A snub nose .38 is a fine weapon if your intention is to avoid a shootout unless cornered, which is a smart way to think. It is simple, dependable, and will definitely stop an aggressor, especially with +P ammo. Its form slides nicely into the pocket without printing, so it is ideal for concealed carry in warm climates where people don’t usually wear coats. Double action only with a shrouded hammer helps for a smooth draw.
.38Spl SD ammo is scarce, but available. Practice ammo is abundant. Practice ammo will work fine in a pinch.
“...38Spl SD ammo is scarce, but available. Practice ammo is abundant. Practice ammo will work fine in a pinch....”
It’s starting to show up some.
I picked up a box of Hornady Critical Defense in .38 at the BassPro store in Katy, TX last Friday morning. They had just stocked the shelf with a whole case of it. It wasn’t cheap at about $35/box or so, but it was available. Hornaday is temporarily using brass, rather than nickel-plated, for it now due to long delay times for the nickel-plating. Brass works fine for me as I wasn’t buyin’ it for its good looks.
And those nice round circles that those wad cutters and/or semi-wad cutters make on those practice targets will also do the same thing on a perpetrator. The wound channel is a full .357” diameter for quite a distance causing massive bleeding. No knockdown/expansion from em, but yeah, they’ll do a pretty good job in a pinch.