Originally Posted by BamBam
Originally Posted by USSR1991
Originally Posted by gitem_12
Originally Posted by USSR1991
Originally Posted by night_owl
For many decades American cops carried weak 38 Special RN rounds in nice quality revolvers - good guns and usually effective.
Hot 380 ball probably penetrates better than those old 38s.


Uh, NO! There's a little thing called SD (Sectional Density). It's a really simple calculation that compares a bullet's weight to its diameter and is a huge determinate of penetration. Here, the .380 fails miserably. A 90 grain .355" bullet has a SD of .102, while a 95 grain bullet is only .108. By comparison, a 40 grain .22 bullet is .115 and the "lowly" 158 grain .357" bullet has a respectable SD of .177. You guys carry a .380 if you are so inclined, but just don't fool yourself into thinking it's more than a mediocre choice for self defense. Just MHO.

Don


actually I think there is a number of recorded in did encryption where the 158 RN 38 load failed miserably


SD does not take bullet shape into consideration. So, a .357" round nose 158 grain bullet has the exact same SD as a 158 grain SWC bullet. Since the round nose bullet in .38 Special has been supplanted for all practical purposes by the SWC and other designs, that's just one more reason why today's .38 Special is a better choice than the .380 for self defense.

Don


As a New York City detective, back in the mid-80s to early 90s in Brooklyn New York my brother, had a total of six shoot outs, on the books, four hits 3DOA,158 federal/Winchester swchp. At the time that round worked for him, as [bleep] as it was.


The 158swc has no flies on it. it was a huge step up from the lrn

The government plans these shootings by targeting kids from kindergarten that the government thinks they can control with drugs until the appropriate time--DerbyDude


Whatever. Tell the oompa loompa's hey for me. [/quote]. LtPPowell