
Test Gun: Colt 1911 Commander.
Barrel length: 4.25 inches.
Ammunition: Underwood .38 Super +P 124gr JHP (Item144)
Test media: 10% 250A Organic Gelatin.
Distance: 10 feet.
Chronograph: Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2.
Five shot velocity average: 1270 fps
BB Calibration two shots: 3.5 inches at 575 fps and 3.5 inches at 580 fps.
With the ammo shortage easing and availability getting better, it is becoming easier to find what you need. Prices are also coming down. If you are trying to find a less popular round, it may not be as easy to find a good carry load.
Such is the case with the .38 Super. At this point in time, it can be challenging to find what you’re looking for at a reasonable price. Underwood has had this loading available when finding something elsewhere was difficult. This loading features Nosler’s new ASP bullet. The “Assured Stopping Power feature deep skives designed to create a versatile handgun bullet for use in a variety of applications” according to Underwood’s sight.
I am also using this test to further evaluate the WinCreast 250A gelatin as a cheaper substitute for the more expensive Vyse gel. I think I have figured out the mixing process that will work best with this brand, and this block came out better than the last. Even after doubling the amount of anti-foaming, foaming remained a problem. But by the time I put the block in the refrigerator, all the foam had disappeared, and no clumps were floating on the top. The calibration was perfectly in between the two ends of the calibration range.
I got a five shot average of 1270 fps with a low of 1201 fps and a high of 1300 fps giving me an extreme spread of 99 fps.

The first round’s velocity was not recorded by the chronograph. The largest portion of the projectile penetrated 14 inches. The recovered weight was 62.7 grains, and it expanded to .48 inches by .44 inches. The bullet began to shed its jacket and lead at around the five and a half-inch mark.
The second round performed similarly and started to lose material at the six-inch mark. The largest recovered portion had a weight of 64.6 grains and penetrated 13 inches, and it expanded to .50 inches by .43 inches. The bullet had a velocity of 1254 feet per second.

Both bullets lost some of their jackets when they went through heavy clothing at the first three inches. Some lead was lost as well. Round one had a velocity of 1239 feet per second and achieved a penetration of 15 inches. The measurement was irregular, measuring.71 inches by.45 inches, and the recovered weight was 113.4 grains.
The second round had a velocity of 1264 fps and penetrated 14.5 inches. The recovered weight was 97.6 grains and expanded to .56 inches by .46 inches.


It appears that velocity exceeds the ability of that A$P bullet to stay together! That being said, a trail of fragments like that through the lungs would very quickly incapacitate the recipient.
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