Which has more stopping power, 9mm or .38 spl?

[355sigfan]

The 380 can't match the penetration and expansion of the 38 snub. SOme 380 loads will expand those that do will not go 12 inches. There are 38 special loads that will expand and penetrate.
Pat

 

[gunfan]

I prefer the .38 S&W Special AND shot placement! If I MUST shoot an autoloader, (for duty use) the .38 Super would be my power "floor". The .380 is a "lightweight" concealment piece, right along with the .32 Auto and my .32 S&W Long revolvers. I prefer either the .45 ACP or the 10mm Auto when I carry a "self shucker" for duty.

Good shootin'

Scott

 

[cookekdjr]

This question is impossible to answer, unless we deal with specific loads.
I consider the 158gr .38 +p LSWCHP (AKA the "FBI load") to be the best .38 load.
What I consider to be the best 9mm load, a 147gr bullet bullet at a slighter higher velocity, virtually duplicates the FBI load's performance.
Either is a great man-stopper at a low level of recoil.
-David

 

[CZ-100]

I find it interesting that the bullet "de jour" for the 9mm is the 147 grainer(based primarily on clothed gelatin testing). Just a 9x19 copy of the old FBI .38+P load.

The only advantage that the 9 has over the .38 is mag capacity and just how important is that?

Very.. when there are 9 Zombies heading my way Ill take the 9mm, most like it will have at least 10 shots, so after my 9 head shots Ill have one left...

 

[Greybeard]

FWIW, another ballistics junkie buddy and I had the chronograph set up late yesterday checking some long gun loads and I decided to burn the present 6+1 "carry loads" in the Kahr PM-9. The 7-shot string of 124 grain (standard pressure 9mm) Speer Gold Dots averaged 1041 fps.

Not bad from the short little short tube! This looked especially good after I went back and checked prior notes with .38 125 grain Gold Dots thru the Smith 340. They managed only 785 fps out of the 1 7/8" pipe.

 

[Manedwolf]

Speer has a new Gold Dot 9mm Short Barrel out now, apparently optimized for the "wundernines" like the Kahr and Rohrbach.

No idea as to what the ballistics look like for those.