.38 Spl. +P Remington 125-grain Golden Saber

by
posted on June 28, 2011
38-spl-remington-125-gr-golden-saber-plusp-354x200.jpg

Loading .38 Spl. to +P pressures is a good way to boost the performance of this old cartridge in short-barreled handguns that might not produce enough velocity to initiate expansion with some standard-pressure loads. However, .38 Spl. +P loads can also make lightweight, compact revolvers un-fun to shoot. This Golden Saber load was tested in a steel-frame Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special and was actually comfortable to shoot. Penetration was deeper and expansion wider than all previously tested .38 Spl. loads. I initially assumed this to be the same load Remington uses for its Ultimate Home Defense offering, but based on my velocity and gelatin testing, the loads are not identical.

Load MV (fps) PEN (inches) EXP (inches) RW(grains)
.38 Spl. +P Remington 125-grain Golden Saber 883 13.0 .60 125

Latest

Winchester
Winchester

First Look: Winchester Supreme Optics

One of the most iconic brands in firearms rolls out a new line of optics.

First Look: Holosun DRS-TH Sight

A reflex and a thermal optic, all in one package.

The Ultimate Home Defense Shotgun

What you need might be different from what you want in a home-defense scattergun.

How To Get Ladies To Hate Guns

It may come as a shock to some, but women think differently than men.

First Look: Heckler & Koch CC9 Pistol

Heckler & Koch pushs the micro nine to its limits.

Wintertime Carry Gear

The following gear provides practical protection and welcome warmth—be it from bad weather or cold-blooded intentions.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Illustrated delivered to your inbox.