Interesting. I am glad you got your view, and that it is working for you.
Not my cup of tea, as I am doing such things as adding slightly extended, round-to-square-butt grips, to make a J-Snub grip bigger, to make firm contact with the “heel bone” of my hand, to keep J-snubs relevant, as I age-out of being able to tolerate little guns’ muzzle flip.
Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.
Don’t tread on volcanos!
I remember seeing an article, with photos, probably in Combat Handguns magazine, about an N-Frame, with the grip frame cut-down to J-Frame dimensions, and the mainspring changed to a coiled-spring-on-strut type, perhaps J-Frame parts. Because my hands were just a bit small to properly hold an N-Frame, while getting enough index finger in the trigger, anyway, I was quite interested. It may be just as well that I never pursued that, as I probably would have had it built for a big-bore Magnum, and wrecked my right hand far worse than I already had.
Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.
Don’t tread on volcanos!
A friend of mine uses that Hornady load for summer carry. He claims it's the only load on the market that reliably expands from a two-inch. I don't completely agree with him, but it's not worth the hassle of pissing the guy off.
Have you tried full power/full weight loads yet? I kind of feel like a wuss now, because my J frame is a stainless 357 Bodyguard, and I have difficulty with followup shots using 38 Spl +P loads and Hideout Grips. The little SOB twists laterally in my hands, and I have to reposition my grip before I can reacquire the target. Right now it has Pachmayr Compacs on it, which work well for me, but still hang up a bit during pocket draw. I've tried powder on them, but it tends to sear off in my pocket.
It's probably time for me to buy a set of VZs, but I'd really like something that exactly matches the Compacs that work so well for me.
Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem
I prefer the tumult of liberty to the quiet of servitude
-Thomas Jefferson
I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.
No and not gonna! HahahaOriginally Posted by 358156hp
It's really to upgrade from 22WMR so even the bunny fart loads are just fine. If ammo comes back in stock, I'll try those wimpy wadcutters and see what I can do with them.
I'm not a fan of 38/357 in short barrels and if I were trying to make a ballistic statement I would probably go 3" barrel or go LCR9 in 9mm that makes velocities like a P365.
@Polecat
So I’ve been pocket carrying this all weekend instead of my normal J frame and I love it.
It’s noticeably lighter, smaller and easier to carry and I’m finding myself enjoying it very much.
How do those Hornady Lite loads chronograph out of your View? How do they stack up against .380 from an LCP or similar?
Does this success put your 342 project on the back burner?
I agree; great shooting!
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I didn’t chrono them because even if I don’t like the velocity, I can’t do much about it haha.
From what I’ve read the barrel doesn’t give up a lot compared to a 1-7/8” J frame and I’ve chrono’d them out of a J frame. I just can’t remember what the velocities were.
Unfortunately the serial number on the bottom of the J frames makes it difficult to cut down the frame.
From a weight standpoint, I would take the 342.
From a size standpoint, I would take the View.
I have a second View and a second 342 being shipped into the FFL.
The project may not be done yet…
I might actually go up on the View grip width since the length is really the selling point.
I might see about modifying a Crimson Trace grip from a NAA to see if I can get that to work too.
I think the 110gr critical defense load is actually making 12" through 4ld in 10% gel isn't it? The 90gr load performance data would be interesting. It's 200fps faster than the .380 load with what I assume is the same bullet with a different color tip. The .380 doesn't quite make it, but comes close-ish. I wonder if the extra velocity would push it over the edge.No and not gonna! Hahaha
I'm not a fan of 38/357 in short barrels and if I were trying to make a ballistic statement I would probably go 3" barrel or go LCR9 in 9mm that makes velocities like a P365.
It’s always tough because published velocities sometimes aren’t similar barrels. 380 is usually tested with shortish barrels and 38 can sometimes be with 4” barrels (IIRC lucky gunner did short barrel tests).
I dug up my snub chrono and bare gel data with a J frame.
Note that 4LD usually is good for ~2” additional penetration as it delays opening of the hollow points by a little.
So performance as expected. Not impressive but it’s better than 22WMR.
It’s always tough because published velocities sometimes aren’t similar barrels. 380 is usually tested with shortish barrels and 38 can sometimes be with 4” barrels (IIRC lucky gunner did short barrel tests).
I dug up my snub chrono and bare gel data with a J frame.
Note that 4LD usually is good for ~2” additional penetration as it delays opening of the hollow points by a little.
So performance as expected. Not impressive but it’s better than 22WMR.
Interesting. The factory uses 4" barrels for both and claims 1000fps for the .380 and 1200fps for the .38 lite. Your chrono for the .38 lite is on par with what I think the .380 gets out of regular pocket guns too. mid/high 800s.
If they had used a powder more appropriate for shorter barrels and not bled off so much velocity that seems like it would have nailed the relatively uncharted .38spl "-P" / .380 "+P" territory. Perfect in a light weight (and light-trigger) LCR as the proverbial Old Man Gun.
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