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Choosing .38 Special Ammo For Self-Defense By Patrick Sweeney

Which .38 Special ammo will save your life? Patrick Sweeney gives you the inside edge.

What you need to know about.38 Special ammo:

  • Developed in 1898.
  • Primary law enforcement service cartridge from 1920s to 1990s.
  • Regained popularity due to small concealable revolvers.
  • Snubbies knock off around 100 fps of muzzle velocity.
  • +P ammunition does not function well out of snubbies.
  • Hotter loads are generally easier to shoot out of larger revolvers.
  • Poly-case ammunition and copper solids offer excellent penetration.

The .38 was invented in the late 19th century, given up for dead in the latter half of the 20th, and resurrected by the time the 21st rolled around. It is now a viable choice for those who feel a compact carry gun is more important than shooting through cars.

If it wasn’t for the yaw, there’d be not much of a wound track at all. The old lead .38, the great perforator.
If it wasn’t for the yaw, there’d be not much of a wound track at all. The old lead .38, the great perforator.

The original load, a lead round-nose 158-grain bullet, was marginal as a stopper. It was earth-shattering in 1898, when invented, but even before WWII we knew better.
It just took a long time to develop something better and get it out where it could be tested.

Two inches, single action, 25 yards, with Critical Defense 110-grain FTX bullets. Any complaints? I thought not.
Two inches, single action, 25 yards, with Critical Defense 110-grain FTX bullets. Any complaints? I thought not.

One aspect of a .38 Special revolver that people might have forgotten is accuracy. Revolvers can be amazingly accurate, and a quality DA revolver delivers all of that.
You do, however have a few choices to make, choices that will determine your path in life.

A snub-nosed revolver is a joy to carry. It can, however, be a beast to shoot well. The smaller and lighter it is, the harder it is to shoot well, and the less fun it will be to shoot. Keep that in mind when picking a defensive handgun.
A snub-nosed revolver is a joy to carry. It can, however, be a beast to shoot well. The smaller and lighter it is, the harder it is to shoot well, and the less fun it will be to shoot. Keep that in mind when picking a defensive handgun.

Medium-sized revolvers, the six-shot wheelguns and those with 3- or 4-inch barrels, are a lot easier to shoot and deliver the ballistics you want.

Ammo Choices

Choices for .38 Special ammo breaks down in a three-axis decision making tree. Light weight bullets or heavy? Jacketed bullets or lead? Standard pressure or +P?

The Hornady Critical Defense line is meant to offer good performance without beating up the shooter. Don’t fault it for that.
The Hornady Critical Defense line is meant to offer good performance without beating up the shooter. Don’t fault it for that.

In lightweight bullets, you have high speed and normal. A high speed would be something like the Super Vel Super Snubbie load, which features a 90-grain bullet at over 1,200 real fps out of a snubbie, and recoil to go with it.
A lightweight .38 Special ammo choice that won’t punish you would be the Hornady Critical Defense, or Critical Defense Lite. These are 110-grain bullets and they do not get to 1,000 fps out of a 2-inch barrel. They are easy to shoot, but they will not deliver performance like the stouter loads. You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get.

This is what extreme velocity does for you, expansion from a 90-grain bullet that practically turns it inside-out.
This is what extreme velocity does for you, expansion from a 90-grain bullet that practically turns it inside-out.

There are some loads that feature weights less than full but not all the way to light. Generally around 125 to 130 grains, they are compromise loads. They offer more mass for more penetration, but you have to either give up velocity or accept a bit more recoil.
The heavyweights top out at the normal for .38 Special weight, 158 grains. You can have jacketed hollow points, all-lead or lead hollow points.

The combination of a bit more weight and a bit more velocity nets you a lot more performance, but also a noticeable amount of extra recoil.
The combination of a bit more weight and a bit more velocity nets you a lot more performance, but also a noticeable amount of extra recoil.

Pressure is all. The standard pressure limits for the .38 Special are just fine for the snubbies and make for a soft life for the medium-sized revolvers. If you want more you can have it, but you will pay for it, in particular, a +P load in a five-shot snubbie becomes work, or even painful, to shoot. Unless you absolutely need that level of performance (and I can’t imagine how to require it, and not move up in gun size), then live with it.
But, if you want the benefits of extra pressure you need extra barrel length. This makes for EDC problems. A 6-inch .38 revolver might be entirely suitable for a home defense gun. But for Every Day Carry it would be bulky. You need the barrel length to get all the velocity the extra pressure promises.

Polycase ARX

Polycase thought outside the box and this is the result. A sintered, epoxied, fluted bullet that does not need expansion to deliver.
Polycase thought outside the box and this is the result. A sintered, epoxied, fluted bullet that does not need expansion to deliver.

This is a new approach, and we see it working in the .38 Special. It offers barrier perforation, but doesn’t have to expand to stop in the FBI distance. It is super-soft to shoot, but the extra velocity can cause it to hit low, below your usual point of aim, due to barrel lift timing differences.

Old-school

Wadcutters are an anomaly. They offer a full-diameter cutting shoulder, and yet they penetrate as well as anything else out there. A super-soft load to shoot, if you were arming someone who was really recoil sensitive, using wadcutters might be a viable approach. Just be sure they understand they must make use of the tack-driving accuracy that wadcutters offer.

FBI classic

The FBI load is full weight, +P and all-lead. But for expansion like this, you are good. Just don’t expect barrier-blind performance, because lead can’t do that.
The FBI load is full weight, +P and all-lead. But for expansion like this, you are good. Just don’t expect barrier-blind performance, because lead can’t do that.

The FBI load in .38 Special, 158-grain, lead semi-wadcutter, at +P pressures, worked then and works now. It just doesn’t perform well in barrier testing. If you do not anticipate barriers, then you will be happy.

Federal HST .38 Special

Federal took a different approach. They took the old reversed hollow-base wadcutter, put a jacket on it, tuned the jacket for consistent expansion, and then loaded it to normal .38 Special performance, not wadcutter performance. As a result, it delivers every bit of the power a .38 can muster and expands well while doing so.

Honey Badger

The performance of the Honey Badger, a solid copper, fluted bullet at less than robust recoil, seems to have been made for the .38 Special. Even if it does not work out in pistols, I suspect that the Honey Badger load for a backup or snubbie may just be the perfect load of the future.

How to pick?

The FBI load is full weight, +P and all-lead. But for expansion like this, you are good. Just don’t expect barrier-blind performance, because lead can’t do that. Bottom: Above: Even back in the old days, we knew how good the FBI load was. Image courtesy the late Dr. Martin Fackler.
The FBI load is full weight, +P and all-lead. But for expansion like this, you are good. Just don’t expect barrier-blind performance, because lead can’t do that. Bottom: Above: Even back in the old days, we knew how good the FBI load was. Image courtesy the late Dr. Martin Fackler.

What is your carry need? How compact/concealed must you be? Is this a main gun or a backup? How resistant to recoil are you? Be honest with yourself on this one, because no one else is going to take the recoil hit for you.
Then, pack the largest .38 revolver you can comfortably carry and conceal, and use the stoutest load in it that you can comfortably shoot. I know, it sounds like the most basic common-sense advice you’ve ever heard. It surprised even me.

Ammo performance chart:

.38 Special & .38 Special +P
Brand, bullet velocity penetration* expansion
Black Hills Honey Badger 100 gr 982 14.6” .355”
Black Hills Sierra +P 110 gr 945 9.75” .583”
Black Hills Sierra 125 gr +P 873 13.6” .529”
Remington golden Saber 125 +P 767
Black Hills 148 gr WC 689 15.5” .428”
Federal HST 130 gr 834 14” .486”
Hornady FTX Lite 90 gr 1129 8.5” .467”
Hornady FTX 110 gr 833 13” .440”
Hornady FTX+P 110 gr 1031 12” .501”
Hornady 125 gr XTP +P 807 16” .437”
Polycase ARX 77 gr 1059 14.5” .358”
Speer GDHP 135 gr 840 13’ .565”
Super Vel 90 gr 1278 11.5” .574”
Winchester Defend 130 gr +P 939 11.5” .617”
Winchester FBI 158 gr L-SWC+P 799 13” .521”
Hornady XTP 158 gr 758 15” .472”
Corbon FMJ 147 gr 773 27” .357”
CCI Blaser LRN 158 gr 815 25” .358”
Black Hills CNL 158 gr 725
Winchester FMJ RN 130 gr 765 28” .358”
Remington HBWC 148 gr 655 30” .358”
Oregon Trails 148 DEWC 2.7 gr Bullseye 657 36” .358”

*Bare gelatin for expansion and penetration, unless otherwise indicated.

Editor’s Notes: This article is an excerpt from Choosing Handgun Ammo: The Facts That Matter Most for Self-Defense by Patrick Sweeney.

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Born again Cynic! Well I thought it was funny!

My Underachieving Christmas efforts!

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Oops! – Auction for James Bond Walther Blows Up Amid Controversy by MAX SLOWIK

Was this the original Bond Walther? Turns out, that’s up for debate. (Photo: Humbert and Ellis)

What at first appeared to be the original Bond gun was headed for auction later this year at the Humbert and Ellis house, but that auction got canceled. It might just have been a scam. Or at least, an honest mistake.
The auction was for Bond’s first Walther pistol. It appeared to have all the necessary provenance, including a letter from its owner, none other than Bernard Lee. Lee played M in the classic Bond films.
According to the auctioneers, the filmmakers couldn’t get a prop gun on set in time, so he offered his own personal Walther for use. It was a real, working firearm, and as such, was later swapped out.
Lee later gave the gun to a friend, with an enclosed letter.
“Dear Jane, I know you will not accept anything in return for all your help and the kindness that you and John have shown to me throughout these trying times but my conscience will not let it go unrewarded.”
“Enclosed is a small token of my gratitude that I would like your boy to have as and when you see fit,” he continued. “This Walther pistol numbered 149894 is a small piece of 007 history.”
“As you are aware I have played the part of M in several of the James Bond films. The first of these, ‘Doctor No’ contained a scene in which Sean was scolded by myself about his choice of firearm.”
“His Beretta pistol was replaced by a Walther pistol. On the day of the take the pistol that was to be used was not going to be available, so I took into the studio and used for the scene this pistol which I have had for many years.”
“This pistol is there for the first one ever to appear in a James Bond film. Yours very sincerely, John Bernard Lee.”

See Also: Boulder Residents Given 23 Days to ‘Certify’ Assault Weapons or Face Fines, Jail

According to enthusiasts and experts alike, Bond’s first on-screen Walther was with the original PP, not the PPK. (Photo: Humbert and Ellis)

There’s just one question: did Bond first use a Walther PPK in the first film “Dr. No,” or did he use a Walther PP? The debate has people scrambling to pause footage everywhere.
The auction for the handgun, which includes a signed photograph of Sean Connery, the first James Bond, was for a PPK. However, film buffs say that the first Walther Bond picked up on screen was the PP, not the PPK.
Even with the solid provenance, the auction house quietly pulled the offering. “Given such a tide of differing opinion, the only course was to regretfully withdraw it, pending further diligence and investigation. Even the experts cannot agree.”
This may be a real Bond gun, but is it his first Walther? We may never know.

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Well I thought it was funny!

A real Tragedy in Alaska with its latest earthquake!


Sorry but maybe those folks up there need a giggle or two!      Grumpy

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All About Guns Allies Anti Civil Rights ideas & "Friends"

Basket Of Liars & the Division of a Country Ammoland Inc. Opinion by Alan J Chwick & Joanne D Eisen

Death by 1000 Cuts Gun ControlBasket Of Liars & the Division of a Country
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- This may seem to be a dark, angry diatribe, but it is not a call to arms. It is, instead, a call to wait and grow stronger. And, at the same time, it is a call to refuse to compromise with the liars.
Years ago, when most of you were just young pups, gunnies were already being demonized by folks who were afraid of our guns. They called us names because we called out their lies. But they never stopped lying about us and our firearms.

Right now our country is enduring an earthquake of lies. These lies, of commission and omission, are so great and damaging to the culture of freedom that we hold so dear, that there is little solid ground upon which to stand.

After this past midterm election, we remain genuinely amazed that so many fellow Americans could believe the lies, some of which are preposterous on their face. There are limitations to the human psyche, but it appears that upwards of half our population has gone bonkers, and our Republic is being torn apart by the Left Wing Party and the dangerously corrupt Main Street Media (MSM).
The majority of their lies are so obvious that it’s painful to see our fellow countrymen fall for them. And it’s difficult to accept that these countrymen are our family and friends. We don’t recognize them anymore. The unfortunate fact that remains, is that these critters are gullible, and ever eager to follow the smooth talking liars.
There are many people, many of whom we know, who firmly believe that President Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. There are many who think that Justice Kavanaugh is a serial gang rapist. Were they indoctrinated by an evil MSM who colluded with the left? Are our News Media willfully engaged in destroying our nation?
The MSM responds angrily when President Trump calls them out as the enemies of the republic. But, they are intentionally working to take down a duly elected American sitting President, and that does undoubtedly make them enemy number one.

Still, events have not fully unfolded and, we cannot know the future. We must wait patiently. We know that we cannot be disarmed, but we must understand that once violence is unleashed, everything changes.

The years of compromise of laws must end. Congressman Swalwell opened his mouth and admitted the truth about the intent of the left. They propose to forcibly buy back semiautomatic weapons on the way to civilian disarmament.
Molon Labe Swalwell! Come and try to take them, but get to a psychiatrist before you nuke us, and our land.
Will there be a compromise with people like Swalwell? You can bet your sweet bippy there will. After the Trump era, our timid politicians will be happy to keep their jobs by kowtowing to the politics and press of the day.
But we must know that we can never compromise with liars. We must know deep, deep in our bones, that 99% of gun laws are harmful, and usually quite useless.
We need to reflexively know that the Black Market will subvert the promise of a peaceful society, “if only we compromise.” We have been lied to get us to accept the laws that promise a peaceful outcome. These laws will put our names on lists, and the only significant result of them will be a thriving Black Market. The black market is here now, always ready to make a buck.
We must be aware of the many lies told about guns and gun owners. Many of these lies are not so obvious. Instead of an explosion of lies, gun owners have been subjected to a steady stream of smaller lies.
We can’t even begin to know them all. For example, Gary Mauser, a Canadian-American economist wrote an article entitled The Number of Violent Crimes Involving Guns Has Been Exaggerated By An Over-Inclusive Definition Of Gun Crime. If a crime is committed in or outside of the home of a firearm owner, it becomes automatically firearm-related in Canadian statistics. Any researcher who uses those statistics will likely not realize or care that he/she is producing fake conclusions.

Any lawmaker using such false information to propose yet another law will not know or care.

Our gun laws are based on dreams and the lies of the power-mad. According to them, we always need more, because the ones we have don’t work. Say it again, and say it LOUD! “The Black Market is always at the ready.”
We propose a war on GUN LAWS. We recommend a massive reduction of our tens of thousands of gun laws. Gun laws can only label the acquisition, possession, or use, of a weapon as legal or illegal. Laws cannot prevent a criminal, or an insane person, from acquiring, possessing, or using, a weapon.
With all the thousands of local, state, and federal, firearms laws in our country that attempt to keep us safe and under control, why do we still need more? Just asking for a friend! That’s because the LEFT is trying to control us. They seek that complete power.
Gun laws have been designed, from the get-go, to control and destroy our culture. We can legally comply, or we can become felons.

  • How many of us have carried illegally?
  • How many of us are sure we comply with all of our laws?
  • How many of us knowingly don’t or can’t comply?

The left resorts to lies, to manipulate outcomes, that are beneficial to themselves only. But these lies usually result in the destruction of our Rights and the Constitution, and more often then not, they transfer more power to the socialist mob.
The current, and coming, battle is between felonious cowardly liars and We The People. They want to control the US nukes, and luckily, the hard-working Conservative folks are now waking to this harsh reality.
We are to blame. Over the last 45+ years, we let the Left into our schools and media. We accept many of their lies. Too many of us believed that ‘sensible’ gun laws existed, and would help to reduce violence.
The lies were insidious, designed to advance their narrative that we and our guns are dangerous to our families and society. Its difficult for many average persons to know that something, that sounds so reasonable, is a deliberate lie designed to sow suspicion on the very foundation of freedom.
All of us need to be skeptical and always on guard. We must not be shy to be unreasonable and question an intent. We are in the right.
Back and support President Trump, but stay alert and be prepared.


About the Authors:
Alan J Chwick has been involved with firearms much of his life and is the Retired Managing Coach of the Freeport NY Junior (Marksmanship) Club, Division of the Freeport NY Revolver & Rifle Association, Freeport, NY. He has escaped from New York State to South Carolina and is an SC FFL (Everything22andMore.com). – AJChwick@iNCNF.org | TWITTER: @iNCNF
Joanne D Eisen, DDS (Ret.) practiced dentistry on Long Island, NY. She has collaborated and written on firearm politics for the past 30+ years. She has also escaped from New York State but to Virginia. – JoanneDEisen@cs.com

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All About Guns

An American Classic Winchester Model 71 in the hard to find caliber .348 Win.

Winchester - Model 71 Custom Rifle Nice Bore Orig. Bluing 1936 - Picture 1
Image result for Winchester Model 71
I added these other pictures for better clarification
Image result for Winchester Model 71
Winchester - Model 71 Custom Rifle Nice Bore Orig. Bluing 1936 - Picture 5
Winchester - Model 71 Custom Rifle Nice Bore Orig. Bluing 1936 - Picture 10


 

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A Black powder Lyman Great Plains Rifle in 54 Ball

It always amazes me on how it is with these Old Time Charcoal Burners. With how accurate & hard hitting they are!


Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32
Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32
Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32
Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32
Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32
Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32
Lyman - Great Plains Rifle, Blue 32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Another story about Monica L

I actually feel sorry for her but she needs to get some help and move on. Other wise your nothing but a Drama Queen Grumpy
https://youtu.be/bYFxvOc9gyQImage result for Secret Service Officer that Kicked Out Lewinsky Responds to New Documentary
 

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A really cool looking Colt Junior in caliber .25 A.C.P.

I had a chance to buy one & as usual I didn’t.  Oh well!

Colts Patents Arms Manufacturing Company - Colt Junior 25ACP - Picture 1

Colts Patents Arms Manufacturing Company - Colt Junior 25ACP - Picture 2
Colts Patents Arms Manufacturing Company - Colt Junior 25ACP - Picture 3
Colts Patents Arms Manufacturing Company - Colt Junior 25ACP - Picture 4
Colts Patents Arms Manufacturing Company - Colt Junior 25ACP - Picture 5

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Pearl Harbor Day

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Image result for pearl Harbor Memes funny Yeah I am a bad winner!
Image result for pearl Harbor Memes funny