Buffalo Bore—good stuff or just hype?

[soberups]

I'm looking to get a little more punch out of my Ruger LCR and am considering giving the Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P hollowpoint wadcutters a try. Their advertising almost sounds too good to be true, is it? I have heard good things about the original "FBI load" for use in snub nose revolvers. Does anyone her have experience with these?

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[asbtg]

I'm looking to get a little more punch out of my Ruger LCR and am considering giving the Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P hollowpoint wadcutters a try. Their advertising almost sounds too good to be true, is it? I have heard good things about the original "FBI load" for use in snub nose revolvers. Does anyone her have experience with these?

I run them in my Airweight J frame and they've got a good snap to them. Follow up shots are difficult unless you're Paul Herrell, though he did have some good to say about them himself. Fun vids on the 'Tube.

 

[KKG]

They seem to be great for their original purpose - I think that was Hunting. Like asbtg said they have a pretty good snap to them out of a small/light gun. Personally I think there are better cartridges out there for self defense. Liberty Ammunition(my personal choice), Hornady and others. Good Luck.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Out of a snub nose that extra punch is just going to be a fireball.

 

[rick benjamin]

I bought a Colt lightweight Agent.
After the first couple +P rounds, I started to feel burns on my gun hand.
Fire leaking out from the cylinder gap (including lead shavings).
The manual said not to use +P loads.

 

[BAMCIS]

I'm thinking hype, and although "probably" a good round, not worth what they want for them.

Just find out what the cops carry and carry that. Then it closes a lot of legal hoops if, God forbid, you have to put a bad guy down.

 

[Stomper]

I bought a Colt lightweight Agent.
After the first couple +P rounds, I started to feel burns on my gun hand.
Fire leaking out from the cylinder gap (including lead shavings).
The manual said not to use +P loads.

They're not the boss of you, run +P loads if you want to... maybe wear an oven mitt to cope with the flames.

 

[coop44]

Back when S&W marketed their own ammo, they had a 95grain hp nyclad round designed for a 2" barrel. Wish they were still around.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

While not in the caliber mentioned in the OP I have used Buffalo Bore ammo in several of their rifle loadings.
.30-30
.30-06
And .45-70
I found that the quality of the ammo was excellent and lived up to the advertised specs and listed data.

Is hype present in the ad copy ...Of course...they do want to sell their stuff.
I do think that their ammo is expensive...
But as I do not re-load and wanted some hotter loads or some loads with bullets , that are not commonly available , it was worth the price , for my needs at the time.
Andy

 

[edzz]

Andy, I find it odd that you don't reload. I guess that would explain your vast collection of black powder arms.
If you started reloading you would be able to fire those arms more than once.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

@edzz

What is funny is when I shoot a more modern firearm , that I haven't shot in a while , is that at times , I need to remind myself , that I have more than one shot....
Andy

 

[jordanka16]

@edzz

What is funny is when I shoot a more modern firearm , that I haven't shot in a while , is that at times , I need to remind myself , that I have more than one shot....
Andy

As long as you don't try and reload your semi auto like a muzzleloader after one shot should be alright

 

[CountryGent]

I found that the quality of the ammo was excellent and lived up to the advertised specs and listed data.

Ditto. Off the top of my head (and mind you it is Monday, I'm tired, and a new set of family issues arose tonight), but those that I remember utilizing (.44 Magnum recently and .45/70 in the past) were most excellent.

 

[rick benjamin]

They're not the boss of you, run +P loads if you want to... maybe wear an over mitt to cope with the flames.

Good idea.
Except the aluminum frame got stretched

 

[DuneHopper]

I just bought some .357 200gr Buffalo Bore, for my son for Christmas, I'll be honest they looked cool so I bought them

 

[orygun]

Had a very nice Model 60 S&W. I bought one box of +p with the intention of shooting 5, loading 5 to carry and then tucking the box away, never to see the light of day again. I traded the gun to a friend who shot the remaining 45 rounds. I later got the gun back and, well, it wasn't the same...

I had another Smith snubbie in 357 (a 649) that smacked my hand like a 2x4 and threw a fireball not unlike a 500. When shooting empty propane and freon canisters there was a large difference in the way the target reacted when hit with a 357 vs a 38. While I never chronoed the 2 rounds, there was an obvious difference in how they performed.

It's very hard to get a bullet moving in a 2" barrel. No matter what is tried most of it is wasted outside of the barrel and the little SOB will really liven up it's recoil, but if the flash, bang and pain don't bother you, why not?
Unlike what many might suggest, I'd say stay on the lighter side for bullet weight. Nothing heavier than a 158 and preferably a 125. It will bring up velocity and lighten recoil. Stay away from the low recoil rounds. They suck.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Buffalo Bore makes that good good.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Speer makes a Gold Dot load for short barrels in 38+P and that's my carry ammo for my S&W 642. Here's a link to it on one vendor's site, but it's available all over:

Speer Gold Dot .38 Special 135 Grain +P Short Barrel HP