Two inch barrel .38 load of choice?

[Dog Face Gremlin]

I always liked the Kieth Style Hard Cast bullets...good penetration and hard hitting....have shot them in my S&W Mod. 29 with good performance, was wondering about this load for daily carry.

[Wingate's Hairbrush]

I always liked the Kieth Style Hard Cast bullets...good penetration and hard hitting....have shot them in my S&W Mod. 29 with good performance, was wondering about this load for daily carry.

Daily woods carry, maybe.

If you like wadcutters for snubs, I'd look to match 147gr; otherwise choose among any of the decent hollow point offerings. BB's Keith load is intended to punch through more than I'd want to in a daily carry load. YMMV.

[CZ Man]

I like the Federal Hydra Shok Deep load in a snubby. Seems to expand reliably and penetrate deep enough. Recoil isn't too bad, and it hits pretty close to POA in my J frame. My local store has it in stock, so I've got a hundred rounds on hand. Only down side is the price at close to $30/20 rounds.

[Hideeho]

I use Underwood 150-grain wadcutters in my 2.5" Colt Python weighing 41 0zs. Underwood's loading has a noticeable oomph over standard 148-grain wadcutters. In lighter J frames and LCRs, try PrecisionOne's all-copper 148-grain wadcutter. It's a clean-burning, lower recoiling round.

[revchuck38]

I always liked the Kieth Style Hard Cast bullets...good penetration and hard hitting....have shot them in my S&W Mod. 29 with good performance, was wondering about this load for daily carry.

The thing that makes the Keith-style SWC a good hunting bullet is the same thing that makes it a poor choice for a defensive load. Keith's goal was to have a load that'd penetrate a deer or elk from any angle. For a defensive load, you want something that won't penetrate completely, because you're responsible for anything or anyone your bullet hits on the other side of the bad guy.

That's why the conventional wisdom here for snubbies is either a match wadcutter as @HCM suggested or a good hollow point. They'll penetrate to where they can do some good but not exit. They're also easier to shoot accurately for follow-up shots.

There are a lot of current and retired LEOs with real-world experience here. It's a good place to learn.

[Dog Face Gremlin]

It was always my opinion that these small 2" J frames, especially in 38special lacked the stopping power to end a threat immediately unless shot placement was such that the Box was hit....as Mr. Cirillo once said, there were two ways to increase bullet performance...expansion and/or increased velocity to gain the desired outcome...I could see a hard hitting / hard cast bullet with a MV at 1200fps doing just that........omo.

[gtmtnbiker98]

It was always my opinion that these small 2" J frames, especially in 38special lacked the stopping power to end a threat immediately unless shot placement was such that the Box was hit....as Mr. Cirillo once said, there were two ways to increase bullet performance...expansion and/or increased velocity to gain the desired outcome...I could see a hard hitting / hard cast bullet with a MV at 1200fps doing just that........omo.

All handguns lack "stopping power" and shot placement coupled with penetration has always been the rule(s) of this game.

[Hambo]

It was always my opinion that these small 2" J frames, especially in 38special lacked the stopping power to end a threat immediately unless shot placement was such that the Box was hit....as Mr. Cirillo once said, there were two ways to increase bullet performance...expansion and/or increased velocity to gain the desired outcome...I could see a hard hitting / hard cast bullet with a MV at 1200fps doing just that........omo.

If I lived somewhere where JHP was banned, I would go with WC first, and standard .38 (not +P) SWC second. You don't need 1200fps, which is going to be a tall order from a 2" .38. Fortunately, I don't have to make that choice.

[Dog Face Gremlin]

If I lived somewhere where JHP was banned, I would go with WC first, and standard .38 (not +P) SWC second. You don't need 1200fps, which is going to be a tall order from a 2" .38. Fortunately, I don't have to make that choice.

yup.....No JHP ammo in NJ.

[fatdog]

I have been looking for this article and found it cleaning out some old web links filed in my browser. From 2018, a guy at American Rifleman who did some actual testing in ballistic gel not the clear gel stuff. Make of it what you will. The non +P Buffalllo Bore loading of the 110gr Barnes bullets comes really close although they want a lot of money for those. 110gr Critical Defense had similar results.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/con...ial-cartridge/