Is .38 Special +P good for home defense?

38 Special is that it’s a medium bullet at medium velocity. It can be effective for personal defense but ammunition selection (and placement!) is important, especially if your gun has a shorter barrel length.

How powerful is 38 Special Plus P?

The . 38 Special operates at a maximum average pressure (MAP) of 17,000 PSI, the . 38 Special +P at 18,500 PSI, and the . 357 Magnum at 35,000 PSI.

What is a .38 Special P+?

38 Special +P caliber is a regular . 38 Special loaded to produce pressures about 10% over the regular specifications. If your gun is marked with a . 38 Special +P rating, then you can shoot this kind of ammunition in your gun.

Is 38 Special +P stronger than 9mm?

38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm.

Does a 38 Special have enough stopping power?

The current +P ammunition (higher pressure) has created higher muzzle velocity loads with speed exceeding all loads before it. When topped with a high-quality Hornady or Speer hollow-point projectiles, the stopping power is quite impressive.

Does a 38 Special kick more than a 9mm?

38mm Special offers low recoil when compared to the 9mm Luger. Bothe these cartridges have lesser recoil as compared to other cartridges like . 40 S&W. This video compares the recoil of common handguns including the 22LR, .

Is .38 Special +P as powerful as .357 Magnum?

As you can see from these paper ballistics comparisons, the 357 Magnum with a host of standard loads is considerably more powerful on paper than the 38 Special, even with a selection of +P loads. The 357 Magnum generally eclipses the 38+P loads by nearly double in terms of muzzle energy.

Is +P good for self-defense?

Snubbies and Self Defense Handgun +P Ammo The second answer is probably, no, unless you don’t mind the added recoil and wear on your firearm; the terminal performance gain is usually marginal if any at all. However, if your handgun has a very short barrel and is +P rated, +P ammunition can be a good thing.

Can you shoot +P ammo in a 38 Special?

38 +P loads have increased pressures—that’s what the +P stands for—over standard . 38 Special loads. These +P rounds may not, should not, cannot be fired in standard . 38 Special revolvers for risk of damage or injury to the gun and the shooter.

Does a 38 have stopping power?

38 special yields very limited stopping power. Yes, the peewees may be better than no gun, but not by much.

What has more stopping power 9mm or 38 SPL?

9 mm & 9 mm +P. Have more stopping power than standard 38 & 38+P.It have less recoil and Is better because it Is chambered for pistol. Pistol Can b reloaded in exactly 3-4 secs with a spare magazine and the capacity Is 12-19 rounds.

Can a 38 Special stop a fight?

Well, with the right loads the .38 Special will still stop a fight in a hurry. Even the vintage old school police and military cartridges in plain lead round nose configuration would put an aggressor down with a well aimed shot. Of course now the self defense cartridges in these modern times are much more potent and highly recommended.

Is the 38 Special +P load good for self defense?

Since both loads shoot to the same point of impact and have the same amount of recoil, you’ll be able to realistically train with your chosen self-defense handgun without having to shoot the more expensive .38 Special self-defense ammo for practice. This is not a .38 Special +P load, which makes it great for smaller or recoil shy shooters.

What put the ‘plus’ in the 38 Special +P?

Classic Gun Question: What put the ‘plus’ in the .38 Special +P (and will it hurt my gun)? The .38 Special is now a bona fide centurion (and then some) but back in 1974, it got a well needed kick in the pants when SAAMI gave a +P rating to any load over 17,000 PSI but under 20,000 PSI.

Is the 38 Special a good caliber for home defense?

Many so called “perfect defense calibers” have disappeared over time. Well, with the right loads the .38 Special will still stop a fight in a hurry. Even the vintage old school police and military cartridges in plain lead round nose configuration would put an aggressor down with a well aimed shot.