38 Special RD for Self Defense

[m1ashooter]

What rd do you recommend for self-defense? I'm now carrying a wheel gun as I hate the striker fire triggers and my 1911 is too heave. I can't slip a smaller 1911 into the safe.

[blkgunlvr]

There are a lot of good options in self-defense ammo, including some new offerings specifically tailored for use in snubbies. I assume your carry revolver is a snub-nose? Because my Ruger LCR is +P, I fuel it with these Magtech 125gr if I carry it.

[Jim11B20]

My wife carries a S&W Bodyguard hammerless 38 and those Magtechs are what she uses. I've got a Taurus M38 snubby and I've got Hornady Critical Defense in it.

[VanHahner]

Unless you reload, I'd get it in 9mm, which is a whole lot cheaper than 38 special ammo, and just as powerful if not more so, they both shoot a 35 Cal. projectile !

"38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm"

[Tarheel Trooper]

Get yourself a Sig 365 and load it with 124gr +P Speer Gold Dots. It is striker fired, but the trigger pull is amazing. It is a sub compact masterpiece that shoots like a full size gun.

If you're dead set on 38 special, I'd load 158 grain semi wad cutters if I couldn't find +P Gold Dots.

[58COOP]

If you reload another option is the good old 148 gr wadcutter. And if you have any of the old SPEER HB wadcutters you can load them backwards.
As far as factory goes any of the ones mentioned above will do the job.

[m1ashooter]

Thanks Van. I've got two striker fire 9mm and I just hate the triggers.

[30calflash]

My EDC for over 20 years was a S&W 442 with 158 gr LSWCHP's by Winchester or Remington. Also known as the FBI load. Carrying the same now in a 2" Ruger LCR.

It expands well in 4" barrels, somewhat less from a 2" but penetrates better due to less expansion. Long track record of performance. Next would be the Speer Gold Dot, they make a load for 2" revolvers but it's been hard to find lately.

HTH, 30CF.

[Autoguns]

Gold dots are good rounds . I sometimes carry a 640 with them in 357. I think the rounds in the picture are hydra-shocks .