Speer Lawman's +P 158-grain TMJ leaves the muzzle at 900 fps with 284 ft-lbs, the most energy of any ball load in this .38 Special set. TMJ is Speer's fully plated bullet with no exposed lead, the construction that indoor ranges with bare-lead restrictions ask for. The power factor is 142, over the 120 USPSA revolver-minor floor by 22 and well past the 105 IDPA stock-revolver floor. From a 25-yard zero the bullet drops 2.3 inches at 50 yards, where it still carries 260 ft-lbs, and 15.8 inches at 100. It is a +P load, so confirm your revolver is rated for it before shooting it.

Armscor 158 is the closest thing to a twin: 891 fps and 278 ft-lbs, 9 fps and 6 ft-lbs behind, with about 2 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver and drop within half an inch at 100 yards. Everything else is softer. PMC Bronze 132 is 17 fps faster at 917 fps, but its lighter bullet makes about 28 percent less recoil energy, and its power factor of 121 clears 120 by only 1. Fiocchi Range Dynamics 158 and Ammo Inc 158 TMC run 730 and 750 fps, 170 and 150 fps slower, with about 29 and 25 percent less recoil energy than the Lawman. Magtech 130 FMJ is the softest at 800 fps, about 44 percent less recoil, and its power factor of 104 misses even the 105 IDPA floor. At 100 yards the Fiocchi drops 24.7 inches to the Lawman's 15.8.

Buy it if you carry a +P 158-grain load and want practice ammo at the same weight and pressure, or if you shoot revolver in USPSA or IDPA and want power-factor margin from a short barrel. It also gives the recoil training that the loads under 800 fps cannot. If your revolver is not rated for +P, Armscor 158 gives up only 9 fps and still makes 141. If you want the same 158-grain weight with a defensive bullet at standard pressure, Hornady's 158-grain XTP runs 800 fps and 225 ft-lbs with about 17 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver.