Potent New Buffalo Bore .38 Special Loading

38 Special +P OUTDOORSMAN Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

It really doesn't seem to gen up velocities all that different from their +P 158 grain lead SWC-HP product but would you just look at that glorious Keith style semi-wadcutter with its sharp shoulder and fat blunt nose!

It's very difficult to duplicate the velocity and energy attained by Buffalo Bore's performance ammunition through careful handloading. I've gotten there but it's a hiney-puckering time to test-shoot the ammunition produced and the loads would prudently be hoarded for specialty applications only.

This looks like another good product from Buffalo Bore.

Yep, thats the profile that gets it done. BB and DT can pay people to blend powders for maximum results, but I aint gonna go there. Just stick to the books, thank ya very much! Thats why they cost $26 for 20 rounds; gotta pay them techs.

Looks like another winner.

I like their standard pressure stuff in my J frames, but not really comfortable with the hot stuff. With my limited knowledge regarding ammo and ballistics, I can't be sure, but to me it seems that they sure push the envelope of whatever caliber they load for. JMO, but it might be best to just go up in caliber if you want more serious power.

The BB standard pressure round was tested in calibrated SIM Test material through 4 layers of denim and Failed. I have always considered BB to be overpriced and now I see the performance doesn't always measure up also. I'll stick with the 135gr Gold Dot Short Barrel load or Corbon DPX. They seem to work. Here's a link to the BB test:

Buffalo Bore .38 Special 158 gr Semiwadcutter Ammo Test - YouTube

I have been pleasantly surprised and satisfied with all of BB and DT's offerings for both hunting and personal defense. I will gladly pay the price for these excellent products.

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Originally Posted by Pointblank

The BB standard pressure round was tested in calibrated SIM Test material through 4 layers of denim and Failed. I have always considered BB to be overpriced and now I see the performance doesn't always measure up also. I'll stick with the 135gr Gold Dot Short Barrel load or Corbon DPX. They seem to work. Here's a link to the BB test:

Buffalo Bore .38 Special 158 gr Semiwadcutter Ammo Test - YouTube

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It had 17 inches of penetration outa a 2" snubby.... Failed? Maybe not the perfect expansion and wound cavity, but I wouldn't consider it a failure either.. JMO though.

Not to mention it's a 158 gr going up against 135gr.. I'll take the heavy stuff any day.

From a snub, I would consider that to be very acceptable performance. No failure about it at all, rather it is a successful performance.


" I have always considered BB to be overpriced and now I see the performance doesn't always measure up also."


I'd have to ask: "With what is it suppose to measure up?"

Just because it didn't cloud up and rain "Sim-Test Gel" for days after the test doesn't mean that this load is a poor performer. A well-directed bullet from a load like this Buffalo Bore ammunition will "settle the hash" of an assailant, well-directed meaning a shot to the vitals. Bad hits with the 135 grain stuff are just that...bad hits. I'll take the weight advantage of the heavier bullet every time.

Don't make the mistake of becoming too enamored with fancy jacketed designs. Bullets with copper jackets on them are not necessarily an indicator of superior performance and expansion isn't the do-all and end-all of stopping assailants, no matter what marketing, the popular "studies" promoted, or internet forums would have one believe. Too much is made of expansion. It looms larger in our minds than it does in the wound channel.

While anomalies certainly occur, bullets accurately applied to vital systems may be considered good hits and they generally work. Bullets that don't hit vital systems were not applied with sufficient accuracy and are bad hits that generally don't work.

You guys are kidding right? if you want overpenetration any fmj practice round will do that. You are supposedly paying for expansion which translates into stopping power. That test was a FAIL for jhp ammuntion. BB seems to have shills on a lot of the boards.

I have been shooting for 45 years, and in that time there have been 45 "NEW IMPROVED, ABSOLUTELY THE BEST, ONE SHOT STOP GUARANTEE" new ammo introduced. I gave up truing to keep up, so I just shoot wadcutters. Nice round hole every time.

If you're in the market for a max-power SWC load this looks to be the ticket in .38. I don't see a need for them in my lineup but I'm sure it will have plenty of happy customers just from reading the specs on their site anyway.

Wish I Knew what powder & primer they are using & I'd load um myself.
I don't have any data for a .38 special that would run anywhere close to that. Safe in aluminum frames? O.K. if they say so.

Looks like I will be buying at least a couple of boxes.

That load does fill a void.

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Originally Posted by grouse

Wish I Knew what powder & primer they are using & I'd load um myself.
I don't have any data for a .38 special that would run anywhere close to that. Safe in aluminum frames? O.K. if they say so.

Looks like I will be buying at least a couple of boxes.

That load does fill a void.

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I wouldn't use them in ANY alloy or aluminum frame pistol, but that's me.

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Originally Posted by Pointblank

You guys are kidding right? if you want overpenetration any fmj practice round will do that. You are supposedly paying for expansion which translates into stopping power. That test was a FAIL for jhp ammuntion. BB seems to have shills on a lot of the boards.

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No, we're not kidding. Lead semi-wadcutter ammunition is effective with good hits and expanding bullets shouldn't be relied on to make up for bad hits. A feature of the terminal ballistics of the lead semi-wadcutter bullet is that it cuts a full-caliber hole whether it expands or not. I've shot all matter of critters up to deer and large dogs with lead SWC bullets from handguns of all sorts but mostly the .38 Special. It works. I've used very few jacketed expanding bullets in handguns on various critters and game and didn't observe any particular extra margin of effectiveness on the occasions where such bullets were employed, even with full-powered Magnum ammunition.

And, don't even begin to tell us how hunting results are no indicator of a bullet's effectiveness against human assailants unless you're also willing to defend why shooting silly 4-layer denim-covered jello is an appropriate indicator.

It must be asked: Does expansion necessarily translate into stopping power? Does expansion make up for bad hits?

Neither we nor Buffalo Bore said a thing about supposedly paying for expansion in this instance. One could be said to be having a bad day if he was fairly struck with a standard velocity .38 Special 158 grain semi-wadcutter load, much less a jazzed-up loading of the same bullet style.

I might buy it for woods carry if I go to a snubby 38. I carry a Model 60 in 357 for that now, but the 38 is on the horzon for those 'light days' where I don't plan to be in the woods all day and want a smaller snubby. Of course, I'm just rationalizing another snubby, though the 3" doesn't pocket carry for me with my current pants.