Woohoo, well, next time I'm in Big Bend, well, after February, I can carry concealed thanks to a rider on the credit card bill Hussein signed today.
I reckon out there, having a .357 concealed in a fanny pack would give me better long range capability on drug runners if I got in a bind. Of course, I'd still be putting a 4" revolver against, probably, AKs, but heck, it beats a .38 and it has to be concealed, can't carry open.
I load 5.0 grains Unique behind a very wide nosed 158 Lee cast tumble lube design SWC. It clocks 220 ft lbs (I'd have to look up the velocity, the energy sticks in my head) which should put it slightly into the +P range, but very mild +P if so. I think that bullet will do anything that needs gettin' done.
The thing about the nose stretch of the wound cavity is spot on, too. I've seen this in deer with the gas checked version of the above SWC. Neat little 3" path of tissue distruction and complete penetration through the lungs. Now, that bullet was fired from a 6.5' .357 magnum, but it just shows that big flat nose SWC was working as advertised.
That deer went about 20 yards with a BIG blood trail and piled up. If I ever had to shoot at a bear with a .38, I'd be shooting for the head, tough.
I put a different front sight on my .38 Taurus, had a dove tail milled for it. Look closely at the pick on post number 34 and you'll see it. Set me back about 80 bucks, but I like black sights better than shiny ones and I wanted the wire. Now, it was a smith out of Florida that did it. I can't remember the name or number, so no need asking, sorry. The sight has an elevation wire as used by Elmer Keith. We used to shoot at a 14" gong made from a 12" slip blind (you oil field and chemical plant workers know what it is) and I could ring it just about any day 3 out of 5 from 100 yards using that elevation wire to help in the hold over Elmer Keith style. .38 snubs can be very effective for the man that knows what he's doing with one. Takes practice.