Lets talk snubbie/.38 BUG loads.

[CT-Copper]

[QUOTE=9mmepiphany;18391620]The Speer 135gr Gold Dot was developed for a large department (they won't say who) to optimally perform in the 1.875" barrels of S&W J-frames.

The Speer 135gr Gold Dot SB was developed for and in collaboration with the NYPD. Prior to the GD round the NYPD had issued the Federal Nyclad load for snub and full sized duty revolvers with good results. Even though they had transitioned to the semi auto in 94 for duty pistols, alot of members carried snub-nosed J-frames for off duty and BUGS and the GD round was developed and adopted many years after they had moved away from the 38 wheel as a duty gun. They have had great results with the GD load and it is probably the best 38 snub round out there. Even though it is a short barrel round, it is the duty round for the few (very few) officers left grandfathered to carry the wheel gun with 4" barrel as a duty gun. They have reported that it works equally as well in that platform.

[deadcoyote]

I also use a 642 for a BUG, I use a 148 grain jhp load designed for snub barrel. I'll look at the box when I get home for brand.

[deadcoyote]

Sorry, hornady custom short barrel 158 grain xtp

[ChrisO]

The hornady XTP rounds seem to do pretty well in other calibers so I'm sure the .38 rounds perform well.

[Rico911]

135 gr Speer Gold Dot. Search it on youtube. Lots of guys doing ballistic gel tests in many popular rounds/calibers.

[Mac Attack]

Buffalo Bore standard velocity158 LSWCHP aka the renowned FBI load is what I carry in my Colt revolvers. Tests I have seen on YouTube show good expansion and deep penetration. It doesn't kick at all and has no apparent flash. Nothing beats a real lead bullet.

[417atty]

I carried duty rounds in my j-frame when it was my back up gun... Winchester 110 gr +P+ semi-jacketed hollow points. After retiring I loaded up with Remington 158 gr +P LSWC hollow points. The 158 gr hits closer to my point of aim than the 110 gr.

Someday, I'll try Speer Gold Dot 135 gr +P short-barrel rounds.

[CT-Copper]

[QUOTE=417atty;18408877]I carried duty rounds in my j-frame when it was my back up gun... Winchester 110 gr +P+ semi-jacketed hollow points. After retiring I loaded up with Remington 158 gr +P LSWC hollow points. The 158 gr hits closer to my point of aim than the 110 gr.

The 110 gr +P+ was the old "Treasury Load". Alot of agencies in the revolver days issued this round in the hopes that it would give them .357 Mag performance without the stigma or controversy of carring the .357. In this regard, it usually did not live up to this expectation.

As stated, the 158 gr + P LSWCHP was the "FBI Load" and is another good performer out of the snub nosed J-frame.

After the 86 FBI Miami shootout, the FBI was very concerned about penetration and switched to the Federal Hydra-Shok 147 gr +P+ load for the 38. It was the last authorized 38 load by the FBI before they phased out revolvers completely. Dont know much about the load, but the online reviews are not stellar for what its worth.

[TrailerparkTrash]

Try Speer Gold Dot "short barrel" .38 Spl +P 135g gdhp

I don't find the recoil especially a problem for getting back on target.

It's the BEST round currently made for a 2" revolverr!!! It performs beautifully from a J-frame, SP-101 or Colt detective special.

[Dano3467]

+1 on Goldot 135+P SB

[L-2]

Do check out this thread from another forum, dated 2012:

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4336-BUG-s-380-ACP-vs-38-Sp

For standard pressure .38Sp (non +P) ammo:

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/pistol-ammo-38-special

And find out if the Rangemaster must approve the ammo, perhaps he/they could/should provide the ammo, too.

[leadstorm]

Another vote for the Speer short-barrel loads.

It's the point-designed ammo for the S&W J-frame.

[I Swan]

I like the Remington LSWCHP +P load but what is the best current load for non plus P? I prefer a non plus P load in certain older or airweight guns. 110gr non plus P Silvertip?

[CinnamonBear723]

I use the 125 grain hornady .38s in my airweight. I use the bullets that come in the pink box with the pink tipped rounds. I call them the breast cancer awareness rounds. I always just thought it would be kinda funny to shoot someone with a pink bullet. They are also "lite" rounds so the recoil is much softer so they serve a practical purpose as well.

[flyer898]

Until I took the MAG-40 course from Massad Ayoob, I carried a handloaded 110 gr. Sierra JHC over a load of Dupont PB that gave 1079 fps average from the 1 7/8 bbl. on my S&W 337. Now I am carrying Winchester 110 gr. +P+ Law Enforcement loads (as described by two others on this thread). Both loads are controllable, albeit painful to shoot. I expect the recoil is directly related to the muzzle velocity and weight of the bullet leaving the barrel. My goal was to have a muzzle velocity of 1000+ fps for reliable expansion. 15 years ago when I was choosing the load for this pistol, I tried all of the factory self-defense loads on the market - only one of them broke 800 fps.

It is time to bust out the chronograph and see about the current state of ammunition.