[oldgranpa]

Josh,
are you looking for something for a standard velocity 38 revolver or one that can handle +p?

most, actually all new 38's nowadays can handle +p. and the most popular round on the market right now seems to be Speer's new 135gr +p, IMO.

I don't think anybody that uses that round has any problem with unusual wear problems.

Please let us know which J-frame you are wondering about..std or +p

og........other opinions may vary!!

 

[oldgranpa]

Josh,
from the technical level of your questions, you are no "raw beginner" and well advanced in understanding your revolvers.
The posts so far should give you confidence that you are not going to damage your revolvers unless you use some unorthodox hot ammo. +p+ might be too hot and unnecessary unless you are planning to shoot thru car doors.
The best thing to do now is get a box of several of the brands/loads that sound like what you are looking for and head to the range for some accuracy, recoil, etc. tests. As an alternative to doing a wetpack test for penetration/expansion, take along a few gallon water jugs. Shoot one jug at a time and note the difference in the way the jug bursts with different ammo. This will give you a little idea of the energy comparison of the different loads. The jug should burst to mean anything, if it doesn't, that load isn't doing much.
Let us know what you come up with.
But by all means do a range test comparison. Don't just make a decision on what's said here.
Good luck.
og

 

[oldgranpa]

hi, twoguns,

shooting a gallon, plastic jug full of water is an exciting experience. A rifle shot will literally explode the jug blowing pieces in the air, and water all over you if you stand too close. You can really see the difference between a .357magnum and a .380, for instance.
Besides, it's a cheap way to have some fun.
I have to do it at my range when no one is looking. First time I tried it several years ago, it scared hell out of some bystanders and they complained to the range officer, who then asked me not to do water jugs anymore.
The normal way to do jugs is line up 4 or 5 to catch the bullet. Box-O-Truth and steve's pages favor water jugs. Usually, only the first one bursts. But lining up more than one is a pain and more trouble than it's worth. Can only get one shot into them anyway. So just shooting one is fun.
Wetpacks are OK, they sit still when shot!
Shooting at the range is fun. If it's not, we must be doing something wrong.
og

Oh, BTW, important!!...the jug must be full and the cap must be on the jug tight so the pressure will burst the jug....no cap and it might not do it.

And, if possible, get a friend to video the event as you shoot the jugs. Then you can review and compare the shots. Most digital cameras now have a video feature which is good enough and you can save the results on your computer or just view it on your TV. You don't need a great big video camera to carry along.

 

[oldgranpa]

thanks, Doc, for your excellent advice and sharing your experience. I like the laser grips on my (not mine anymore, see note below) S&W Model 37-3, which also handles +p just fine. Here's a look at the mod 37 with the laser...

and Josh, stupid me, I forgot about the best resource for info on 38 ammo, Stephen's pages...
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/OtherHandguns.htm

Keep us posted.

og

Oh, BTW, my wife liked the mod 37 with the laser so much it's now her gun. Darn!

 

[oldgranpa]

OK, Josh, I saw your milk jug report after I posted my water jug info. You got similar penetration that steve'spages show for some 38spec he tested. Three jugs is about the minimum for any ammo. I would have expected your bullet to have made it into the 4th jug with only partial expansion. Check this link for the 38special tests, many are with 4" barrel...
http://stevespages.com/page8f.htm

So, if you have more jugs, continue the good work. Keep us posted.

og