[werewolf]

My usual snub carry load is the the FBI load, in Remington flavour . But I checked Cor-Bon's page and they rated their 125 gr +P 38 spl round at 1145fps muzzle energy out of a 4" bbl. Correct me if I'm wrong but you could probably knock 100 fps off of that in a 2" snubby barrel, but thats still a respectable velocity.

Anybody else use this round as their carry round? Any idea (ie tests on the web or anectdotal evidence) as to how it would likely perform? You hear alot about Speers Gold Dot short bbl .38 spl offering, I'm wondering why Cor Bon seems to get ignored?

 

[twoguns]

Howdy Mr. Werewolf,

I am not a ballistics expert or one of any type really. But I think it is safe to say you could expect to lose 100fps if not more losing 2" of barrel. But even if you were to assume you would be down to say 1045fps, that stills seems very respectable to me.

I have a couple of boxes of Cor Bon, but not in that caliber, so I can not help you there at all. Hopefully some of our members do carry the round and can offer their thoughts.

I am not really sure that Cor Bon is really ignored. I think many folks consider it to fall in the category of "specialty" ammo, as it does apparently generate some impressive velocities in various calibers. By comparison, the Speer Gold Dot is a round much favored by many LEAs, regardless of caliber. But you are correct, everything I have heard suggests the short barrel Gold Dot is highly regarded.

My agency selects the Gold Dot in various calibers as our issued ammo for duty use. I know of several other agencies that do the same as well. So Speer does have a strong reputation among LEAs. Also for the most part, the little street information I hear on Speer performance is always strong as well.

Another reason that Speer Gold Dot ammo is popular in law enforcement, is that most ammo contracts specify 50 round boxes. Winchester, Federal, and Remington do as well, at least in some calibers. So Speer is not unique in supplying 50 rd boxes to LEAs.

Another factor that probably comes into play as well, at least for LEAs, is ammo contracts are normally written for a 5 year period (they are in my agency and in most other federal agencies I am aware of). The companies submitting bids have to guarantee delivery of orders within a short time frame or face substantial monetary penalties. So that may well be another factor. Unless things have changed very recently, I have never seen Cor Bon listed on our ammo contract as a brand we were authorized to purchase with government funds.

But I personally am a major fan of Gold Dot ammo in various calibers. That may or may not help you in making your decision. No much of an answer, so sorry sir. Hopefully some members with first hand experience with the Cor Bon load in question will offer their thoughts.

twoguns

 

[oldgranpa]

I have to agree with our friend, twoguns, that the .38special Speer 135gr+p GoldDot load is the way to go. Lots of data published.
og

 

[Guest]

Id be surprised if you break 1000 out of a Jframe. I really am not that impressed with any .357 fired from a snubnose revolver. you can easily surpass the balistics from a lighter, flatter, and shorter 9mm.

 

[jaydubya]

Stay away from CorBon's 115 gr + p round which has, I believe, a Sierra hollowpoint. I fired five rounds of it from my 637 Airweight several years ago and swore I never would do that again. The other fifteen have been relegated to my 686+. CorBon's .38+p DPX is a fine -- but expensive -- load. In my Airweight are the Remington LSWCHPs that you currently use. That load is stout enough in an Airweight by my carefully calibrated measure, and not too expensive to shoot regularly. I have Speer 124gr standard pressure Gold Dots in my 9mm Hi Power classic. The +p version was quite sparky on ejection, so I eased off.
Cordially, Jack

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello.

I can attest to the "sharp" recoil of the now-discontinued Corbon 115-gr. .38 Special load. My brass had a +P+ headstamp but I've been told that it was within +P pressure ranges. Whatever it was, it was hot. The bullet is Sierra's 115-gr. 9mm JHP.

This is very "healthy" velocity for a 1 7/8" snub!

Best.

 

[erich]

There's no doubt that's a hot load, Stephen. Right up there with what a 9mm does out of a full-sized gun with a 115-grain bullet.

What intrigues me about the 125-grain .38 Spl loads is that they rarely approach (in the real world - forget published ballistics) what a 9mm does with a 124-grain bullet, yet many of the folks who carry the light .38s disdain the 124-grain 9x19s. This seems odd to me since the 9mm semiautos I've shot always carry more of these rounds and are able to launch them more rapidly (due to less practical recoil).

Personally, I'm not interested in light bullets from a snub .38 - I stick with heavier ones (147-gr and up), figuring that if I'm not going to get velocity I might as well have mass. I'm sure the +P 125-grainers will usually work fine, though. Heck, I've got an active murder case where standard-pressure 125-gr SPs worked instantly from a 2" Taurus: two shots, two kills.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello, Erich. I tend to follow the same path and have pretty much stayed with the 158-gr LHP +P and handloaded 158-gr. CSWC's in these revolvers.

Best.

 

[jaydubya]

Erich, you used a phrase, "practical recoil', to differentiate between what is felt with like loads in revolvers and autoloaders. That phrase cuts right through the pettifoggery right to the chase. I really like it.
Cordially, Jack

 

[xcop]

I chronod some of the CorBon 125+p from a Smith 640 with the 2 1/8 barrel and it averaged 966.5 avg for 5 shots. Low was 918.2 and the high was 1020. I prefer to look at the low velocity figure when comparing ammo. The results put it alongside most other 125's when fired from 4 inch barrels but I am not so sure the bullet will perform well at 918 fps. From the same gun on the same day Remington 158LHP did 848 low and 862.4 avg. I know the Remington is capable of expanding at 848