[jerry]

magnum load from a 2" barrel?

im trying to find that perfect magnum load for my 640.

by perfect i mean the one that i can fire the fastest with good accuracy and the round still maintains some "magnum perferomance".

ive tried the legendary 125gr. Rem sjhp round. and while i can qualify with it on my dept BUG course, im shooting in the 260s because my speed is slowed down.

im in the 290s with the wwb 110gr. but i wonder if im really getting anything over a hot .38 load with it.

any definiative help would be appreciated.

 

[roadster]

I have chrono data for the WWB .357 Magnum 110 gr JHP load. But it is from a three inch S&W Model 13. I chronographed it at 1150 fps. This duplicates the performance of the Winchester .38 Spl 110 gr +P+ "Treasury Load". I would guesstimate that both loads would give similiar results in a shorter barrel. Probably about 50 fps slower in a two inch barrel

The only advantage that I can see using the WWB .357 over the +P+ .38 Spl is that it is readily available. The +P+ .38 Spl is a "Law Enformance Only" load. It can be had of course, but it will be more difficult to locate.

FWIW, the federal agency I worked for (Bureau of Prisons) issued the "Treasury Load" for its four inch Model 10's which was the issue handgun at the penitentiary I worked at. I wasn't all that enthused about it. The lightweight bullet would fragment in my private penetration and expansion tests using water soaked newspaper. The "FBI Load" aka the 158 gr LSWCHP +P gave better penetration an the soft lead HP would expand to about .50 caliber and not fragment. It also shot to point of aim in fixed sight revolvers, something that the faster lighter Treasury Load couldn't do.


Roadster

 

[jerry]

thanks for the info........

ive been toying with the idea of using cor-bon 110 or 125 grainers in .38spl....the DPX being the load of choice so fragmentation would not be an issue......but i may as well use a .38spl gun instead of my magnum J frame....

id like to try some other magnum loads but having to order all of it get pricey when its just a box or two here and there.......

the remington 125gr. load is shootable but so stout that my qual scores are amatuerish. the winchest 110gr load does not hinder my speed, but im worried about the bullets construction as to whether or not it holds together and penetrates adequately......

i know the DPX loads hold together based on Mr. Camps testing, but the magnum version may proove to be as stout as the remington 125gr. and be of no real use for me in a mini magnum.

if youve shot the legendary remington 125gr. load from a steel J frame, how would you say the win STHP compared as far as kick and controllability?

if it were only so easy........i know which loads hold together well during expansion and still give good penetration, but i dont know how they all are in stoutness and just dont have the luxury of testing a bunch side by side. i was hoping some folks with a little more J frame magnum experience could chime in.

thanks for the info, i do appreciate every little bit i can get.

i reckon i will buy some cor-bon DPX magnums and try them out.....or i could just stay with the win 110gr. and call it a day.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Both the .357 Remington 125-gr. Golden Saber and the Corbon .357 125-gr. DPX load are "mid-power" loads, hotter than 38 +P, but not the full-power magnum.

From a 2 1/2" M19, the Golden Saber averaged 1141 ft/sec and the DPX, 1133 ft/sec. Neither is "hot", but these velocities are well within their bullets' operating envelopes for expansion. Between the two, I believe that the DPX will be the more consistent in terms of both expansion and penetration. That does not mean that I believe the Golden Saber "won't work."

From a 3" GP100:

Remington 125-gr SJHP (Full Power): 1296 ft/sec
Remington 125-gr. GS (Mid Power): 1212 ft/sec, but without near the blast/flash

From a 3 1/16" SP101:

Remington 125-gr. GS: 1189 ft/sec
Corbon 125-gr. DPX: 1176 ft/sec

I honestly don't think that you will find either the DPX or the Golden Saber to be hard to shoot fast and well.

Best.

 

[jerry]

thanks Mr. Camp.

i was leaning towards the cor-bon DPX but was concerned that the heavier bullet at slower speeds just wouldnt measure up when shot from a snubby. you article on the DPX magnum load gave a good review, but was done from a longer barrel......

but it seems that cor-bon has got a hold of something with this new round because of its construction.....

a 125gr. load @ 1,100 fps~ that expands reliably, penetrates adequately in case of an arm obstrction....and is controlable in a 2" barrel is a good thing.

im going to "invest"( thats what it is when youre a small town cop) in about 3 boxes of this stuff. one box to try out for nothing more than shooting to get the feel of it, another box for shot placement at various ranges (15 yards and closer) and the last box to stoke her up with.

 

[xcop]

Jerry I have seen chrono results where the WWB 110 is down at +p+ level and where it is at magnum level. It simply doesnt seem to be real consistent. I have chronod the CorBon 110 standard load at 1200 fps avg from a 2 1/8 in SP 101 and the same day and gun chronod the Remington 110 magnum (green and yelow box) at 1288 avg. The magnum has much more blast and flash. Same ammo thru a 3 in SP101 did 1364 and 1207 for the CorBon.

 

[jerry]

thanks, im going to try the DPX magnums to see how they feel in the gun....

i just picked up some pachmayr compac grips with the pinky notch cut on the bottom.

they are a lot bigger than i thought theyd be compared to the uncle mikes i was using....

maybe thats all i need is a slightly larger grip for better control of the full house magnums.....

i like the uncle mikes for the concealment reasons, but they dont do squat in helping tame a real magnum load.