Would you trust your life to a .38 special?

[tinygnat219]

Yup,
Especially when you consider the ammo versatility of the round. One can pick up everything from 110 Grain JHP to 158 Grain LSWC rounds.

 

[ArmedBear]

I know a number of old cops, and none of them ever had a particular problem with trusting good .38 Special rounds.

The development of the .357, 10mm, etc. had more to do with penetrating obstacles than effectiveness when used directly against a human attacker at close range. Arguably, that makes them worse choices for home defense than their predecessors, not better ones.

The development of the .44 Magnum was for handgun hunting.

Remember: regardless of caliber, a firearm is a defensive weapon, not a magic death ray.

 

[Big Bill]

Great comment AB!

 

[8830]

I trust one. It's all I carry and re-load for.

 

[KBintheSLC]

would you trust your life to a .38 special

Yes... I trust my life to the five .38 Special's that are in my gun right now.

 

[Ky Larry]

I used to. My wife "confiscated" my .38 Detective Special. I load 6.8gr of AA#5 under a 140gr Speer JHP for it. I'd like to get another Dick Spl for myself. I never feel undergunned with a .38Spl snubbie.

 

[336A]

I trust one. It's all I carry and re-load for.

Huh small world as that is the same for me. I do reload for the .44 mag but that is for a Marlin rifle. I don't and own a .44 mag handgun and have no plans for one in the future either. My most shot and often carried handguns are a S&W M60 and S&W Heavy Barrel 4" M10, both in a Simply Rugged pancake holster

 

[Deaf Smith]

Kylean,

Sure I'd trust it with my life, but trust it or not you can always get into a situation your trusty roscoe can't cope with. It don't matter if it's a .44 magnum, Glock 10mm, .38 snub, P3AT, whatever.

The better .38 special loads are decent loads. Sure there are better, and even better guns to shoot fast with. But if you are skilled, keep your wits about you, most importantly keep aware enought to see it coming, you will be fine..... most of the time.

Even with my Glock 26 and Winchester +P+ 127s, and all the classes, IDPA, etc.. I've had using that Glock 26 (yes used 26's in most of my training and competition, at least at local level) I can still run into a stiuation that 26 just can't cope with.

That's the way life is. But I will say your 686, with +P .38s, will do for most SD situations, IF YOU ARE GOOD!

If you are not good, better get a belt fed machinegun son!

Deaf

 

[hardworker]

I really think too many people are forgetting that we're talking self defense, not offensive operations.

 

[skoro]

One of my EDC weapons is a S&W 642. Both of my HD weapons are loaded with 38+P. I feel well protected.

 

[joed]

While in the ARMY stationed overseas my life depended on a .38 Spl, I never felt under gunned. In fact I liked the .38 more then the .45 acp. The .45's I shot in the service were horribly inaccurate, I'd rather have a hit then a near hit.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

seemed to work fine for 100 years or so now,

so YES

anything is better then a sharp rock tied to a stick


ill take my dads old SW MOD 10-5 every now and then , this is was his carry gun when he was on the force many years ago,

 

[augustino]

Well I read somewhere, can't remember how long ago, but do remember reading that as per FBI studies more people each year are killed with 22 LR caliber than all others combined.
Now this didn't count or include WAR scenarios of course.

So based upon these findings, together with the gazillion or so articles I've read while trying to decide upon the absolutely, best ever made, no mistakes sure to stop anyone even HULK caliber I should get...
I guess shot placement is what counts.

So if caught in dire straights with no way out alive other than to use a firearm, I guess I'd try to muster up everything inside of me and place any/all shots fired in crucial areas.

Now with that said I think that I wuld more than trust my life to any of these, the 45 ACP; 357 MAG; 38+P; 9MM+P. But this is NOT sayiing that there aren't other calibers that if placed well wouldn't or couldn't do the same degree of damage. Heck a 380 can be pretty mean but I'm not going to spend my limited firearm money on a 380 when I can get a 9MM.

So for me the bottom line is SHOTS PLACED CORRECTLY. After all if you miss with a 45, it's not much good.

 

[wcwhitey]

Yes, Yes and Yes! No issue with it at all. Bill

 

[BHP FAN]

Armed Bear said ''Remember: regardless of caliber, a firearm is a defensive weapon, not a magic death ray...''

I'm stealing that!

 

[monwa]

Don't own one but I would trust it all day (and night) long.

I wouldn't want to face one it I was a bad guy.

 

[gun guy]

i carry 2 weapons on assignment. a model 23 glock in 40 s&w and a colt diamondback snubbie in 38 spec. its not a back up gun, it's a secondary weapon (there is a big difference). i just stoked it today with new carry ammo. hornady critcal defense 110gr +P would i bet my life on it? i wouldn't carry it if i couldn't.

 

[easyg]

Well I read somewhere, can't remember how long ago, but do remember reading that as per FBI studies more people each year are killed with 22 LR caliber than all others combined.

But what such studies don't tell you is how ineffective the .22LR was at quickly stopping an attacker, especially when fired from a handgun.

What good does it do me if the attacker dies in a hospital operating room three hours after he has chopped me up with a machete?

 

[Manco]

But what such studies don't tell you is how ineffective the .22LR was at quickly stopping an attacker, especially when fired from a handgun.

All handgun calibers are ineffective in stopping attackers unless they hit something vital, which depends on penetration and luck. Luck is what mostly comprises shot placement, and is improved substantially by skill and just a little bit by larger bullets (and even then, only on a per round basis).

What good does it do me if the attacker dies in a hospital operating room three hours after he has chopped me up with a machete?

If he really wanted to chop you up badly enough, then there is no handgun caliber that could stop such an attack quickly enough without the right shot placement, and with it, any caliber will do as long as it has sufficient penetration. Your odds are slightly better with a larger caliber--per round--but that's the extent of it, because the same principles apply to all handgun calibers. In such a dire scenario, the most important thing would be to accurately shoot as many bullets into the attacker as necessary, as quickly as you can. Looking at this issue on the whole, for some people the maximum defensive handgun effectiveness may be achieved with larger calibers, and for others it may be achieved with smaller calibers that they can handle significantly better.

 

[JoelSteinbach]

The idea is to know your weapon, and the round your shooting 158 gr 38 specials can be devestating when placed properly

 

[Hammerdown77]

All I care about is whether or not the bullet will go to, and through the spine if I shoot someone from the front. That's my "FBI penetration test". If the bullet will do that, I don't care what caliber it is.

 

[BullSkater]

I have shot a lot of animals with many guns and have found that it is the bullet selection that makes a big difference. I killed a couple deer that were hit by cars with a 38 snub and three with a 380. The 38 worked a lot better. Now my 44sp Charter Arms with Waddcutters is what I use.

 

[S&Wfan]

Lots of moderators and seasoned handgunners have weighed in with a resounding YES . . . and I'll add to that clear shout.

Heck yes! I own handguns in most all calibers and have won over 100 matches through the years. My favorite calibers for self defense remain .45ACP, .357 and .40S&W BUT . . .

NONE of those three are what I've got in my pocket right now. Nope . . . my "ALWAYS" bet my life on it" handgun truly has to be the one in my pocket, for it is always with me, and what good is ANY flamethrower if it is too big to be with you when trouble comes knocking?

Thus, the handgun MOST LIKELY to be in my hand if trouble comes . . . is a S&W Model 37 .38 Special "Airweight" snubbie. I feel quite well armed with that perfect SD choice!

Ammo? The most .38 Spl. ammo I have on hand currently is 38 Spec. +P 158gn. LSWC-HP . . . the "classic" FBI load that works so well on the STREETS with bad guys possibly being behind cover and/or in a car. BUT . . . for DEFENSIVE purposes . . .

The ammo in my M37 currently is 148gn. flat nose lead wadcutter . . . a soft-kicking, low flash, super accurate load that truly cuts a deep wound in flesh and is less likely to deflect in the body vs. hollowpoints. Flat nose bullets cut clean holes that are less likely to instantly close back up like a round nose bullet, and flat nose bullets are devastating as hunting rounds. Just as important indoors, the flat wadcutters won't overpenetrate walls and doors and travel beyond your target and possible kill a loved one a couple of rooms away.

Yep . . . both my wife and I both trust our lives to our trusty Model 37s in .38 Special. Easy to shoot, faster making followup shots with great accuracy, and very low muzzle flash (most attacks happen at night and you don't want to be blinded by a hot .357 Mag blast).

 

[GGF]

"Lots of moderators and seasoned handgunners have weighed in with a resounding YES . . . and I'll add to that clear shout"
S&Wfan

Add another 38spl CCW fan to the list. I have a Mod 64 4 inch HB that's loaded with the Federal Nyclad rounds and that has been a traveling companion for many years.

As the former poster says"...bet my life on it" handgun truly has to be the one in my pocket, for it is always with me, ... " the gun you have with you beats the one that's to big to carry.

GGF

 

[shockwave]

You bet! My 686+ is loaded with Corbon DPX .38spl. Another .357 is loaded with .38spl+P JHP. I've got lots of .357 and train with it, but for general HD these are solid loads I can fire fast and accurately.