Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 38 Special: 125 gr Vs. 158 gr Lead

Not if shooting a pea brain, no it wouldn't matter

Back when we were kids my brother dropped like a rock when he took a BB fired from a Red Ryder square between the eyes.

On your correct point about "penetration..." this is why the "frangible" bullets from companies like Glaser Safety Slugs are not as effective as the hard cast bullets TRH has been touting from Buffalo Bore. The frangibles don't give you the penetration to vital organs you need.

Reload, not $30 a box specialty ammo. That ammo is made with non canister powder, try to make that on your bench.


Impressive though, but is an exception to the rule. The round would have the full diameter meplat which is a good thing, getting it in deep enough is the hard part

Go big or stay home

Tough to CCW the BFH 30-30. So she has to go smaller.

Bump for Mr. Lee

Just my 2 cents worth.

My experience is that 148 grain full wadcutters over 3.5 grains of Bullseye and Small Pistol primer for about 875 fps out of a 2" barrel and 158 grain hardcast RNFP over the same charge & primer for 800-825 FPS with a wide meplat like used in Cowboy Action shooting poke a big deep hole at moderate controllable velocities if that is of any interest.

I believe these to be quite adequate for serious social interaction at close quarters.

Thanks for the Two Cents.

Ernie

Having read the whole thread I think y'all have convinced me to rethink the ammo in my LCR. I keep Remmy Golden Saber 125gr brass jacketed HP's in it. Wad cutters? Probably do as well as a HP that didn't expand.

Better, even.

As the OP, let me just say THANKS for the info. Seems to me a great of you agree on the 158 gr SWC or the 148gr WC, both pushed to around 800+ fps.

I can load that up!

Thread needs more pics




158-grain hardcast over 4.7 grains of Unique. These should fall out of the barrel somewhere close to 800 fps out of my tattered but tight 4" Model 15.

Do their meplats seem adequate for a SD .38 Spl load? Was planning on only using them for rabbits and rocks, but this thread got me wondering...

My carry .38 & .357 loads.

In that instance in the coon, I"d expect the same results until you hit CNS.

As we've noted, pistols are not rifles, and stopping power is not a huge available asset with them generally.

I've shot quite a few deer and hogs with both 230 and 185 expanding 45 acp rounds. And I've shot a handful of each with 158 JHP in 357 8 inch barrel. I"ve yet to drop one on the spot or even have a relatively "quick" death from them unless I"ve chosen to head shoot them.

So the coon would have died, you indicated not quickly and thats what I'd believe from an amped up one. But then I"ve shot enough of them in the lungs with standard 22 LR to know a non amped up one generally doesn't go far or long with a hole in the lungs.

As noted, and its and old statement but true, a pistol is to fight your way back to something worthwhile...

I have a good stock of the older S&W ammo in 148 wadcutter. I have been using this as a carry load in my airweight. I chronod it at 700fps.
Is this adaquate or do I need to look for another load? After reading this thread im wondering if its moving fast enough....

Heavy clothing would be your enemy with that load. In tee shirt weather it is "adequate" IMHO.