is the 38+p a good defense round for what i need it for? i'll be hiking soon here in kentucky. i'll most likely need it for 2 legged critters but may run across 4 legged one at times. around where i live coyoties are the most abundent and i expect them to leave me alone unless rabies hits here as it did some years back. there has been a few reports of bears but they are only reported about once or twice a year are are probably just passing thru. however some new creatures has been confirmed by the dept. of wildlife in my area, a mountain lion was confirmed about 60 miles from where i live this winter. the dept. said it to was pasiing thru as none live here but to be carefull if outside, and a wild hog was killed only 15 miles from where i live during deer season, i have a 357 magnum but i'm recoil sensitive, i can shoot them but would prefer a 38+p if they would work. thanks for any help
38+p??
- Thread starter old fart
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lovemyllama
New member
I carry an old Taurus 82 often in the woods. It was one of the first ones they made rated at +P. It is a heavy gun, so the increase in recoil is less due to the wight. You will feel it in a snubnose. As for +P, I love the round, we used it in our old service revolvers till they were retired around 2001. It is a great round for 2 or four legged critters, and as BILLDAVE says, if you worry about rattlers near you carry a speed loader of snake shot and you'll have no problem. Just make sure your gun is rated for +P. Not all of them are. Enjoy.
DoctorXring
New member
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Use the +P 38 special loads, 125 grain and practice with them.
Their recoil and muzzle blast is lower than 357 magnum, but
their performance is better than standard 38 special loads.
But... I would strongly recommend even the standard 38 Special
load if that is what you perform best with in respect to accurate
shooting.
best, dxr
I also am "vintage flatulence".
.
Use the +P 38 special loads, 125 grain and practice with them.
Their recoil and muzzle blast is lower than 357 magnum, but
their performance is better than standard 38 special loads.
But... I would strongly recommend even the standard 38 Special
load if that is what you perform best with in respect to accurate
shooting.
best, dxr
I also am "vintage flatulence".
.
For Coyotes a 22Mag is sufficient if you're a reasonable shot, especially since all you want to do is stop them, not necessarily kill 'em. As to felonious 2 leggers, the 38 Spcl served thousands of LEOs just fine for decades so i think the 38 +P is a fine choice. That said, my personal choice for exactly this situation is the .40 S&W - it will properly manage critters much larger than coyotes and has amazing one-shot stopping power for felons. Plus, in a semi-auto platform, you've the advantage of a 15+ rnd mag.
I actually carry the "FBI" load in my Model 66 snub for the reason you state. I would rather have control than have to deal with the blast and recoil of a full power .357. Since the FBI is a 158 grain Lead HP +P, I think it will have more penetration than other .38 loads and be better for animals than some of the lighter .38s. Plus it has a sterling history dealing with two-leggers.
Wouldn't use it for bear, and wild hogs sound very tough. A mountain lion attack will be sudden and you'd best be able to reach your gun quickly. If so, I always bet a healthy .38 load would be sufficient.
Wouldn't use it for bear, and wild hogs sound very tough. A mountain lion attack will be sudden and you'd best be able to reach your gun quickly. If so, I always bet a healthy .38 load would be sufficient.
Crazy88Fingers
New member
Well a more powerful .357 would be better for some of the bigger critters. But it seems like you're more likely to hit your target with the .38, and that's what really counts.
billnourse
New member
I don't like recoil either, but I still carry a .357 in the woods. Usually only shoot .38 in it for pratice. A lion, pig or bear would be a forminable opponent even for a .357, but it is better than the .38 even in +P.
Bill
Bill
Reguarding snakes. If you have time to reload to bird shot,you have time to NOT be in danger. Please dont just kill a a snake for the fun of it. As far as the other dangerous critters out there, the 4 legged ones, they will be trying to avoid you. Two legged problems? "kill`m all and let god sort them out". Just jokeing about that part but think about hearing protection and try not to play cowboy and indians out there. Peace Tim
Kreyzhorse
New member
Practice with .38s, carry .357. However, Speer Gold Dots or Federal Hyra-shok would be good choices if you don't want to carry .357s.
I have to wholeheartedly agree with this. Shooting a snake (or any other critter that you are not actively and legally hunting) should only be done when it is presenting a clear and present danger, just like a human threat. If you are expecting venomous snakes to be more of a threat than some other animal/human, carry shot as your first round and only shoot it if you really find yourself too close to have any other options. If you have time enough to change ammo or even which chamber you're firing out of, you have time enough to back away and/or go around.
Sorry about the little rant, but I really dislike the idea of killing creatures like this without good purpose. As to your original question, 38s will work just fine on the coyotes and similar sized four-legged threats as well as two-legged ones. But if you find yourself really worried about larger things like hogs and mountain lions, I would step up to .357.
DiscoRacing
New member
i have a girl that shoots 38+Ps... I dont think the recoil is that much less than .357s tho. I load my own and 38+p is only .7 grain less powder.
If I was hiking, weight would be a major factor. I’d carry one of those S&W Airlite .357’s or .44 special/magnum. I’d also leave the snake pellets at home. I don’t think snakes will attack, they strike in defense. Plus snakes don’t have opposable thumbs, so they can’t shoot back either.
triumph666
New member
a 38+p is a good powered round, if you like 9mm+p then you will have no isuues....any 38/9mm round going past a 1000+fps will get the job done
Concerning "snake shot"...
I was out camping with some fellas one time, and while messing around in camp, we started shooting at various things around camp (dirt clods and such with a good backstop). There were a bunch of huge black grasshoppers around the place, so I tried an experiment.
I got a box of .38 snake shot out of the glove box of my truck, and loaded it into a snub-.38 I had. I wanted to see just how far I could kill one of those grasshoppers at, just so's I'd know how effective it might be on a snake. Those black grasshoppers weren't much smaller than an average snake's head.
At anything more than about 12 inches from the barrel, the stuff was harmless to the grasshoppers. From a 2" barrel, I would not trust it to kill a snake on the ground from a standing position. It's likely better from a longer barrel, but I'd certainly test it to see. Seriously, I'd have to be so close that IU'd put myself in danger of being bit.
To be very honest, I've never had much trouble hitting a snake's head with regular ammo. I don't kill them at random, but I oft-times find them out in "the back 40", and I don't like poisonous snakes being too close around the house. I've known of just enough people who've been bit by one laying under a porch or set of stairs to not want them that close. No, I don't play with them either, and have no intentions of getting bit while moving them elsewhere.
I was out camping with some fellas one time, and while messing around in camp, we started shooting at various things around camp (dirt clods and such with a good backstop). There were a bunch of huge black grasshoppers around the place, so I tried an experiment.
I got a box of .38 snake shot out of the glove box of my truck, and loaded it into a snub-.38 I had. I wanted to see just how far I could kill one of those grasshoppers at, just so's I'd know how effective it might be on a snake. Those black grasshoppers weren't much smaller than an average snake's head.
At anything more than about 12 inches from the barrel, the stuff was harmless to the grasshoppers. From a 2" barrel, I would not trust it to kill a snake on the ground from a standing position. It's likely better from a longer barrel, but I'd certainly test it to see. Seriously, I'd have to be so close that IU'd put myself in danger of being bit.
To be very honest, I've never had much trouble hitting a snake's head with regular ammo. I don't kill them at random, but I oft-times find them out in "the back 40", and I don't like poisonous snakes being too close around the house. I've known of just enough people who've been bit by one laying under a porch or set of stairs to not want them that close. No, I don't play with them either, and have no intentions of getting bit while moving them elsewhere.
Colorado Redneck
New member
Guess I am just backwards
When it comes to snakes that rattle, the only good ones are dead ones. 22 pistol works wonders on them.
When it comes to snakes that rattle, the only good ones are dead ones. 22 pistol works wonders on them.