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38 shot

spasmcreek
picked up a new pink lady cheap & wondered if the 38 shot would be OK for wife to use to carry in car, either all or mix with 38 special...i know this is not as big a bang as the 410 revolver but is smaller & lighter & would save $$$ over buying a taurus 410 shot revolver
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • iwannausername
    The shot loads are barely effective on snakes, etc. just a few feet away.

    If you are worried about recoil, etc. then I'd buy 2 packages of Glaser Safety Slugs. Have her shoot one of 'em up to see how little it kicks, use the second package for carry.
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  • bpost
    Shot is almost useless in a 38 past six feet.
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  • gary wray
    spasmcreek...38 shot shells are only good for little critters like mice and snakes at about 10', not the two legged kind. If, and when, one makes the serious decision to use a weapon one wants to make sure that one uses the correct ammo to finish the deal, and 38 shotshells are certainly not that. Saving money should also not be an issue when a life is at stake either, IMHO. I also carry a 38 from time to time and it is loaded either with Corbon 38+p's, Winchester XST's or Black Talons, all HP. All are also expensive, but I only have one life and the one time I have to use my weapon I want to seal the deal. My shotshells sit in a Taurus 38 on my workbench for the snakes and such. You have selected a good pistol so I would take the wife out and let her practice with some light 38 loads to get the feel and comfort with the recoil. Practice makes perfect. Good luck!
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  • beantownshootah
    .38 shot is not effective as a defensive load against people, and its a bad idea to try and use it as such for multiple reasons:

    a. Blind an attacker, and you're potentially looking at a bad lawsuit.

    b. Hit them anywhere OTHER than the eyes and the shot will at BEST be totally worthless, and at worst just anger the attacker.

    c. If the attacker is wearing sunglasses or turns their head at the last second, your shot is worthless.


    If the recoil of ordinary .38s is too much, the "cure" is more practice. Barring that, you can try light target wadcutter loads. Although weak, those are still going to be better than any shot load, any .22, any .25, etc
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  • nmyers
    Yeah, the guys are right about commercially loaded shotshells.

    But, I rolled my own shotshells, using #7 1/2 shot, & found that this load is quite effective on rattus rattus out to 20'. I think it might be worth considering for a less-experienced shooter, but only if you load the cylinder so that the shotshell will be the first round, followed by 4-5 rounds of serious ammo.

    Neal
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  • DRP-AZ
    The 110gr defense loads recoil lightly and are effective.
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  • dakotashooter2
    Keep in mind that 38 caliber shot loads contain #12 shot which isn't a whole lot larger than sand and about 1/2300 of an ounce. Even if you get penetration on a human target it may not reach the vitals or cause much more that might be equivalent to a nasty rash. Also keep in mind that in this day and age any baguy is likely to be doped up further increasing the need for massive trauma and a wound that is going to do more than look ugly and bleed. I'm personally not even a big fan of the 410 in a judge as a SD weapon. You might note that a "special" load has been developed specifically for that gun/purpose which indicates to me that even the manufacturers realized it isn't as an effective SD weapon as they promote it to be. I've shot enough 410 to know it's limitations. I looked at one the other day and it is bigger than my 4" tracker in 41 mag and doesn't have the balance.

    From my experience with people I have taught to shoot noise has been a bigger cause of the flinch factor than recoil.Most can handle a pretty good sized gun if they don't have to deal with the good sized noise that comes with it.
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  • asphalt cowboy
    quote:Originally posted by dakotashooter2
    Even if you get penetration on a human target it may not reach the vitals or cause much more that might be equivalent to a nasty rash.

    My father worked and incidence years ago where two friends? were leaving a bar, both of them arguing over one thing or another.
    When they got to their car one pulled a revolver and shot the other across the roof of the car with a 38 loaded with rat shot.
    As dad put it he hit him "right square 'tween the nipples". The guy bled like a stuck pig and swore up and down he was die'n. Had to have burned like livin' 'ell, but the shot was nowhere near fatal.
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  • ruger41
    If recoil is an issue then get her to the range as much as possible, otherwise the money you spent on the gun will be worthless as she will not want to shoot it nor shoot it correctly. All but the most feeble should be able to handle 110 grain non plus + loads--or even the 148 grain full wadcutter. 148 grain wadcutters are very light to shoot and will punch a nice hole in paper or a man. My wife who is a novice shooter can handle either my Taurus 850 snubbie or my Colt Army Special 5" barrel when loaded with either of those loads with no difficutly.
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  • 11b6r
    CCI .38 Special SHOT loads have #7 and a half shot- #12 is used for .22 RF shot loads. And as everyone has said, NOT for a defense load.
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