Buffalo Bore .38 Special+P 158 gr SWCHP Snub Nose Test - 9mm Fanboys are Crying!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- I have been asked by many to test the Buffalo Bore .38 Special+P 158 gr lead semi-wadcutter hollow point round from a snub nose. I figured, why not test it against run of the mill 9mm ammo from a "pocket gun" (Diamondback DB 9). I am using my Taurus 605 snub nose revolver for the test with .38 Special+P ammo. Fun test, and a reversal of "9mm spanks .38 Special and rivals .357 Magnum". It's okay 9mm fanboys, there is no shame in shedding your tears. Always appreciative of any channel help :) www.patreon.co...
I just wanted to point out that the title is in good fun and not meant to be some sort of lie. I didn't load this ammo, ammunition manufactures did, but because I had some "9mm fanboys" literally get on here and harass me over this video (I equate that to actual crying) I figured I should point this out. If you are a first time viewer or new subscriber, I can understand why someone might think i'm biased about .38 Special or revolvers in general, but if you watch a few of my videos you will see that I am not. If I was, why would I own more semi auto's than I do revolvers?
@Jody Rye Just food for thought. You may think that the 9mm has a longer barrel. It possibly does not. When they list auto barrels they often include the chamber. Where the revolver barrel is just the actual barrel length.
Semi-autos, not semi auto's.
You juiced and you received
It's okay. People that choose 9mm are too fragile for .40, 10mm, .45, and .357 anyways 😂
They're the ones that toted a .40 yesterday and followed the trend to 9mm today. Tomorrow when it's something else they'll choose that next.
🤣🤣🤣
As an American working temporarily with the French Intelligence Service (DGSE, the Directorate-General for External Security - Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure) on several cases linked to US interests, it was noted that the 9mm HPs used by the French took between 9 and 14 hits to bring down armed combatants with no body armor and 72% of the time, the combatants who were shot multiple times with 9mm didn't perish. When US personnel fired their sidearms (restricted by the French to revolvers), in this case, the .357 Magnum S&W Revolver with 125 gn. JHP or 158 gn. Hardcast, only one to (rarely) three rounds per enemy combatant was sufficient with a 69% fatality rate. For a comparison, look at the US-based police shootings available for public review to see a direct correlation of this
data and comments like the one from Name, below. 9mm, for all its ratings and hype (a great deal of which is financially motivated), is not at all as reliable at stopping combatants as the .357 Magnum. Anyone with more experience than just a few gunfights knows two things: Revolvers are far more reliable than even the very best semi-auto, and that 9mm is not as effective as .357 Magnum. Congrats Elmer Keith. Great work, as always, Gun Sam.
Thanks!
This is very interesting... would like to no more.
@@NYTCH999 Gun Sam is doing a well-correlated form of terminal ballistics studies of many different calibers. He also has well-founded opinions of the effectiveness of different revolvers and semi-autos in many of his videos. I recommend searching through his library to find topics of interest. His work is excellent and well-respected where it counts.
Fascinating information. 9-14 hits to bring down armed combatants with no body armor is crazy (and not in the good way).
I guess that the reason why they named the show "Magnum Pi" instead of "9mm Pi"
Paul Harrell tested the BB in a 2" in his meat target. Even he was impressed.
He's the one who sold me on Buffalo Bore for my S&W 437. In the video that I watched, I believe he used the standard pressure .38, which is a hot round that is comparable to, if not stronger, than most other brands' +P rounds. I use the BB +ps in my Rossi 462 .357 Magnum. Those are a bit too strong for my 437.
In 25+ years of CCW, carrying and testing 9mm, 38 SPl, 357 Mag, .357 SIG, 40 S&W, 10mm, 45 ACP and 45 Colt, I reached the conclusion about 15 years ago that the 38 Special 158 gr Soft Lead Hollow Point is the perfect anti personnel round. In good ammo like Buffalo Bore, (or equivalent hand loads), the bullet is an ultra reliable performer in the 900 to 1100+ fps impact range, and has the best balance of control, accuracy and power in a handgun. Controllable, accurate, highly effective power is where the 38 Special shines above all other handgun rounds for citizen self defense applications.
first shot jammed, he died lol.....screw semi autos.
Yep. I'm the same: I have my Beretta 92 for the nightstand, and my j-frame snubby for EDC. Oh, and I love the FBI Load.
I'm a revolver guy... mostly because I don't have to chase my brass and because it is more forgiving to reload. I own autos but my go to are revolvers.
Yeah, no empty shells left behind with fingerprints on them.
Wow, 1,050 fps out of a 2 inch barrel?! That’s insane. I haven’t seen any +P published loads come close to that with a 158 gr slug. Buffalo Bore is really pushing the envelope. (That’s a compliment, not a complaint) 👍
Yeah it's pretty nice how they work them. I do not know if they have pressure testing equipment, but Super-Vel does and their Super-Snub .38 Special gave me about 350 and 550 ft lbs in the 2" and 4" barrel respectively.
Revolver barrel figures exclude the chamber, so they understate barrel length compared to semiautos. The cylinder gap doesn't come close to offsetting this.
@@MFurey its no that they understate the barrel length its that the auto guys overstate the barrel length. How many people would buy a 9mm that has 1.5 inches over a 9mm that has a 3 inch barrel?
@@MFurey Exactly right! When chronographing, i measure "Ballistic Barrel Length" from firing pin to muzzle, or to first port in ported barrels. Consistently I see revolvers exceed the velocity of the same barrel length auto, IF the barrel / cylinder gap is 0.004" or less. An overlooked fact is that Autos also loose velocity due to the parasitic loss of slide cycling energy. My chrono tests indicate that roughly at a barrel / cylinder gap of 0.005", the BC gap loss in a revolver equals the auto loss due to slide cycling!
Factory ammo typically gives 850 fps from a 158 grain 38 Special from a 4 inch barrel. That ammo he's shooting from Buffalo Bore and Underwood is great stuff. Don't shoot it from a pre 68 38 Secial Revolver.
I got a box of 38 semi wadcutter hollow point bullets and worked up a load similar to that one. It was quite impressive. An old school load for an old school weapon.
They are pretty great loads. It's cool to see old school beating new school to some degree. Of course, bonded bullets and 9mm+P loads now days, from a 5" barrel are pretty impressive.
I had this video done a month ago. Figured I better release it now before I forget it's here!
I can tell this is not a recent video. It should be thawing out and less snow now
love the videos and i have said forever ammo choice matters
@@the_weed_in_your_garden9319 Yeah there's basically no snow now. I have a few other videos I filmed that will appear 2-3 weeks past film date, but that always brings up an interesting point. I get a lot of "where do you live, I thought you lived at this specific place, but it looks so cold out there today!". I have to laugh, as if I go out, film one video, go home and finish all editing and upload it. I mean, some people do this but it's obvious with my editing that it takes me some time.
@@GunSam Chinese police use 6 shot 9mm revolvers as their service sidearms.
@@user-bp1kc9qd5v They can get away with that because their population is unarmed.
Am so glad more and more people are finding your content and how thorough you are with the available data and your testing techniques.
I have several snubbys in .327, .38 and .357, They are all comfortable to carry and reliable, great for EDC.
In seeing what I've seen in my job over 33 years, I'm saying placement is everything. I've seen heads hit by .38 that would have been in big chunks on the ground save for the skin stretching with the impact and holding it together afterward. I've also see a big muscled-up guy get hit with .38 from behind and it stopped in the muscles over his shoulder blade. I've run on 300 lb. baby boys put down with one round of 380. 357 Magnum impresses me the most. It puts MFs down. Oh, and I've seen very few exit wounds, no matter the caliber. Head shots work, guys. I practice those as much as center mass.
That Buffalo Bore load is impressive! Today, we have premium JHP bullets that get the smaller autoloaders off their knees. But the .38 Special, with a lot more case, is just plain more versatile. Go back 45 years or so; before good JHP bullets, you went with a revolver or a .45 auto. Despite its high pressure, the little 9mm will never be able to do as many things as the .38 or 357.
A . 38 with 148 gr wadcutters or 158 gr semi wadcutters and a . 45 ACP with 230 gr FMJ's are definitely hard to beat.
9mm fan boys will say 38 S&W Special is under powered at the same time when it comes to 9mm they will say; Ohh 😮! Shot placement is what stops a threat. 🤷🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️
I like 9mm, but it's such a funny argument I get with 9mm, and when I ultimately show that 9mm is less effective than an atomic bomb...."well it holds 17 rounds so I win".
@HAYAO LEONE Shot placement remember. 😂 38 Special has put many men in the ground.
@HAYAO LEONE LOL 😂 I speaking from experience. 🤫
9mm is still the standard, and good luck with finding ammo as easily as 9mm owners can in a pandemic lol
@@illmatic826 I would agree with you on that point, 9mm is a great round in the right gun. Plus 9mm is cheaper and easier to find, 38 Special is almost impossible to find and whenever you do find it it’s 2 dollars a round. 😡🤬 not cool. Right now I carry a Walter PPS mod 2 IWB and a S&W Model 36 in my pocket.
9mm has NEVER given me the impression of being a "three rounds or less" threat stopper. It's great for Marksmanship competition and Home Security (less penetration through walls). With that being said, I guess you'll have to fire until adequately satisfied that the threat is disabled.
However, .38 SPL, .357 MAG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, & 10mm definitely fall into the "three rounds or less" category when it comes to ammo stopping power in daily carry firearms.
Loved this test as the 158 grain LSWCHP +P Buffalo bore load has been a “go to load” of mine for some time. But only for my steel framed .357’s. I fired exactly 1(one!) round through my alloy framed S&W 637. I actually feared that very many more would crack or bend the frame! Not to mention trying to get off a follow up shot.
Now I want a steel framed .38 snubby just for that round!
This is the test that I’ve been waiting for. Thanks Sam!
Thanks for watching!
It's just nuts how much violence can be packed into a 38 round when done right. Near 12 gauge diameter at the end!
I live in Canada so I don't carry handguns. I prefer revolver's because I shoot them more accurately and I don't have to run around picking up my brass . ( I am a hand loader)
Rob ... That is exactly what put me off automatics for so many years, was all the time I spent looking for my brass.
A revolver IS a hand gun...
@@ironmanh8sall yes IT IS a and gun
@@ironmanh8sall are you 12 years old?
@@rippertrain just a typo, shit head.
"The baloney pack hit my leg" 😂
I personally don't like carrying anything less than a baloney pack destroyer.
Same here. I need to smell and taste vaporized mixed meat.
@@GunSam 🤣
Does that indicate that the shot failed to stop the attack by the bologna pack?
@@GunSam why not turkey, or ham slices for the sake if variety? Perhaps, some sausage patties? Great work. I love the .38.
Very professional production. The best part is that you have no agenda except to present accurate information.
Thank you.
The .38 Special has been with us for over a hundred years and it's still relevant. To be fair 9mm is an excellent round also when used in full size pistols. Using a pocket pistol for a 50 yard target is best left to Jerry Miculek. Thank you.
I have done it with groups way tighter than this, it was just this ammo and this day as many times I have shot lots of ammo with snubs at 50 yards and hot every time. Just saying.
I too use the BB in my sp101 3" barrel and its great, ev3n at 59 ya4ds it's consistent. Thanks for all the great info Sam!
I'm actually pretty impressed with those 147 Silvertips! I bought 2 boxes just before the ammo 'scamdemic" for very cheap.. glad I did!
Same here
Nice shooting and thank you for reinforcing my opinion of .38 Special. It's Special for a reason!
Paul Harrell would approve.
I’ve been using this Buffalo Bore round in my S&W model 640 & model 66 for quite a while now & have been pleased with its accuracy and performance. BB remains my go to personal defense ammo.
Great video! This is why you're my favorite gun channel. I'm all in with .38 Special.
Thank you for pointing out the profound and overwhelming difference between a micro 9 and a mid to full size 9. It's not that they can't work well when cramming 10lb into a 5lb bag but they are moody and temperamental. Yet something like a S&W 642 is exactly the opposite. There are disadvantages to the platform but reliability is not one of them. I carry both BTW.
Well done. I think both loads on this video were winners and the micro 9 needs to TLC
That BB .38 Special load really amazes me... I am not much of a snubbie carrier but will be getting some of this ammo for my S&W 649. Thanks again...
When the 9mm semi-auto handgun was first offered to law enforcement officers, it was rejected by about 65% of them. The handgun currently in widest use at that time was the 38 special service revolver. Cops did quite well without 17 rounds back then. Maybe only having 6 rounds, made most cops more particular about where their bullets were going?
I carry 9mm and .38 SPL snub nose both.
I've actually been shooting to the left with my Ruger GP100 as well. I'm going to try changing my grip on my gun (use my left hand to brace it better) to see if that helps. If not, then I'll adjust my sights.
It's interesting how we assign value to our guns by power, capacity, reliability .etc. We try to find the most value in our guns in the wrong areas. This is just an opinion of mine, that Semi-auto owners want to believe their guns are powerful, and revolver owners want to believe their guns aren't antiquated by an older design and lack of capacity. We don't need to say 9mm is just as powerful as a 38 special or 357 magnum, because 9mm doesn't need to be! Capacity, recoil management, rate of fire, reload speed. 9mm guns outperform revolvers in many ways, and there will always be situations where they out perform one another.
I've finally finished paying off my new 10mm last night - Rock Island Armory 51991 Rock Ultra FS Single 10mm 5 8+1 Gray G1. Its being shipped now...... I chose a powerful caliber, and a name I knew provided great value for the money, but now I know I may get less value in other ways like reliability for choosing power in my caliber. Hopefully, I get a great gun regardless.
My advice is to choose a semi-auto based off it's own strengths, and value the guns/calibers you have by their own strengths, not by comparing it to a revolver.
I have found that the best guns to each person come through trial and error, lots of rounds to test each on and a little bit of luck. For me, probably 50% of my videos with my S&W 686 shoot in one hole at 5 yards double action, and the rest are 40% 2" groups and 10% not great. This is all off hand most of the time the first shots I fired that day after a week of not shooting, so in a practical sense this is great. I have found my 3.2" Taurus G2C shoots more accurately than my 4" Ruger Security 9 and 5" S&W M&P. There's just some guns that fit a person right, and gun store assessments of balance don't always play out when we live fire them, as my 686 was "too muzzle heavy" and bad balance in the gun store, but on the range it's perfect.
I grew up shooting semiautomatic pistols. It wasnt until decades later that I started shooting revolvers and found I naturally find them easier to shoot accurately.
My current carry gun is now a 605. It just works well. But there are days I want higher capacity and carry a shield in 45, or on heavy days a sig 226 9mm.
That's a reason that the semiauto advocates often overlook. There is a percentage of people who just shoot a revolver more accurately. The semiauto advocates often shout down the revolver shooters with arguments of capacity, but in the end only the hits count and the number of hits on target in the first 1-3 seconds count the most.
I conceal carry Taurus #85 5 shot revolver w/ red dot optics. I owned this same handgun for over 30 years. I carry it at the 2 o'clock position in my belt surrounded by a black leather Blackhawk holster for the last 15 years . My concealed bullets are the Buffalo Bore "OUTDOORSMAN HARD CAST 158gr BULLETS first designed by Elmer Keith. That bullet is one tough SOB! BUFFALO BORE ain't no joke... I put my life on the line everytime I rig up and leave the house. I compare this 38 Buffalo Bullet to a tamed down .357 mag. It's not a fun bullet to shoot cause it kicks like a mule! My Taurus is all steel handgun with a hammer and trigger spring job.
The Buffalo Bore makes the 38 a serious fighting round in a 2 inch snubbie. I shoot it in a late model Colt Detective Special with service grips and a Tyler t grip. No big deal. That said I believe the 9mm is short changed here . My friend had a Sig 365 a d pocket carries it. I have fired it and it is accurate . It chronographed. Federal 124 Jhp At around 1100 fps far faster than the rounds in your test. I still prefer the revolver for carry, but with the right ammo the 9mm is ok
Yeah, that was in part my point, as short changing the .38 VS a 9mm+P+ I have seen a lot. But my carry rounds in the DB9 and LCP .380 are typical for this, as they jam on warmer rounds.
Try the 365, the Diamondback is not in the same league
Quite honestly if you can carry the Taurus with its bulbous grips in a pocket holster, you can carry a Glock 26 in a pocket holster,I do. It is head and shoulders above the Diamondback.
I'm surprised at how well that Silvertip did. For such a low tech round out of that short barrel, it really expanded pretty wide. Plus with that heavy weight and low velocity the recoil was probably pretty tame too.
Everyone can have a bad day shooting. I do have to admit it's fun to watch when the bologna pack explodes
The accuracy at close range was good but 50 yards is stretching for a pocket gun well today it was. Good video 👍
Very nice. That BB load just keeps provibg itself, no muss no fuss. Excellent point about the problem with pocket size autos. I used to help teach a CCW class, and i can tell you that most people cannot shoot them well, or the very small 380's. When i was still in LE, my 2 most common off duty guns were a Kahr P9 (3.5") on the belt and a Taurus 850 in a pocket holster (not at the same time). The Taurus was also my backup the last 8 yrs or so. Before i got the Kahr, my SP-101 was king, with magnum ammo. With good ammo, the 38+p still rocks. The 147 gr Silvertip 9mm did better than expected too.
This is still one of my favorite rounds for .38 Spl.. They still haven't really topped it and it's been around for sooooooooo long.
Interesting & impressive results with 38. Not terrible in 9.
Most compact 9mm pistols are the same as a snub nose revolver in actual barrel length auto loaders count the chamber in the barrel length and a revolver only counts actual barrel thats what most people don't know.
Yeah that's why I usually use what I use. I got my 3.2" G2C to compare to the Taurus 605 2" most of the time, same for a 5" 9mm and 5.3" .45 to compare to my 4" revolvers.
good videos., thanks. sam
Thank you.
I love m 605. Mine is black. It shoots great - points well, prints right to point of aim. It's on my hip right now. I handload so mine is stoked with 38 special +P+ with 140 grain Lehigh 140 defenders at about 1000 fps (Power Pistol propellant). This is the "Philips head" looking copper solid bullet - the tests that I've seen using this bullet or even the lighter 120 grain version is very positive - they have temporary cavities like an expanding hollow point but penetrates to about 18" which is great IMHO.
I bought a 4" bbl Rock Island armory m200 in 38 special and I bought it initially because it was cheap ($199new), yet solid. Ended up having awesome trigger pull in both single and double action and really well made. I'm ecstatic with all of that gun for $200!!!!
Cold weather can effect a auto loader a lot easier than it does a revolver. The metal of the springs, slide, firing pin etc. tightens up, gets slow, etc. Revolvers, the only effect is lower velocity as always in colder weather. But no malfunctions.
Back in the early 90s a group of gun writers claimed the most lethal 38 ammo out of a snub nose was the 158 swchp. They based it on autopsy results from actual shootings and on the fact that most snubs had difficulty expanding copper
Does Buffalo Bore even have a pressure test barrel? A .38 Special 158 grain bullet at 1,000+ fps out of a 2" snub seems like a rather hot load?
I don't know if they pressure test them. If the bullet was jacketed, I think 950 FPS is what we would be at, so I don't think it's really that over-pressured. It's just that it's maxed out and with a lead bullet, makes it appear to be more than it is.
@@GunSam - Thanks for the reply. Like you said, recoil wise it should be tolerable in a steel framed snubbie. Pressure wise, it should be OK in the steel frame as long as the cases extracted easily and there were no other pressure signs. A good 158 grain +P SWCHP load is still a decent choice in .38 Special. I believe it is superior to .380 ACP and light bullet (115 grain) 9mm loads in it's ability to break bones and penetrate deep into the boiler room of a heavy set attacker. Also, barriers become less of an issue with the 158 grain bullets.
➤ 1,040 fps (379 ft. lbs.) -- S&W mod. 60, 2-inch
➤ 1,059 fps (393 ft. lbs.) -- S&W mod. 66, 2.5-inch
➤ 1,143 fps (458 ft. lbs.) -- Ruger SP101, 3-inch
➤ 1,162 fps (474 ft. lbs.) -- S&W Mt. Gun, 4-inch
This is the ammo used in this video and the list above are the guns used by Buffalo Bore for testing their ammo.
➤ 1072 fps (319 ft. lbs.) -- S&W mod 60, 2-inch
➤ 1108 fps (341 ft. lbs.) -- S&W mod 66, 2.5-inch
➤ 1180 fps (386 ft. lbs.) -- Ruger SP101, 3-inch
➤ 1258 fps (439 ft. lbs.) -- S&W Mt. Gun, 4-inch
This is their Heavy 38 125 grain JHP +P results
I have watches several of your videos in recent weeks and I feel better about my decision to get a new revolver over another 9mm semi-auto. I have had jams with pretty much every semi-auto I have ever owned, but thinking back to my revolvers from 25 years ago, I can never remember having a revolver that failed to go BANG every time I pulled the trigger.
It's happened to me once, using let's just say questionable hand loads. It went bang when we tried again
Personally i think the .38 spl/ .357 are more optimal with barrels less than 3" but i try to carry one on the hip and an backup snubby in the pocket :D
My plan is to have another back up revolver.
I carry the Buffalo Bore .38 special +p 125 grain loaded with XTP projectiles ... in my 686 + 3 inch revolver... it's still clocking in 1200 FPS in 3 inch barrel... .38 is and will always be relevant..
Sam,like I always say,,,,, REVOLVERS RULE PERIOD. Try it at 25 yards with short barrel handguns.
The 158 Buffalo Bore lhp plus p or even standard pressure version is close to the optimum round for a balance of size , weight and power.
That Buffalo Bore is some great stuff. As long as they load it at safe levels. I've loaded some hotter loads in .38 brass before.
Now THAT is an informative video. Very applicable to real life! Well done. I have new appreciation for those two rounds.
Thank you. I have had others tell me that Seecamp and Keltec .32's and .380 will feed nothing but Silvertip ammo, and I am finding that something like a DB9 falls into the same category as I think it's a straight blowback action like a .380 or .32, so that makes sense.
Always good information and interesting to watch , enjoy your tests
Thank you for calling out the "cherry pickers" and the not "applies to apples " reviews! Reviewers often say a 357 at so many ft per second is overkill. Hay, here is a nine mil load approaching 1400 feet per second. 38 special is underpowered. They often don't mention the 38+p. I may be mistaken but that is what I see on a lot of sites. Thank you for your reviews.
Glad to see this test. I have handloaded that exact bullet for my steel 856CH. My loads clock about 890fps in my 20 oz gun and recoil is stout but not bad. The bullet maker has told me that at 1000 fps that bullet will do .750 dia. or better but I'd never seen an actual short barrel test. I'm not going to try to jack my loads up to that BB velocity......whoooo those are really movin'
Thanks for the vid.
I think their standard pressure load gives the velocity you get, and is also truly the "FBI load". I hear this one is a tad too hot to really be the old school load.
I lost couple screws out of my #85. When I replaced the two screws I used a toothpick to apply a dot blue loctite on the threads. I was shooting BB when it happened. Nothing lost since.
Hell i love all guns lol. I also have the taurus 605 357. I have same revolver in 9mm. Its the 905. My problem is i cant make up my mind which one im going to carry day to day lol. On the weekends i dont have that problem ill carry both lol. Unless its spring and im night fishing off the river bank. Then i take my ruger 6 inch GP 100 357 loaded with buffalo bore. It gets spooky around 1am when im by myself lol.
Nice video. Looking at how the buffalo bore load recoild in that Taurus I think that might be a wrist breaker in an alloy framed gun like a S&W airweight!
It wasn't too bad in the Taurus, but in the past I did run a round through a J-frame and it was roughly like a 1,000 ft lb .44 Mag through my model 69. So, you be the judge if that's a lot or not.
Nice comparison. I’m not a pocket gun kinda guy. I carry a Glock 19 (concealed) and Critical Duty and Federal HST are my carry ammos.
Critical Duty is good ammo. Critical Defense is no good in a lot of calibers, but the Duty has always done well for me. Most of it is backed off on the power but still performs great, which is a great way to make a line of LE ammo.
@@GunSam would you choose Critical Duty over Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P?
The Buffalo Bore .38 +p rounds are a great choice, especially for anyone who owns a .357 snubby but does not wish to carry full house magnums. I use them for and HD and warm weather carry in my Rossi 462. In my S&W 437, I carry the Buffalo Bore Standard Pressure .38 LSWCHP rounds as the +Ps are a bit strong for the Airweight .38.
Buffalo Bore FBI load is a beast. Almost 1060 fps in a snubby revolver. Awesome performance. I would like to know how fastest will be in a 6 inch barrel....
in a 4" it gets up there near 1,200 FPS. I don't know if 6" would add much to that.
Been binge watching your videos last few days and overall love the content. I used to carry a 605, actually bought it because of some valid points Paul H. brought up in one of his videos but stopped carrying it when I bought my Glock 22. Then bought a Glock 48 and those 2 swap off often depending what I’m doing.
After watching these videos and you bringing up some more valid points I’ll have to get some more 38 special +p and carry that again.
Run for the hills, the 9 mm fan boys are ganging up....oh wait....it looks like only 6 of them don't agree with your presentation. That was a very impressive hole in that mdf. If the ammo gods decide to start dropping ammo again, I may have to buy some of the BB +P .38 special. Thanks for the great presentation. BTW... you might consider an athletic protective cup....next time you shoot that bologna pack with that BB....
You dont have to defend your opinions; your experiments and comparisons are well done. Stick to the science, its very useful to most of us.
Honestly you would get higher velocity number out of a Kimber K6xs with the better tolerances. Love mine carry it alot over my sig365, fn reflex and hellcat. Great video
Haha good thing it's not a bear charging with that shooting. Great content!!
Thank you.
I made some hot 38 special +P when I bought a Ruger LCR. It was as powerful as it could be and still be safe to fire in a 38+P revolver. Man! they sting your hand when you shoot! It's a great round to let someone shoot when they say your LCR looks like a toy gun.😂 I make more moderate rounds for plinking. I keep the spicy rounds for carry. I also have a gp100 and a lever gun that they would shoot smooth out of.
13 hours in and still monetized? DUDE! Congrats! (SHHH, no one tell UA-cam!)
For some weird reason, mine have went onto monetized automatically and are never demonetized. I really do not have much explanation for this other than it seems like my regular view success rate has made this happen. When I used to get like 500 views a day they were always demonetized, but once I got into a couple thousand or more a day on a video the monetization from the moment I upload stayed. So, I have no idea if this is why or other factors. I think YT likes to demonetized all they can with guns, _unless_ it's making them money with ads.
Sam, you did an excellent job of not hurting my butthole for carrying a P365Xl.
Honestly nothing wrong with that. I'm just poking fun at 9mm fanboys.
I'm with you bro! I'm glad you do these vids - they serve to answer many questions & curiosities. This one in particular can edumicate those who don't know any better, lol. The .38 spl in a good loading is more than sufficient to stop a threat. Thousands have found their way to the hereafter courtesy of the .38. TBH, I think the real question should be: Why does it matter which one is "better?" Both will get the job done. I happen to love both 9mm & .38, but I tend to favor .38 because I like revolvers (& once again, it doesn't matter which is "better" - wheel gun or semi-auto) & don't like moon clips. I kind of look at it this way: I'll take a '57 Corvette over the current iteration 8 days a week. The current one goes faster, handles better, & is better on gas. I just LIKE the '57 better, but EITHER ONE will get me where I need to go.
In a close fight the buffalo bore real effective. Might have to take a look at it. I use a Crowned JHP. 125 gr +p.
Is that like the V-Crown bullet or something?
LOL, your name is literally my first and middle name.
Im tempted to go purchase a snubbie of some sort. If I don't really focus with the small semi autos, will either hit the mag release or get my thumb against the slide. In a stressful situation, they'res less time to concentrate. Lol
@Jason Sliger I always advise new CCW holders to get a 2" 38 revolver, in addition to whatever main large handgun. The S&W 642 Airweight (14 ounces) is hard to beat, especially for pocket carry. For such a lite revolver I prefer full wadcutter ammo, no hotter than Buffalo Bore's standard pressure anti personnel 150 gr full wadcutter(850 fps, 2" revolver). Even at low target velocity, the full WC penetrates well and will chop a full caliber hole completely thru an assailant for almost instant incapacitation due to rapid blood loss from both entry and exit wounds. I've had my 2" blued steel bobbed hammer Taurus 85 38 Special for more than 25 years now. I've carried everything from Colt Commander 45 ACP / Springfield XD 357 SIG to S&W 66 357 MAG. The little Taurus 38 2" gets carried TWICE as often as anything else. Once you get a 2" 38 revolver, carry it and practice with it, you will quickly learn why the 38 snub nose is still around and as popular as ever.
Great video! Here in Brazil we can only buy magtech ammunition. Could you do a Brazillian Special testing all the magtechs available in .38 spl? That would be great. You have great audience here. Thanks for your great work!
I have done only one test with Magtech and I think it was wadcutters. I been wanting to test some more when I can.
the taurus 605 would be perfect for this. the problem, now, is finding the ammo, then being able to afford it.
You will probably think this is a goofy comment but is a real response to you and most every other Firearms aficionado on toutube. I get anxios every time someone points a gun in my direction even though it’s actually being pointed at a camera. I usually watch on big screen tv which probably adds a few points to my elevated blood pressure. Maybe being old or old retired LEO is a factor. Am I the only one or do others react similarly?
Seems like good ammo. I'm not likely to ever engage a threat at 50 yards with my snubby.
I'm considering to add one the following .38 SPL. Compact revolvers for everyday carry - Smith Air weight M37, a Coot Agent or Cobra or a Charter Arms Undercover. A concern of mine is managing recoil from heavy .38 loads from such lightweight pistols. Appreciate your thoughts and experience with air weight revolvers ? I don't intend to use this piece for extended target practice; I do have to become skilled with one to be competent in case I need to defend myself or other innocents.
Some of the airweights will shoot low with lighter ammo, but it depends on the particular revolver. I never carry this type of hot ammo because of all that could potentially go wrong like crimp jump or inability to hit my target. A good bonded +P load in a standard load is best, typically 130 to 135 gr gives you the best balance of recoil, momentum, point of impact and bullet expansion, heavier than this and you typically don't get hollow point expansion from a snub. A bonded bullet defeats hard barrier better also.
Years ago when on the job . Federal SWCHP on bad guy… K5 1shot. Dropped like a rock EMS could not find wound entrance for serval minute. Needles to say suspect was room temperature.. seen other shooting with same load 1 to 5 shot drop bad guy. Model 64 4 inch
Federal used to market a 158 gr. SWCHP .38 spl loading, using their Nyclad bullet , as I recall they were listed at around 850-900 fps. In actual documented gun fights they scored pretty high, rating at about the same as .45ACP hard ball.
I carry the Buffalo Bore load in my S&W 642. It sucks to shoot, and I'll bet it really sucks to get shot with. The only reason I would consider any other ammo is because the POI is very high. Either way, I'll probably stick with Buffalo Bore and switch to a lower-weight bullet in a couple of years when I rotate this lot out.
I’d like to try those BB .38 in my 340PD but worry about crimp jump. I may order a box and try them.
I'm not sure if it would. I have shot some in my 342PD but I never looked. In the past I had one slightly move from crimp in my 686, but barely. With the Taurus I didn't notice any. So, all I can say is personally I wouldn't want to use it in that gun, but if you did it's a 158 gr bullet, very long, so I doubt it would fully leave the case without being shot because there's a little more friction on it rather than lets say a 125 gr bullet.
@@GunSam Thx Sam, never thought about it that way. I’m having a hard time finding anyone who has that round in stock but I’ll keep looking.
The conclusion was pretty apparent from just the chrono tests. A heavier bullet at a higher velocity will usually do more damage, barring some major difference in bullet construction.
I love this dishonest test in reverse. It proves a point that you can skewer anything. I would not like to shoot that Buffalo Bore through my Chief's Special as it was make in 1976 and would beat the hell out of it and my hand. You really need to fire that through a .357 magnum. I think the Silvertip round is a viable option being a soft alloy so it would help expansion, especially in short barrels where you lose velocity such as the Bulldog. There is no tests anywhere on the .44 special Silvertip round. This round is always recommended for short barrel .44s but I would like to see a test on this round.
I would love to test that round, I think someone mentioned that round in a different video yesterday, the silvertip .44 Special. If I could get that and the Sig V-Crown in .44 Special, that would be great as these are two loads you wouldn't think mainstream companies would make, but they do!
I think both Silvertip rounds are good , the 10mm Silvertip is the Goldie locks of rounds , super accurate , no jam , work great !
I think it rocks that you did this test with a db9. Im one of the minority that like diamondbacks and the db9 is in the running for my new purchase. Still debating between 9, 38/357, and 380. Also not sure if i want a revolver or micro auto. I sold all of my mouse guns and am feeling a need for something, but i dont like the 2 finger grips on most smaller pistols. The grip angle on the db9 and the feel overall are keeping it in the running.
Thanks for the video. I think it has me leaning more towards the 605, at least today. Lol
Awesome video.
Thanks!
Interesting comparison with surprising results.
I have a Ruger LCRX in 38 Special and a DB9 and like them both for different reasons
Still love the bologna packs. Gel is better than water
I do enjoy your videos and I mean no disrespect, but why Taurus ? Do they sponsor you ?
That is by far the hottest 38 ammo I have seen. Cherry picking ammo for sure, do the same B.B. 9mm ammo to compare Apple’s to Apple’s
I ran plenty of their 9mm ammo. If you want as apples to apples as possible, I don't have their 147 gr lead ammo run through a comparable barrel length, but their 147 gr XTP +P+ in a 5" barrel is only like 40 ft lbs more than this .38 load.
I used to carry 9mm as a carry guns but because of the feeding and jamming problems I stop. I am carrying a cheap charter arms .357/38s now. Wheel guns are more reliable
"The weight isn't a problem, the size isn't a problem."
That's what she said. Lol! 😂🤣
Well maybe, but don't go a month in between or she's gonna feel it too much.
@@GunSam truth! Lol. Hey, if I had some ammo for you to test out sometime, how could I get it to you?
You literally dont even have choices anymore... it's like grab what they got
That is truth! If it pokes a hole it's better than nothing! I cast my own non expanding pellets for muzzleloader hunting and my deer always drop within 10 feet of where they were shot. Placement trumps projectile type.
@@SandMDOTCOM1 what's killing me is hoarders and panic buyers... this guy told me the other day at work her bough a box of 10mm and 45lc and owns nothing in those calibers
If everyone acted normal, than ammo would literally still be on the shelves around the same prices, before covid a box of tula 9mm 50 count was 7$... 38 special wasnt much more... it was 87$ for a box of no name 38 specials 2 weeks ago (I didnt buy)
@@BOB-wx3fq I refuse to pay those prices. I have a "war stock" and until the price drops it'll be bird shot, flint lock, or bow. We are feeding right into the democrats hands.
@@SandMDOTCOM1 me too... I trade ammo if I really need it, also have friends who have hundreds of rounds who dont mind parting with 50 or 100
158 grain swc. Its a ride in a j frame but not painful, unlike my experience with subcompact 9mm...ouch
Good video as always, .38spl gets the job done as usual.
Question have you tested the 147gr hardcast 9mm Buffalo Bore that somebody killed a grizzly in Alaska with? I ask that because while I tend to carry a GP100 in the woods in cooler months, when it's summer and super hot and humid here in Bama I prefer something much lighter to carry,generally a 9mm S&W Shield. Not that even a black bear sighting is common around here but it's nice to know what you have will get the job done just in case.
Yes, I ran that in my G2C. ua-cam.com/video/L28_PNVf9Zw/v-deo.html&t
Very good the 38 spl +P
That BB 38spl+p 158 gr creates wicked recoil in my air weight jframe. Not fun to shoot!
I would not carry the silver tip or the Diamondback. There are better choices. Most pocket 9mm like the Sig or Glock have a longer barrel and are more reliable. Other ammo like Federal flies a lot faster from those.
Carry what you shoot the best with good ammo! Like vehicle's, clothes etc. there are many brands and types.
Pick what you like!
As for me, comfort to carry, reliability, accuracy and penetration will always rule. If I knew I was going into a gunfight I would want a long gun. A pistol is a a defensive weapon. Having it with you at the time you need it is more important than most things we like to argue about. A .22 rimfire pistol on your person beats a 44 mag left at home because its uncomfortable to carry.
Just saying
Would you test a Chiappa Rhino and compare it to other revolvers?
I wonder how you'd like/dislike the different recoil, what loads you'd like in it and if you'd work on the trigger.
Maybe. I mean, literally everything you see me do is all personally purchased firearms and ammo. But depending on these stimulus things people claim they are getting, maybe it's a possibility.
@@GunSam Got a notice 4 hours ago. Wednesday the Eagle shits.