38 Special Ammo
The .38 Special JHP bullet is specifically designed to expand on impact making it an effective choice for home or personal defense.
Defense Ammo
38 Special Ammo
The most widely used revolver cartridge in the world is surely .38 Special ammo, a balanced caliber that offers solid all-around performance for target shooting and self-defense. While the traditional .38 Special load typically fires a 158 grain lead bullet at a relatively low velocity, modern self-defense ammo often opts for a lighter 110-130 grain projectile and a higher velocity approaching 1,000 feet per second. This is due to the nature of jacketed hollow point bullets, which expand more reliably at higher velocities. .38 Special cartridges can be fired in .357 Magnum revolvers, making them an excellent low-cost, low-recoil alternative choice for owners of such firearms.
.38 Special handguns are often used for concealed carry. Additionally, an LEO who is typically issued a semi-automatic pistol may choose to also carry a compact backup gun so he can perform a "New York Reload"--a quick switch from an empty primary weapon to a fully loaded secondary weapon. The .38 Special is a common caliber for this purpose.
While not historically accurate to the "Wild West" period, the .38 lends itself well to action shooting. Cowboy loads in .38 Special use bare lead in order to play nice with steel targets; they're also lighter-shooting than typical range ammo in order to help the user make fast, accurate shots without regard to stopping power.
You'll find 38 special ammunition frequently in-stock from CCI, Magtech, Federal, Winchester and other great brands here at Widener's. You can see all our available rounds for sale below.
-
Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special 110 Grain FTX – 250 Rounds
$299.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Hornady Condition New Bullet Weight 110 Grain Bullet Type Flex-Tip-Technology (FTX) Use Type home defense, Subsonic Casing Type Brass Quantity 250 Ammo Caliber 38 Special Manufacturer SKU 90310 Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 10090255903109 Cost Per Round $1.2 per round If you're looking for a dependable carry load for your .38 SPL or .357 Magnum revolver, try Hornady Critical Defense ammunition. These .38 Special cartridges come in a case of 250 that allows for familiarization at the range as well as concealed carry.
Each round fires a light 110 grain Flex Tip (FTX) jacketed hollow point bullet at 1,010 feet per second. The Flex Tip is named for the soft polymer insert that sits at the tip of the bullet and keeps clothing, glass fragments, and other debris from interfering with the expansion cavity. Compared to other .38 loads, this ammo fires a light projectile at a high muzzle velocity and produces high diameter expansion.
Hornady Critical Defense ammo is made in the USA using non-corrosive primers and brass cases.
-
Hornady Critical Defense 38 Special +P 110 Grain FTX – 25 Rounds
$30.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Hornady Condition New Bullet Weight 110 Grain Bullet Type Flex-Tip-Technology (FTX) Use Type home defense, Subsonic Casing Type Brass Quantity 25 Ammo Caliber 38 Special Manufacturer SKU 90311 Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 90255903119 Cost Per Round $1.23 per round Get the accuracy, power, and terminal ballistics you need for your self defense cartridges by ordering this 25-round box of .38 Special +P ammunition. You’ll have cartridges that carry a powerful and intelligently-engineered 110-grain bullet that uses Hondardy’s FTX Critical Defense design. These bullets are your top choice for protecting your home, yourself, and your loved ones.
These FTX Critical Defense cartridges have premium low flash propellants for increased visibility in low light situations. The are clean burning and feed reliably from the magazine to the chamber.
Hornady is one of the leading names in ammunition, creating a wide range of products for target shooting, hunting, and self defense. They are based out of Nebraska and have a reputation for quality, accuracy, and consistency.
-
Hornady 38 Special 90 Grain FTX Critical Defense Lite FTX - 25 Rounds
$30.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Hornady Condition New Bullet Weight 90 Grain Bullet Type Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Use Type home defense Casing Type Nickel-Plated Brass Quantity 25 Ammo Caliber 38 Special Manufacturer SKU 90300 Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 90255903003 Cost Per Round $1.23 per round Are you looking for a highly-effective 38 special ammunition that you can use for your personal protection? If you own a handgun that takes .38 Special ammo, order this 25-round box of nickel-plated rounds from Hornady and you’ll have the accuracy, precision, and power you need for self defense situations. Critical Defense cartridges from Hornady are designed specifically for home defense, giving you reduced recoil, minimal flash, and excellent terminal performance.
The 90-grain bullet has a hollow tip that delivers controlled expansion. With a muzzle velocity of 1,200 feet per second and a muzzle energy of 288 foot pounds, these cartridges offer plenty of stopping power. They are excellent for small, lightweight revolvers thanks to the reduced recoil.
No matter what your reason for owning a firearm, you can turn to Hornady for all of your ammunition needs. From protecting yourself and your loved ones to placing effective long-range hunting shots, Hornady has a full selection of reliable cartridges.
-
Hornady 38 Special 110 Grain Critical Defense FTX - 25 Rounds
$31.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Hornady Condition New Bullet Weight 110 Grain Bullet Type Flex-Tip-Technology (FTX) Use Type home defense, Subsonic Casing Type Brass Quantity 25 Ammo Caliber 38 Special Manufacturer SKU 90310 Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 90255903102 Cost Per Round $1.27 per round When you are looking for highly-effective ammunition for your personal defense, order this 25-round box of .38 Special cartridges. You’ll get the performance, speed, and power you need thanks to a strong load backing these 110-grain Critical Defense FTX bullets. The Critical Defense FTX line is designed for controlled expansion and deep penetration, allowing you to protect your home, yourself, and your loved ones in a critical situation.
These .38 Special bullets come out of the barrel with an initial velocity of 1,010 feet per second and an energy of 249 foot pounds. Even at 50 yards, they still have a speed of 940 feet per second and an energy of 216 foot pounds, giving you reliable ballistics even at a distance.
Hornady is one of the top companies for hunting, target-shooting, and self-defense ammunition. Based out of Nebraska, this company has been providing top-quality ammo and shooting supplies since 1949.
-
Federal Hydra-Shok 38 Special 110 Grain JHP - 20 Rounds
$26.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Federal Condition New Bullet Weight 110 Grain Bullet Type Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Use Type home defense, Subsonic Casing Type Nickel-Plated Brass Quantity 20 Ammo Caliber 38 Special Manufacturer SKU PD38HS3 H Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 29465092030 Cost Per Round $1.34 per round Compact revolvers are highly concealable and extremely reliable, but not exactly known for being fun or easy to shoot. Federal Hydra-Shok .38 Special ammunition in this low recoil configuration makes your task easier on both fronts!
Each round in this box of 20 fires a 110 grain Hydra-Shok jacketed hollow point bullet at 980 feet per second. This results in strong expansion potential and good but not excessive penetration--all with a fairly light kick.
Federal Hydra-Shok defensive cartridges are loaded in Anoka, Minnesota using non-corrosive Boxer primers and brass cases. As this ammo is meant to be carried more often than it is shot, the cases have corrosion-resistant nickel platings that enhance overall durability.
-
Federal 38 Special +P 129 Grain Premium Personal Defense JHP - 20 Rounds
-
Federal Hydra-Shok Deep 38 Special +P 130 Grain JHP – 20 Rounds
$29.85Product Type Ammo Manufacturer Federal Condition New Bullet Weight 130 Grain Bullet Type Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Use Type home defense, Subsonic Casing Type Nickel-Plated Brass Quantity 20 Ammo Caliber 38 Special Manufacturer SKU P38HSD1 Primer Type Boxer Magnetic No UPC Barcode 604544672794 Cost Per Round $1.49 per round Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep ammunition takes the time-tested performance of the Hydra-Shok projectile and makes it even more effective for self-defense applications. This 38 Special +P cartridge’s 130 grain jacketed hollow point features a sturdier center post and more robust core that promote deeper penetration – even if the bullet must pass through a barrier before arriving at the threat. And thanks to its aggressively notched jacket, the JHP also undergoes rapid and wide expansion which subdues the threat quickly.
This is overpressure ammunition. It’s loaded to a higher-than-standard chamber pressure, which means it can destroy a 38 Special revolver if it isn’t rated for +P. Take care to only fire this ammo in firearms that are compatible with +P ammunition. Consult your firearm’s manual or manufacturer if you are uncertain.
Federal’s Minnesota-made ammunition features highly reliable Boxer primers, specially formulated clean-burning propellant, and top-shelf brass cases. The cases’ nickel plating makes them more reflective, safer against corrosion, and lower-friction to facilitate feeding into and extraction from a revolver’s chambers.
