Revolver Ballistics: 38 Special+P vs. 9mm

[jetfire]

On my Instagram page, I had a thread about terminal ballistics compared from a 3 inch 38 Special revolver and a 3 inch 9mm revolver. I just so happened to have two basically identical 3 inch revolvers in those calibers, so off to the range I went. Here's the whole video, which is only 9.5 minutes long because I don't like to waste time:



Note: the bullet I identified as the Gold Dot initially in the gel was actually the V-Crown from a different angle that I didn't realize. When I pulled the bullets out I figured out where I went wrong. The 135gr +P 38 Special Gold Dot penetrated about 14 inches and expanded fully.

I was actually surprised at how well the 9mm rounds did until I remembered that a 3 inch revolver barrel has the same, if not more, rifled barrel length as a 4 inch semi-auto pistol.

[JHC]

Great job on that!

What's the name of your IG page?

[jetfire]

Great job on that!

What's the name of your IG page?

My user name is radicaleb - here's a link: https://www.instagram.com/radicaleb/

[TiroFijo]

I was actually surprised at how well the 9mm rounds did until I remembered that a 3 inch revolver barrel has the same, if not more, rifled barrel length as a 4 inch semi-auto pistol.

ALMOST, a little less... and not even accounting for the forcing cone

[paherne]

Good video. The only recommendation I would make is a close-up of the projectiles, maybe on a piece of cardboard, labeled in sharpie.

[jetfire]

Good video. The only recommendation I would make is a close-up of the projectiles, maybe on a piece of cardboard, labeled in sharpie.

it's not a sharpie but 2/3 ain't bad

[03RN]

My solution for when carrying a .38 is to hijack 9mm technology and shoot 147gr 9mm hsts
6 rounds of hsts

[jetfire]

My solution for when carrying a .38 is to hijack 9mm technology and shoot 147gr 9mm hsts
6 rounds of hsts

Seems like a good solution to me. The FBI did the same thing briefly with the Federal 147gr +P+ Hydra-Shok back in the early 90s

[Lester Polfus]

My solution for when carrying a .38 is to hijack 9mm technology and shoot 147gr 9mm hsts
6 rounds of hsts

Seems like a good solution to me. The FBI did the same thing briefly with the Federal 147gr +P+ Hydra-Shok back in the early 90s

Federal could give us this anytime we want, but instead we got the .30 Super Carry.

[03RN]

Seems like a good solution to me. The FBI did the same thing briefly with the Federal 147gr +P+ Hydra-Shok back in the early 90s

Federal could give us this anytime we want, but instead we got the .30 Super Carry.

And they wouldn't really have to invent anything new. The accuracy of .355 hsts are good in all my .38s/.357s