Your thoughts on the new federal nyclad .38 special ammo?

[1911luver]

I am currently carrying this load in my Colt Cobra and I shoot it very well. I am a bit concerned though as I've been reading lately,that it lack sufficient penetration.

Can anyone here confirm this who has tested this ammo from a snubbie? My thoughts are even though my shot placement it really good with this ammo/gun combo,what good will it do if I ever need it and the bullet doesn't penetrate far enough to reach vitals?

Would you use the speer +p gold dot ammo as my gun is "rated for limited use of +p" ammo according to Colt and a few other sources?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[crue2009]

i see no issues carrying Speer Gold Dots,38spl+p as your personal defense ammo,as long as your not firing hundreds of rounds through it..as far as Speer vs Federal Nyclad, Speer Gold Dot- Short Barrel .38+p are probably the top load to carry in a 2"snubbie....

[dawei]

I am currently carrying this load in my Colt Cobra and I shoot it very well. I am a bit concerned though as I've been reading lately,that it lack sufficient penetration.

Can anyone here confirm this who has tested this ammo from a snubbie? My thoughts are even though my shot placement it really good with this ammo/gun combo,what good will it do if I ever need it and the bullet doesn't penetrate far enough to reach vitals?

Would you use the speer +p gold dot ammo as my gun is "rated for limited use of +p" ammo according to Colt and a few other sources?

i see no issues carrying Speer Gold Dots,38spl+p as your personal defense ammo,as long as your not firing hundreds of rounds through it..as far as Speer vs Federal Nyclad, Speer Gold Dot- Short Barrel .38+p are probably the top load to carry in a 2"snubbie....

THIS beats the standard pressure Nyclad® load. It's what I carry in my Airweight® and Ultra-Lite™ aluminum framed guns.

If you want a +P load I would choose THIS LOAD over any other. It's what the wife & I use in our steel frame snub nose guns.

[gschoelles]

If you look at the ballistics on a .38 I think you'd agree that any version of a hollow point is an excellent SD load. However while saying that I do like the Gold Dot's for my S&W 36 Chiefs Special.

[Camjr]

I've heard Mas Ayoob and others say that for non +p rounds, the Nyclad is a good round. Personally, I'm with the others: Gold Dot 135gr +p short barrel rounds in my 642 and in the speed strip reloads.

Cheers!

[theheater905]

The Nyclad had been discontinued for a while and brought back recently if I remember correctly. Its listed as a premium personal defense load but is only a 38Spl. The ballistics for the round are Velocity @ Muzzel 830, Energy 191, that muzzel energy is about the same as a 380 although the 380 is faster. I agree with the other posts go with the Speer Gold Dot or Gold Dot short barrel. Practice with standard pressure carry the +P for self defense, I dont think it will hurt the Colt. Google Hi powers and Handguns, look at the catagory other handguns, there is a tremendous amount of information about 38 snubs as well as info on ammunition & ballistics.

[1911luver]

Thanks guys as I've said the colt cobra I have is a 3rd generation gun,and as such is +p rated according to colt.

Although it is rated for what colt calls "limited use" they also recommend sending it back to them for an inspection after 1500 rounds of +p ammo. However my gun was recently gone over by Frank Glenn the well know python gun smith in Arizona,I had frank go right through my gun and check for any cracks/signs of stretching in the frame.

When I spoke to Frank,he told me aside from the holster wear my gun appeared to have seen very little use from its previous owner. He told me had the previous owner fired hundreds or thousands of +p loads through my gun there would be tell tale signs,and he said he found no evidence of this.

Frank also told me that even the "standard pressure" .38 special of years past was much hotter than even the so called "+P" ammo of today.

Enclosing I don't see myself firing enough +p loads especially at today's ammo prices to ever harm my gun. The great think about a revolver is the fact that it won't take me two or three hundred rounds to verify function. Just a cylinder or two to verify POA/POI and get a feel for the recoil. Thanks guys for all the help I'm gonna go by my favorite shop now and get a couple of boxes of the Gold Dots.

[Blue Thunder]

I am using the Gold Dots in my Colt Detective Special (6 rounds) along with Dade Speed Loaders, the one's from the original Magnum Force Movie with Clint Eastwood. I also have two sets of Dade Speedloaders that fit my Colt Python .357 Magnum. That gives me 24 more rounds plus the original 6 for a total of 30 rounds for the bad guys. This is also what I carry with my G19 and two plus mags in CCW.

[AZ Desertrat]

I like the Nyclad and it performs well....but like some....I also like the GD and I currently have all the revolvers stoked with Buffalo Bore.

[Superhouse 15]

I tested a bunch of Nyclads years ago in water and wet newspaper and had no problems with underpenetration. It was a great snub load. Usually the non+p would expand then tumble sideways from a snub. Occasionally from a longer gun part of the mushroom would tear away. I still have pics somewhere.... I also had some 125gr Nyclads loaded by S&W, different SWC shape. Those almost never expanded from a snub and barely from a longer barrel.

I carry the 125 in the few guns I don't choose to shoot +p in and I keep the 158gr Nyclad +p in my +p guns. I have a
secret stash of those.

The only thing that the Nyclad is no good for is for carrying it in speedloaders or speed/tuff strips. After a while in your pocket or pouch the nylon starts to peel. Stick with something like a DPX or Gold Saber or Gold Dot for that. Even semi-jacketed HPs will get beat up after a while.

[glockman10mm]

I guess you have plenty of feedback to answer your question. If you don't mind I would like to give you my opinion. In today's world of gotta have this or that, and big companies spending big money to get your money, I would put a plain or hollow point semi wadcutter up against any of the designer bullets. Even at standard pressure, they penetrate and cut a full caliber hole. They are consistent performers regardless of encountering clothing or bone. You can save alot of money, shoot the load you carry, shoot more often, and be just as well served. Just my opinion.

[Paladin3840]

The 125 grain Nyclad HP standard pressure is a older well respected load reborn as a personal defense load. It is designed to expand at low velocity obtained in short barrels, and was known as the "Chief's Special" load . It is not intended to penetrate hard barriers, and therefore was/is not marketed as a police duty load.

As reported in the Marshall/Sanow study Handgun Stopping Power this load has a muzzle velocity of 750 fps from a 1.9" and expands to .68" in gelatin. Penetration is 8.5" to 9.0". This load produces the largest stretch cavities and largest crush cavities of any non +P load.

This has been my choice for a carry load in an S&W model 37 airweight for a number of years. I have shot 2 fat rattlers amidships with this load and the exit wounds were noticeably larger than other snakes similarly shot with Winchester 158 grain +P SWCHP from a 2" barrel. Recoil is mild and my wife uses it for that reason in her S&W model 15.

[krazykeny]

This sis what works best in all my .38, and .357 snubbies.
Speer Short Barrel 38 Special +P 135-gr. Gold Dot
http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/short_brl.aspx

[ctr]

I tested a bunch of Nyclads years ago in water and wet newspaper and had no problems with underpenetration. It was a great snub load. Usually the non+p would expand then tumble sideways from a snub. Occasionally from a longer gun part of the mushroom would tear away. I still have pics somewhere.... I also had some 125gr Nyclads loaded by S&W, different SWC shape. Those almost never expanded from a snub and barely from a longer barrel.

I carry the 125 in the few guns I don't choose to shoot +p in and I keep the 158gr Nyclad +p in my +p guns. I have a
secret stash of those.

The only thing that the Nyclad is no good for is for carrying it in speedloaders or speed/tuff strips. After a while in your pocket or pouch the nylon starts to peel. Stick with something like a DPX or Gold Saber or Gold Dot for that. Even semi-jacketed HPs will get beat up after a while.

How long a while? Been carrying mine for 2 years now, no peeling.

[dawei]

How long a while? Been carrying mine for 2 years now, no peeling.

Me too!