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SW J Frame ammo question

I just found some +P+ ammo 147 and 158gr (FBI?) that I had at home.... those were bought for a 357.....now the 1 Trillion $$ question: can those be used in a SW J snubbie..... bit concerned....I do have some regular pressure and some 110+P (the one box that had 3 rds missing grom Academy)
 

nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
I'm assuming you are talking about +P .38 Spl. loads, not .357 magnum and that your J frame is a .38 Spl. If that is the case, is your J frame rated for +P? Not all of them are. Is it a steel or alloy frame? Even if it is rated for +P, you may find it rather unpleasant to shoot +P loads in. I would not shoot a steady diet of +P loads in any event. My J frame is an alloy frame and not +P rated. For practice, I shoot standard pressure factory loads or handloads, but I carry +P loads in it for defensive purposes. A few +P loads won't destroy the gun, but more than that will eventually stretch the frame or cause other damage.
 
I'm assuming you are talking about +P .38 Spl. loads, not .357 magnum and that your J frame is a .38 Spl. If that is the case, is your J frame rated for +P? Not all of them are. Is it a steel or alloy frame? Even if it is rated for +P, you may find it rather unpleasant to shoot +P loads in. I would not shoot a steady diet of +P loads in any event. My J frame is an alloy frame and not +P rated. For practice, I shoot standard pressure factory loads or handloads, but I carry +P loads in it for defensive purposes. A few +P loads won't destroy the gun, but more than that will eventually stretch the frame or cause other damage.
It's a 38spl alloy +P rated SW (new buy). Rounds are +P+ rated from Federal. Maybe I'll stay away from those, and only fire them in a 357....
 
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nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
I think that is a good idea, they would be very uncomfortable to shoot in an alloy framed gun. I'd practice with standard velocity loads, WW white box 130 gr. is a good choice, or equivalent handloads. Then try some +P 110 to 135 gr. defensive rounds, I carry the Speer Gold Dot +P 135gr. Short Barrel.
 
I have a little S&@ 342 Ti Lite, scandium frame and barrel shroud, titanium cylinder. It's bad with standard 38 loads, +p(it rated) just plain hurt.
 
Try the UNDERWOOD EXTREME loads.
Watch the videos. I shoot them in my 642 alloy frame and they are accurate and deadly.
Recoil is lighter since it is a lower grain bullet.
Or the Federal low recoil 110 grain hydroshok JHP.
 
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nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
^ What he said. Less recoil, better shot placement. You can certainly use a higher bullet weight. Try it out, see what works for you. If you can place 3 rounds fast in a 6 in circle at defensive ranges, you're golden! But you won't do it without practice.
 
Lightweight are trying to make up for lack of bullet weight with speed while reducing recoil. YMMV

I carry mine with Winchester factory wadcutters and have Hornady Critical defense in the strip or speedloader because tapered bullets go in faster/easier than flat wadcutters on a reload.

If I'm in a situation where it needs reloaded I screwed up somewhere.

I did aquire a pre lock 638 recently and a Ritchie ankle holster so a New York reload is an option if I get off my butt and do it.

Sent from my LM-G850 using Tapatalk
 
I have carried wad cutters as well, they are heavy bullets. It never occurred to me to try light-for-caliber bullets.

My intuition says 38s in a snub nose do not over penetrate.

I could change mi d based on evidence...
 
I like the Hornady self defense ammo for carry , for practice the cheaper stuff will do.
 

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There is significant difference in recoil 158gr vs 125 vs 110 gr in these small light revolvers.

For me: 158gr Fiochi 38spl had the same felt recoil as Remington 357mag 125gr (LCR)
158gr Fiochi 38spl had a lot more recoil than 125+P (Jframe)
POI changes past 5m
 
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What price glory?
I would shoot +P+ .38 rounds through a firearm chambered for .357 Magnum but that's about it.
All my revolvers are .38 (or .357) and rated for +P but it is seldom that load goes through my J-frame, even though the factory says it's permissible on an infrequent basis.
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As others have said, my j frame (98% of the time in backup mode only) is loaded with 148 g wadcutters. I have some 135+p Gold Dots in a speed loaded or strip. As this is a 10 yrd max/8 inch plate platform for me, I do not work too much about the POA/POI shift between the two rounds.

If this was going to be my primary gun, and I practiced with it enough to be more effective with it beyond 10 yrds,
I would load it out the same initially and would do the work to determine what 135-158g defensive load had a similar POA/POI to the wadcutters
 
Truth be told I don't practice handgun shooting skills past 7-10 yards. Little need for it in my learned opinion. I would rather resort to other options were I confronted and the threat was further than 30 feet +/- away.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Truth be told I don't practice handgun shooting skills past 7-10 yards. Little need for it in my learned opinion. I would rather resort to other options were I confronted and the threat was further than 30 feet +/- away.
My only problem is I can't run nearly as fast as I could when I was trying to steal second....
 
Can you, technically yes. Should you, no. For one, I wouldn’t want to shoot them in anything less that a steel framed 357. Technically the gun you might have is built the same as what LE is issued but they also have contracts and armorers that maintains and inspects the guns. You don’t have that luxury. Also a continuous diet of +P+ can be excessively hard on the gun. If you must , use them as carry ammo. Fire off 10 to 15 to get a feel and each year burn the 5 you’ve been carrying and refresh. I carry a an air weight as well. It’s +P rated but I’m plenty fine carrying some Speer gold dots in it that are not +P. It’s more comfortable and in reality I can hit what I’m aiming at with it, and practice with ammo that is more analogous. This way I’m not beating up the gun, or my hand, and I stand a better chance of defending myself with it should that unfortunate day ever come. Something is better than nothing.

While working a range a few years back, we had a scandium jframe 357c can’t recall the specific model. That was our pissing match/chicken/punishment gun. Something like 11 ounces, I equated shooting that gun with 357s to have a 357 fire from your open palm. On every occasion I fired that damn thinG my hands bruised and hurt for at least 4 days.
 
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