whats your SP101 defence ammo

[old_ironsights]

Hornady's Frontier .357 Mag JHP.

 

[2ndamd]

Here is my experience with snubbie ammo.
I like shooting 110 grn 38+p.
I wish I could shoot the .357 mag 125 grn ammo all the time. But, there are people in my family that can not shoot the .357 magnums through the snubbies very well.
So, I went with the Buffalo Bore 158 grn LSWCHP .38 +p with a gas check. I like this round VERY much! and have confidence in it's ability to stop an attacker. But I load 135 grn Speer GDHPs in the speed strips and speed loaders. Because after enough time of banging around the lead hollow points will deform a little. So, lead loaded in the gun and jacketed in the speed strips and loaders.

I do load 125 grn .357 magnums in my carry gun (s). But house gun gets the .38 +p. I may be tied up in a fist fight before able to get the gun and my wife may need to shoot her 5 rounds and NY reload with my 6 rounds.

Lots of variables to consider. Hope I never need it.

 

[Scotticus]

I have Hogues on my 3" SP101 and to me, 38spl +p's or 110gr .357 are very comfortable to shoot. I carry 125gr .38+p (I would rather carry the Buffalo Bore 158 gr +p that P. Plainsman recommended or that Georgia Arms stuff if I ever get some) in town and 158 gr. .357 in the field as a trail gun.

I obviously see the advantage of carrying what you practice with and visa versa, but with limited finances, I can get more range time in using mostly cheaper practice ammo and I feel that extra time spent is important too.

My wife likes shooting the .38's and does not care to shoot the .357's, but has agreed she could if TSHTF.

 

[P. Plainsman]

I load 135 grn Speer GDHPs in the speed strips and speed loaders. Because after enough time of banging around the lead hollow points will deform a little. So, lead loaded in the gun and jacketed in the speed strips and loaders.

That's exactly what I do (carry jacketed rounds for reloads), and for the same reason.

 

[Cosmoline]

I love the 180 grain black talons out of the short Rugers. I use it in my 3" Speed Six and love it. It's incredibly accuracte and has a nice rolling recoil. It also expands very easily. I don't think they make SXT's in 180 but a 158 would be fine too. The little ones are too snappy and I'm not at all convinced that they're the end all and be all of .357 protection ammo. As long as you have good expansion, you WANT to penetrate clear through the torso. Just be careful to avoid the mid to heavy range HUNTING rounds as those bullets are usually designed for slower expansion and longer barrels. A semi jacketed lead soft point in the mid range of weight should be just fine.

 

[zxcvbob]

158 grain LSWCHP with 4.5 grains of Unique in .38 SPL cases and whatever brand of small pistol primer I have handy. Some load books say this is "+P" and some say it's standard pressure -- it's right on the cusp.

I haven't done any tests yet, but when I run out of swaged hollow-point bullets I want to try plain old 158 LRN's cast from pure lead and see how that works.

I hit a steel plate at 40 feet with a .45 Colt soft lead 230 grain bullet loaded to about 1000fps the other day and it expanded to over 1.5". (I don't know what that means, but it was impressive. Looked like a little saw blade)

Bob

 

[PhrankKastle]

Another vote here for the 135gr Gold Dot short barrel.

 

[Seven For Sure]

I've never heard of 140 gr. speer gold dot's. Maybe you meant 135's? I'd go with the 135 357's if you're recoil shy or the 158 357's if you're not. Those 158's might not open that much but they'll open some. They won't clog and they will penetrate right through ribs, a pelvis or any other bone it hits. I like the 158's for carry and the 135's for the nightstand.

 

[Gary A]

Lately, I've been wondering if the 158s don't have another advantage that the lighter full power loads don't have. Out of a snubby, the 158s generally exit the muzzle at a bit below the speed of sound which at my altitude is generally about 1115 fps which lessens the "crack" associated with .357. Of course, the Speer 135s are designed to do so. Of course, they recoil a bit due to the weight/speed. Might be significant, especially indoors. Still plenty loud though .

 

[zxcvbob]

Lately, I've been wondering if the 158s don't have another advantage that the lighter full power loads don't have. Out of a snubby, the 158s generally exit the muzzle at a bit below the speed of sound which at my altitude is generally about 1115 fps which lessens the "crack" associated with .357

I have both a .357 and a .38. I use 158 grain .38's for HD for exactly the reason you just mentioned. If I have to fire a shot or two indoors, I don't want to be totally deaf for the rest of my life. I've lost enough hearing already from just one incident standing 10 or 12 feet away from someone firing a couple of shots from a .41 Mag without hearing protection -- outdoors.

 

[Gary A]

I shot a hundred rounds of .357 today from a New Vaquero. Mostly 158 grain Blazers (which are fairly mild loads) but also some 158 Magtechs at full power, some 110 Remingtons and some Remington 125 High Velocity. Even with ear plugs and muffs, I could easily tell the difference in blast and report between the full power 125s and the 158 grain loads. I really prefer the 158s.
I wish I had had some 180s for comparison.

 

[BikerRN]

I don't know what to tell you.

In my Airweight J-Frame I shoot 38 Special 125 Grain SJHP's and in my 357 Magnums it's 125 Grain SJHP's or JHP's.

You may want to look at a "lighter" caliber to learn on and then move back up to the 38 Special and 357 Magnum.

Biker

 

[Gary A]

As to the original question, I find that Winchester 110 .357 feels very similar to a good .38 Special 158 LSWCHP+P in the recoil department. Remington 110 feels a bit sharper. Between 110 357 and 158 38 it's a matter of do I want a light, fast or a heavy "slow" load. I've not shot too many of the Speer loads, but they look to be pretty good in the handling and accuracy department.

 

[Gunsnrovers]

Federal Nyclad .38spl 158gr LSWCHP +P.

Use it in our SP101 and our 2" Model 15.

 

[The_Shootist]

Georgia Arms

Hey nitesite - how do you suppose the GA FBI load is with expansion/penetration. One of the reasons I like the Remington brand (R38S12 flavour) is that the lead seems to be softer and expands better - at least thats what it looks like in mr Stephen Camps excellent tests.

But at that price on their website (vs almost $ 28/box 50 BEFORE delivery costs of the Remington) you can afford to practice big time with that as your carry round.

 

[RandyB]

FBI load 158 LHP +P from any of the major ammunition makers.