2" 357 Magnum Data

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xXStarScreamXx

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A person i was talking to earlier at the range was saying he carries a 2" revolver as his carry gun because hes getting 1600 fps with 125 Grain loads. The discussion was brought on while we were discussing my 357SIG P239 and its data. Somethign about his numbers just seems a little off, I talked to another guy later and he said 2" snubbies usually get around 1000fps with 125gr loads.
 
Possible, if he's handloading, or using one of the specialty-shop ammunitions. I'm clocking an average 1591 fps from a 3" GP-100, using DoubleTap Gold Dot 125 grainers, and just a shade under 1400 fps with their 158 grain loads. All within SAAMI spec.

For tamer loads I use Speer Gold Dots, or CCI Blazer rounds, that do 1235 and 1150 respectively.

All the best

gunny
 
You can realistically get about 1,400fps from a 2" barrel. Any more than that is really pushing the limit and we are talking really hot loads. He wouldn't be able to control it very well and the muzzle flash would be outrageous. Most snubbies are better off with .38spl+p loads.
 
okay I've got a 686 with a 4" barrel....

I've actually got a chrony and I'm getting about 1450 (+/- 20 fps)
with remington premier 125gr jhp. Thats a pretty hot round, I bought
a box of Buffalo bore 125s just for Sh*ts and Giggles, I get around 1600(+/-)
with those.
Given velocity loss from a two incher, I bet the buff bore stuff would do
around 1300 in a two incher, and thats about as hot as they come.


I think your friend is a hopless optimistic snubby carrier :D
 


If you use a fast powder like blue dot, you might do better with shorter barrels.

I haven't chrono'd them, but I load up 180 gr slugs in front of blue Dot for my 2" 357.



-tINY

 
I've done 1600 with 125s in my SP101 with handloads. However I was outside SAMMI a wee bit.

Also don't forget-some guns will just shoot fast, and others shoot slow.
 
125gr loads from 2" barrels

I have chronographed Corbons and Tritons from my S&W 340Sc 1 7/8 inch barrel that always make 1200fps to 1250fps. These are some of the hottest factory loads available. I don't doubt handloaders can push 125s even faster, but I also think they better be very careful.

"In a world devoid of semiautomatics, a properly set-up Webley is the ultimate full-size self-defense handgun."
 
It's much more likely that this guy is exaggerating, or making an 'optimistic guess', than it is that he's a handloader who's worked up a load that'll pull that fast from a 2" gun without blowing it up. MUCH more likely.
 
With today's better bullet technology, faster is no longer necessarily better. You often just end up with reduced penetration, at the cost of greater recoil, more muzzle flash, slower back-on-target times, more wear and tear (on gun and shooter), etc.
 
I have a big old heavy, built like a tank Colt Lawman with a 2" barrel. When I shot Supervel 110 grain loads, with their 4 foot cone of flame, I was only getting around 1350-1380 fps from it. maybe Glazers can get another 100fps or so but VERY unlikely to get 1600 fps from any Lead bullet!
 
I'd be wary of this guy's claims--and I definitely wouldn't put any of his handloads through MY gun... :eek:

Besides, a goblin won't care if the bullet that does him in was traveling at 1400fps or 1600fps if you do your part & put it in the right spot... :D
 
2 inch .357 loads

If you have access to an old "Speer #8 Reloading Manual" use the Slow Buring Powders the list. Do not use tose old 1970's[?] loads. Get your loads form any current manual.
 
BTW:

As a general rule slower powders give better velocity-even in snubbies-just at the expense of more blast/recoil.

Not conjecture- proved it on my chrono.
 
Two inch .357 Loads?

If you can find one read what the Old #8 Speer Manual says.
They indicate that slower buring powder, like 2400 gives you more velocity that a faster powder like 213, Unique etc.
 
I guess its something to talk about, but...

I have seen people killed with .25 autos, .38 LRN, 9mm fmj, and just about everything else in my fifteen years in law enforcement. I have never been shot with either a 9mm or a .38 or a .357 and I own all of them and would not want to be shot with any of them. I think to many so called expert gun writer types spend way to much time worrying about optimum loads for each type of gun, and I suspect a lot of it has to do with selling guns, ammunition, reloading stuff and above all gun magazines. You can only write so many articles about guns and shooting and they have to keep bringing up this kind of crap to fill magazines so it's all sort of psuedo academic. All guns will kill you. The likelyhood of you needing it to do that as a civilian is about as much as getting struck by lightning unless you just happen to hang out in bad places with bad people all the time. I carry what I want to when I want to. I carry my .38 sometimes cause its easy, I have carried a .45 sometimes cause I like it. I carry full metal jacket ammo a lot cause its cheap, and I guarantee that even with my 9x18 makarov you would not want me to shoot you. So I guess my point is, who cares what is best, just carry what you want and quit worrying about itl.
 
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