[nova]

I posted this at the cesspit that is arfcom but apparently nobody wants to venture and anwer. Somehow I think I might get more response from the good folks here...

Here in a few weeks the wife is going to be living and working 2.5 hours away during the week. I don't like it but there's no way around it if we wanna keep eating.

We gun shopped over the last few weeks, test drove a few, and got her a 4" Ruger GP100. After only a fairly short time she's a decent shot with it. @ 7 yards she can double tap .357mag rounds into a 2" circle, more than adequate for self defense inside a small apartment IMO.

What would be a good defensive load for this pistol, thats currently available somewhere?

I've done a good bit of internet searching to no real answer. People only talk about .38/.357 in the context of J Frames and other small snub nose revolvers....

I've kinda been looking at Buffalo Bore since the use gold dots and they actually have some ammo in stock. The Heavy .38SPL +P line looks like a possibility as well as their "tactical" low flash/recoil .357 line. I'm just wary about the flash/bang of a .357 inside a small apartment at night, even in tactical load like that.

Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[ArtFWTx]

I posted this at the cesspit that is arfcom but apparently nobody wants to venture and anwer. Somehow I think I might get more response from the good folks here...

Here in a few weeks the wife is going to be living and working 2.5 hours away during the week. I don't like it but there's no way around it if we wanna keep eating.

We gun shopped over the last few weeks, test drove a few, and got her a 4" Ruger GP100. After only a fairly short time she's a decent shot with it. @ 7 yards she can double tap .357mag rounds into a 2" circle, more than adequate for self defense inside a small apartment IMO.

What would be a good defensive load for this pistol, thats currently available somewhere?

I've done a good bit of internet searching to no real answer. People only talk about .38/.357 in the context of J Frames and other small snub nose revolvers....

I've kinda been looking at Buffalo Bore since the use gold dots and they actually have some ammo in stock. The Heavy .38SPL +P line looks like a possibility as well as their "tactical" low flash/recoil .357 line. I'm just wary about the flash/bang of a .357 inside a small apartment at night, even in tactical load like that.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Find a good defensive round she can shoot comfortably. I have two 357's and have also shot a GP100 many times. Some of the heavy 158 grain hotter loads have some definite recoil and blast.

Some of the lighter HP bullets in the 125-130 grain weight have less felt recoil. Don't get into the one shot stop hand cannon philosophy some get with medium and large revolvers. Be concerned with follow up shots if needed and go for a solid performing name brand load that she can follow up with if necessary.

Federal, Corbon, Speer and others have decent performing 357 or +P 38 you can choose from. I'm familiar with Buffalo Bore's rifle ammo and their hot loaded 45/70's are a beast. If their 357's are the same, look out !! I'd be more concerned with controllability than ++++PPPPPP beast ammo.

DocGKR would be a good source if he spots your question.

 

[-k-]

Corbon .38 SPL 110 DPX is the lightest load I know of that meets min FBI gel penetration.

 

[nova]

Find a good defensive round she can shoot comfortably. I have two 357's and have also shot a GP100 many times. Some of the heavy 158 grain hotter loads have some definite recoil and blast.

Some of the lighter HP bullets in the 125-130 grain weight have less felt recoil. Don't get into the one shot stop hand cannon philosophy some get with medium and large revolvers. Be concerned with follow up shots if needed and go for a solid performing name brand load that she can follow up with if necessary.

Federal, Corbon, Speer and others have decent performing 357 or +P 38 you can choose from. I'm familiar with Buffalo Bore's rifle ammo and their hot loaded 45/70's are a beast. If their 357's are the same, look out !! I'd be more concerned with controllability than ++++PPPPPP beast ammo.

DocGKR would be a good source if he spots your question.

Yeah, I'm not looking for a huge monster round. I have 2 criteria for whatever I select.

1. 12" average penetration
2. Consistent expansion

If I can get those two things, I don't care if its a standard pressure .38SPL.

I know about the rounds you listed, but all the testing I can find only shows how they perform out of a snub nose. I just want to ensure I'm not driving the bullets outside their performance envelope with the longer barrel...

 

[ArtFWTx]

Yeah, I'm not looking for a huge monster round. I have 2 criteria for whatever I select.

1. 12" average penetration
2. Consistent expansion

If I can get those two things, I don't care if its a standard pressure .38SPL.

I know about the rounds you listed, but all the testing I can find only shows how they perform out of a snub nose. I just want to ensure I'm not driving the bullets outside their performance envelope with the longer barrel...

Federa'ls 130 gr Low Recoil 357 quotes 1300 fps and 490 ft lbs on their website, but no barrel length data. Those velocities are not from a 2 inch snubbie though.

 

[airdj10]

Anytime the subject of defensive pistol ammo comes up I always need to throw Double Tap out there.

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/index.php

Mike got his start making full power 10mm loads and ended up making quite a name for himself in the 10mm community.
He's since branched out and applied the same high standards to other calibers. Check it out, he's got ballistics data and gel test results for almost all his loads on the site.

Copied some data over from the site with data specific to your GP-100, BTW "Bonded Defense=Speer Gold Dot:

357 Magnum 125gr. Bonded Defense JHP 50rds.
Velocity: 1600fps / 4" Ruger GP-100
1425fps / 1 7/8" S&W
1750fps / 6"bbl S&W 686
Bullet: Bonded Defense JHP
Muzzle Energy: 710 ft. lbs.

357 Magnum 158 Bonded Defense JHP 50rds.
Velocity: 1400fps / 4" Ruger GP-100
1245fps / 1 7/8" S&W
1540fps / 6"bbl S&W 686
Bullet: Bonded Defense JHP
Muzzle Energy: 688 ft. lbs.

One .38 Special offering:

.38 Special +P 125gr. Bonded Defense JHP 50rds
Velocity: 1175fps / 4" Ruger GP-100
1.875" bbl S&W - 1100fps
Bullet: Bonded Defense JHP
Muzzle Energy: 383 ft. lbs. 4"
336 ft. lbs. 1.875"

 

[nova]

Hey thanks for pointing out double tap. I'll have to look into them...

 

[Zippy]

Hey thanks for pointing out double tap. I'll have to look into them...

That doubletap should be a very nice load. With a 4" barrel I'd go looking for the old FBI load personally. My favorite in the FBI load is the Remington Lead Hollow Point R38S12 -> http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/handgun/remington.asp It has a nice soft lead which expands well and enough zip that it penetrates well.

 

[nova]

First: I'll have to look into the FBI load and see what its about.

Second: Anybody know anything about Federal Premium Nyclad? They had some at my local funshop in .38SPL+p but I didn't know anything about it.

Third: I will say I handloaded her some .357 125gr JHP that we shot at the range yesterday. Had 8gr of Bullseye behind them. Not a "balls to the wall" max load in .357 but not a light target load either. She was handling that pretty well...

Still she was handling the .38SPL+p 125gr JPHs I loaded for her better though.

Doubletapping in a 5" circle @ 7 yds with .357 vs a 3" circle with the .38s. Right before we left, she rolled off a whole cylinder as fast as she could and get all 6 .38s within a 4 circle.

That being said I think I've eliminated .357 loads. A weaker round on target is better than a more powerful round off target.

 

[nova]

I just wanted to say thanks for the help guys. I found some Speer 125gr GDHP .38SPL+P for a good price locally and snapped them up. I feel confident they'll perform out of a 4" barrel.

 

[Equalizer_2]

The Speer Gold Dots are supposed to be good bullets and the ammo seems to work well.

 

[ArtFWTx]

First: I'll have to look into the FBI load and see what its about.

Second: Anybody know anything about Federal Premium Nyclad? They had some at my local funshop in .38SPL+p but I didn't know anything about it.

Third: I will say I handloaded her some .357 125gr JHP that we shot at the range yesterday. Had 8gr of Bullseye behind them. Not a "balls to the wall" max load in .357 but not a light target load either. She was handling that pretty well...

Still she was handling the .38SPL+p 125gr JPHs I loaded for her better though.

Doubletapping in a 5" circle @ 7 yds with .357 vs a 3" circle with the .38s. Right before we left, she rolled off a whole cylinder as fast as she could and get all 6 .38s within a 4 circle.

That being said I think I've eliminated .357 loads. A weaker round on target is better than a more powerful round off target.

Hits outscore misses all the time!!

 

[Zippy]

I just wanted to say thanks for the help guys. I found some Speer 125gr GDHP .38SPL+P for a good price locally and snapped them up. I feel confident they'll perform out of a 4" barrel.

Just to doublecheck, those are the 125 grain not the 135 grain aren't they? If it is the 125 grain, you should be very good to go, that's a top notch round for a 4" barrel. Definitely one I'd carry without hesitation.

The 135 grain are meant for short barrels and the 4" barrel drive them too fast so you get overexpansion and accompanying underpenetration. It's starting to split hairs at this level of performance though, I use the FBI load instead of the Gold Dot 135's in my 3" barrel to avoid this. For anything under 3" I use the Gold Dot 135.

 

[nova]

Yep, they're 125gr GDHPs.

Now I gotta get some speed loaders and teach her how to use 'em

 

[ccoker]

Speer Gold Dot 135g 38 special +p for shortbarrel