Best 38 Special Ammo for Snubbies: Self-Defense and Range Day Ammo

It’s accurate. It has low recoil. It is proven to be effective for defense at close range. Many shooters love the 38 Special for these reasons and believe the snub-nose revolver to be an excellent concealed carry firearm.

So, what is the best 38 Special ammo for snubbies (i.e., revolvers with barrels shorter than 3 inches)? I’m glad you asked!

Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110gr FTX is the best overall, thanks to Hornady’s unique Flex Tip eXpanding jacketed hollow point.

If that defense load is a little pricey, don’t worry. We will discuss many more options as you continue reading.

Recommended .38 Ammo For Snubbies

Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110gr JHP – Best Overall

Specs

• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: Flex Tip eXpanding (FTX) Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)
• Bullet Weight: 110 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,090 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 290 ft-lbs

Pros

• Trusted Brand
• Technologically advanced bullet design
• Fast
• Hard hitting

Cons

• Expensive
• A little extra recoil with the +P load

Why We Chose It

Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110gr JHP is the best 38 Special ammo for snubbies overall because it’s made by a trusted brand, loaded with a special bullet, and hits the target hard and fast.

The bad guy won’t know what hit him!

I use Hornady Critical Defense in my Springfield 45 ACP, Smith & Wesson 9mm, and my wife’s Ruger LCR. That’s how much I trust this brand of ammo. It’s never let me down and has proven extremely accurate in various firearms.

That’s thanks in part to Hornady’s special FTX bullet. A polymer tip sits inside the jacketed hollow point, where it prevents fabric and other debris from impacting inside the nose cavity and rendering expansion impossible. It increases the bullet’s likelihood of neutralizing the threat, and reduces (but by no means eliminates) the risk of over-penetration.

The lightweight 110gr FTX bullet gains a very high muzzle velocity when it is loaded in a +P cartridge, which translates to a flatter trajectory and increased striking power. It all translates to more knockdown power than a standard pressure 38 Special round can muster.

While I often sing the praises of Hornady Critical Defense, it has a couple of downfalls I must mention to be transparent.

The first is the cost. This +P ammo is expensive. It’s not something I take to the range to punch paper with, that’s for sure!

It’s not the most expensive 38 Special round on the market, though. Winchester Defender 38 Special 130gr JHP is costlier, and doesn’t come close to matching the muzzle velocity of Hornady Critical Defense.

For those who are a bit recoil sensitive, this isn’t the round for you. My wife found it to be too snappy, and she wasn’t comfortable firing it in her short-barreled handgun.

If you’re like her, then I recommend Hornady 38 Special 125gr JHP. It doesn’t have the same stopping power as the over-pressure load, but that comes with the advantage of gentler recoil.

Even with its drawbacks, Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110gr FTX is the best 38 Special ammo for snubbies overall. It’s accurate, fast, and has the knockdown power to stop a dangerous threat.

Speer Gold Dot 38 Special +P 125gr JHP – Best .38 Self-Defense Ammo for Snubbies

Specs

• Case: Nickel-Plated Brass
• Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)
• Bullet Weight: 125 Grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 945 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 248 ft-lbs

Pros

• Trusted by law enforcement
• High quality components
• Solid ballistics
• Reasonable price

Cons

• A little snappy due to the increased pressure

Why We Chose It

Speer Gold Dot 38 Special +P 125gr JHP is the best 38 SPL self-defense ammo because it’s trusted by law enforcement officers across the U.S. Whenever I ask a law enforcement buddy which ammo they prefer using on duty, Speer Gold Dot is at the top of their list.

Speer Gold Dot ammo is loaded with high-quality components. When you pull the trigger, you know it will go bang and hit where you’re aiming – two fundamental aspects of self-defense.

The Gold Dot jacketed hollow point owes its accuracy to its electrochemically bonded jacket. In addition to promoting superior in-flight stability, its jacket fortifies the bullet tremendously. That enables it to conserve more weight and momentum after piercing a barrier, and deliver a deep wound channel as its nose cavity simultaneously produces wide expansion.

To me, the most surprising thing about this Speer ammo is its price. It is low compared to Remington Golden Saber and Federal Hydra-Shok Deep.

My biggest complaint about Speer Gold Dot 38 SPL +P 125gr JHP is its snappy recoil in a snub-nose 38 Special revolver, such as an S&W J-Frame. This is expected when you’re firing +P ammo, though.

I wouldn’t hesitate to load Speer Gold Dot 38 SPL +P 125gr JHP into a Ruger 357 Magnum or S&W 38 Special revolver for self-defense. It’s accurate, hard-hitting, and ultra-reliable.

Blazer 38 Special 125gr FMJ – Best .38 Training Ammo for Snubbies

Specs

• Case: Brass
• Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
• Bullet Weight: 125 grains
• Muzzle Velocity: 865 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 208 ft-lbs

Pros

• Reputable brand
• Inexpensive
• Comparable ballistics to some carry ammo
• Low recoil

Cons

• Not the cheapest 38 SPL ammo

Why We Chose It

For the best 38 Special training ammo, choose Blazer Brass 38 Special 125 Grain FMJ. Its FMJ offers similar flight characteristics to hollow point bullets of the same weight, and it’s inexpensive. You can spend all day at the range without selling your right arm.

CCI’s Blazer line of ammunition has a reputation for quality and dependable operation in all makes and models of firearms.

I like to train with the same ammo I plan on carrying, but that gets expensive. That’s why I compromise by training with range ammo that performs comparably to my carry loads, which is the case with Blazer’s 125 grain load.

Another thing I love about these rounds is their low recoil. Your hands won’t get sore after shooting hundreds of these rounds from a revolver with a 2-inch barrel.

This ammo isn’t without its drawbacks. The biggest is that Blazer 38 Special 125 Grain FMJ costs more than Magtech 38 Special 158gr Lead Round Nose (LRN) and Sellier & Bellot 38 Special 158gr Semi-Jacketed Soft Point (SJSP).

But it’s still cheaper than the ever-popular Federal American Eagle 38 Special 158gr LRN.

The next time you’re headed to the range to do some training, don’t hesitate to pick up a few boxes of Blazer 38 Special 125 Grain FMJ. It’s reasonably priced, shoots well, and has lower recoil than +P ammo.

Read the full article ➔ https://ammo.com/best/best-38-special-ammo-for-snubbies

Source: https://freedombunker.com/2026/01/08/best-38-special-ammo-for-snubbies/