Snubby Ammo? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

bdraughon · 06-11-2008, 05:07 PM

hey all-

looking for some good suggestions of the best .357 ammo for a S&W j frame with the 1 7/8 inch barrel. i know speer gold dot makes a great short barrel ammo, cant remember the name though. any other suggestions????

xdfan80 · 06-11-2008, 05:10 PM

I dont know really how good it is in a short barrel, but in my Ruger Sp 101 357 mag with 2.25 in barrel I use 125gr corbon dpx hp's.

fredj338 · 06-11-2008, 05:29 PM

The Speer 135grGDSB is a good load, so is the 145grWWSTHP. Me, I carry 158grLSWCHP 38sp+P in mine. Recoil is quite managable & the soft LHP expands well from the short bbl.

cougar_guy04 · 06-11-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdraughon

hey all-

looking for some good suggestions of the best .357 ammo for a S&W j frame with the 1 7/8 inch barrel. i know speer gold dot makes a great short barrel ammo, cant remember the name though. any other suggestions????

They just label it "Speer Gold Dot - Short Barrel"
MidwayUSA - Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 357 Magnum 135 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20
MidwayUSA - Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 38 Special +P 135 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Case of 500 (25 Boxes of 20)

An issue or two ago in Combat Handguns, they did a test on ammunitions for snubby revolvers. Might be worth looking it up.

Joeywhat · 06-11-2008, 05:42 PM

Is there any ballistic benefits from the short bbl ammo, or does it just reduce recoil and flash?

**Bycyclist** · 06-11-2008, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeywhat

Is there any ballistic benefits from the short bbl ammo, or does it just reduce recoil and flash?

Ammo in short bbl will not achieve stated velocity required to enable adequate expansion/penetration, unless you have the right ammo for short barrel gun. So I generally use +p loads in .38 in my Ruger SP101 (DPX, Hornady, Speer come to mind as particularly good ones).

Joeywhat · 06-11-2008, 05:53 PM

Well, I don't use .38 for SD anyways, just .357 mag. I'm aware that normal .357 loads don't reach proper velocity...but do they still expand well? And do the short bbl loads do much better?

Basically I'm not going to bother if all I'm getting is less flash and bang.

**1lowlife** · 06-11-2008, 06:15 PM

They just label it "Speer Gold Dot - Short Barrel"
Speer Ammo - Short Barrel

I carry 38sp +P in my S&W 642
Detail Page for Part # 23720

357mag
125 gr Detail Page for Part # 23920
158 gr Detail Page for Part # 23960

I carry Gold Dot SB in my XD9sc and Ruger LCP as well..
I feel the 38sp +P has enough kick to it in a J-frame.
I think 357mag in a short barrel J-frame is overkill.
Too much recoil and too much muzzle flash.
Just my opinion though.

bdraughon · 06-11-2008, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1lowlife

They just label it "Speer Gold Dot - Short Barrel"
Speer Ammo - Short Barrel

I carry 38sp +P in my S&W 642
Detail Page for Part # 23720

357mag
125 gr Detail Page for Part # 23920
158 gr Detail Page for Part # 23960

I carry Gold Dot SB in my XD9sc and Ruger LCP as well..
I feel the 38sp +P has enough kick to it in a J-frame.
I think 357mag in a short barrel J-frame is overkill.
Too much recoil and too much muzzle flash.
Just my opinion though.

thx for the info. i might have to try that out for my xd9sc also.

thx again

invssgt · 06-11-2008, 06:44 PM

'Standard' .357 Magnum does better from snubs than you might think. My 2 1/4" Ruger SP101 gets 1295 with Federal 125 JHP; 1302 with CCI Blazer in the same weight; around 1150 (lost my notes & need to clock these again) with 145 Silvertips.“Alaska Backpacker” .357's using a 200 grain hard-cast, gas-checked LBT produce 970 fps.

You can tell when they go off, but you are still getting some horsepower with magnums from the short barrels.

06-11-2008, 05:07 PM	#1
bdraughon XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 462	Snubby Ammo? hey all- looking for some good suggestions of the best .357 ammo for a S&W j frame with the 1 7/8 inch barrel. i know speer gold dot makes a great short barrel ammo, cant remember the name though. any other suggestions???? __________________ bdraughon US Paratrooper XD45C Dark Earth/Black XD9SC Bi-Tone "Its fun to shoot stuff!" - Old man from the "Box O Truth" Iraq/Afghanistan Veteran & Patriot Guard Rider #118224

06-11-2008, 05:10 PM	#2
xdfan80 XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,806	I dont know really how good it is in a short barrel, but in my Ruger Sp 101 357 mag with 2.25 in barrel I use 125gr corbon dpx hp's. __________________ Ruger Sp-101 .357 magnum SA XD Tactical .45 acp Mossberg 500 12 gauge pump Marlin 25N bolt action .22 rifle

06-11-2008, 05:29 PM	#3
fredj338 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,181	The Speer 135grGDSB is a good load, so is the 145grWWSTHP. Me, I carry 158grLSWCHP 38sp+P in mine. Recoil is quite managable & the soft LHP expands well from the short bbl. __________________ EVERY GOOD SHOOTER SHOULD BE A HANDLOADER!

06-11-2008, 05:42 PM	#5
Joeywhat XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ypsi, MI Posts: 1,532	Is there any ballistic benefits from the short bbl ammo, or does it just reduce recoil and flash? __________________ Ruger LCP GLOCK 19 RRA AR 15 (DONE!) WASR 2 Mossberg 9200

06-11-2008, 05:53 PM	#7
Joeywhat XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ypsi, MI Posts: 1,532	Well, I don't use .38 for SD anyways, just .357 mag. I'm aware that normal .357 loads don't reach proper velocity...but do they still expand well? And do the short bbl loads do much better? Basically I'm not going to bother if all I'm getting is less flash and bang. __________________ Ruger LCP GLOCK 19 RRA AR 15 (DONE!) WASR 2 Mossberg 9200

06-11-2008, 06:15 PM	#8
1lowlife XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The Great Lone Star State Posts: 2,372	They just label it "Speer Gold Dot - Short Barrel" Speer Ammo - Short Barrel I carry 38sp +P in my S&W 642 Detail Page for Part # 23720 357mag 125 gr Detail Page for Part # 23920 158 gr Detail Page for Part # 23960 I carry Gold Dot SB in my XD9sc and Ruger LCP as well.. I feel the 38sp +P has enough kick to it in a J-frame. I think 357mag in a short barrel J-frame is overkill. Too much recoil and too much muzzle flash. Just my opinion though. __________________ Learn it. Know it. Live it.

06-11-2008, 06:44 PM	#10
invssgt XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,249	'Standard' .357 Magnum does better from snubs than you might think. My 2 1/4" Ruger SP101 gets 1295 with Federal 125 JHP; 1302 with CCI Blazer in the same weight; around 1150 (lost my notes & need to clock these again) with 145 Silvertips.“Alaska Backpacker” .357's using a 200 grain hard-cast, gas-checked LBT produce 970 fps. You can tell when they go off, but you are still getting some horsepower with magnums from the short barrels. __________________ It ain't personal. Nothing contained herein is intended is to offend the immature, retarded, hyper-sensitive, emotionally/hormonally unstable, or otherwise easily-offended. But if it does- don't cry to me. I don't care. "Sarge" www.thesixgunjournal.net http://sargesrollcall.blogspot.com/ LOCK & LOAD the VOTE!

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