Hornady loads the American Gunner with a 125-grain XTP, its jacketed hollow point sold for both hunting and defense, to 900 fps and 225 ft-lbs at standard pressure. Power factor is 112, above the 105 IDPA stock-revolver floor. From a 25-yard zero it drops 2.3 inches at 50 yards and 16.0 at 100. Recoil energy in the same revolver is about 7 percent more than the Speer Gold Dot 125-grain standard-pressure load and about 8 percent less than the Gold Dot +P and Remington UMC +P.

The American Gunner splits the standard and +P loads. It runs 35 fps and 17 ft-lbs ahead of the Gold Dot standard at the muzzle, and the gap holds downrange: 203 ft-lbs at 50 yards to the Gold Dot's 188. The +P 125s are all faster: Magtech +P leaves at 938 fps, UMC +P and Gold Dot +P at 945, and the Remington Golden Saber +P at 975, which is 75 fps ahead of this load with 39 ft-lbs more and about 14 percent more recoil energy. At 100 yards the Magtech +P holds 201 ft-lbs and 852 fps to the American Gunner's 185 and 817. Drop differs by 0.3 inch at 50 yards between this load and the Magtech, nothing at revolver distances.

This is the standard-pressure 125-grain for a shooter who wants a little more speed than the Gold Dot standard and a brass case to reload, in any .38 Special revolver whether or not it is rated for +P. For practice, the Speer Lawman 125-grain TMJ at 863 fps produces about 7 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver, close enough that ball practice feels like the carry load. If the revolver is +P rated and you want more energy, the Magtech +P 125-grain adds 19 ft-lbs at the muzzle for about 7 percent more recoil. A shooter set on a heavy bullet should look at Hornady's 158-grain XTP: the same 225 ft-lbs at the muzzle from 800 fps, a power factor of 126 that clears the 120 USPSA revolver-minor floor, and about 32 percent more recoil energy.