Remington's UMC +P pairs a 125-grain semi-jacketed hollow point, with exposed lead at the nose, with 945 fps and 248 ft-lbs at the muzzle. Power factor is 118, above the 105 IDPA stock-revolver floor. It is a +P load, so check the revolver's rating before buying. From a 25-yard zero the bullet is 2.1 inches low at 50 yards and 14.6 inches low at 100. Recoil energy in the same revolver is about 16 percent more than the Speer Gold Dot 125-grain standard-pressure load and about 5 percent less than the Remington Golden Saber +P.

At the muzzle the UMC +P is a match for the CCI Blazer +P and the Gold Dot +P 125-grain: all three list 945 fps, 248 ft-lbs and a power factor of 118, and all three produce the same recoil energy in the same revolver. Magtech +P is 7 fps behind at 938. The Golden Saber +P leads the set at 975 fps and 264 ft-lbs, 30 fps and 16 ft-lbs ahead. Against the Gold Dot standard at 865 fps the UMC adds 80 fps. The semi-jacketed bullet with its exposed lead nose is the older style of hollow point; the Gold Dot loads use a bonded jacket and the Golden Saber a brass one.

This is the +P 125-grain for a shooter who wants brass cases and the same muzzle figures as the Blazer +P and Gold Dot +P. If your .38 Special revolver is not rated for +P, the Gold Dot standard 125-grain gives 208 ft-lbs at standard pressure. For practice, the Speer Lawman 125-grain TMJ at 863 fps produces about 14 percent less recoil energy than this load in the same revolver, so expect the carry round to kick harder. A shooter after a heavy bullet should look at Hornady's 158-grain XTP: 225 ft-lbs at 800 fps, a power factor of 126, and about 22 percent more recoil energy.