P. Plainsman
Member
Got a box of the well-regarded "FBI load" for .38 Special +P -- namely, a 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter hollowpoint -- manufactured by Winchester. It shot fine in my medium frame .357 revolvers, with mellow recoil.
However, it was far too smoky. Big billowing swirl of fumes from the gun with each shot. One cylinder full was enough to cloud up my booth until the breeze dispersed it (I only shoot outdoors now, for a reason I'll disclose in a moment). The dirtiness of the Win FBI load, compared to both the cheap Federal FMJ and the pricey Federal and Hornady JHPs I was shooting for the rest of the session, was simply drastic.
I refuse to shoot that ammo again.
I got a bout of acute lead poisoning several months ago, which I believe was caused by shooting in a poorly ventilated indoor range. I switched to outdoor shooting and jacketed bullets, and my symptoms gradually disappeared. I never want to feel like that again.
You can't tell me that smoke cloud produced by the FBI load, with its bare, soft lead bullet, doesn't entail a whole lot more airborne lead than jacketed rounds. I have the same negative view of smoky LRN cowboy action loads.
Forget it. Only jacketed ammo for me (and only outdoor ranges, except on very rare occasions). If I take up handloading, the same rules will apply: FMJ, JHP and JSP bullets only.
However, it was far too smoky. Big billowing swirl of fumes from the gun with each shot. One cylinder full was enough to cloud up my booth until the breeze dispersed it (I only shoot outdoors now, for a reason I'll disclose in a moment). The dirtiness of the Win FBI load, compared to both the cheap Federal FMJ and the pricey Federal and Hornady JHPs I was shooting for the rest of the session, was simply drastic.
I refuse to shoot that ammo again.
I got a bout of acute lead poisoning several months ago, which I believe was caused by shooting in a poorly ventilated indoor range. I switched to outdoor shooting and jacketed bullets, and my symptoms gradually disappeared. I never want to feel like that again.
You can't tell me that smoke cloud produced by the FBI load, with its bare, soft lead bullet, doesn't entail a whole lot more airborne lead than jacketed rounds. I have the same negative view of smoky LRN cowboy action loads.
Forget it. Only jacketed ammo for me (and only outdoor ranges, except on very rare occasions). If I take up handloading, the same rules will apply: FMJ, JHP and JSP bullets only.