OT - . 44 Pistol Home Defense Loading

[Hobie]

BTW, guys, I've looked all over for the 125 gr. "FBI" load, and can't seem to find it. Anyone? Anyone? Buhler?

I 'believe' the 38spcl +p "fbi" load is 158g lead hp. Mine are Winchesters.

Grizz

Yes. I wish you the best of luck finding any for sale.

[Cosmoline]

I lucked out and bought 1,000 rounds of the 158 LSWCHP FBI's. They're about the best .38 Special round ever made.

[J Miller]

~*~

[Travis Morgan]

BTW, guys, I've looked all over for the 125 gr. "FBI" load, and can't seem to find it. Anyone? Anyone? Buhler?

I 'believe' the 38spcl +p "fbi" load is 158g lead hp. Mine are Winchesters.

Grizz

Everywhere I've seen it, it was 125 gr.. That was why I bought the 125 grainers, since I normally buy 158's. BTW, I'm looking for data, not ammo.

[JohndeFresno]

...the STHPs have changed. They are no longer aluminum jacketed, they are a silver plated copper jacketed HP. How do these new bullets work?
Joe

Joe, FYI my tests were with the new issue Silvertips - the box is less than six months old.

I'll be looking forward to your tests. I have a large collection of jugs, now, but have not had the time to go way out into the country or up in the mountains to run some more tests. It's too bad that they're so bulky; I'd be glad to ship them to you if it was practical.

The outdoor range (where I'm a member) has strict rules about using only targets, not bottles or cans, since a client or two messed up the place a while back.

[BAGTIC]

I've often heard of using Factory Loads only for personal defence. It is to keep you "Lawyer Proof"; safe from being accused of reloading "killer rounds", if you ever have to use your weapon.

I load light, 44 special level for my S&W 629 for general target/range use and keep factory 44 Specials for home protection. But then again, I live in sue-happy California!

If you're 'justified' you're justified. If not it doesn't matter what you are shooting.

[Travis Morgan]

I've often heard of using Factory Loads only for personal defence. It is to keep you "Lawyer Proof"; safe from being accused of reloading "killer rounds", if you ever have to use your weapon.

I load light, 44 special level for my S&W 629 for general target/range use and keep factory 44 Specials for home protection. But then again, I live in sue-happy California!

If you're 'justified' you're justified. If not it doesn't matter what you are shooting.

Plus one. That's how our state law reads. I think I might hear about it, though, if I were to go ahead and set a cohorn mortar up in front of the door, just in case.

[Hobie]

BTW, guys, I've looked all over for the 125 gr. "FBI" load, and can't seem to find it. Anyone? Anyone? Buhler?

I 'believe' the 38spcl +p "fbi" load is 158g lead hp. Mine are Winchesters.

Grizz

Everywhere I've seen it, it was 125 gr.. That was why I bought the 125 grainers, since I normally buy 158's. BTW, I'm looking for data, not ammo.

Hmmmmm, I can't ever remember reading about a 125 gr. "FBI" load. There is a 125 gr. non +P load that is popular. I think it uses the Speer Gold Dot.

[Travis Morgan]

I'm just fixing to load some 125 gr. Remington bulk semi jacketed soft nose hollow points. According to Hodgdon's, 22 gr. of H-110 will get me 1966 fps.. Might be a little much for a self defense load, but I wanna see how it works at 100 yards. It shouldn't drop much!

[Travis Morgan]

Forgot to ask; anyone have any pet loads for .38 or .357 using H-110, 2400, or Bullseye? I need to pick up some 700X, 800X, and lilgun.

[Grizz]

Hobie, agree.

My post was about the load that is called an fbi load, and it's 158g.... and I don't know that the fbi came up with the designation. if I run across a reference I'll post it.. way better than trying to rely on the grey cell any more :)

Regards

[JohndeFresno]

...Hmmmmm, I can't ever remember reading about a 125 gr. "FBI" load. There is a 125 gr. non +P load that is popular. I think it uses the Speer Gold Dot.

We have the "FBI Load" mixed up with the Federal Nyclad 125 gr. hollowpoint.

The "FBI Load" was what we now call a "+P" loading of a lead 158 grain hollowpoint round,that brought its velocity beyond the standard 850 fps loadings. Once source that talks about this is:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38%2 ... LSWCHP.htm

Incidentally, if you check out http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com for its other offerings, there is a lot of useful information regarding .38 snubbies there.

Chuck Hawks also talks about the "FBI Load," specifically the Remington #R38S12 bullet with a +P loading, at http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_by_anonymous.htm.

At that site, the anonymous contributor states that the Nyclad variation (apparently in a 158 grain load) is only available to law enforcement. I don't know how current this information is. But I do know that some "law enforcement only" ammunition can be purchased online without any department letterhead or other fol-de-rol.

Digressing, this is how I purchase the outstanding .45 ACP HST ammunition, allegedly only available to law enforcement. Various agencies tested their own loadings and the HST ate them all up - it penetrates adequately, expands as well as any other police round (including the Gold Dot), but it far surpasses the others in how it continues to expand after encountering wallboard or fabric. Enter something like "Federal HST tests" into Google and you will probably find the extensive tests run in Washington state and in Texas (as I recall); and possibly other locations by now.

Returining to the specific subject at hand, The Chuck Hawks site advises that the "FBI Load" is duplicated with the CCI Blazer 158 grain jacketed hollowpoint (CCI Blazer #3523). As for me, I prefer the Hydra-Shok 100 grainer or the Silvertip load for my non +P .38 Special snubbie. An all lead load "FBI Load" will require vigilant cleaning, as noted in the material that I have cited.

[Cosmoline]

BTW,
Everywhere I've seen it, it was 125 gr.. That was why I bought the 125 grainers, since I normally buy 158's. BTW, I'm looking for data, not ammo.

You may be thinking of the so-called "Treasury Load," which used 110 JHP's. The stats I've seen on the 158 LSWCHP FBI +P loads are between 890 and 1,000 FPS out of a wheelgun, probably depending on barrel length.

I'm not a great believer in the reliability of jackets to perform at these low handgun velocities, and I am a great believer in the killing power of lead. So I don't really buy the idea that some JHP is going to be the equal of the soft Remington HP lead slug unless it's cranked to .357 Mag velocity.

Likewise, with the .44 Special the soft lead HP or even a soft lead SWC would be my choices.

Once you crank the velocity into the magnum levels these problems seem to be less of an issue, and the jackets do open up nicely.