CCI's Blazer +P drives a 125-grain jacketed hollow point at 945 fps for 248 ft-lbs, in an aluminum case. Power factor is 118. It is a +P load, so check that your revolver is rated for it. From a 25-yard zero the bullet is 2.1 inches low at 50 yards and 14.7 inches low at 100. Recoil energy in the same revolver is identical to the Speer Gold Dot +P 125-grain and about 16 percent more than the Gold Dot standard-pressure 125-grain.

On paper the Blazer +P and Gold Dot +P are the same load: 945 fps, 248 ft-lbs, power factor 118. Magtech +P is 7 fps and 4 ft-lbs behind at the muzzle, then passes the Blazer downrange: 892 fps at 50 yards against 888, and 852 against 840 at 100, where it holds 201 ft-lbs to the Blazer's 196. The Remington Golden Saber +P leaves 30 fps faster with 16 ft-lbs more and about 5 percent more recoil energy. The standard-pressure loads sit well behind: the Hornady American Gunner 125-grain is 45 fps and 23 ft-lbs under, the Gold Dot standard 80 fps and 40 ft-lbs under. Drop at 50 yards is 2.1 inches for the Blazer and the Magtech and 2.6 for the Gold Dot standard; no revolver shooter will notice.

Buy this for a +P-rated .38 Special revolver kept loaded for defense, where a case that cannot be reloaded is no drawback. If the revolver is not rated for +P, the American Gunner 125-grain gives 225 ft-lbs at standard pressure with about 8 percent less recoil energy. For a practice load, the Speer Lawman 125-grain TMJ at 863 fps produces about 14 percent less recoil energy than this +P, so it feels lighter than the carry round. A shooter who wants a heavy bullet should look at Hornady's 158-grain XTP, with a power factor of 126 and about 22 percent more recoil energy than the Blazer.