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Just purchased a J frame .38 special 442. What ammo do you guys recommend for SD? Are the +p a waist with such a short barrel. I use Corbon 158 gr.(i think)Hp's in my Kimber...............Ed

Looking at some other forums, there seems to be a number of choices.
Although, that is a nice looking gun,
Haka

I like the Speer Gold Dot brand of ammo real well. You might give them a test and see how you like them.

For carry ammo, I use Speer Gold Dot 135grain CDHP in +P. For practice some 148 grain SWC handloads. Do not shoot it a lot as it ain't no target gun. Every now and then at the range we will shoot 2 o3 cylinders full and maybe a cylinder of 158 grain jacketed round nose factory loads of some kind or another.

For carry I use the Hornady Home Defense ammo. For the 38spl they have 125gr std and P+ loads. I like the idea they were design to release all of there energy in the person your hitting and not keep going hitting bystanders. These are not quite as powerful as the Gold Dot's when it come to the FBI test.

I bought Remington 125gr JHP +P when I bought the 442. Did some looking around at velocities, etc, it seems that a good 125gr JHP .38 load would work about as well. I reload those. I'm thinking about 158gr hp .38 special loads.

I wonder if 158gr semiwadcutters wouldn't work pretty well. That's what I take to the range with the 442.

I've had good luck with hyrashoks, gold dots, nd golden sabers....... find what yours likes the best and go with it. all the good hollowpoits are pretty much equal in performance on target so use what gets on target best.

a 158 lswc isn't bad but it won't open p as much and do as much damage it will penetrate quite well

I too, have been wondering about the best ammo for the J-frame. I just picked up a box of the big 158 gr. +P at the gun show, but am not quite sold on the 158 or the +P. I used to carry the Federal Hydroshock stuff, but now am loaded with the newer Hornady rounds.

As far a +P stuff, I own some and have shot some, but just have never loaded it for carry. I must have some mental block about keeping the muzzle down for a second shot or something. Also, I keep 3 J-frames around the house and my wife is decent with the standard pressure stuff so I have never moved up.

Another thing to consider is the time of year. Does anybody on here change ammo to compensate for layers of clothing? I never have, but am certainly open to it.

Oh yeah, meant to post this link. Some of the info may be somewhat "dated", but some may be useful--especially those on the "links" page.


http://www.snubnose.info/

radio wrote:I too, have been wondering about the best ammo for the J-frame. I just picked up a box of the big 158 gr. +P at the gun show, but am not quite sold on the 158 or the +P. I used to carry the Federal Hydroshock stuff, but now am loaded with the newer Hornady rounds.

As far a +P stuff, I own some and have shot some, but just have never loaded it for carry. I must have some mental block about keeping the muzzle down for a second shot or something. Also, I keep 3 J-frames around the house and my wife is decent with the standard pressure stuff so I have never moved up.

Another thing to consider is the time of year. Does anybody on here change ammo to compensate for layers of clothing? I never have, but am certainly open to it.

Summer I carry the J, winter is easier to conceal and caytty the Micro 19111 with winter ammo, CorBon Powerball.