Old School Cheap Ammo Test - Magtech .38 Special VS 9mm

[@lfcdz]

Here in Brazil Magtech is the only ammonition made. Thanks for the test, it helps us a lot, and surely will make your channel more popular here.

[@markmuch1295]

I like the old Remington .38 special 158 grain lead semi-wadcutters.

[@benjaminmoore3373]

Gun Sam. You have an uncanny knack of reviewing things that I'm curious about! When I bought my Magtech wadcutters a few weeks ago, I also bought a box of these very .38 hollow points, kinda just to see how different standard pressure weights performed in my Rhino. It's like I've got a gun buddy that tests ammunition I hand him. I'm impressed with the accuracy and ballistics, especially the mdf real world performance. Now I'm curious about the fully jacketed flat nose version to hang out in speed strip/loader. Anyhow, once again, I love the way each round get's the same, consistent test of velocity, gel performance, and accuracy in your tests. -By far the most helpful/thoughtful ballistics channel on KZbin in my opinion. Keep up the good work! I wish you had more subscribers, but I'm sure the ones you have are as loyal as I. 👊

[@rob6850]

The 9 mm seems surprisingly decent

[@Fudmottin]

This fits pretty well with light and fast vs heavy and slow except for the difference in bullet design. I like how the 9mm performed. I wouldn't argue with the 38Spl too much either because I'm sure they had bone breaking force. Even though you didn't say, I suspect that the recoil was quite manageable too. Great video!

[@ooss4731]

I have been searching for so long for information about the 115JHP without success until I found your test. Very interesting how the 115 will behave when fired from a 4" barrel Thank you

[@scottblackwell1215]

Thanks for including the short barrels. Knowing which ammo not to use in a shortie is still relevant information.

[@R_K_S2401]

I actually did a test on the 158 grain .38 special load sjhp magtech round. I had 4 t shirts followed by a 1/8th inch thick piece of pine wood and 3 water jugs. I fkred the round at a distance of 3 yards from my INA tiger revolver with a 3 inch barrel. The bullet travelled through the t shirt layers, through the wood, and through 2 water jugs and stopped in the third. The bullet would've probably went into a 4th water jug but the bullet tried to exit the thjrd jug but was stopped by a one inch thick piece of wood i was using as a makeshift bullet stop. The bullet exited the plastic on the third jug but only made an indent on the wood back stop. The bullet did not expand but the exposed lead hollow point deformed a lot. The rounds did tend to shoot high left in my revolver with fixed sights though. overall I was impressed due to the economical price and 50 rounds in the box as well as it's decent performance through a short barrel and how it is a standard pressure round. The recoil was definitely higher compared to the 130 grain fmj's i usually shoot, but it wasn't uncontrollable. This is my current carry load. I personally don't trust 110 grain 38 special hollow points. Their light weight makes me worry about under penetration.

[@dangerman007]

For a standard pressure round, that .38 did well!

[@mdubb4855]

Results blew my mind. 38 special 2" does very well.

[@steelgila]

Penetration not far behind the four inch barrel and velocity was higher than I expected.

[@erikjensen6503]

I'm always surprised by how hard all the pistol rounds smack the steel at 75 yards. Thanks for sharing another great video!

[@dancarrison9354]

I once met a retired cop who had his old service revolver framed in a display case, along with 5 spent brass cartridges. When I asked him about the cartridges, he explained that they had been used in action and had terminated the threat. They were .38 specials.

[@alananderson5929]

Thanks Sam. Shooting Magtech and fiocchi .38 today @10 yrds rapid fire through a Kimber K6 3” the Fiocchi shot tighter groups. semper Fi🇺🇸

[@Me2Lancer]

Thanks for sharing, Sam. I was at my gun range this morning and it happens they had Magtech rounds at a great price. You've convinced me I need to go back and pick up some. Good shooting, BTW.

[@GunSam]

hank you

[@minormunitions]

I just got this in stock nice to see how it works thank you

[@theoriginalOSOK]

Ammo prices have come down some - getting ready to order more Magtech 115 JPH - $16.95 per 50 round box shipped - if you buy a certain amount... I had forgot that I'd seen this vid and there are no other reviews with this ammo. You do a great job of reviewing so that I feel confident in buying - need to get the most for the $$, so this is very helpful. This ammo isn't the best available but I am very impressed with the expansion. To me the mdf test is more - as you say 'real world'. Thanks again Sam!!

[@LarryeWhite61]

I use that exact 38S ammo in my 2 model 64's...2&4 inch models and very happy with it.

[@frankhinkle5772]

I carry a 3" model 65. These are great guns. You are well armed!

[@mopesrus7266]

Old school ammo for old school guns...it just works.

[@bobcatforever3485]

GS. Another good video. Nice comparison. Always great shooting. Thanks for putting this together. Take care.

[@GunSam]

Thank you, take care.

[@nwyetiphotography]

At the end of your videos it always reminds me of church bells 🔔 as you hit your steel target! 😊

[@ElainesDomain]

I've got some mid 90's 158 grain .357 FMJFN. Accurate as the rest of our ammo at 10 yards from 2 1/2'', 4'', and 6'' barrels. I'm about out of it as I run through my old stuff. Thanks for he test.

[@alabamasmokeywilson6818]

Thanks for the. 38 special testing

[@LS6WS6]

Sweet old school rounds.

[@frankhinkle5772]

THANKS! I have seen MagTech around but not knowing anything about it I have avoided it. But now, post pandemic, and having been through several ammo shortages, this looks like a good fall back even if you do carry only premium cartridges like HST and Gold Dot. i will forward this along.

[@Cheesemonk3h]

the big buckets of magtech 22LR are actually very good quality, they are probably the dirtiest ammo i've ever shot but the quality control is fine, and that's really the big issue with 22 ammo. federal and winchester do not have their shit together and i put magtech 22 far above them in terms of reliability

[@sexytopramen]

Seeing as you can get 1000rds of the 9mm magtech jhp shipped for $350 it's a heck of a deal for bulk stockpiling defensive rounds. I've shot magtech fmj for many years and it's been very reliable. I was happy to see the price of this JHP stuff the other night for such a reasonable price point.

[@LS6WS6]

Thanks!

[@GunSam]

Thank you

[@livincincy4498]

“ I just like shooting at 75 yards “ Experts forget that some of us do this for fun. The 75 Yard range is great for Zombies charging you. You need to hit them as they close in on you. Depending on the movie you will have walking or running Zombies to hot.

[@GunSam]

Thin the horde from some distance before they get too close.

[@hlrj7631]

Aqui no Brasil temos a opção em 38 SPL ponta oca +P 158gr, sendo uma das melhores opções oferecidas pela CBC (Magtech) no nosso mercado.

[@TheHappy2cu]

Thanks for the comparisons. Shot placement is still the ticket for self defense.

[@charlesmudd9834]

★ Really good assessment. Thank you!

[@GunSam]

Thanks

[@charlesphillips5906]

Thanks for the short barrel!

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Good bang for the buck. None of the 9mm results bothered me. Overall the 38 is better than most would think. Most perps aren't completely naked.

[@danoneill2846]

Thanks

[@Face2theScr33n]

That's pretty awesome the 9mm worked better in a short barrel, almost like they did that on purpose. Now I need a shorter 9mm... Great video, Sam! I love your objective approach.

[@bdwillis8284]

Hi Sam, great stuff. I like the buffalo bore 38 out dorsman

[@neubert500]

Another excellent video! Thank you.

[@hemi5.7awdpursuit5]

Love my compact .9mm but I’m still looking to get compact .45

[@robertseafield5810]

Great info. Will look for those.

[@Smi3tankoweCjastko]

You have some of the best ballistics tests ive seen! Have you considered maybe getting a better slow motion camera? that would improve them further, like with showing the temporary wound cavity etc, i think thats pretty important data too, a 10000fps camera can be had for 500-1000$ so its not that bad.

[@GunSam]

Thanks. As cool as it sounds, I am sort of set with how I do things. It would be a different change to where my secondary camera would have to be turned off and on and moved, and slow mo moved in, and away and all of that. I use my secondary camera that catches the gel to talk about the results. Plus obtaining even $500 right now when I can barely feed my family, is something I can't do. I am not a professional

[@theoriginalOSOK]

Great shooting! And I was watching this while I had an order screen open in another tab for a case of Magtech 115 HP lol - at this point, this ammo is $18.45 after tax per 50 round box...! So I figured now is a good time to buy - that's a price for a full case, so you do have to pop for that but.... anyway thanks for the great review! Made my mind up for me. I'll be ready for the zombie apocalypse now. lol

[@ludecom-cz1wz]

Another most excellent video.

[@chrisgabbert658]

👍😊🎯 they work pretty good for money.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

If I recall correctly from a recent video where you tested .32 S&W Long, the SJHP from Magtech actually performed pretty decent from the LCR snub.

[@The_Hi_Life]

For budget ammo, the 9 did better than I expected.

[@TXBassAngler24]

I'd be interested in seeing a ballistic test with the Underwood, Elmer Keith, Hard Cast, .38 SPL +P rounds coming out of a S&W Model 10 made after 1984. I understand that the gun can really handle those rounds and that they are some great penetrators.

[@bigg2768]

Tried some 9mm Magtech a while ago. Maybe I got a bad batch. Found them to have very hard primers causing light strikes. Would always fire 2nd time through. Great for malfunction practice but that’s about it.

[@timrobinson6573]

What gun did you use?

[@bigg2768]

G19 and Beretta M9A3

[@JeffreyCotle]

I've used magtec 45 Acp it worked ok. No jams on was ok accuracy. It is fine for practice. A lot cheaper than good carry ammo

[@LionquestFitness]

A little off topic, but the G2C certainly has a lot going for it as far as a close quarter self defense implement. I've shot and owned a variety of polymer pistols, and I'm definitely a Glock 19 fan, but for a daily concealed carry a person on a tight budget could do a lot worse. Not so impressed with the G3C.

[@GunSam]

Yeah, I was interestingly enough thinking about that last night, that I have had a few Taurus handguns and the only one that never gives me any real issues is the Taurus G2C. Has metal mags so the mag positively clicks in and won't fall out, double strike capability. I also noticed that they come in .40 S&W as well, at least the G2C does to my knowledge, I been debating picking one up.

[@propdoctor21564]

Great testing as always 👍👍 Interesting how the 9 mm got deeper penetration out of the shorter barrel... I assume slightly lower velocity made a little less expansion so it was easier to go deeper in the gel.?

[@GunSam]

Thank you

[@GunSam]

yeah, usually more expansion means les penetration

[@charliefrost-bo2kw]

Hi mate, Here in Argentina it is the most popular jhp round for self defense and at least it always worked well in my pistols. You should test the magtech guardian gold 115 +p, thats a cheap and hot little beast.

[@GunSam]

Everywhere I have looked for the past several years says that Guardian Gold is discontinued.

[@georgekangas7178]

Video Topic Idea: For expensive ammo X (for carry), what cheap ammo Y (for practice) is most like X in PREterminal ballistics? So that all the sight adjusting and training I do with cheap Y, will result in the same accuracy when I fire off a round of expensive X? Probably X & Y would have the same mass and muzzle velocity, just for starters. The test would be: load a cylinder with 3 X's and 3 Y's, then point and shoot! Did they land on the same spot? Watch the vid, to find out.

[@dutchgamobackyardshooting]

great video

[@chrisf572]

I’d like to see the Winchester Ready line 230 gr 45 acp flat point in gel for penetration/ performance if you get the chance. Looks like it would hit pretty hard

[@The9toes]

Well now I do too but Sam doesn’t have a .45 ACP Revolver I don’t think

[@chrisf572]

@@The9toes he does have 45 handguns though. I don’t care if it’s from a revolver or auto. The 9mm flat point test got me interested in what a 45 flat point would do.

[@The9toes]

@@chrisf572 my grandfather hand loads 230 grain flat point so I have a lot of it but I’ve never done anything more than target shoot with it. It’s his preferred hand load so I always just went with it. It’s pretty good vs cinder blocks etc but I’ve never gel tested it for tumble or expansion, fair point

[@ibpositivemostly7437]

Cool video thanks.

[@JeffreyCotle]

I'll take a 38 spl. It will keep the burger man away . Especially out of my Ruger Blackhawk 7 inch barrel. It shoots so well I hunt squirrels with it and I've killed 2 deer in PA with it.

[@danielaramburo7648]

The 38 is definitely prioritizes penetration over expansion.

[@nightvan4427]

From first 9mm Then I love my $120 Arminus 38 spl😊

[@GunSam]

I'm reading on my phone late at night. Blurry, thought you said $120 Amazon .38 spl lol

[@NorthCountryOutlaw]

I run federal ammo through my m&p 2.0, 40cal 5" fde IDK why but it seems to be more accurate than magtec ammo, however i have no real problems with magtec

[@DanTheWolfman]

Very nice cheaper 9mm here....WWB & Fiocchi Defense being the other good ones for cheaper 115s in 50rd boxes. My comments disappeared off the m1152 vid can you try to find them and ok them? Let me know thanka

[@GunSam]

I have no idea how your comments disappeared, I never remove comments from reputable subscribers. It's not in my held for review comments either. But I saw them earlier today chatting with Fudmottin and now they are gone for some reason.

[@markjefferson8788]

How about something on the 38 s&w compared to, say, a .380...

[@Mikkemeister]

I would love to see you test Magtech 9F. It's a 95gr JSP going around 410 m/s, 1345 fps, shoots really good in most guns. Probably not the perfect defensive round, but who knows withouth a test?

[@GunSam]

Most of the time, soft point semi auto ammo is just hollow point ammo filled in with soft lead. I really have no idea what it would do in testing.

[@GunSam]

After I typed that, I found a video on KZbin with it...im gonna watch it now kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKKTan-agNKcqsk

[@Mikkemeister]

@@GunSam good find, for some reason I haven't found that video when searching for test of the 9F. Not very surprised about the result. Thanks!

[@LS6WS6]

Sam you ever think of getting a Charter Arms undercover lite 38 spl? Just got me one in red and have two Taurus 856's.

[@GunSam]

I probably wouldn't. One thing I have found is that once you get pretty much any 2" .357 Mag or .38 Special revolver, it does the job, so I generally do not collect more than one of the same type of firearm. Example, I have two 2" snubs but one is .357 Mag and the other is .327 Federal. The .357 Mag snub does everything with .38 Special by itself.

[@oneboyscout3653]

Tks man

[@JeffreyCotle]

I like 38 spl. I've shot and killed 2 white tailed deer in Pennsylvania. I was shooting from a tree stand from about 30 yards. Both deer went about 80 yards and fell.i was shooting 158 hollow point. Hand loaded to max. From Ruger Blackhawk 7 '' barrel. Deer are tougher than a human

[@GunSam]

Filmed 7/29/23

[@CheeseBurgerXJ]

Can you test Sierra sports master 357 mag jhp, I can’t find any testing at all online

[@richdoherty64]

Here's a scenario for you. You are walking down a city sidewalk. You pass an alley and see something move. You look and see someone wearing a hoodie and who knows what else they have on. They are on drugs and carrying a Samaria sword and running towards you. They are twenty yards from you. What concealed carry gun and ammo are you confident that will stop the threat before they get to you?

[@GunSam]

Probably .40 S&W or .357 Mag with at least a 3" revolver barrel and 4" semi auto barrel. I would want Gold Dot or HST 165 gr for .40 S&W and any 125 gr SJHP in .357 Mag.

[@64samsky]

I'd take the 38.

[@Swampytheroot]

Señor, add me in on you tests (if possible) and I'll spot for you as to where you're hitting. I'd be very frustrated if I couldn't tell where the rounds were impacting. Nice review.

[@TheMadHatter777]

Can you test Magtech 9mm 115 grain +P+?

[@margarethouse404]

I understand totally your tape measure equivilence between 4 inch Revolvers and 5 inch Bottomfeeders . But for usage equivilence it is no longer 1993 , and Beretta M92 are no longer common LE Duty , or General Public CCW guns . Common 9mm belr guns are overwhelmingly +/- 4 inch .

[@357_SWAGNUM_MAGA_X]

I guess john corriea from active self protection isnt a complete shill , magtech doing well here.

[@ronolson2024]

If a bear is charging me, I think I would be shooting my Glock 20 with 200 grain hard cast bullets. I think they would do slightly better than the 9 or 38. But I also bought some Federal Premium Solid Core Syntech Jacket FN 147 gr. for my 9mm for dangerous game. You should do a test of those vs. everything you can think of for penetration results.

[@DanTheWolfman]

Did you watch the m1152 vid?

[@mdubb4855]

​@@DanTheWolfmanyou mean the Buffalo Bore lite stuff? I wonder if it's going to trigger changes in barrels. Too bad we don't know pressure. Or is that in a spec sheet somewhere?

[@ronolson2024]

@@DanTheWolfman The M1152 ammo is nato pressure but is not hard cast projectiles, which would or should be a major difference going through bear skulls.

[@bahuilok]

Is that 9mm 115gr +p+?

[@kc0lif]

so with 38 special use snubnose whereas 9mm not much difference with barrel length. i agree pistol includes chamber whereas revolver just barrel😅

[@leighniece4482]

Just wondering if you have ever tried IMI (Made in Israel) ammo?

[@327Federal]

327 Federal Magnum crushes both of them

[@philipfreeman72]

Does Mag Tech load 45 flat points ?

[@GunSam]

In .45 ACP it looks like the only non expanding rounds they have are 230 gr FMJ and 230 gr SWC FMJ.

[@macriggland6526]

Huh… I usually stay away from 115 grain hollow points but those seem like quality.

[@dilfbag]

🤘 🥸 🤘

[@benjacobs6531]

I keep telling ppl about diffs in barrl of pistl vs revolver and all are too stupid to accept it....

[@danielleclare2938]

Shoot the 9mm in the snub it should work.

[@GunSam]

My .357 snub? Won't fit, the 9mm cartridge is too fat at it's base.

[@craigbenz4835]

Looks like both are designed for short barrels. Ditch the 75 yard stuff. No one cares.

[@macriggland6526]

It’s pretty entertaining.

[@357_SWAGNUM_MAGA_X]

He got a few thousand views in some of his shorts when he shots that far. Why are people like you such a holes. ( no one cares ) , what a fun guy you must be