Guide

.38 Special Ammo 2026: Self-Defense and Range Loads From the Makers

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 4, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 37 current 38 Special loads on Federal's, Speer's, Remington's, CCI's and Hornady's own product pages on November 4, 2026: 8 from Federal, 4 from Speer, 15 from Remington, 5 from CCI and 5 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 5 makers, not every .38 Special load sold. The 38 Special rows include 38 Special +P loads, labeled as the maker page names them.

Grouping follows each maker's own usage label ("Self-Defense," "Target Shooting" and "Training"). Hornady prints no usage label or stock status on our capture, so its loads sit in their own table. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Self-defense loads

These are the loads Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI label Self-Defense on their own pages. Figures are copied from each maker page.

Download these 37 loads as a CSV: maker, load, item number, bullet, muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, test barrel, box count, maker status and the maker URL for each row. No prices. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0; more files on our open data page.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok	38 Special +P	P38HS1	129 gr Hydra-Shok Jacketed Hollow Point	950 fps	258 ft-lb	4 in vented	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Deep	38 Special +P	P38HSD1	130 gr Hydra-Shok Deep Jacketed Hollow Point	900 fps	234 ft-lb	4 in vented	20	Available
Federal Personal Defense Punch	38 Special +P	PD38P1	120 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	1,000 fps	266 ft-lb	4 in vented	20	Available
Federal Train + Protect	38 Special	TP38VHP1	158 gr Versatile Hollow Point	830 fps	242 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Available
Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection	38 Special +P	23921GD	135 gr Gold Dot Hollow Point Short Barrel	860 fps	222 ft-lb	2 in vented	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Defense	38 Special +P	27606	125 gr Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	975 fps	264 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington Golden Saber Defense Compact	38 Special +P	27617	125 gr Brass Jacketed Hollow Point	895 fps	222 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Discontinued
Remington High Terminal Performance	38 Special +P	22297	158 gr Lead Hollow Point	890 fps	278 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington High Terminal Performance	38 Special +P	22303	125 gr Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point	945 fps	248 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington High Terminal Performance	38 Special	22293	110 gr Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point	950 fps	220 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
Remington High Terminal Performance	38 Special +P	22295	110 gr Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point	995 fps	242 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	20	Available
CCI Blazer Brass HP	38 Special +P	5338	125 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	970 fps	261 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Currently Unavailable

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Hornady American Gunner	38 Special	90324	125 gr XTP® American Gunner®	900 fps	225 ft-lb	4 in vented	25	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Critical Defense	38 Special	90310	110 gr FTX® Critical Defense®	1,010 fps	249 ft-lb	4 in vented	25	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Critical Defense	38 Special +P	90311	110 gr FTX® Critical Defense®	1,090 fps	290 ft-lb	4 in vented	25	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Critical Defense Lite	38 Special	90300	90 gr FTX® Critical Defense® Lite	1,200 fps	288 ft-lb	4 in	25	Not listed on maker page
Hornady Custom	38 Special	90362	158 gr XTP®	800 fps	225 ft-lb	4 in vented	25	Not listed on maker page

Range and training loads

These are loads Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI label Target Shooting or Training. Several are the same load in different box counts, and each box size has its own item number.

Load	Cartridge	Item #	Bullet	Muzzle velocity	Muzzle energy	Test barrel	Box	Maker status (Nov. 4)
Federal American Eagle Handgun	38 Special	AE38B	158 gr Lead Round Nose	770 fps	208 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Available
Federal American Eagle Handgun	38 Special	AE38K	130 gr Full Metal Jacket	890 fps	229 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Available
Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead Free	38 Special	AE38LF1	100 gr Lead Free IRT	960 fps	205 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Federal Gold Medal Handgun	38 Special	GM38A	148 gr Lead Wadcutter	690 fps	156 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Currently Unavailable
Speer Lawman Handgun Clean-Fire Training	38 Special +P	53833	158 gr Total Metal Jacket	900 fps	284 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Available
Speer Lawman Handgun Training	38 Special	53733	125 gr Total Metal Jacket	865 fps	208 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Speer Lawman Handgun Training	38 Special +P	53750	158 gr Total Metal Jacket	900 fps	284 ft-lb	4 in vented	50	Available
Remington Performance WheelGun	38 Special	22267	148 gr Target Master Wad Cutter	710 fps	166 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Currently Unavailable
Remington Performance WheelGun	38 Special	22281	158 gr Lead Round Nose	755 fps	200 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington Performance WheelGun	38 Special	22271	158 gr Lead Semi-Wadcutter	755 fps	200 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	38 Special	23724	158 gr Lead Round Nose	755 fps	200 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	38 Special	23730	130 gr Full Metal Jacket	800 fps	185 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	38 Special	23731	130 gr Full Metal Jacket	800 fps	185 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	250	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	38 Special	23669	130 gr Full Metal Jacket	890 fps	229 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	300	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	38 Special +P	23754	125 gr Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point	945 fps	248 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
Remington UMC Handgun	38 Special +P	23771	125 gr Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point	945 fps	248 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	100	Available
CCI Blazer Aluminum	38 Special	3522	158 gr Lead Round Nose	755 fps	200 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Aluminum	38 Special +P	3519	158 gr Full Metal Jacket	850 fps	253 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Aluminum	38 Special +P	3514	125 gr Jacketed Hollow Point	945 fps	248 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available
CCI Blazer Brass	38 Special	5204	125 gr Full Metal Jacket	865 fps	208 ft-lb	Not listed on maker page	50	Available

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 37 loads, 21 list no test barrel, 14 list 4 in vented, 1 list 2 in vented, 1 list 4 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI. A revolver with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for 38 Special is 4.000 in vented or 7.710 in solid, and most maker pages that list a barrel show a vented revolver barrel. For how velocity changes with barrel length in .38 Special, see our barrel length vs velocity data for .38 Special.

38 Special: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "38 SPECIAL (38 SPL) / 38 SPECIAL +P (38 SPL +P)" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022, its centerfire pistol and revolver standard (approved Dec. 13, 2022). The cartridge drawing was issued 05/29/1979 and revised 07/08/2021. SAAMI lists 38 Special and 38 Special +P as separate cartridges. For 38 Special it lists a maximum average pressure of 17,000 psi by transducer (the table shows 170 in psi/100) and 17,000 CUP by crusher (170 in CUP/100). For 38 Special +P it lists 20,000 psi by transducer (200 in psi/100) and 20,000 CUP by crusher (200 in CUP/100). Cartridge overall length runs from 1.275 in minimum to 1.550 in maximum. Case length is 1.155 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .3580 in (−.0030) for jacketed bullets and .3590 in (−.0030) for lead. Bore is .346 in and groove is .355 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 18.75 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI's velocity test barrel for 38 Special and 38 Special +P is 4.000 in vented or 7.710 in solid. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.3 PDF.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Winchester: every Winchester product page we opened for these calibers says "There is no ballistics data available at this time," so we have no Winchester figures to copy yet.
SIG Sauer: the maker's site returned an access error (403) to our automated check, and we did not verify its product pages this round.
CCI Pest Control shotshells: CCI lists three shotshell loads for "38 Spl/357 Mag" (items 3714CC, 3738 and 3738B). They are excluded from the tables.
Test barrels and stock status: Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI pages list no test barrel on some loads, and Hornady's pages list no stock status.

1 load in the tables carries a "Discontinued" badge on the maker page as of Nov. 4, 2026: Remington Golden Saber Defense Compact 27617. We list them because the maker page still shows them.

Revolvers for .38 Special

The .38 Special is a revolver round. Barrel length changes velocity, as the .38 Special barrel length data shows. See also new pistol releases.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal, Speer, Remington and CCI show availability on their own product pages (for example "Available" or "Currently Unavailable"). Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .357 Magnum ammo, .357 Magnum vs .38 Special, 9mm ammo, .45 ACP ammo, .44 Magnum ammo, .45 Colt ammo, the .38 Special barrel length data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .38 Special?

SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 17,000 psi for 38 Special and 20,000 psi for 38 Special +P, both measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3 (the table shows 170 and 200 in psi/100).

What does +P mean on .38 Special ammo?

SAAMI lists "38 Special +P" as its own cartridge with a maximum average pressure of 20,000 psi by transducer, against 17,000 psi for 38 Special, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3. Check your revolver maker's manual for what your revolver is rated to shoot.

What grain is .38 Special ammo?

In our tables the bullets run from 90 gr to 158 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your revolver is set up to shoot.

How fast is .38 Special ammo?

In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 690 fps to 1,200 fps, and muzzle energies from 156 ft-lb to 290 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.

What does test barrel mean?

It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. See our .38 Special barrel length data.

Do you list prices or stock for .38 Special ammo?

No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 4, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

Keep exploring

Cite this data

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GunReleases.com (The Release Desk), “.38 Special factory ammo ballistics: loads from maker pages,” updated Nov 4, 2026. https://gunreleases.com/guides/38-special-ammo/

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