38 Special Range Ammo and accuracy?

[adv]

Anyone have a favorite range ammo that they find accurate for a snubby (2.25" Ruger SP101), just picked one up on Saturday and of course I love it, but I understand that with the shorter barrel one has to pay a little more attention to the type of ammo you use for accuracy.

If you have a particular range ammo you like, do you have somewhere in Houston that stocks it on a regular basis.............. (and that doesn't have 2 W's in it's nickname)

A pic so it must be true

[yerasimos]

Glad that you are happy with your new SP101. Rarely do I see people trying to unload them, so you probably have a keeper. Enjoy!

My $0.02 wrt load selection: Try a variety of loads, observe which loads' POI (point of impact) most closely match your POA (point of aim), and optimize accordingly.

[martywj]

Can't recommend anything, but I would stay away from Monarch(Academy). I had lots of misfires using it with my S&W Model 36 wheelgun. They happened shooting DA and would go on the second strike. Just annoying.

[57Coastie]

adv,

I use any decent quality .38 spcl for practice with my SP-101, and there is really no reason, in my opinion, to regularly use .357 for practice self-defense shooting except to make expensive noise. I generally practice at about 20 feet, which is, in my opinion, approaching the outer range for self-defense shooting. I began by shooting a group with .38 spcl, then, at the same range, shooting a group with the .357 I am loaded with when carrying the weapon. I see no significant difference at either 20 feet or 40 feet so far as self-defense shooting is concerned. The SP-101 is better than I am, which is all I could want.

Occasionally I will fire .357 a couple of times for practice, just to remain accustomed to the different recoil and noise and to ensure that anticipation does not cause jerking the trigger, flinching or closing the eye(s).

Just a matter of personal taste.

BTW - I have owned a multitude of semiautomatic handguns, including my my favorite, a Colt M1911 circa 1917, and including the new "little" ones, yet I prefer to carry my trusty SP-101. A great self-defense carry handgun. I will catch flak here, I am sure, but if when push comes to shove if putting 5 where you intend them to go is not good enough, you are in a gunfight you should not be in. :-)

Jim

[Greybeard]

My 3" SP-101 seems to shoot the best groups with just about any of the major manufacturer's 148 grain wadcutters (which are sometimes pretty hard to find).

[jmra]

adv,

I use any decent quality .38 spcl for practice with my SP-101, and there is really no reason, in my opinion, to regularly use .357 for practice self-defense shooting except to make expensive noise. I generally practice at about 20 feet, which is, in my opinion, approaching the outer range for self-defense shooting. I began by shooting a group with .38 spcl, then, at the same range, shooting a group with the .357 I am loaded with when carrying the weapon. I see no significant difference at either 20 feet or 40 feet so far as self-defense shooting is concerned. The SP-101 is better than I am, which is all I could want.

Occasionally I will fire .357 a couple of times for practice, just to remain accustomed to the different recoil and noise and to ensure that anticipation does not cause jerking the trigger, flinching or closing the eye(s).

Just a matter of personal taste.

BTW - I have owned a multitude of semiautomatic handguns, including my my favorite, a Colt M1911 circa 1917, and including the new "little" ones, yet I prefer to carry my trusty SP-101. A great self-defense carry handgun. I will catch flak here, I am sure, but if when push comes to shove if putting 5 where you intend them to go is not good enough, you are in a gunfight you should not be in. :-)

Jim

The best time to shoot the .357 round is at night. The flame is awesome!

[mr surveyor]

ditto what greybeard said about wadcutters. Years ago they were cheap and abundant. For just a few bucks you could blow a couple hundred rounds downrange, and accuracy, on paper, was great. Once the whole country (world) converted to semi-auto 9's, the .38spl began a slow death, and ammo tended to become more focused on high performance SD offerings and overall a very limited production of inexpensive practice ammo. Somewhere out there is a local police station with a few five gallon buckets full of wad cutter training rounds buried in a closet, unless the retirees from the 70's were allowed to take them all home (my former retiree source ran out a few years ago )


surv

[57Coastie]

Last week I ordered 500 .38 semi-wadcutters from Cabelas, knowing the were on back order. They should be available in 3-4 weeks. Cabelas has always been reliable on its estimates of availability, and I plan ahead these days. I don't mind the wait when these are not readily available anywhere that I know of.

Jim

[adv]

Thanks guys for the help, I can't wait to start reloading, I suspect rather than save money I'll just end up shooting more!

[mr surveyor]

that's the point, isn't it?


surv

[adv]

Oh yes, indeed it is

[ghostrider]

>Anyone have a favorite range ammo that they find accurate for a snubby

handloads :-)

I agree with Steven Camp that 158gr LSWC are the way to go:
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Feedingthe38Snub.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ghostrider]

> I agree with Steven Camp that 158gr LSWC are the way to go:

sorry, Stephen; I spelled your name wrong.

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Not a problem on the name thing!

I answer to anything...especially at supper time.

Best.

[duns]

I've been happily using American Eagle 130gr FMJ. I think energy is 229 ft lbf compared with 222 ft lbf for the Gold Dot 135 gr +P JHP that I use for carry, so I believe recoil is about the same. I bought the American Eagles in January from luckygunner.com for $19 per 50, which compares rather favorably with 38 Spl (Speer Lawman) bought at my local range, which is around $24 per 50.