Snub nosed velocity stats.

[SP Shop Foreman]

Does anyone have any hard statistic comparisons on muzzle velocity and efficiency in a .357, .38+p and .38 special assuming the bullet is a 158 or in that range?
IE: Which ones lose the most comparatively in velocity and unburned powder affecting velocity and real impact energy within 10' or so? Recoil aside, this would probably affect which revolver we buy for my wife this week.
Thanks for any help.

Latigo

 

[SaxonPig]

I compared some 38s in a 4" and 2" gun and it seemed that I recall the faster the velocity the greater the difference but it wasn't as much as you might expect. Like 40-50 FPS slower with +P (which I consider a standard load) and about 90 or so with the good stuff (125@1150 in a 4" ran about 1060 in the snub).

Of course this was not only comparing different barrel lengths but also different guns. A true test would be to cut the barrel down on the same gun but I wasn't quite prepared to do that.

 

[MCgunner]

I did this a couple years ago. These are all fired with a .357 magnum handload, 158 SWC from a Lee mold, gas checked over 14.5 grains of 2400.

2.3" SP101...........1162 fps/426 ft lbs
3" Taurus M66......1198 fps/504 ft lbs
4" Taurus M66.......1324 fps/614 ft lbs
6.5" Blackhawk......1470 fps/760 ft lbs

My Rossi 92 carbine, 20" barrel, fires the same load a little over 1800 fps.

 

[MCgunner]

BTW, I shoot a 158 +P JHP out of a 2" Taurus 85 to 270 ft lbs. I'd have to look up the velocity in my book, but the energy sticks in my memory. I got 550 ft lbs out of 17.0 grains 2400 behind a 140 Speer JHP in magnum case in the SP101. The .357 makes a lot more power than the hottest of .38 +Ps regardless of what some would tell you, even with a 2.3" barrel. BUT, I think .38 +P is plenty adequate for self defense. Also, I don't want to shoot a magnum load out of a snubby much lighter than the SP101.

 

[SP Shop Foreman]

Thanks guys. That's exactly what I need. Looks like we're buying her revolver today.

Latigo

 

[kludge]

I second MCguner's post.

Can i make a recommendation for the Ruger SP101 2-1/4" in .357 Mag?

The .357 out of a snub is faster than a .38 out of a 6" barrel. I don't know where the +P falls.

Not saying she'll want to shoot .357's out of a snub... only that she can.

They also have a bobbed hammer DAO version.

The weight of the SP101 makes it easier to shoot than an aluminim, Ti, or Sc frame.

 

[hoptob]

My experience is similar to MCgunner - 357mag snubs can have a lot of kick despite short barrels. Here is the data for 357 magnum factory Remington 158 gr. load - R357M2.

2-1/8” S&W640 .... 1109 fps / 431 ft*lb
2-1/4” SP101 ..... 1131 fps / 449 ft*lb
2-3/4” SpeedSix .. 1148 fps / 462 ft*lb
3” S&W686 ........ 1199 fps / 505 ft*lb
4” GP100 ......... 1263 fps / 559 ft*lb

Heaviest 38spl+P, Buffalo Bore 158 gr. round, will be under 400 ft*lb in a 2-incher.

From Buffalo Bore web site

Item 20A: 158gr., very soft cast, semi wad cutter, (Keith) hollow cavity, with a gas check. This bullet will mushroom violently on impact and will penetrate roughly 14 inches in human flesh. Again, this bullet is gas checked and will not lead your barrel.

S&W mod. 60, 2 inch- 1040 fps (379 ft. lbs.)
S&W mod. 66, 2.5 inch- 1059 fps (393 ft. lbs.)
Ruger SP101, 3 inch- 1143 fps (458 ft. lbs.)
S&W Mt. Gun, 4 inch- 1162 fps (474 ft. lbs.)

If it's a revolver for her, keep in mind that shooting heavy loads in light snubbies takes practice. Very few people can rapidly shoot BB 38spl+P loads in 442/642 or lighter revolvers. If you decide to go for M640 or SP101, you really want to start her with mid power loads and then slowly increase power.

Mike

 

[SP Shop Foreman]

Thank you. Very much. This will make a difference for us. We're off to let her hold/feel different grips and revolvers right now.
I'll post back later.

Latigo

 

[jfh]

I fired a LOT of cartridges in both 38 and 357 out of 2" barrels in the past two years. Most of it was reloaded, but enough of factory ammo was shot for comparison purposes.

1. The BB20A does an honest 1000+ fps from a 2" barrel. It is a handful in a lightweight frame.

2. The "fbi load" (REM 38S12)--38+P, 158-gr. LSWC-HP runs about 800 fps now, and it shootable even by a novice after some practice, even in a lightweight.

3. IMO, if the mfrs. would come up with an "FBI-900" in a 357 case, they would have a winner. That's a stout round, but entirely shootable, from a lightweight 2."

All of these, however, do need a fair amount of training and conditioning for effective shooting.

Jim H.

 

[bja5006]

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/

just what the doctor ordered

 

[tipoc]

Poke around here...

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/OtherHandguns.htm

tipoc

 

[glocks rock]

Try a Cor bon 110gr DPX. Expantion with every round and low recoil to boot. Very good round. My wife carries it in her Taurus 85 and I carry it in my S&W 340. I accually saw a demonstration with them and they are for real. Oh BTW, they have very good penitration as well.

 

[Steve C]

There's quite a bit of variability between guns but Factory .38 spl ballistics from a 4" vented test barrel say the 158gr LSWC +p (FBI load) does 890 fps across the board for the big 3. Published data or a 2" barrel varies from 780 to 790 fps for around 100 fps drop from a 4". Plus or minus 30 fps from different guns, even of the same manufacture wouldn't be unusual. In my experience with .38 spl 158gr handloads using Unique and W231 that duplicate factory +P velocities from a 4" revolver do indeed loose approximately 100 fps when shot from a 2" snub over my chrono.

 

[Oro]

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/

just what the doctor ordered

Except their data can't be replicated by anyone - seems to be uniquely their guns. Data that can't be replicated is a problem. People for decades have tested ammo in varying lengths and never found their wide spreads, see HopTob's post above, or consult older Speer manuals which gave .38 and .357 data in various barrel lengths out of production barrels in laboratory conditions. I note they do not report if the barrels were re-tempered and crowned between shots, which would possibly explain their variance. It sounds much more like they just sawed off the ends of the barrel in "bubba" fashion and didn't try to return the barrel to semi-"production" specs.

 

[GooseGestapo]

MCGunner;
877fps. Rather fast for a snubby w/158gr; even +P at that. Sounds like a good load.....

(1. divide ft/lbs by bullet weight
2. multiply product by 450230 - conversion from ft/lbs to newtons
3.take square root of product #2. = original velocity in ft/sec)