As some of you mentioned the .38.........I happened to catch a few minutes of a show a week or so back which explained the development of the .38 Special from the .38 S&W. They stated that the individual that developed the round used pine boards bound together to compare penetration of different ammo and that the .38 Special consistantly achieved 8 inches of penetration through these pine boards. If the .38 Special gets that degree of penetration what would you think the .357 Mag would do? Would that sort pf penetrating ability make you nervous to use it as a home defense round? It is a most awsome service handgun round and was my personal choice as a Deputy Sheriff in the early 90's. It was described to me by a local dealer as the most effective man stopper going. While I won't go that far myself the dropping power of the .357 is very proven.

I was never very impressed with the .38 though. The only role it served for me was the ability to target shoot with some cheaper ammo. It was rather disturbing to be armed with .38's in the Air Force in the 80's as a Security Policemen and later with the 9mm's while our friends in pararescue got those lovely .45's! As an armorer I was very jealous indeed.



"The right of a nation to kill a tyrant in case of necessity can no more be doubted than to hang a robber, or kill a flea."
John Adams