Smith & Wesson's .38 fixed sight revos are typically regulated for standard velocity 158gr .38 Special ammo. Variations from this are rarely super-noticeable until you load a round with a lot more muzzle velocity and find it prints noticeably lower, as much as a handspan low as close as seven yards for exotica like Glasers or Magsafe.
"But why does the faster bullet print lower?" is a common question from people who forget that there is essentially no difference in bullet drop between pistol bullets out to twenty five yards, regardless of the velocity.
Revolver sights especially have to take in the effect of recoil moving the gun while the projectile is still in the barrel, a phenomenon that is more noticeable with a heavier, slower bullet than a lighter, faster one.
With the most common .38 Special defensive loads today being +P loads in the 125-135gr range, I'll need to shoot some of that at seven to ten yards and see where it hits relative to the sights.
I'll probably do some chrono work to check velocities on Monday or Tuesday.
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