'm not sure, I could go in any direction.

For those that reload hollow points, how have you found cast lead bullets with a hollow point to perform? Do you prefer them to non expanding semi wadcutter or full wadcutter?

Matts bullets was suggested to me for my 3" non +p revolvers (doubling down in my buddy's rock island 2") 148 soft hp, they do the trick! Sierra and Matt also have more options for your .32 (we run a single 7 lol) factory defensive 38 will be spelled with a buffalo.

 

[TTv2]

I decided for the longer barrel .38+P load I'm gonna use a 125 grain JHP, either an XTP or a Gold Dot. For .357 I'll use a 158gr XTP or Gold Dot.

 

[IWAC]

You'll never go wrong with a SD load by any of the "Big 4" ammo companies...Speer, Hornady, Remington, or Federal. They all do well in Lucky Gunner tests and YouTube. Their 38 +P ammo is top notch, and you can buy components for loading to the same recoil impulse for less-expen$ive practice. That said, the Speer 357 Magnum 135 gr. ammo doesn't have much more blast(maybe thanks to my electronic hearing defenders) and the recoil isn't a lot more severe than my ancient IPSC load. It is (to me) VERY expen$ive, although good prices can be had on line, even including shipping, or wait till MidwayUSA has a sale and free shipping. Ol' Larry will sell you all you need. Nice shooting in my GP Match Champion.

 

[joneb]

After doing a bunch of research I decided to go with a Speer LHP

That is one ugly bullet maybe its the camera angle ?

 

[Jesse Heywood]

That is one ugly bullet maybe its the camera angle ?

It is one ugly bullet due to the process for embedding the lube. But it doesn't come off.

 

[Rule3]

I decided for the longer barrel .38+P load I'm gonna use a 125 grain JHP, either an XTP or a Gold Dot. For .357 I'll use a 158gr XTP or Gold Dot.

 

[rfwobbly]

I don't trust my reloads for personal SD. The big guys simply do too much research for me to ignore factory loads in common calibers. They are blending powders and doing all sorts of tricks to obtain perfection. Tricks and testing I simply cannot duplicate.

However, I do load my own for small animal protection. We have a near-epidemic problem with rabid coons and small fox here in north Georgia. Close friends both got bitten last year, and the mandatory shots were $9000 which wasn't covered by their insurance !! So when I go hiking back country roads, you can bet I'm packing.


For those loads I use the Berry Hybrid Hollow Point. You can purchase 250 of these for about the same price as 100 Gold Dots, so tuning and practice is affordable and practical. Load data is included. See.... https://www.berrysmfg.com/product/bp-9mm-356-124gr-hhp



Hope this helps.