New member, soon to be CHL, new S&W 442 with questions

[tytl]

Hello Folks,
Just bought a new 442 today from Academy. Have not shot the gun yet, but based on other posts, I expect it to have a small kick, but be fun. Paid $399, not on sale. Also, didn't see a good selection of "self defense"rounds on the self. I ended up buying a box of Monarch brand 158 GR Semi-Jacketed Hollow Points. Can anyone give me an opinion as to whether or not this would be a acceptable choice as a self defense load?
Further, I have most often seen jacketed hollow points, but not very often semi-jacketed hollow pots....good or bad?

Finally, could someone be kind enough to point me to a good site so I can learn the significance of the GR load, 110 GR vs. 158 GR and such.

Thanks in advance for the help.

tytl


PS....great site, and tons of good info!

[seamusTX]

Welcome to the forum.

The only one of your questions that I can answer is GR or grains. A grain is a unit of weight, 1/7,000 of a pound. Cartridges are labeled with the weight of the bullet.

In general, if the powder charge is correct for the bullet weight, heavier is better for defensive use. Lighter loads are usually used for target practice.

There are so many other factors that determine the theoretical effectiveness of a load that books have been written about it and it's a never-ending discussion.

- Jim

[SkipB]

I spent many years in Police work, many years ago. My personal preferance for off duty then was a 2" S&W Chief .38 special and as a CHL holder it is still today. The round you choose works just fine. I'm sure there are some on here that are into reloading and can give you some openions on different rounds. Congrats on your choice of weapons.

[PhilR.]

Congrats on your purchase of an excellent little self-defense pistol. The price you paid isn't bad, especially since Cabela's has it on sale for $479, and you would have spent more on gas to go get one there.

I have a great dislike for the Monarch brand. I had two squib loads (out of two boxes) with their 9mm, so I will never purchase them again. If you are going to actually carry the pistol for self-defense, then spend the money for a more reputable cartridge, and use the Monarch for practice. Stick with Remington, Hornady, Corbon, Winchester, Federal, Speer, CCI for self-defense.

If there are no other retail outlets in your area that have SD ammo, you can order it from Natchez Shooter's Supply or Midsouth Shooter's Supply. They are on the internet.

[tytl]

Thanks for the great input. The learning curve is steep as a new shooter. One thing I can't believe is the price of ammo....and I have been learning it is constantly going up. Would it just be cheaper to throw quarters down range at the target? :)



As far as bullet size goes, I guess that is of a continuing debate between advocates of heavy slow, or light and fast? And all in betweens.

Can I be safe to assume that a name brand good quality hollow point as a minimum is prudent for self defense?

thanks all.
tytl

[Dan20703]

Can I be safe to assume that a name brand good quality hollow point as a minimum is prudent for self defense?

That would be a good assumption. Of course everyone has their favorites.
Check out Camps Corner in this web site. He tests many .38 rounds.

Also go here to look at some comparisons:
http://www.brassfetcher.com/38%20Special.html

Try several brands of ammo and decide on your own which one you can handle the best.

Shoot often and enjoy your new gun.

[JasonH]

You chose a great gun that should last a lifetime if taken care of properly.

As far as monarch goes the stuff I've used so far was garbage. I won't use it again.

There are a ton of "defensive" rounds in your caliber out there.

I just recently bought some .38 special +p Remington Golden Saber rounds from Academy. I'm surprised they didn't have 'em when you were there.

[fm2]

Here's some snubby ammo comparison from a buddy of mine.

I chronoed some ammo today through my 640 2 inch. Five shots per load.


Speer 135 GDHP (their 2 inch snubby load)
858 Avg velocity - Speer's literature says this bullet fully expands at 860 fps.
115,830 Power Factor
8.33 Std Dev
24 Variance

Rem 125 SJHP +P R38S2
878 Avg velocity
109,750 Power Factor
8.73 Std Dev
26 Variance

Win 125 JHP +P
838 Avg velocity
104,750 Power Factor
21.11 Std Dev
58 Variance

GA Arms 125 JHP +P
829 Avg velocity
103,625 Power Factor
7.55 Std Dev
17 Variance

Practice Handload
125 Zero JHP 4.4gr Titegroup (my IDPA load with a 125 JHP instead of 158 plated RN)
887 Avg velocity
110,875 Power Factor
(Hotter than I realized)
38.97 Std Dev
103 Variance

For those who like wadcutters as fodder for snubs on the theory that wadcutters don't have to expand to cut a nice hole:

Master 148 LWC (Bianchi Load for Bill Rogers)
746 Avg velocity
110,408 Power Factor
19.94 Std Dev
54 Variance

Win 148 LWC Match
639 Avg velocity - I have pellet guns that shoot faster than this.
94,572 Power Factor - makes it through a cardboard target, but I wouldn't count on much else.
9.58 Std Dev
28 Variance

And the Winner is:
Rem 158 LHP +P R38S12
804 Avg velocity
127,032 Power Factor
30.47 Std Dev
80 Variance

Some say this load hurts to shoot. Maybe so, but it has a good record of working. My partner in Chicago shot 5 guys with it from his Model 60 snub and they were all suitably impressed.

I am carrying the Speer Gold Dot because it shoots to Point of Aim best, but if I had to go with the Rem LHP it wouldn't bother me either.


I found the Speer gold dot (snubby load) and run that.

[casingpoint]

The state-of-the-art load for a .38 snub 135 grain Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel ammo. Don't leave home without it.

[ShootingStar]

Generally short barrel pistols need a lighter bullet to increase the chances of the hollowpoint expanding. This is because, all things being equal, the heavier the bullet, the faster it has to go to expand to its full potential.

Modern bullet manufacturers serrate the jacket partially to help it more reliably expand. You will really see this with the Remington Golden Saber design. On others it's not as apparent.

My personal preference in a snubby would be the Speer Gold Dot 135 gr. as it's a reputable company and they designed it for snubbys. I wouldn't hesitate to carry any of the major hollow points in my snubby if that was all I could get.

I initially bought my wife a SW 642 snubby for her first gun and she couldn't stand to shoot it because it was too light for the caliber. I sold it and bought a Taurus Titanium that came ported which helped reduce the recoil. If you like the gun, I would consider having it ported if it's unpleasant to shoot. Shoot it first though, maybe the recoil won't be a problem for you. Practice will be critical with a smaller lighter gun than something Larger as it takes more effort to master a gun that is smaller/lighter for it's caliber.

Remember what you learned in your CHL class with respect to injuring an innocent third party while defending yourself. With practice you'll increase your chances of hitting the bad guy with every round while missing innocent bystanders. However, if even one round hits someone you don't intend to hit, then it's Game Over Man.....

I sometimes carry my little snubby and can hit with it, but I realize it's limitations and mine. Whenever I can, I carry a larger frame gun and use the snubby as a backup.

Something to think about. Enjoy...
-ss

[DoubleJ]

I'm a big proponent of Crimson Trace Laser grips, to help with accuracy.
if nothing else, it shows you how much wobble you have in your muzzle during trigger pull.

I, as well, carry the 135gr Speer GoldDots, in .357Mag

[casingpoint]

tytl, it is confusing at first what ammo to carry in any gun, especially in a snub. Maybe this will help settle some of the dust:
http://www.le.atk.com/pdf/SpeerTech38_135HP.pdf

[Renegade]

I had a 442 before moving to a MP340. While the MP340 can take .357Magnum, I prefer to use the Federal 129 grain 38 Special +P loads - P38HS1. I use Bianchi Speed Strips for spare carry.

[NcongruNt]

Modern bullet manufacturers serrate the jacket partially to help it more reliably expand. You will really see this with the Remington Golden Saber design. On others it's not as apparent.

If you can't find Golden Sabre ammo to look at, try some Hornady XTP, which also has noticeable crimps/cuts in the jacket. Better yet, here's a picture:

[kwf2006]

Picked up the exact same gun from Academy for my better half.
The amount of recoil will surprise you! its very controllable shootable, large hands or small.

Luckily, you dont have to shop long or far for the PERFECT ammo for this gun (wish it was this way for 9mm!) and here it is.

http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/short_brl.aspx

By the way, DO NOT get the lasermax laser grips THEY SUCK BAD.

Bit our hands and made us bleed

Button is hard to find, get used to and you have to change your grip to activate them! Sent them back...

GET CRIMSON TRACE OR BE SORRY!

Good luck, and safe shooting!