Where is the FBI load?

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Brass Fetcher's testing showed the Remington R38S12 to have slightly better expansion and slightly less penetration than Buffalo Bore 20A (+P version), both fired from 1&7/8" bbl snubs. BB 20A also had more penetration and less expansion when fired from a 4" bbl vs a 1&7/8" bbl. Ref - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=766093.
 
pps - Along with the Barnes, the tests I've seen for the Speer 135 Grain Short Barrel load looks like it'd be pretty effective too.

Were you shooting the standard Buffalo Bore .38 Special or the +P load? I've thought about trying some of both, along with the 150 grain wadcutter load they offer.
 
It was the +p, and it hit an honest 1000fps, but it seemed like that velocity was just on the threshold of expansion, for that particular media I was shooting into. I have some Gold Dot short Barrel 135 ish grains (can't remember their exact weight), but didn't test them.
 
Like said above, these days the FBI Load seems to be a seasonal run. Last time I saw them available I bought 4X boxes so I won't run out. I actually have the FBI Load from Remington, Winchester and Federal put away.
 
Well I'll have to be on the lookout for the Winchester FBI load if I could ever find some. I like the Buffalo Bore products, but I'm thinking I might stay away from this at the time being due to some tests I've seen.

In the meantime, I recently learned that the NYPD issues the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain .38 special +P short barrel load not only for there snub nose guns... but also for the few officers left who still carry there 4" Model 10 revolvers on duty as there service handgun. They do not use a special load for the longer barrel guns, and supposedly the longer barrel gets about 50% more energy and the velocity is about the same as the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 grian .357 magnum load... which also uses the same bullet as the .38 special +P load... so basically using the .38 special +P short barrel Speer load in a 4" gun (like my Model 64 police trade in) would be like using the .357 magnum short barrel load in a 1 7/8"-2" snub nose revolver. I have a couple boxes 20 round boxes of the .38 +P short barrel load that I use for CCW in my S&W Model 642-1, and last night I ordered two 50 round boxes of the same load so I can test them and see how they run in my Model 64.

I think I will use that at least till I can find some of the aforementioned FBI load out there. Just haven't had any luck so far!
 
Been carrying BB's +P FBI load for a couple of years now. The velocities are as advertised and they have some recoil to them. My 442 bucks fairly hard but my steel K frame 3" and 4" guns shoot the stuff just fine. I carry that load in all of my .38 Special revolvers.

I'm wanting to test Underwood's version of the bullet. If cast from softer lead than BB's version it may expand more reliably if that's a concern of yours. I prefer reliable penetration over expansion in a snub nosed gun where the performance envelope is more narrow.

-Jake
 
What does the 1300 fps do to a K frame s&w ??

I have seen a few factory .38+P 125 jhp listed at 950 fps but never 1300. I don't reload .
I'm lucky to have a case of Federal + P LSWHP put away back in 1999, along with 6/7 boxes still left from another case. Lately I have been looking at Georgia Arms to get a 1,000 rds of their 158+P LSWCHP but it's always out of stock. It seems they have more of the 125+ P listed at 950 fps.

Edit
Just looked and georgia arms does have their 158+p LSWHP in stock in reloaded used brass $14 a box 50rds.
 
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Cooldill said:
Well I'll have to be on the lookout for the Winchester FBI load if I could ever find some.
Click to expand...

Back in post #22, Motorcraft posted a link for the Winchester version of this load. It seems to be in stock.

Cooldill said:
I have a couple boxes 20 round boxes of the .38 +P short barrel load that I use for CCW in my S&W Model 642-1, and last night I ordered two 50 round boxes of the same load so I can test them and see how they run in my Model 64.
Click to expand...

Where'd you find 50 round boxes of the Speer SB 135 grain load? I could do with a couple of those myself!
 
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Correction - Winchester FBI load is out of stock at FederalGun.com. Why did they let me add it to the cart then? I don't know...
 
goon said:
Correction - Winchester FBI load is out of stock at FederalGun.com. Why did they let me add it to the cart then? I don't know...
Click to expand...
YES! Same here! It's sort of a dirty trick I'd say. There is a *** symbol and then below it says they "dont [sic] have the quantity in stock" which for me was just one box LOL!
 
Deaf, it was shredded rubber mulch. 90# of the material was around 20-30 bucks at home depot. It was never my intent to use the media as anything other than a bullet trap/target to recycle lead as cheaply as possible.

In 38/357 I found expansion and penetration to be very similar to that reported with ballistics gel, so I tested a few rounds (including the Barnes) through gel. The mulch will allow a little less penetration than gel, and it encourages a bit more expansion than gel...but is MUCH cheaper than gel and is infinitely reusable.

Here is my setup. I fall it into the bed of my truck, back my truck to the end of the range and tip it out. When I'm done shooting I drop it into the bed of my truck and away I go.

20090903004.jpg
20090903003.jpg
20090903002.jpg
 
"What does 1300 fps do to the "K" frame"

I've been running everything through my 66's for decades, both 38's and .357's, hasn't hurt them yet.

GS
 
Man... I've learned an awful lot about where to find stuff I'd like to find by participating in this discussion. Thanks guys.
 
I buy Remington 158gr +P LSWC at SGAmmo, but at this very moment they seem to be out of stock. They generally get it in pretty regularly though it seems.
 
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