for defensive purposes

[two bit okie]

In my 45 I load ball. It has the reputatlion backed by history, relilability, and just about anything else needed for a defensive load. " a thirty eight, 357, 40, or to may expand, but a 45 never shrinks".

Now, having siad that and just aquired only my second 357, I am considering what to feed it.

Being a heavy frame mod 27 smith, I am not worried about recoil or any of the other stuff that is of concern with the smaller guns and will load them stout. at least some of them.

At hallway distnces, I will not be loading 158 soft points to 1500 fps due to penetration. I was wondering about the 125 hp xtp or the 110 sierra. also, how about the differences between soft pt and hollow point.

both would be steppilng out quickly and if a yoodle puppy was after my dog iwould have no fear of the results. however a larger more dangerous critter in the halway at 2 am I am not sure about.

Opinions please

 

[steve b]

So many questions, would take a book ! I will say I'm not fond of light for cal HP's.. That was necessary yrs ago. Newer designs make 110gr etc., out moded. Light for cal is nive for plinking, but go lead. steve b

 

[WESHOOT2]

For people use a high-speed 125g JHP; for animals explore the Hornady XTP-HP, 140g and heavier.

 

[junebug 1]

Read an article recently by Massad Ayoob in Guns magazine April 2005 where the author said to never use handloads for self defence . It just gives a smart laywer a way to nail you for use of excessive force.Use your handloads for practice but use factory for defence. The article is a very good read and well writen.

 

[DeletedMember275]

Read an article recently by Massad Ayoob in Guns magazine April 2005 where the author said to never use handloads for self defence . It just gives a smart laywer a way to nail you for use of excessive force.Use your handloads for practice but use factory for defence. The article is a very good read and well writen.

And a whole bunch of us wish he would STOP peddling that ... stuff. There have been no (as in zero) documented instances of anyone being sued for using handloads during a justified defensive shooting. You're far more likely to be sued for wrongful death than because of what kind of ammo you were using.

 

[WESHOOT2]

HE is attempting to get folks to avoid the back-side 'difficulties' that might occur at trial after one person has shot another.

He and I continue to disagree on this, but I respect his experience enough that I became an ammo manufacturer to nullify any issue.

 

[SargeMO]

Subscribing... be back later

 

[Donaldjr1969]

One question about using a handload for a self defense round. Let's say I get some Remington Golden Sabre bullets and load them to my specs in a R-P nickel plated case and prime with a Remington primer. How can they tell that it was a handload other than to compare the composition of the powder residue with that of the factory loads?

 

[tek4260]

Times are tough, we even have to be frugal and shoot reloads when defending ourselves....

 

[SargeMO]

This gets rehashed on thefiringline about every 30 days; most recent iteration here.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=452510

 

[Spike]

Well, me and Mr. Ayoob's differences aside, I probably lean closer to WESHOOT's opinion of the man.

It's funny. The older and slower I get, the slower my preference for handgun loads. I'm intrigued by our own Stephen Camp's selection of .38SP +P 158grn LSWHP. It's, in fact, what I carry. (That's in a 5-round snub, though.)

I don't put too much stock in the lightweight, hyper-velocity Gucci designer rounds. I'd go heavy and dial in the load to an accurate round with penetration you're comfortable with -- Maybe something in the neighborhood of a hot .38 to a mild Magnum...

-S