KG,
What velocity does a snub get in 38 especiale with 158gr bullets?
My 2.25" SP101 only gets 1050 fps with various factory 357 self defense loads with 158gr bullets. IIRC, my G26 gets 900-950 fps with a 147gr bonded Ranger. The 158gr and 147gr seem close enough in the grand scheme of things.
The difference for me, is that the 9mm is more accurate than the 357 SP101 (double action mode) and follow-up shots are much faster. The PM9 was also easier to shoot than any snub I've tried. A 38 would be more manageable but I thought velocities were more like 750-800 fps.
