Is 38 Special +P good for self-defense?

38 Special are that it’s effective in a self-defense capacity in service-size pistols. It doesn’t produce excessive recoil, so most shooters can accurately shoot it. That made it very popular with police departments and civilians.

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What grain bullet is best for 38 Special?

The Federal American Eagle . 38 Special 130 Grain FMJ is a good starting point. It shoots a 130-grain FMJ bullet at a velocity of 890 fps. It is great for training or target practice.

What is the best 38 Special ammo for revolver?

Load	VEL	CC
	(fps)
Lehigh Controlled Fracture (CF) 105 grain +P	1,041	1.83
Buffalo Bore .38 Special +P Outdoorsman 158 grain	962	1.83
Hornady Critical Defense 110 grain FTX	757	2.54

Can my 38 Special shoot +P ammo?

38 +P loads have increased pressures—that’s what the +P stands for—over standard . 38 Special loads. These +P rounds may not, should not, cannot be fired in standard . 38 Special revolvers for risk of damage or injury to the gun and the shooter.

Is 38 Special +P more powerful than 9mm?

38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm.

Are 38 and 38 Special bullets the same?

The main difference between 38 and 38 special is that 38 is a caliber, i.e. the internal diameter of a gun barrel, and is usually used to refer to all cartridge variants that can be used in it, while 38 Special is a special cartridge variant of 38 caliber bullet.

What is the best 38 Special Ammo for self defense?

Best 38 Special Ammo for Self Defense. 1 Federal +P HST Micro 130 Grain Ammo. 2 Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 Grain +P Ammo. 3 Winchester PDX1 Defender 130 Grain Ammo. 4 Federal Hydra-Shok 110 Grain Low Recoil.

Are 38 specials +P rated?

The .38 Special fires a .357-caliber bullet and is loaded to an industry-standard maximum average pressure (MAP) of 17,000 psi. Loads designated as +P are available at 20,000 psi, but not all .38 Special revolvers are strong enough for a steady diet of +P ammo. This mostly applies to older revolvers, but some newer 38 Specials are not +P rated.

Which is better 38 Special or 357 Magnum?

Keep in mind, all .357 Magnum revolvers can chamber and fire .38 Special and .38 Special +P loads safely. The .357 Magnum is substantially more powerful than the .38 Special, but with it comes intensified recoil and generally, larger and heavier revolvers.

How many PSI is a 38 Special bullet?