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Best defense load for the 38 Special

Alleno
Just wondering what everyone thinks the best load for a 38 Spc is for defense. I realize that this isn't the BEST caliber, but my home gun must also meet the needs of my much smaller and recoil sensitive wife, thus the 38 Spc in a ruger police service six with a 4 inch barrel is our choice. Also I carry a snubby with a 2 inch barrel, and would appreciate load opinons for this one as well. For ease I perfer both loads to be the same. Currently I use a Winchester 158gr Lead Semi-wadcutter hollow point +P, this is accurate in both guns, recoil is acceptable and I think the ballistics is about as good as they get, especially in the 4 inch. Just wondering if there is a new jacketed load that can beat this one.
Thanks


Alleno
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • leeblackman
    Federal, Winchester, and Remington all make quality ammunition ideal for self defense. Federal makes a 129gr hydrashock +P cartridge that is a little pricey but I favor. Winchester makes a 100gr silvertip hollowpoint that is a little easier on recoil.
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  • bigdog1
    You can get fancier loads , but I doubt if you could have picked a better one for your .38's. FBI used it for years and years in their 3" model 13's. It also was the load that put a fatal, and final, stop to the Miami shootout some years back. For all around use I'd stick with it...In a Wichester or Federal factory load. Cor-Bon makes a hot 1000 fps load with that same bullet, but it is rated +P+. Great load if you can handle the recoil... It is pretty stout in a 2-incher... Just my .02....
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  • Mobuck
    If you want quick expansion with not much penetration I would go with Win. 125 silvertip hp +p in the .38.

    Mobuck
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  • Alleno
    Thanks for the input guys, with your input in mind, it seems like the 158+p LSWCHP is a pretty good choice.
    Thanks


    Alleno
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  • king999
    A very effective load, especially good for the "recoil-challenged" is the hollow base wadcutter, loaded BACKWARDS over 3.0 gr Bullseye (or equivalant). Accuracy not great beyond 50 ft, but more than adequate for close confrontation.
    Morty
    Have fun, be careful!
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  • trstone
    How about Glaser Safety Slugs?
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  • gunnut505
    The Service 6 is strong enough to handle a daily diet of +P+ ammo from any maker. Older 38's are not built to handle the higher pressures of hotter loads, but Rugers aren't any of them.

    That wadcutter load is certainly good enough to penetrate a car door, the perp inside, and then go sailing through anything else behind him; I'd only worry about overpenetration with a lead-only projectile.
    Mag-safe makes an excellent defense round for 38 Special, as do Glasers with the blue top.

    If you know it all; you must have been listening.WEAR EAR PROTECTION!
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  • Txs
    What you're already loading is an outstanding round with a long established track record. It also makes you look good if your choice of ammunition ever comes up in civil court. You don't want to be using anything exotic or homebrewed in your defensive handgun and what you're carrying has long been a nationwide standard for LEO use. As the attorney will want to tell the jury, you had this handgun in hopes of getting to shoot someone and loaded exotic specialty ammunition to, "make it a more efficient killing machine". This ammo defuses that argument, but is also very effective.

    My next .38 Spl. choice, especially if I'm using a snubby, is a full wadcutter. Low recoil and low penetration, but it's a flying cookie cutter.
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