[Trader]

Does a high performance/ expantion defense round produce the same impact expantion performance when fired from a 2.5 inch barrel compared to a longer 5 inch barrel. One gun I carry is SW .357 mag with the 2.5 in. barrel.

 

[Bud White]

The only way you will know for sure is to shoot them and recover the bullets .. Ive read yeah and nay but dont have a 2.5 to try out

 

[KC135]

Any quality .357 110 or 125gr should do just fine. Cor Bon would be my choice, but Rem, Win, Fed, all should be fine.

 

[acparmed]

As Bud White said the only way to be sure is to test them. The easiest way I have found to get expansion results is to tie a 1 foot thick bunch of newspaper together and then let it soak over night in water, take it out and fire five rounds into it then recover the bullets. It should give you a pretty good idea if your bullets will expand or not. I've had excellent results using Hornady 125 gr XTP hollowpoints in 357 mag as well as the 230 gr Hydra Shocks I shoot in my 45's.

 

[rocky]

from the testing in American Rifleman of the Speer Gold dots they appear to expand nicely out of a snub .38 spl. I think most of the ammo made for defense is built with the idea of CCW guns using em. But better , and more fun to test em.

 

[Trader]

Thanks guys for your response.

 

[APachon]

Trader, when the new yellow pages come out ask your neighbors for their old copies and they make great bullet traps. Once or twice a year I will with some friends do an ammo test, although far be it from scientific mind you but still eye opening.

You could also collect 1/2 gallon or full gallon cartons of milk or whatever you have in the house and line them up and fill with water and see through how many your given defense round performs and also to what depth it penetrates. Hope this helps. I suggest the 1/2 gallon because they stack together nicer and as such they also measure better.

~A

 

[Bud White]

When my 2 inch cobra comes in ill have to do some testing to see what expansion is

 

[APachon]

Bud, pics would be awesome. My wife is getting an Officer .45 which she will be able to easily conceal in her smallest of purses but I would like to see what you find out.

~A