Many makes of .357 semi-wadcutter lead hollow point bullets fired from factory .38 special ammo don't expand in snub-nosed guns. They don't always from 4 inch barrels, either.
They seem to need 850 fps minimum. Many factory +P loads from 4 inch barrels barely make that. Some brands of 158 gr SWCLHP lead bullet expand sooner than other depending on cavity shape and lead hardness level.
So what about firing them from a .357 magnum case with a mild powder charge? 950 fps would be no problem from a snub-nosed gun. 1050-1100 fps from a 4 inch gun.
Lead in the 15 Brunell hardness range should have good obturation and expand at that velocity.
Perhaps someone has put a hot .38 Special +P 158 LSWCHP through a 6 or 8 inch barrel into a test medium? That might get the bullet up to that 950+ fps range.
Any info on this?
Why, you ask? Because lead is cheap.
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