Snub .38 ammo choices/thread move

[Moonshot]

Is the current consensus to go with high mass and to hell with "maybe" expansion (at least from a sub-2" barrel)? If so, what is the magic minimum weight? Gold Dot's 135gr, a WCs 148gr, or anyone's 158gr?

I'm guessing a 135gr GD that may expand is still better than a 148gr WC that won't ever expand. The WCs are easy to hit with, but I remember hearing from a respected revolver shooter, instructor and former LEO that he's seen WCs "bounce off of leather jackets". That's probably an exageration, but he wasn't a fan of the WC for self-defense.

Or is the Barnes all copper DPX loading at 110gr the better choice?

[Chuck Haggard]

A few days ago I launched a Remington WC from my 642 through four layers of denim and a 18" block of FBI spec gel, it went down range into the berm hard enough to kick up dirt.

I'm carrying WCs in one of my 642s, my last six DPX rounds in the other. Tom Givens told me he has gone back to WCs in his BUG, a Colt Cobra.

I've only seen to WC shootings, one a fatal, the other was through a dude's arm. Tom tells me he has seen enough of them that he doesn't worry about carrying WCs.

One of the real issues with "what ammo?" in a snub is if it shoots to your sights. I really like the Gold Dot, but it doesn't shoot to the sights on any of my snubs.

[Chuck Haggard]

While shopping for WCs I noted that Black Hills has a gel test shot on both their JHPs and their WC ammo, which I thought was kind of neat.

http://www.black-hills.com/shop/new-...mo/38-special/

[JodyH]

Black Hills WC are extremely smokey in my experience, almost like shooting black powder. The Buffalo Bore is much better in that respect and lower flash as well.

[Chuck Haggard]

Odd, Tom told me one reason he quit using the BB WCs was they were so smokey. Wonder if they changed components to fix that?

[TR675]

Are there any wadcutters QC'd to the same level as GD or other premium ammo?

And, in a 5 shot revo does that matter quite so much as in a small auto?

[Tom Givens]

Federal Gold Match are about as reliable as any cartridge ever made. Used by zillions of bullseye and PPC competitors over the years.

[Chuck Haggard]

The WC ammo I have seen in the past from the big three has been top notch match grade stuff, and I have never seen a bad round of match WC ammo, so I would guess the QC is very high.

Claude picks the Federal match .22lr for this very reason.

With a wheelgun as long as it's not a squib or the gun blows up you're pretty much GTG

[TR675]

I really had no idea about the match ammo - never put much thought onto it, never used it before. Makes sense - thanks, gents.

[LSP972]

The WC ammo I have seen in the past from the big three has been top notch match grade stuff, and I have never seen a bad round of match WC ammo, so I would guess the QC is very high.

This^. I still have a lot of it from my PPC days; Federal, Winchester, and Remington. One of the reasons this "simple" target ammunition costs as much as premium service ammunition is the extra care in the manufacturing process, to ensure round-to-round uniformity out of a capable target gun.

You'll (not you, Chuck; the guys interested in it. I'm sure you still have a stash like mine...) probably have to order some, as it isn't a big seller these days to Joe Average with his Rossi or Tauri revolver.

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