Tuesday, April 22, 2008

PERSONAL COMMENTARY - APRIL 22, 2008

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON

UPDATED WED. APRIL 23, 2008

FOOD RATIONING HAS COME TO AMERICA AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. Please go to www.commentsbyt
This is the beginning of everything I have been trying to tell you for years.

Listen carefully to me, I am old and sick, why would I continue to keep trying to shed some light on all this for you, year after year after year, I have no agenda, I do not want anything, I do not need your money as G-D has always taken care of me. We have been sold out from within for greed and power and a sick society that we now have.

Mitt Romney was right - Washington is broken. Getting OBAMA in the W.H. is not the answer its an illusion. Getting another Clinton in the W.H. is not the answer its scare tactics. Getting 72 year old McCain that will make deals with Kennedy is certainly not the answer. I have no solution except for you to realize that the American dream is over and you best prepare for very difficult times. Having Bush and Clinton run this country for 20 years is enough but at this point G-D has a plan for the US and the UK and Israel. Its in LEVITICUS Chapter 26, read verse 19, 20.

The America I knew died in 1945. You want to see what is coming just read EZEKIAL Chapter 38 and 39, ask your self who is "GOG" - do not believe its Russia.

You want to see what is going to happen in the middle east just read ZECHARIAH Chapter 14 specifically. We will not be a major player as our military is broken and the clintons help break it, so 4 more years of them will utterly destroy what little we have left.

Getting back to your family structure, you must stock up now on survival supplies, do it now, money is tight so buy a little every week. THE AMERICAN TRUCKERS ARE THE KEY IN THIS COUNTRY. If they can not afford to buy fuel, then they can no longer deliver your food to the local food stores in your area. The average very large food store you go will be out of food within 8 hours. I have seen this over and over for 20 years when I lived in the Miami Area when a hurricane was coming. There were lines everywhere.

I remember the gas wars in the early 70's - I waited on line for hours for some gas. People were getting hostile, and having an oil man as your President you must ask your self does he even care. I DO NOT KNOW...I HAVE NO ANSWERS.

When I was a kid in Brooklyn gas was either 9 or 10 cents per gallon. A coke in a glass was a nickle. A phone call went up from 5 cents to 10 cents. Riding the subways in New York City was 15 cents for a token. There is not much that I do not remember.

President Bush 43 has the executive authority to cancel the coming elections in 2008 in November if we are at a crisis and he can legally declare Martial Law and ban the sale of guns and ammunition overnight.

Think about having the best commodity for barter. Remember all Mormons have up to a years supply of food on hand. Maybe they will barter as not all of them have weapons. They may be willing to trade, never cheat anyone, always do what is right. NEVER HURT GOOD PEOPLE, G-D is watching.

I am truly disliked by many in the gun industry because my soul is not for sale, I CAN NOT BE BOUGHT - I LIE TO NO ONE. That is why when I was in my thirties I quit Law Enforcement because I would not play the game, I would not allow them to buy or bribe me. And they tried time and time again. I MUST ANSWER TO A HIGHER "DIETY"...

Get all your family members survival items now. Get each a ready to go bag. Buy a micro wave oven and do not plug it in, use it to protect your electronics from an "EMP" device. A microwave oven will be a Faraday cage and if and when anyone uses an "EMP" device on us you will have electronics withing the microwave oven that will not be fried, BUT DO NOT PLUG IT IN.

I have said enough, I hope I have helped you.

Teddy



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I know its not often that I have the time or the energy to write a detailed personal commentary but its time. This is going to be a very bad year for all of us considering that not only is everything upside down but what is coming is far worse than anything we have ever seen.

I remember rationing books during world war II and they used to come around periodically collecting empty cans that food was in so that they could melt them down for the war effort. If you owned a car in 1942 or 43 and you needed tires, you could not buy them, they were for the military only.

When the local candy store in Brooklyn got in a shipment of bubble gum, the word among kids spread like wild fire and within hours the mans stock who owned the candy store was totally depleted. It was a different mindset in those days, people were mostly all pro American and they had a love for their country that I have never seen again.

I walked every where until I got a hand me down beat up bicycle that I rode everywhere. I was mostly a street kid and usually only went home to sleep. When I was 9 years old my Father bought me a Rifle chambered in 22 long rifle, I liked it but it jammed all the time. I used a lot of Western and Peters ammunition.

Living in Brooklyn in those days was different than anything you could ever imagine, when people came home from work they just brought a chair outside to sit on the side walk with the other neighbors and talk about everything, this was a daily thing as most did not have the new Dumont experimental round tube TV in black and white only, it was far too expensive for the average family.

I never saw a really good pocket knife and when I could buy one it was under two dollars and I never had a sharpening stone. I used the concrete curb to sharpen my cheap two dollar knife. As you walked the streets during garbage pick up day you would see everyones garbage pail with no handles. The kids used to use a claw hammer to break them off because they made weapons out of the crude handles.

You would see broken car antennas every where because these antennas were used to make zip guns. Gangs and territory were marked. In later years the car manufacturers went to using oval radio antennas so they could no longer be used for zip guns. So the gang people just bought lamp tubes which worked the same.

I come from a world that does not exist anymore and when I look back most everyone I knew is now dead. My Mother was the strongest and toughest person in my family that I ever knew. She died within hours of her 99 th birthday, she smoked for 50 years, had she not smoked she would have lived 10 more years.

America was a mighty power and people loved their country. There is no comparison to the America of today. I once asked a kid where he was from or at least his ancestry and he said I am an American. I asked again and he said the very same thing. There was a loyalty to America that you will not likely ever see in your lifetime.

I went to High School with famous people, I did not know them but they were there. One was Barbara Streisand and the other was Neil Diamond and Woody Allen went to a neighboring school. On the other hand I saw people like the Gallo Brothers daily in their diner which was a couple of blocks away. I left Brooklyn in 1959.

I have been reading the Bible since I was 7 years old and I have been dedicated to try to understand what things mean and its an impossible task. On one hand I had my rifle and my Bible and my Hebrew scriptures which are still a mystery. There is no doubt in my mind that we have come to a year 2008 that will change this physical world. There is no more America as I knew it, our own people have sold us out for greed and power.

Remember in the Bible the Tower of Babel where G-D changed everyones language so they could not communicate, well he has done it again only this time the language has not changed. If you NOW put any 10 politicians or 100 politicians in the same room to debate and communicate, they can not, they come out of their meeting as they went in. Its all total BS.

I am not as smart as most of you, I do not have the education as most of you but I have a gift that many do not have, I see things that others do not. I have for some reason escaped death more times than I have fingers but I do not know why. I do not even know why I push myself to keep up all these blogs. Everything I know is self taught.

I am advising you to finally get real and prepare for very hard times, I have been telling you this for years, those that know me can verify this. I will go one step further for all my Christian friends, even my wife is a Christian, I want you to read II TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3 - read the first 15 to 20 lines. DO IT.

I come from a very ORTHODOX family and one of my grandfathers is buried in JERUSALEM. He would turn over in his grave if he saw how the current crop of Israeli leaders have sold their soul. A Pulsa Dinura curse was placed on Rabin = hes dead , a Pulsa Dinura curse was placed on Sharon = hes dead, a Pula Dinura curse was placed on Olmert = he now has cancer, a Pulsa Dinura curse was placed on Saadam = hes dead, etc, etc.

Our wonderful military is now broken, we can not be the policemen of the world. we are stretched to thin. We are now cursed as is the uk and Israel. its all in Leviticus chapter 26, verse 19,20 - the mighty navy of the UK is now down to 25 ships, they ruled the seas for about 400 years. Israel is in serious peril of total destruction and I have a great deal of family there.

All in all I want to sum it up, you must start to prepare now because you can not eat your gold or silver. Think about the very best commodity you could own for barter, what is it, ammo.......people may have guns but not ammo, the average policeman only owns a few boxes of ammo. the clock is ticking and you best take me seriously, as I am looking out for your best interest.

I will not go into any more detail, just use common sense, get your family a hiking type water filter with extra cartridges that can filter muddy or contaminated water and make it safe to drink. Stock up on pet food, do it now, it is better to have it and be prepared than be without.

Thanks for reading my commentary and I will try and write more soon. I still try and update most of my bloggers daily. please check them out, I try and put the links up for you everywhere. You can always do a google search on Teddy Jacobson.

Have a good day.

Teddy

Genesis Chapter 12

א וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ. 1 Now the LORD said unto Abram: 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee.
ב וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ, לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל, וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ, וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ; וֶהְיֵה, בְּרָכָה. 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
ג וַאֲבָרְכָה, מְבָרְכֶיךָ, וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ, אָאֹר; וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ, כֹּל מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה. 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'


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http://www.homelandsafes.com/

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Ammo lead
SPECIAL REPORT
By Chris W. Cox,
NRA-ILA Executive Director

All gun owners are familiar with the 17th century maxim, "Keep your powder dry.” But if we expect to be gun owners in the 21st century, we have to update that to read, “Keep your powder—and all the rest of your ammunition—at all.” That’s because politicians who want to ban guns, but who don’t have the votes in Congress and state legislatures, are trying to achieve the same effect by banning the manufacture, importation, sale and possession of as much ammunition as possible, and severely restricting the rest.

In the last year, so-called “encoded” or “serialized” ammunition bills have been introduced in 13 states—Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Washington. Their goal: Destroy our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
All of these bills would prohibit the manufacture and sale of ammunition, unless the bullets and cartridge cases are marked with a code and registered to the owners in a computerized database. Most would also require gun owners to forfeit any non-coded ammunition they possess. For example, Arizonas bill says, “Beginning January 1, 2011, a private citizen or a retail vendor shall dispose of all noncoded ammunition that is owned or held by the citizen or vendor.” Tennessee’s says, “All non-coded ammunition . . . shall be disposed.” And in Pennsylvania, “An owner of ammunition . . . not encoded by the manufacturer . . . shall dispose of the ammunition.”
These bills include no compensation for the loss of millions of rounds of privately owned ammunition. But that’s not the point. Nor is the fact that ammunition encoding hasn’t been tested, let alone proven. Nor is the fact that criminals would easily figure out the numerous, obvious ways to beat ammunition registration.
The point of these bills is to prevent gun owners from having ammunition for defense, practice, sport and hunting. The fact that these bills are not gun bans is a mere technicality because, in practical terms, ammo bans are gun bans.
That isn’t the end of the anti-gunners’ attacks on ammunition in the current Congress and state legislative sessions. Ammunition bans are taking almost as many legislative and regulatory forms as there are types of ammunition to outlaw.
In October, the California legislature banned center-fire ammunition containing more than trace amounts of lead, when hunting big game and coyotes in the area inhabited by the California condor. And within two months, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife adopted a regulation going further, banning any sort of lead ammunition when hunting any game or non-game animal in the condor’s area. Now a lead bullet ban is being pushed in Arizona, too, even though there is still no solid evidence that condors anywhere are dying because they have ingested fragments of traditional hunting bullets.
In Congress, a handful of members of the House (all rated “F” by the NRA Political Victory Fund) have introduced an “armor-piercing ammunition” bill to ban any handgun that can fire a bullet that, if fired from any rifle or handgun, could penetrate a protective vest. Given the number of rifle calibers that use the same diameter bullets as handguns, and the number of handguns that use rifle ammunition, all or virtually all handguns would be banned if this bill became law. Another bill proposes to reinstate the former Clinton Gun Ban’s prohibition on the manufacture and possession of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Ammo
Ammunition bans are taking almost as many legislative and regulatory forms as there are types of ammunition to outlaw.

Anti-gunners’ current focus on ammunition is unmistakable, but going after guns by going after ammunition is not a new idea. As far back as the 1930s, during the debate over national gun owner licensing and handgun registration, it was proposed to implant a small tape bearing a serial number in every bullet, and require people to register ammunition purchases with their names and fingerprints.
This bullet coding idea lay dormant until 1969, when President Lyndon B. Johnson’s National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence recommended a law that would require manufacturers “to implant an identifying capsule with a distinctive number in each bullet and require firearms dealers who sell the ammunition to maintain records of the persons who buy all such numbered ammunition.”
Today, ammunition registration is back on the front burner because a company that claims to have the technology to turn the 80-year-old concept into reality is eager for profits at the expense of our rights. Calling itself “Ammunition Accountability,” the company is trying to market ammo registration by portraying itself as a “group of gun crime victims, industry representatives, law enforcement, public officials, public policy experts, and more.”
Meanwhile, another of the LBJ-era commission’s recommendations, “a system of giving each gun a number and the development of some device to imprint this number on each bullet fired from the gun”—known today as “micro-stamping”—was mandated in California at the end of 2007, to take effect in 2010, and has been proposed in several other states.
California’s law had been urged by Washington’s undisputed gun control crusader for more than 30 years, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. And on February 7, only a week after endorsing Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president, Kennedy introduced a bill in Congress to mandate micro-stamping nationwide. Kennedy claimed that his bill “provides law enforcement with a much-needed resource in solving crimes.” But even if micro-stamping worked, it would be relevant only to new guns acquired from retail dealers, while 88 percent of guns used in crime are acquired through unregulated channels.
To say the least, Obama didn’t get Kennedy’s support only because he made the keynote speech at the Democratic Party’s 2004 national convention in Massachusetts. When it comes to ammunition and guns, Kennedy, Obama and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.—whom the 2004 Democratic convention nominated for president, and who has also endorsed Obama this year—are cut from the same cloth.
Longtime NRA members will remember that in the 1990s, Kerry sponsored legislation to prohibit mail order sales of ammunition, require a criminal background check to purchase ammunition and ban conventional ammunition as “armor piercing.”
At the time, Obama was a state senator in Illinois, where he supported increasing federal excise taxes on guns and ammunition by 500 percent, banning compact handguns, limiting the frequency of gun purchases, banning the sale of guns (except antiques) at gun shows, charging a person with a felony offense if his gun were stolen and used in a crime, prohibiting people under age 21 from possessing guns, increasing the gun dealer licensing fee, prohibiting dealers from conducting business at gun shows or within five miles of a school or park, and banning police agencies from selling old service firearms to generate funds to buy new firearms for their officers.
From 1998 to 2001, Obama was also a director of the Joyce Foundation, the largest provider of tax-free funds to anti-gun groups and causes in this country—$19 million, including $1.5 million to the ultra-radical Violence Policy Center during Joyce’s Obama years. Obama even considered becoming Joyce’s president, according to the Boston Globe.
To be fair, I should mention that Obama’s chief rival for the 2008 Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has a serious anti-gun record, as well. When she was First Lady, Clinton endorsed a 25 percent tax on handguns, an increase in the federal gun dealer license fee to $2,500, registration and licensing of handguns and their owners, and registration and licensing for all new owners of rifles and shotguns.
We’re hearing the word “change” a lot in this year’s presidential campaign. But the longer I’m part of the fight for the right to arms, the more I realize that even though the details of anti-gun bills may change, their underlying concepts remain the same.
Back in 1974, Kennedy knew that banning ammunition would have the same practical effect as banning guns. On the floor of the Senate, Kennedy said that the “manufacture and sale of handguns should be terminated” and that “existing handguns should be acquired by states.” And toward that end, he urged passage of his amendment to “require the registration of every civilian-owned handgun in America,” to “establish and maintain a nationwide system to license every American who owns a handgun,” and “to reduce the number of handguns in civilian ownership, by outlawing . . . all handguns except those intended for sporting purposes.”
But, Kennedy added, “if [banning handguns] is not feasible we may be obliged to place strict bans on the production and distribution of ammunition. No bullets, no shooting.”
Since then, Kennedy and others in Congress have introduced bills to ban or impose outrageous taxes on .25, .32, 9mm, 5.7x28mm, and .50 caliber ammunition; cartridge cases less than 1.3" in length; hollow-point bullets; ammunition that “serves no substantial sporting purpose and serves primarily to kill human beings”; and (via the Consumer Product Safety Commission) “defective” ammunition. And who can forget the outrages feigned by media-hungry politicians over “Black Rhino,” Rhino, Black Talon, Blammo Ammo and other dubious threats?
I wish I could report otherwise, but I’m certain we can expect more bills and rhetoric of that sort after the November elections. In addition to federal and state-level gun bans of various stripes, there will also be a concerted effort to prevent the use of firearms for self-defense, target shooting and hunting, by prohibiting the ammunition you need for all those activities.
Whether these proposed bans become law will depend on how many NRA members and other gun owners turn out to vote. I’ll be in the voting booth on Election Day 2008, and I hope you will be, too. Our ammo and our guns depend on it.

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Satanists or just a mere coincidence ?

Bill Clinton



Illuminati Devil Hand Signals were Prevalent Throughout the 2005 Inauguration

George W. Bush at his 2005 inauguration


"...For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." -Romans 16:18


The Associated Press and Reuters called the above bush family hand signs, the 'Texas Longhorn or 'Texas UT' symbol. People still seem to think the signal is solely the 'hook 'em horns' UT symbol. We know this to be true but this doesn't answer our primary questions:

1) If the symbol denotes Texas football or UT, why are people like Silvio Berlusconi and Bill Clinton doing it too? They have no links with Texas.

2) Why is the Bush family so obsessed with the signal, displaying it dozens of times during both the inauguration and the evening ball? A few times maybe we could accept, but why this many? What has Texas sports got do with a national inauguration?

3) By Bush being an occult member of Skull and Bones and Bohemian Grove, it certainly shouldn't be surprising that people would suspect him of praising Satan. Why would any Christian belong to an occult organization?

Above: The pictures of Bush and Ahmadinejad giving the Satanic "goat's head" sign suggest Iranians are as ignorant as Americans of their President's true loyalty. Illuminati defector Leo Zagami recently called Ahmaninejad a "well known Satanist with no real connection to Islam" and the Iraq-Iran-Israel conflict a "foreign intelligence show." Empowered by the central banking cartel, the Illuminati Order has the resources to infiltrate both sides of every conflict, and steer it according to the New World Order agenda. They call this a "dialectical process." They were on both sides of both world wars, the Cold War, Korea and Vietnam. Iran's nuclear ambitions are merely a pretext. The real object is to degrade both the US and Iran so citizens will forfeit political, economic and spiritual rights to Illuminati banker "world government." -Read More

Below are some photos where the hand gesture is used in a clearly Satanic context:

This is an album cover by the rock band Dio. The album is called Holy Diver. Dio's singer is former Black Sabbath frontman Ronnie James. The Satan character is clearly displaying the same hand signal. Is he a fan of the Texas Longhorns too?

WOW - even King Abdullah and Putty Pute are fans, everybody's doing it!

Go Long Horns!

France President Sarcozy

Vice President Dick Cheney

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor

Some of my web visitors have e-mailed me, claiming that the deaf signal (i.e., a hand sign with the thumb extended) is sign language for 'I love you.' This sign is displayed above by Elizabeth Taylor. However, the inventor of the deaf hand sign, Helen Keller, was herself an occultist and Theosophist as mentioned earlier. Helen Blavatsky, who founded The Theosophical Society, was a devout Satan worshipper who said...

"Lucifer represents... Life... Thought... Progress... Civilization... Liberty... Independence... Lucifer is the Logos... the Serpent, the Savior." pages 171, 225, 255 (Volume II)

If you think Miss Keller's hand sign is just a coincidence, then you are truly gullible. If you were deaf, and wanted to develop a hand sign to tell someone that you love them, what would it be? A hand over the heart would be reasonable. There is no way that any reasonable person would develop the hand sign that Keller invented, paralleling an existing hand salute to Satan. The above photo is one of Ozzy Osbourne's Rock-n-Roll album covers. It is abundantly clear to see that Keller's hand sign praises the Devil.

So what affiliation does Prince William Have with Texas UT?

Silvio Berlusconi? Paul McCartney? Bill Clinton?

Tommy Franks?

Courtney love with Daughter

Rock band Metallica. Are they all acknowledging Texas UT?

The rock band, Forsaken.

The first image Represents the horned god of witchcraft, Pan or Cernunnos. Note the thumb under the fingers and given by the right hand. The next image is a sign of recognition between those in the Occult. When pointed at someone it is meant to place a curse. Note the thumb over the fingers and given by the left hand.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF...

Goat of Mendes -Origin of the Satanic Hand Sign

Satanic Occult Symbols in Washington D.C.

Bohemian Grove Exposed!


Marvel Comic's "Spider Man"

Prince William

Maria (Kennedy) Shriver at her marriage to Arnold Schwarzenegger

George W Bush
(Member of Skull and Bones, and Bohemian Grove)

Tom Ridge, former Homeland Security Director

Above: Outgoing Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge (formerly Governor of Pennsylvania). Surely he's not a Longhorns Fan?

Senator John Edwards

Above: Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards (also the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate in 2004). Is he a Texas Longhorns fan too?

Yasser Arafat

George W. Bush Again

Italian Prime minister Berlusconi

Amy Grant

Above: Believe it or not! Here's Amy Grant, on the Michael W. Smith, In Concert (Reunion Records, 1985) video tape flashing the "Satanic salute." Amy deliberately flashes the "Satanic salute" at least two separate times on the video, displaying it for several seconds. Amy is promoting Satan. There is a definite spirit invoked in rock music, secular or Christian - and it's NOT the Holy Spirit! And many times, people involved in rock music get "caught up in this unholy spirit"!

Anton LaVey, leader and founder of the Church of Satan.

Above: Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan and author of The Satanic Bible, displaying the "Horned Hand" (also called the "satanic salute" and Il Cornuto) with his left hand, on the back cover of The Satanic Bible.

Clark

Harley Clark

Above: Begun in 1955, the `Hook 'em Horns' sign started by Harley Clark still motivates UT fans today. Is it mere coincidence that every Satanist in the world uses the same hand salute?

Dan Quayle

Above: Here is former Vice President Dan Quayle from Indiana showing his horns. Is he a Texas Longhorns fan too?

McDonalds CEO's

A Satanic Ritual

Above: (Satanists making the "Satanic salute" to an altar displaying the Goat of Mendes or Baphomet, to acknowledge their allegiance to Satan, during a Satanic ritual.)



John Lennon again (bottom right)


Kid Rock (above and below)

Pat Robertson | Watch VIDEO now!

Benny Hinn

Benny Hinn

Jesse Duplantis

Jesse Duplantis

Rodney Howard Browne

Rodney Howard Browne

Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland

One of The Council On Foreign Relations symbols features a man naked on a white stead giving the horned hand signal.



Monday, April 21, 2008

STEPHEN CAMP - 9mm vs. 38 Spec.

9mm vs. 38 Special: The Cartridges & the Guns

By Stephen Camp

While reading comparisons of the pros and cons of the pocket 380 versus the snub 38 I noted a reader suggesting a comparison of the pocket nines to the popular 38 compact revolvers. Other projects and responsibilities prevented my starting work on such an article immediately, but during the interim I decided that it might be better to compare not only the pocket nines to the pocket 38 Specials, but the service size handguns in both calibers as well. I will do the best I can in this regard with the firearms that I have available.

I also recalled reading that some state that the 38 Special and the 9mm are equivalent in terms of "stopping power". We'll take a look at some actual average velocities from both calibers from different length barrels and see what the truth actually is and how much is just hot air. Bullet weights will be as close as possible between the two calibers for a more meaningful comparison.

Also included will be reasons for my own selections between the two and why. These are not necessarily recommendations or even suggestions, just my own admittedly subjective observations. The reader can decide if he or she agrees and make his or her own decisions. I have little use for the "only-my-way-is-right" approach since I don't have the wisdom necessary to make all decisions for all people. What is "right" for me doesn't necessarily mean that it is right for anyone else. Let me add that after many years of trying about everything that was available, I made my own decisions. I listened to others in many cases and others I ignored, but in the end I wound up with what works for me. Please let me suggest that this approach be considered in your own decisions.

Often compared are 380 and 38 Special handguns as exemplified by the Bersa Thunder and Colt Agent shown above. The merits of the revolver vs. semiautomatic are often mentioned, but sometimes the debate centers only on the ballistic capabilities of the cartridges. I have approached the subject myself in the articles linked here for those who might have interest:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/hipowersandhandguns/NorincoRust2.jpg

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Comparisonof9x18mmMakarovetc.htm

This article's focus is the 9x19mm compared to the .38 Special not only in different loads and bullet weights, but from different barrel lengths for both. Pictured are "new" vs. "old" technology cartridges. The 9mm shown is Winchester's 127-gr. +P+ Ranger, a round considered one of the best in that caliber. The .38 Special is a Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P, an example of the "old" approach. Often referred to as either the "FBI" or "Chicago Load", many still consider it to be one of the best. (It is sometimes erroneously called the "Treasury Load". The Treasury Load incorporated a 110-gr. JHP at high velocity.)

Also discussed will be such things as magazine/cylinder capacity, ease of reloading, as well as other advantages and disadvantages of the handgun types encountered when choosing between the revolver and the semiautomatic. Felt recoil and practical accuracy will also be covered.

We will look at the compact nines such as the Glock 26 and compare them to the typical J-frame 1 7/8" .38 as well as the 3" and 4" barrel revolvers. Larger 9mm pistols will also be compared with respect to actual chronographed ballistic performance as well as handling characteristics.

When comparing barrel lengths on revolvers versus automatics, we find that with the latter we must take the chamber into account. Revolver barrels are measured from the muzzle to the face of the forcing cone. For example, an S&W Model 638 has a listed barrel length of 1 7/8" and the bullet actually does actually accelerate that distance. A Colt 9mm Commander has a listed barrel length of 4 1/4", but the 9x19mm case length is right at 0.75". This is because the chamber is included in the barrel length. Therefore, the actual effective barrel length is 3.5" in this example. Simply deducting case length is not exact. Some bullets engage the rifling quicker than others due to their shape, but deducting 3/4" is close enough for general discussions.

.38 Special: Like the 9mm, this cartridge hit the ground circa 1902. It was intended to improve the ballistic performance of the .38 Long Colt which tossed a 150-gr. nonexpanding lead bullet at roughly 770 ft/sec. This had proven ineffective against Moro warriors during our conflict with them from 1898 to 1901. Because of this the military pressed the .45 Colt back into service. In normal trim, the .38 Special would achieve roughly 850 ft/sec with a 158-gr. lead bullet from a 6" barrel. I leave how much of an improvement this actually was to the reader. It should also be noted that the service rifle at the time (.30-40 Krag) had some failures to "stop" the determined Moros. I suspect that the .45 Colt did too, but can certainly see a larger diameter nonexpanding bullet at 250-255-grains at roughly 900 ft/sec offering more potential as a "stopper" than the .38 Long Colt. It was the .38 Long Colt that "failed" against the Moros, not the .38 Special. (Frankly, I suspect that its performance would not have been significantly better with the ammunition available at that time.)

The .38 Special has a maximum length overall of 1.550" and case length is 1.155". SAAMI pressure for the standard pressure load is 17000 PSI. The +P has a ceiling of 20000 PSI. There are no SAAMI specifications for +P+, but there are some +P+ rounds available in this caliber. Bullet diameter is usually .356 to 0.358".

I have not researched the history of this cartridge. Some say that it was originally offered in black powder and the switch to smokeless necessarily involved keeping pressures low because the existing guns couldn't handle much more pressure safely. Others say that it was simply because of the quality of some .38 Special revolvers. I actually do not know the definitive answer as I don't shoot this round in poorly made revolvers and am not a real "historian" of either handguns or ammunition.

Regardless of the real reason, the safe working pressures for this round are among the lowest and this is the reason that the physically larger .38 Special cartridges' velocities are usually considerably lower than those of the high-pressure 9mm round.

The .38 Special served this nation's police from federal agents to town marshals for the biggest part of the last century. I carried a 4" S&W Model 10 as my first duty gun when a fledging police officer. The caliber is still popular today, but more so in the compact snubs than the full service type revolvers that used to fill lawmen's holsters. It has a reputation for accuracy. I'm not sure how much of that is due to the fact that its recoil is mild from the service weapon and most police matches were fired with lighter loaded target wadcutters. I do know that some of the tightest groups from any service guns I've ever seen or shot were done with the 4" S&W Model 10 Heavy Barrel and Model 15 Combat Masterpiece. The popular bull barrel match guns were scary accurate in competent hands.

Seen more often today in snub nose form, the guns still possess more intrinsic mechanical accuracy than most of us can make use of, but are harder to shoot accurately. This is due to shorter sight radius and the lighter weight of the guns themselves. The lighter snub may be much easier to carry than its heavier counterpart, but this works against its practical accuracy. However, these lightweight revolvers are certainly accurate enough for close-in defensive shooting in practiced hands. It has been my observation that most folks opine that these guns are harder to shoot accurately than many of the .380 automatics and believe that this is a major reason that the .380 also remains popular. Unless shooting the super small 9mm pistols, felt recoil is usually not mentioned as being "bad", but the sharp recoil of the hot-loaded Airweight (or lighter) snub often is.

The J-frame Model 638 is smaller and lighter than the all-steel K-frame 3" Model 64. Weighing less and with usually smaller stocks felt recoil is greater than with the heavier/larger revolver even if the same ammunition or load is being used. One is easier to hide, has shorter sight radius, and has greater felt recoil. The other is slightly harder to conceal, larger, weighs more, but is almost always easier for most people to shoot well. Its felt recoil is not usually objectionable even though it will normally produce higher velocities than the 1 7/8" J-frame.

At one time, the full-size .38 Special revolver was routinely seen in police holsters either by choice or regulation and not surprisingly, in more than a few dresser drawers for home defense. Some were snubs, but I'll bet many more were 4" versions just like those toted by US police. Today I'll wager that the 3" K-frames and lightweight J-frame versions are the more popular.

The S&W Model 10 Heavy Barrel was once very commonly used by police officers. Most were seen in square butt configuration. My first duty revolver was just such a gun. The Model 10 pictured was made more recently and with the round butt frame. The duty size .38 revolver is not as popular as in decades past. For those interested, here are some thoughts on that topic:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Humble%2038%20Special.htm

As is true with most things, there are both strong and weak points to the more compact .38 snubs versus the larger revolvers in that caliber. Where the J-frame or its equivalent is easier to conceal, it can be harder to shoot accurately and felt recoil is greater. The service style revolvers are easier to shoot accurately, have less felt recoil and greater velocity when the same ammo is used in it or the snub. The snub nose may have equivalent potential accuracy, but its practical accuracy can be less if not used in skilled hands.

The same arguments hold true for the 9mm semiautomatics, but it does seem that there are fewer complaints concerning felt recoil with the smaller nines than with the lightweight .38 Special snub nose revolvers.

Let's take a look at some average velocities from the .38 Special guns. Figures listed are based on ten shots fired ten feet from the chronograph. Where possible, the same load's velocity is shown from different length barrels. Not all listed loads have such commonality. In some instances, the average velocity will be only from one revolver and barrel length.

.38 Special Average Velocities

Revolver

Load

Bbl (in.)

Velocity (ft/sec)

S&W M638

Corbon 110-gr. DPX*

1 7/8

1077

S&W M64

Corbon 110-gr. DPX

3

1118

S&W M10

Corbon 110-gr. DPX

4

1122

S&W M642

Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P+*

1 7/8

1188

S&W M64

Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P+

3

1349

S&W M10

Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P+

4

1412

S&W M642

Federal Nyclad 125-gr. HP*

1 7/8

836

S&W M10

Federal Nyclad 125-gr. HP

4

938

S&W M642

PMC Starfire 125-gr. JHP +P

1 7/8

859

S&W M64

Magtech 125-gr. JHP +P**

3

927

S&W M10

Magtech 125-gr. JHP +P

4

960

S&W M64

Federal 147-gr. HS +P+***

3

911

S&W M10

Federal 147-gr. HS +P+

4

917

S&W M642

S&B 148-gr. Wadcutter

1 7/8

541

S&W M10

S&B 148-gr. Wadcutter

4

607

S&W M642

Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P

1 7/8

800

S&W M64

Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P

3

883

S&W M10

Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P

4

888

*Discontinued load

**Guardian Gold line of JHP

***Law Enforcement Restricted HydraShok load

In no case did we see a bullet over 125 grains break 1000 ft/sec. The Corbon 110-gr. DPX (standard pressure load) did by over 100 ft/sec, but this bullet has been a problem for me in some snub revolvers. Approximately 20% were not stable and did not strike targets at 15 yards straight on. (It should be noted that all of the standard pressure DPX loads worked perfectly from 3 and 4" barrels. This load is no longer available and has been replaced with a +P version. Perhaps this will boost velocities just enough to get perfect stabilization in the 1 7/8" barrels.)

Without question, the speed demon of this bunch was the discontinued super-hot +P+ Corbon 115-gr. JHP. This load used 9mm 115-gr. Sierra Power Jacket Hollow Points loaded in .38 Special cases. This stuff is hot. Though ejection was fine in each revolver I tried it in, I personally do not use it in my J-frame .38 Specials. I think it's just too much and will either have excessive flame cutting, frame stretching, or crack the forcing cone. Felt recoil is sharp and memorable from the little aluminum frame snubs, but it is not bad from the K-frame revolvers.

Generally speaking, we can expect velocities from about 850 to 950 ft/sec from most 110 and 125-gr. loads in .38 Special depending upon barrel length and whether the load is standard pressure or +P.

(For what it's worth, I continue to use the Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P in my .38 Specials regardless of barrel length. The reasons are pretty simple. It has a good reputation among those who have used it in fights and I find that the fixed revolver sights are usually pretty well "on" for this load. It is reported to have less than stellar expansion when fired into 10% ballistic gelatin after passing through 4 layers of denim, but this "problem" goes away in the 3 and 4" barrels. It appears that the 800-840 ft/sec range it travels from my snubs is right on the ballistic edge of reliability through barriers. At speeds closer to 900 ft/sec this load reportedly works fine in such tests. I leave it to the reader to decide how much merit the "denim test" does or does not have.)

Note also the average speeds for the 148-gr. wadcutter load. Other brands chronographed very little faster. These keg-shaped bullets are sometimes recommended for self-protection. They do have reduced recoil to be sure, but I'll take my chances with something a bit faster.

Now let's take a gander at the 9mm cartridge.

9x19mm (AKA 9mm, 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum): This compact, high-pressure cartridge hit the ground in 1902 and was adopted by the German navy in 1904 with the army following suit in 1904. Since that time, the 9mm has been the military sidearm round for more than a few countries. It fought on both sides during WWII in the guise of the Browning Hi Power and has seen its share of bloodletting for all of the last century and into this one.

SAAMI pressure ratings for the 9mm are 35,000 PSI for standard and 38,500 for +P. There are no designated SAAMI specs for +P+ that I can find. For that reason, if a person opts for +P+ ammunition I'd go with one of the "known" ammunition makers such as Winchester, Remington, Federal, or Corbon.

Maximum cartridge LOA is 1.169" and case length should not exceed 0.754".

Though its popularity in the US has grown significantly, the 9mm has never been as popular here as in Europe. In this country I believe it has usually played second fiddle to the .45 ACP, a strong favorite amongst defense-oriented shooters. I also believe that in its better loads, the .45 is more potent than 9mm, but when the latter is being used with its best loads, I'm not convinced the difference is staggering and maybe not significant. Because no two gunshot wounds or people are exactly alike, it is very difficult to quantify "stopping power."

In service style pistols the 9mm is a very easy round to shoot well. In the more compact guns, felt recoil does increase depending upon the size and weight of the pistol. Some opine that because of the locked breech used in 9mm pistols, felt recoil is not as sharp as with a similarly sized .38 Special firing warm loads. I tend to agree but understand that my most "compact" 9mm is a Glock 26. Firing the polymer frame Kahr has not resulted in any unfavorable memories concerning recoil.

Just as the increasing number of states allowing for some form of licensed concealed carry of handguns by private citizens, compact 9mm handguns are continually being produced and sold because there is a demand. In this, the compact nine mirrors the popularity of the long popular .38 snub.

Though somewhat eclipsed by service semiautomatics in .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and the ever-popular .45 ACP, the 9mm in a full-size gun remains quite popular. I own several and have no intentions of selling them.

The Browning Mk III represents the traditional single-action service pistol while the Glock 26 represents the move toward more compact 9mm pistols. In the picture on the right we can see the same G26 compared to the traditional S&W J-frame .38 Special. The Rohrbaugh R9 is a more compact 9mm as are examples from KelTec, Kahr, and others. For those interested in the Rohrbaugh R9, an article on this gun was contributed and can be read via the link below:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/R9.htm

Though it is by no means limited, there are probably more ammo selections in 9mm than .38 Special and bulk ammunition for range use is definitely less costly in 9mm.

In this picture we see the K-frame S&W Model 10 snub with 2" barrel and the Model 042 with its slightly shorter 1 7/8" tube. The all-steel K-frame is significantly easier to shoot if recoil is a problem. The lightweight compact J-frames are easier to conceal and carry but the cost is increased felt recoil. My own subjective observation is that felt recoil in the steel frame Model 10 snub is very similar to that of the Glock 26 or steel-framed Kahr K9.

I do not own any 9mm revolvers so velocity comparisons cannot be with exactly the same barrel lengths. I lost interest in the 9mm revolver when I shot some and experienced difficulty in extracting cases when +P loads were used. I am told that this does not exist in all 9mm revolvers. I've shot only two and it did in both of those. One was an S&W, the other a Ruger.

Earlier we described the difference in the way revolver and automatic barrels are measured. When listing 9mm velocities, I will give the pistol's actual bbl length in inches and what I call its "effective bbl length." This is simply the total barrel length less 0.75". It gives a more accurate understanding of the speeds attained after passing through that length of rifled barrel. (Data from the Rohrbaugh is taken from the article linked above.)

9mm Average Velocities

Pistol

Load

Bbl Length (in.)

EBL (in.)

Velocity (ft/sec)

Rohrbaugh R9

Fiocchi 115-gr. FMJ

3

2.25

978

Glock 26

Fiocchi 115-gr. FMJ

3.46

2.71

1180

Rohrbaugh R9

Win. USA 115-gr. FMJ

3

2.25

1072

Glock 26

Win. USA 115-gr. FMJ

3.46

2.71

1097

Rohrbaugh R9

Win. 115-gr. STHP

3

2.25

1047

Rohrbaugh R9

Federal 124-gr. HS

3

2.25

1054

Glock 26

Corbon 115-gr. DPX+P

3.46

2.71

1181

SIG-Sauer P225

Corbon 115-gr. DPX+P

3.86

3.11

1163

Browning Mk III

Corbon 115-gr. DPX+P

4.66

3.91

1244

Browning Mk III

Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P

4.66

3.91

1411

Glock 26

Corbon 125-gr. JHP +P

3.46

2.71

1188

Browning Mk III

Corbon 125-gr. JHP +P

4.66

2.71

1312

Glock 26

Win. 127-gr. +P+

3.46

2.71

1246

SIG-Sauer P225

Win. 127-gr. +P+

3.86

3.11

1215

Browning Mk III

Win. 127-gr. +P+

4.66

3.91

1269

SIG-Sauer P225

Remington 147-gr GS

3.86

3.11

942

Browning Mk III

Remington 147-gr GS

4.66

3.91

1033

I do not have access to all guns and all loads so comparisons will have to be approximate and not as exact as I would prefer. Nonetheless I believe that at least some "ballpark" observations can be made. In most cases, bullet weights between 9mm and .38 will not be the same, but I'll get them as close as I can. With that in mind, let's compare some of the loads.

First, let us take a look at the Rohrbaugh R9 compared to the J-frame snub. The R9 has an effective barrel length of 2 1/4" compared to the actual 1 7/8" bbl of the little revolver.

With Corbon 110-gr. DPX, the J-frame averaged 1077 ft/sec while the R9 obtains the almost identical 1072 ft/sec with Winchester 115-gr. USA FMJ. Using standard pressure Federal Nyclad 125-gr. HP, the snub got 836 ft/sec. With the standard pressure Speer 124-gr. Gold Dot, the Rohrbaugh averaged 1054 ft/sec, a significant increase of 218 ft/sec. Looking at the super hot Corbon 115-gr. .38 Special +P+, we see the snub getting an incredible 1188 ft/sec! The R9's owner fired no really warm loads, so I have nothing to really compare with, but this is a really stepping out for a snub. It is an exception to the rule and a load that I'm leery of in the J-frame revolvers. Likewise, I don't have anything in 9mm in the shortest bbl length to compare to the 158-gr. load.

Moving up to the Model 64, recall that it has a 3" barrel. That's fairly close to the 3.11" effective barrel length of the SIG-Sauer P225. From the revolver's 3" tube, Corbon 110-gr. DPX averaged 1118 ft/sec. From the P225, Federal 115-gr. JHP got 1177 ft/sec, an increase of 59 ft/sec. The Model 64 attained a very fast 1349 ft/sec with the Corbon 115-gr. +P+ round compared to 1337 ft/sec when the same bullet was fired at +P (not +P+) from the 3.11" barrel of the P225. The difference is only 12 ft/sec; I think we will agree that for all intents and purposes, the Corbon +P+ .38 from the Model 64 and the +P from the P225 are equivalent. The Magtech 125-gr. Guardian Gold JHP +P attained a more typical 927 ft/sec from the 3" revolver compared to the 1081 ft/sec for Hornady's factory "Custom" XTP from the P225, a standard pressure load! The 9mm beat the .38 this time by 154 ft/sec and w/o going to +P. From the Glock 26 with its shorter effective bbl length of 2.71", the Corbon 125-gr. +P averaged 1188 ft/sec. This beat the 3" Model 64 by 261 ft/sec. Moving into +P+, the 9mm tossed the excellent Winchester 127-gr. Ranger Talon JHP at 1215 ft/sec from the P225 and 1246 ft/sec from the Glock 26. This amounts to the 9mm beating the .38 by 288 and 319 ft/sec, respectively. With the 147-gr. +P+ Federal HydraShok load from the 3" wheel gun, we see an average speed of 911 ft/sec. From the near equivalent 3.11" effective bbl length of the P225, Remington 147-gr. Golden Saber attained 942 ft/sec. This difference is only 31 ft/sec and probably meaningless. The point is that this was a maximum effort +P+ .38 load and standard pressure 9mm.

Going to the 4" service length Model 10, we see that the standard pressure Corbon 110-gr. DPX reached 1122 ft/sec. The Browning Mk III 9mm Hi Power has an effective bbl length of 3.91" and tossed the 115-gr. Federal "Classic" JHP at 1177 ft/sec, winning by a mere 55 ft/sec. The super hot and discontinued .38 Corbon 115-gr. +P+ sizzled from the 4" at 1412 ft/sec. From the slightly shorter effective bbl length of the Hi Power, the 9mm +P from the same company and using the same bullet averaged exactly 1 ft/sec less. Magtech 125-gr. Guardian Gold +P reached 960 ft/sec from the 4" revolver bbl. The standard pressure version of Speer's 124-gr. Gold Dot hit 1109 ft/sec from the Hi Power, a gain of 149 ft/sec. The +P version reached 1200 ft/sec besting the .38 by 240 ft/sec. The hot Corbon 125-gr. JHP +P screamed across the chronograph screens at 1312 ft/sec, decisively beating the .38 by 352 ft/sec. Moving into the 147-gr. weight common to both calibers, the 4" Model 10 averaged 917 ft/sec with the +P+ load. From the Browning, the 147-gr. Golden Saber hit 1033 ft/sec. This beat the 4" revolver by 116 ft/sec and at standard pressures.

What we are seeing is actually greater case capacity but lower operating pressures (.38 Special) versus higher operating pressures but smaller case capacity (9mm). I have little doubt that if the ammunition makers had the financial incentive to do the research into better .38 Special bullets and more efficient powders for that cartridge's capacity and working pressures, we would see some really nice gains in this grand old cartridge. We are seeing at least some attempts now. CCI/Speer recently introduced a "short barrel" line of ammunition and this includes .38 Special. That load is +P and the bullet is a Gold Dot weighing 135-gr. Initial reports indicate that it moves about 860 ft/sec from a snub to about 975 ft/sec from a 4". Folks testing it in 10% ballistic gelatin are reporting that it expands even after passing through external barriers such as denim. I have not personally tested any of this company's newest short barrel loads, but will in the near future if at all possible. The Gold Dot bullet design has proven to be a reliable performer and is a favorite for many shooters. For those wanting the highest velocities for a given bullet weight, try Corbon. I have found that most of the time, actual average velocities at least equal and generally exceed their published nominal speeds.

So what's the bottom line? Is the .38 Special just as "powerful" as 9mm? In my observation, the answer is "not usually." There are some exceptional loads that do show equivalence with the usually faster 9mm. In general, I think it's safe to say that a +P .38 Special can sometimes be equivalent to a standard pressure 9mm load in the same (or nearly the same) bullet weight. Usually the 9mm +P and +P+ will walk away from the .38 +P equivalent from the same or nearly equivalent barrel lengths.

So which is the best to carry? I will offer my own choices. As mentioned early on in this report, my decisions may not necessarily be the right one for another single solitary soul, but they work for me.

In the compact defensive handgun, my first choice remains the J-frame Airweight S&W and almost always the Model 642. My primary reason is that in my now tame lifestyle, I find this revolver to be most conveniently carried 24/7 in a pocket holster. Around the house and sometimes away, it may be my primary weapon. When carrying another handgun, it is still present. If you think this option might be right for you, I add this caveat: You absolutely must practice with it if you are to be effective. The steel frame versions are a bit easier to shoot because the extra weight absorbs a bit more of the recoil, but for me the Airweight aluminum frame revolver works better for pocket carry. These are not as light as their titanium successors, but neither are they heavy. More importantly, the Airweight version can be used with lead bullets. With the even lighter titanium guns, one is restricted to jacketed ammunition only. Their lighter weight allows lead bullets to unseat themselves in recoil. This has never been a problem with any of my aluminum framed Airweights.

If interested in using/carrying a J-frame, these articles might be of interest:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Making%20J%20Frame%20Work.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Feedingthe38Snub.htm

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Getting%20a%20Grip%20on%20J%20Frames.htm

If considering a mid-size gun, I have grown really fond of the 3" bbl. revolvers in either .38 Special or .357 magnum. For me, they are significantly easier to shoot accurately at speed than the 1 7/8" snubs or even the all-steel 2" K-frames. That extra inch of sight radius is significant for me. Frankly, I don't do much better with the 4" gun compared to the 3"! This surprised me, but such has been my experiences with them on several range sessions to check that very point.

When I carry a revolver as a belt gun, it is very often this Ruger SP101 w/3 1/16" barrel. The well-worn Model 642 and at least one speed loader carrying Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P back it up. Both guns hold 5 shots and the J-frame speed loader for the S&W snub fits both guns. My normal first six shots in the little Ruger .357 are Remington 125-gr. Golden Sabers. This is a mid-power .357 load, but one that I can control at speed for accurate hits. These average 1189 ft/sec. (That sounds very close to the 9mm Winchester 127-g. +P+ 9mm at 1215 ft/sec fired from the SIG-Sauer P225 with its effective bbl length of 3.11".)

Were I in gang territory or expecting to deal with more than a couple or three miscreants, my choices might be considerably different, but for most situations, I am confident and satisfied with the SP101 backed up by the Model 642 and one extra reload. At the same time I am not going to argue that perhaps a better combination might be the Glock 26 backed up by the snub. That the Glock holds 10 + 1 before reloading compared to the SP101's five is a strong point in favor of the little autoloader.

For most of us, the revolver will require longer times to reload than the autoloader given equivalent amounts of practice. This is certainly an important consideration, but is it the overriding one for you in your particular situation?

For a defense-minded shooter, this Glock 17 with expanding ammunition might be a prime choice in 9mm. It holds 17 + 1 shots and gets high velocity with most 9mm rounds. My mother's gun is a Colt Police Positive loaded with standard velocity 125-gr. Federal Nyclads. She is not a shooter, but she "understands" this revolver and can handle its mild recoil. My wife's personal revolver is an S&W Model 65 LadySmith. It is loaded with Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P. She is not a shooting enthusiast and this combination is what she understands and prefers to the many handguns I've had her shoot.

It should come as no surprise that when carrying a 9mm belt gun, my first choice is almost always the Browning Mk III 9mm. Like the single-action 1911, it is a vintage design that some call "obsolete." For me it is a handgun that lets me put 9mm holes where I want them quickly. Earlier I stated that I believed .45 ACP to be a more potent stopper in some loads. That does not mean I believe the 9mm to be anybody's weak sister. With my loads of choice in the Hi Power, I do not feel ballistically undergunned. I can hit with this pistol and accurate hits are required regardless of handgun caliber in my view. The reader's choice in 9mm sidearms for belt carry might be very different from mine. Fine…if that's what works for that reader.

For me there are other deciding factors in my choice of carry guns. If required, I could carry a 4" .38 Special revolver with my choice of loads and feel fine, but I'd prefer a 9mm weapon of equivalent size or a .45 auto. In the most compact versions of either the .38 revolver or the 9mm auto, I cast my lot with the revolver. I find them very secure in pocket holsters since most of their weight is forward and much less in the butt of the gun, unlike the automatic. In the compact Glock 26 I see intellectually that it is a superior choice to the 3" revolver with its lighter trigger pull and significantly greater number of shots between reloads. I still simply prefer the mid-size wheel gun most of the time, but in service size pistols, I much prefer the 9mm Hi Power to any .38 revolver.

I am hoping that this report has accomplished a couple of things. I have tried to show how the .38 and 9mm stack up ballistically and that perhaps there are other considerations besides "power" that enter our individual equations for the ideal carry gun in either of these calibers. Generally speaking, I do believe that 9mm can have a ballistic edge over the .38 Special most of the time, but also remain convinced that the revolver round can strike a telling blow with good ammunition and in practiced hands. I had much rather have a .38 revolver that I could shoot accurately at speed than a 9mm automatic I was not comfortable with or lived in constant fear of it malfunctioning even if it never had. (Some folks simply do not trust automatics. I believe that faith in one's personal defensive arm is essential. The revolver certainly can malfunction, but the perception of "six (or five) for sure" remains reality for some people. The simplicity of the double-action wheel gun is also a plus for persons not inclined to practice much at the firing range.)

The snub .38 with 158-gr. +P lead hollow points is as "low" on the "power ladder" as I choose to go. The 3 and 4" .38 revolvers with the same ammunition move up from that bottom a good deal and from either of these two barrel lengths I believe the .38 Special to be a capable performer with that load. (I'm sure that there are others, but right now, I have more experience and trust in the "old technology" 158-gr. +P LSWCHP.)

While I believe the 9mm to be a more effective defense caliber with several loads, I am not saying that the .38 cannot be effective. As with many calibers there is some ballistic overlapping between the two. For most of us, either caliber can be a very decisive and viable anti-personnel round. Power, penetration, expansion, etc are important aspects of defensive handgunning, but so is trust in one's weapon, personal preferences, and being able to get the shots.

If you considering a defensive handgun in either .38 Special or 9mm, shoot as many of each as you are able if possible. Get some good training and attain the skill level necessary for you to get accurate hits quickly. Consider your own personal lifestyle/job situation and then make the decision that is right for you.

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