HD ammo question for wife

[Rob454]

Would Winchester .38 Special 110 gr HP Silvertip ammo be good enough for HD situation. I'm in a dilemma because she doesn't like any of the +P or 357 magnum ammo. So Im trying to find the lowest recoil ammo that still has some beans. I really don't want to start reloading at this time.
She keeps telling me to get her a .22 and I will but i simply don't think a 22 will be good enough for HD and I keep telling her that. Am I wrong to think a 22 is inadequate. We are gonna go to the range and rent a 380 and a 22 and shoot some 38 ammo just to see if the first time we shot the 38 ammo was a fluke
Any info is appreciated. I cant find 110 grain ammo anywhere near me. Looks like I may have to order a box to try out

[bigiron]

What model 38 are you talking about?

If it's a snub, espeically a lightweight one, I can see her concern.

If you haven't bought yet, try renting a Model 10 or Model 64 at the range and running some .38 +P 158 grainers through it (the Speer TMJs are a good practice round)...I'm reckoning that should be manageable for her.

A 4-inch .38 loaded with Remington 158 grain +P LSWHP "FBI Load" ammo would make a decent HD revolver for recoil-sensitive shooters.

If she still wants a pistol, try renting an XD/Glock in 9mm -- probably will be more comfortable for her to shoot than a 380, plus it's more lethal and the ammo is cheaper.

[locosway]

Personally I wouldn't use +p ammo in a home unless you have super long hallways or need to shoot through solid doors.

I use a 10mm as my HD gun, and the rounds are a slow 1050fps. I don't want to over-penetrate, which can easily happen. Also, most SD shootings happen within 10', not 10 yards. Chances are that you'll encounter someone at home that's more than 10' away are slim.

Now, if it was a EDC gun for say a CCW or OC, then I would go with +p because there could be unknown distances and barriers (car doors) involved.

As for the .22, they're deadly, there's no doubt about it. However, this round is not ideal for stopping a determined attacker. Heavy clothing and other issues can prevent this round from penetrating. A .380 is sort of the bottom of the barrel, and will likely lose a lot of energy at distances outside of a home.

I'd rent a .357 with a somewhat heavy frame, and then shoot some soft .38's out of it. This will reduce the muzzle flip and help a little with recoil. Also, you could rent a HK in 9mm. HK's have good recoil reduction, and the 9mm is just a good "man stopper" as is a .45.

[G-forceJunkie]

The lightest .38 target loads are going to be a whole lot better if you wife is comfortable with it and can make the hits. Anything but hits are useless.

[locosway]

Also, you may want to have her do a lot of dry firing, and then load up the cylinders with an empty chamber every so many shots. This why you can see if she's flinching and pulling the gun down. The idea is to not be afraid of the gun. It can't hurt you so long as you're on the proper side.

Grip is very important, and you may want to consider hiring an instructor to go over the basics with her. Teaching family members can be difficult, especially when it's your wife.

[Rob454]

She has already gone through a gun safety course, and actually surprisingly is a pretty good shot. She can stay on paper and stay in a 5-7 inch circle which for a first time shooter i consider it to be pretty good. I was not gonna try to teach her. But yeah she dry fired it and ended up flinching the first time I went with her. Could of been a lot of factors from me and her being out shooting together for the first time to the CROWDED shooting lanes and extra people sharing lanes. it was a mad house that day
The gun is actually a 357 magnum Taurus 605 and its been already purchased a while back. ( we went to a range before purchasing and she shot a 38. The ONLY thing i can think of is they had a underpowered load so it seemed light recoil to her and she was ok with it at the time)

I'm just trying to avoid having to buy yet another gun. If I can find ammo that she feels comfortable with i rather do that than to go buy a 22. if i have to and overall that's what makes her comfortable then ill do it. I guess ill keep the snub nose as a hiking gun. its really a great gun even though at first i was not too crazy about it. I know that seems like a boo thumbs down situation but i just don't want another caliber. The reason I picked the 38/357 caliber is because i have a S&W model 19 and thought having only one caliber to share would be better. ( thinking ahead in case I decide/begin to ever start reloading)

I'm just trying to figure out if 110 grain is good enough for HD. I mean I read and can make a educated decision but if i can get some opinions of people that have shot a 110 grain along with other loads would be great.
Anyway I'm gonna take her to the range tomorrow and we will shoot a few different ones

[locosway]

It's not about the bullet weight, because what you get with a lighter round is a faster round. It's almost like the Bernulli principle of fluid dynamics. Pressure increase, velocity decrease, and visa versa.

If the .357 you have now is for her, then drop some .38's in it and call it a day. Federal HS and HST are great, you can't go wrong with them, and their fps is not all jacked up like the +p's you were looking into.

[Katana]

Ammo selection in .38 Special is very dependent on barrel length. Most non+P HP loads will not expand from barrels under 3".

Winchester or Federal 148 gr Wadcutters produce very soft recoil, have good penetration, and will cut a caliber size hole—which is larger than an un-expanded HP generates.

That being said, the .38 Special 110 gr HPs you mentioned are far superior to using a 22. Relegate any .22 you may acquire to recreational use.


I use these in my 2" S&W 442. They have similar recoil to 158 gr target loads and have excellent penetration:

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=111

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[BoJackUSMC]

how about 9mm caliber from models like Sig, CZ, M&P, or commander size 1911. They are little heaver than average handguns so they tend to have less recoil. I think female with proper handgun training should able to handle 9mm recoil.