Bulk .38 Spl Ammo

38 Special Ammunition Overview

Famed for its longevity and performance, the 38 SPL cartridge is one that's especially associated with revolvers today. Smith and Wesson introduced 38 Special to the world in 1898 and today, you'll find formidable loads at cheap prices made by big names like Federal, Winchester, Hornady and more.[Read More]

38 Special Info

38 Special Ammo Types

We carry a full line of 38 special with more than a dozen different bullet types. Full metal jacket or lead round nose rounds are very popular for range training. More particular shooters will want to go with a wadcutter load. These wadcutter bullets are particularly good at punching precise holes in paper and are quite popular among competitive shooters where scoring zones are of the utmost importance.

Of course, if you carry a 38 special for protection, you'll likely want to pick up hollow point rounds of some kind. These bullets expand upon impact with a soft target, doing the maximum amount of damage and giving you the best chance at neutralizing a threat.

38 Special Ballistics

+P ammunition is very common among 38 special loads and you'll find increased pressure affords shooters about 20% more muzzle energy than standard loads in the caliber.

38 Special Load	Bullet Weight	Muzzle Velocity	Muzzle Energy
38 SPL Wadcutter	148 Grain	690 ft/second	156 ft. lbs.
38 SPL	158 Grain	940 ft/second	310 ft. lbs.
38 SPL +P	158 Grain	1,000 ft/second	351 ft. lbs.

Of course, keep in mind - if you choose to carry a load with increased pressure, that does have the potential to increase strain on your firearm. Many manufacturers do not recommend shooting +p ammo in their firearms. Also, if you choose +p rounds, expect to deal with increased recoil as a result of the increased velocity and energy these loads provide.