Hornady v. Speer Snub Ammo

[gun_with_a_view]

Face off time for these two large ammo manufacturers on their snubby ammo. Both of these downloaded magnum rounds were fired through 2-inch barrels with the results posted on their respective websites. Possibly test barrels were use, which will skew the results somewhat from the real world, but it's the best we can do at the moment for comparative purposes. Which one of these two rounds for short barrels would you prefer, given the specs below?

Hornady 357 MAG Critical Defense, 125 grain,1200fps/400ME

Gold Dot 357 MAG for Short Barrels, 135 grain, 990fps/294ME

 

[Panzerschwein]

I'd prefer the slightly heavier Gold Dot load by Speer.

The gimmicky rubber tip is not needed, excellent expansion and very consistent. It's a very good load and tried and tested.

 

[rcmodel]

I am very impressed with the Speer .38 Secial Short barrel 135 grain.

Never tried the .357 as I don't have a short .357.
Nor a desire to have one.


rc

 

[moxie]

Ditto I don't want .357 in short barrel, but I do like .38 Spl., and in that I prefer the 125 gr. Golden Saber +P over anything else for SD, including anything in .357, for short barrels.

 

[gun_with_a_view]

I certainly was remiss in not listing the 125 grain 357 MAG Golden Saber round at 1220fps/413ME from a 4-inch barrel. One of the first more penetrative rounds developed for the FBI in the aftermath of the Miami shootout in 1986, it ranks as a premier round even today, despite everything that's been thrown at since Miami.

 

[righteoushoot]

Just curious, I have a box of Critical Defense I just bought, and it says 125 gr. FTX and 1500 fps., #90500.

You must be talking about another variation of 125 gr. Critical Defense?

 

[gun_with_a_view]

That's the eight-inch test barrel figure on the box. The Hornady webpage for the round also cites 1200 fps from a two-inch barrel.

http://www.hornady.com/store/357-Mag-125-gr-Critical-Defense/

 

[righteoushoot]

Thanks! Got scared for a second there...

 

[TimSr]

I'm curious as to how well either of these rounds match the sights of fixed sight snubbies. How low does it hit the target and at what range?

 

[km101]

I have found that both of these rounds shoot low out of my S&W Mod 60. With a center hold on a 9" circle at 10 yds. They will shoot about 4" -5" low. But in a SD situation where you would hold center of mass (at least I do) this should not pose a problem.

Of course the faster the load, the lower it will shoot.

 

[dvnv]

I'd take the hotter load...

 

[gun_with_a_view]

I get outstanding accuracy at combat shooting distance (18' or less for me) with both rounds fired from two and three inch Smith barrels.

http://www.virginiacops.org/articles/shooting/combat.htm

 

[beag_nut]

Gold Dot!!!

 

[Robert B]

Critical Defense is garbage

There is a you tube video for the CD .380 round shot through beef bone into gelatin. The bullet disintegrates going through the bone and then the fragments go less than 2 inches of gel. After seeing that, I don't trust the CD in any caliber. Hornady only shows bare gel tests.

 

[Robert B]

You tube video

I don't know how to link to it.

You guys must see this! Will make u think twice about using critical defense.

Search PPS67 on you tube. Then watch the .380 Buffalo Bore 80 grain Barnes video. At the 6:24 min mark, check out how critical defense does through bone.

 

[gun_with_a_view]

check out how critical defense does through bone.

I suspect none of the lighter 38 Special loads do well when they hit bone at snub velocities. Deflection and fragmentation have always been the problem. Perhaps this is what has kept the 158 grain LSWCHP "FBI" round in the running all these years and is still a viable choice for self defense. They're a little dicey to shoot from a lightweight gun like an Airweight, but them most of us with small guns don't really shoot that many people each year, so recoil not really a problem ...

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

On YouTube, Brass Fetcher tested the Speer 135 grain .357 Magnum Short Barrel load from a 2 inch barrel revolver and the impact velocity was 1115 fps which yields 373 fpe. (At one time this was my issue ammo for my 4 inch S&W Model 686 duty revolver.)

Also on YouTube, tnoutdoors tested the Hornady 125 grain .357 Magnum Critical Defense load from a 3 inch Ruger GP100, and the impact velocity was 1321 fps which yields 484 fpe. (A shorter barrel would have yielded a bit less velocity and energy.) The Hornady Critical Defense load doesn't seem to be downloaded to me.

Both bullets worked well in ballistic gel, so I call it a wash.

I would use the Remington 125 grain SJHP. It works well out of any length barrel but is hard on K-frame Smiths.

 

[gun_with_a_view]

I've shot that very Hornady round in an 18-1/2 ounce revolver, three inch barret and it ain't no full house 357 round. But it is, let us say, potent.

Never fired the Gold Dot magnum round, which the factory rates at 990 fps out of a two inch barrel.

Those velocities just sound mighty high to me, but I'll gladly take the deal with either one of them, if that's what on the table.

 

[jdavis123]

I keep the Gold Dot Short Barrel load in my 2.5" model 66 because I trust it to get the job done. Hornady makes a Critical Duty load that I understand produces better results than the Critical Defense round. It would be interesting to see a comparison between the two.