Magtech's +P load puts a 125-grain semi-jacketed hollow point, exposed lead at the nose, out at 938 fps with 244 ft-lbs. Power factor is 117, above the 105 IDPA stock-revolver floor. It is +P, so confirm the revolver is rated for it. It holds its speed best of this group: from a 25-yard zero it drops 2.1 inches at 50 yards and 14.6 at 100, and it still carries 852 fps and 201 ft-lbs at 100 yards. Recoil energy in the same revolver is about 7 percent more than the Hornady American Gunner 125-grain XTP and about 6 percent less than the Remington Golden Saber +P.

At the muzzle the Magtech gives up 7 fps and 4 ft-lbs to the CCI Blazer +P, Remington UMC +P and Speer Gold Dot +P, all at 945 fps and 248 ft-lbs, and 37 fps to the Golden Saber +P at 975. Recoil energy is within 1 percent of the three 945 fps loads. Where the Magtech turns the order around is past the muzzle: against the Blazer +P it is 4 fps ahead at 50 yards (892 to 888) and 12 fps ahead at 100 (852 to 840), with 5 more ft-lbs at 100 yards. The American Gunner leaves at 900 fps and by 100 yards is 35 fps and 16 ft-lbs behind. Drop at 50 yards is 2.1 inches for the Magtech and Blazer and 2.3 for the American Gunner.

Buy this if you want a +P 125 in a brass case that holds its speed best of the set; reloaders get the brass, and anyone shooting at 50 yards and beyond gets the load with the most left at that distance. If your .38 Special revolver is not rated for +P, the American Gunner 125-grain XTP is the standard-pressure route at 225 ft-lbs. For practice, the Speer Lawman 125-grain TMJ at 863 fps produces about 13 percent less recoil energy than this load in the same revolver, so it under-prepares you for the +P. Shooters after a heavy bullet should look at Hornady's 158-grain XTP: 800 fps, a power factor of 126 that clears the 120 USPSA revolver-minor floor, and about 23 percent more recoil energy.