.38 Super +P Buffalo Bore 124-grain JHP

Were I to carry a .38 Super handgun for self-defense, I'd give this load strong consideration. With more than 1.5 times expansion, well deeper than a foot of penetration and massive destruction in the gel block, I'm not sure what else you could ask for from a defensive-handgun load. The downside, however, should be obvious—there are no free lunches when it comes to ballistics. If you push a 124-grain bullet at this velocity from a .38 Super, you're going to feel it in your hand, you're going to see a fireball and it's going to be loud. Of course, the bad guy on the other end will not care about any of that.