Home Defense Sp +P

[MidLife]

Just curious if the REM UMC 125 SJHP .38 spl +P ound is sufficient for the the home defnse "night stand" application?
Assume there is less recoil/flash/light/blindness over a Federal 357 MAG 125 g?

 

[WESHOOT2]

Assume NOTHING.

Test, then know.

(While any load might exhibit low flash from one particular gun, it might NOT from yours.....)

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Just curious if the REM UMC 125 SJHP .38 spl +P ound is sufficient for the the home defnse "night stand" application?

I think in most cases that would be sufficient to stop an intruder. In fact that is about what I have in my gun. I think I would find it difficult without eye and ear protection to get off follow-up shots after shooting a 357mag indoors. Others might have a different opinion.

...Jimbo

 

[Bucks Owin]

Sufficient? Sure. I expect a .38 SPL +P will have less bark and flash than a full tilt 125 gr .357 mag, but the difference wouldn't amount to an awful lot IMO, especially in shorter barrels....
Personally, I'd rather have the fine record of "one shot stops" attributed to the 125 gr .357 mag in my social insurance revolver if your gun is chambered for them...JMO

 

[patcannon]

I've always figured that the flash and blast effects of my .357 are going to be a lot greater on the downrange side of the room, i.e. he's gonna be blinder and deafer than me even if he ain't already deader.

 

[surveyor47]

That 125 grain 357 hollow point is known to be a man stopper, but how many walls is it likely to pass through in your neighborhood? Even if you have a brick facier exterior, I would expect penetration through the wall, allowing it to go to the street and next house. If you live in the woods, this isnt a problem, but in the suburbs, it is a major problem. I would stick with +P 38 Special, 158 grain lead SWC hollow points, the old FBI load.

 

[Bucks Owin]

That 125 grain 357 hollow point is known to be a man stopper, but how many walls is it likely to pass through in your neighborhood? Even if you have a brick facier exterior, I would expect penetration through the wall, allowing it to go to the street and next house. If you live in the woods, this isnt a problem, but in the suburbs, it is a major problem. I would stick with +P 38 Special, 158 grain lead SWC hollow points, the old FBI load.

I expect that WHY it is such a good stopper, it doesn't waste it's energy penetrating every wall in the neighborhood. Big expansion, big energy dump without the momentum of the heavier .357 bullets to "overpenetrate"....JMO

Try firing a 158 gr LRN .38 Spl and a full tilt 125 gr JHP .357 into a couple of thick wet phone books sometime...Tell me which round makes it through... :wink:

 

[resident]

Just curious if the REM UMC 125 SJHP .38 spl +P ound is sufficient for the the home defnse "night stand" application?
Assume there is less recoil/flash/light/blindness over a Federal 357 MAG 125 g?

It will certainly take the intruder's mind off of whatever it had been considering....especially if you practice making a HEAD SHOT! (the only kind that is absolutely dependable to stop the action.) BAM-BAM to the chest and BAM to the forehead does not need trick bullets.

 

[MidLife]

I am leaning toward the Remington Golden Saber 125g JHP 38spl +P round at 975fps will be my HD round. I will practice with the similar Winchester 125g JHP WWB rounds for economy.
Does anyone consider this an effective round and with a lengthy shelf life?
Thanks in advance.
UPDATE: Ruger SP 101

 

[WESHOOT2]

Shelf life will not be an issue.

 

[WANT A LCR 22LR]

My LCR carry gets ,Remington Golden Saber 125g JHP 38spl +P. The GP 100 4" house gun now gets them too. GP used to get Rem Express 357 soft hollow points but I decided the extra noise would be a bad idea in a enclosed space.

 

[147 Grain]

For self defense out of a short barrel, suggest you consider hollowpoint ammo with a fast burning powder, like Speer's excellent 135-gr. Short Barrel Gold Dot load that is bonded for adequate penetration and low flash properties for inside the home. It has a little less recoil than the FBI load of LWSCHP 158-gr., penetrates about the same and has a lot more expansion.

Regular 38 Special ammo wastes a lot of powder out of short-barreled revolvers. Snubnose handguns can be optimized with faster burning powders designed for short barrels.

Optimum 38 Special loads are: 2" short barrel = Speer Short Barrel 135-gr. Gold Dot; 4" - 6" barrel = FBI load 158-gr. LSWCHP. The Golden Sabers are an excellent bullet designed by the same guy who came up with Ranger T's, but this bullet doesn't perform as well as the Short Barrel or FBI load above.