That is the first time I've ever seen a Nickel 442.  That is awesome.  And you sir, are very good shot.  With the rabbits and at black circles.  I was shooting mine today and did not get anywhere near that kind of accuracy at 10 yards slow fire.  I was mostly working on speed from the holster and keeping it on a target at 7 yards.  But at 10 I kept most of them in an 8" black circle.  I definitely need some work.  Plus it was the first time I tried that load.  It was federal 130 grain FMJ.  Mine seems to favor the Winchester WWB 130 flat point FMJ's.  

I figured something out though, accuracy wise.  I was always getting high right with my gun.  I usually run Hogue tamer grips.   Well, I installed the factory rubber boot grips back on today and my groups were a lot more centered.  And I don't think it was the ammo.  Because ALL ammo I've tried in the past I had a tenancy to hit high right.  I think it was the hogue grips contributing to that.  

My friend and I were working on how fast to get the first shot off from our concealment holsters.  Just 1 shot.  Then we did: draw, shoot 5, reload, shoot 5 as fast as you can without missing.   It was a lot of fun and the more I shoot and handle mine the better I get.  

I also figured out that painting my front sight white is a benefit.  At least in bright sunlight.  I liked that modification.  

But I have a long ways to go to be as accurate as you are showing.  WOW.

What the pictures are showing on paper is the result of very slow fire, and staging the trigger. If I was doing as you were, shooting 5 quick shots, my results would be just like yours.

Plus, as far as rabbits go, believe me, I miss more than I hit! It usually takes a couple of cylinders to figure out lead, or hold over.  Plus I can recall one time I felt like a Storm Trooper.

I had a Jack at about 25-30 yards away. I figured I had him dead to rights. He was holding perfectly still, under a clump of sagebrush,  figuring if he did not move, I would not see him. I emptied all 5 rounds all around him, like a Storm Trooper, and never touched him! It happens. Sometimes you are nailing them, sometimes, your game is off.

To be fair, I have shot a fair amount of jacks over the years as a way to cure cabin fever and to maintain the handgunning skills.









These guys received headshots from my 5" Model 29, using an easy shooting mid range semi wadcutter load.

If you go to Lucky Gunner and search for .38 Special/.357 Magnum ballistics they have a very good rundown on .38 Special and .357 Magnum through a 2" and a 4.2" barrels.  Best source for ammo tested in short barrels that I've come across after doing a lot of searching.  I almost went cross eyed searching for a good defensive ammo choice for my 3" Ruger GP100 because there is very little information out there for short barrel guns.  The Lucky Gunner tests made my decision easy as pie.  They have standard and +P ammunition tested in both calibers and both barrel lengths listed with the penetration, expansion, velocity and photos of it all.

I'd be using Gold Dots or Cor bon for a GP100.  No contest.  

Apparently Lucky Gunners gel blocks aren't quite the same as the official FBI type.  So some say that while they have put a ton of work in, it's not completely compatible with the standard.  That's what I've heard.  But I have looked at that list and I like his site and blogs.

Federal 38spl + P HST Micro

Interesting design, Federal deep seated it's 130gr HST bullet in the case just like a full wadcutter target load.

Well I took time to chronograph this ammo a few days ago. At about a buck a round, I only shot five through each of three guns. Not truly scientific with such a small sample, but it appears to be right on for factory claims regarding consistency of velocity, but in my 2" & 3" guns the velocity is well below the factory published number of 890 fps. I do not see on Federals website what barrel length or type they are using for their numbers.

2" S&W M337:
High 800 fps
Low 799 fps
Yes, a total for five shots of 1 fps variance.

3" Custom Colt Agent:
High 859 fps
Low 855 fps
Extreme spread of 4 fps.

4" S&W M67:
High 889 fps
Low 885 fps
Extreme spread of 4 fps.

Just for a control group, I then fired five Federal 148gr HBWC Gold Metal Match through the M67 for an average velocity of 753 fps and an extreme spread of 26 fps and a standard deviation of 10 fps. This M67 will shoot into 3.5" at 50 yards with the FGMM ammo off of sandbags.

Ammo lot # R12P1394144 Federal Premium P38HST1S 130gr HSP JHP 130gr

Read up:

http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/

http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/revolver-ammo-commentary/

I use the Winchester super x wadcutter.

Old school, effective out of a 4", probably not the 2".... but I love the way they shoot and I'm not shooting +p.

Buffalo Bore

These are my favorite Non +P .38 Spec loads for sure. The soft cast semi wads mushroom really well at short distances... Lately I've been carrying These though. They are the +P version, 158 grain @ 1,000 fps. BB states they are safe to shoot in any normal/modern .38Special. They are still comfortable to shoot from my M36 "J" frames with just a smidge more recoil. Either are a fine choice!

Running nyclads in mine. Blue bullets best bullets.

Yeah, finding a standard pressure .38 that does all that would be like finding a smoking hot redheaded hairdresser named Tiffany that wasn't bat shit crazy.

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

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Bawhahaha! Every Tiffany I've ever had the displeasure of just knowing or dating was always stupid hot, equally jealous, and absolutely "bat shit crazy!" Just something about that name that screams, Titts N' Fanny!

Back on topic, I agree, if you want penetration and expansion from a 2" snub then you are certainly going to have to go with a soft cast lead HP in the +P power variety. I put a few cylinders full of the BB 158 +P's I recommended/linked to a few post above... They had a bit more recoil to them than I remembered the last time I shot them. They felt more like shooting a .357mag than a .38spec. I'm going to trade them to my brother for his Non +P 158 grain Buffalo Bore's. I'll gladly use those in my J frame and he can use the +Ps in his 4" K frame .357.

Some interesting results with different 357/38spl factory ammo tested in 2" & 4" bbl's.

sd ammo tests

A wc does extremely well in a snubnosed revolver. I cast/use 170gr wc'sfor a 2" bbl'd 38spl.