I’ve read that the FBI load doesn’t do well with heavy clothing and I live in the northeast, so that make it a seasonal load at best. Any other suggestions?
I’ve read that the FBI load doesn’t do well with heavy clothing and I live in the northeast, so that make it a seasonal load at best. Any other suggestions?
At 3 inches, options open up (no pun intended). I’d just grab some gold dot 135 +P or Winchester Ranger RA38B 130gr +P and call it a day. There are other boutique options (buffalo bore, underwood) that will do in a pinch, but the loads coming off of Doc Roberts’ list perform well enough—especially going from 1 7/8” to a true 3”—that I wouldn’t look anywhere else with 3”-4” tubes unless recoil mitigation was a real concern. I only omit the 110 dpx loads because I’ve found that 110 doesn’t play well with the sights on pretty much all my .38/.357 revolvers. JMO.
I'm not going down the debate rabbit hole regarding candidates for our next president in 2024, but I am truly and completely tired of this particular asshole.
-1911nut
My experience is that if you have an older Colt or S&W, lighter-than-158-grain ammo hits far enough below point of aim at five yards and farther to matter. If it’s a fixed-sight gun you can always take it to the range with a flat file and shorten the front sight as needed. I’m thinking about doing that with my 3” M10. Then again, I live in the Deep South so heavy clothing isn’t an issue.
I've found the 135-grain +P Short Barrel is the best compromise of terminal performance and shoot ability for 2-3" guns.
It may shoot low for you as Revchuck mentioned - so check it and see.
I also still have a lot of 158-grain LHP and I use it in my revolvers during summer. If that's what hit to my sights and I didn't want to adjust them, I'd keep trucking with it.
That 130gr Winchester+p is in my wife's 2" m15. Everytime I shoot something with it it opens up beautifuly.
My 2&3" guns are loaded with my 147gr HST load at 930fps. I might switch my wife's gun over to them but it's just kinda an afterthought in her nightstand.
Couldn't agree more, that Gold Dot load and that Ranger load are the .38 +Ps I keep in stock.
I need to do a real deep dive of research on how safe it is to keep a cylinder of them in my 1968 Colt D-Frame and 1961 Model 36. I have a box of Norma Safeguard standard pressure but my confidence is basically 0% that load isn't just an FMJ.
State Government Attorney | Beretta, Glock, CZ & S&W Fan