chrisintexas
New member
What grain and brand cartridges you recommend for this? Please also tell about the perceived recoil. Thanks.
357 magnum personal defense
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ShootistPRS
New member
I carry 6 Sierra 140 grain bullets in front of 19.1 grains of powder in each cartridge in my 6" Ruger Security-Six. The muzzle velocity is just under 1500 fps. It is the only round I have for my carry gun, my plinking gun, my competition gun and target gun. It is the most accurate load I have found for my gun so I use it, a lot!
Perceived recoil? I will just say that I am more comfortable with it now than when I first started using it in 1973. I would not recommend it for a new shooter and I would warn anyone not shooting a Ruger or Contender not to use it in their guns.
Perceived recoil? I will just say that I am more comfortable with it now than when I first started using it in 1973. I would not recommend it for a new shooter and I would warn anyone not shooting a Ruger or Contender not to use it in their guns.
chrisintexas
New member
What about critical defense 125 grain ftx? Anyone used that one?
In the cooler months (when I can layer up for concealment), I carry a Smith 686 3" bbl. In it, is Speer's 158 grain GDHP's. I like heavy bullets.
Here's my chronograph data for four common factory defense offerings. Guns used were all Smith 686's. One 3"; one 4"; one 8-3/8". All data is from 10-shot averages. Yes, it was an expensive day at the range
Federal 130gn Hydra-Shok Low Recoil:
1356 f/s 3"
1430 f/s 4"
1538 f/s 8"
Advertised as "low recoil," but there's nothing low recoil about these. They are hot.
Speer 135gn GDHP Short Barrel:
1153 f/s 3"
1223 f/s 4"
1215 f/s 8"
These are an intentionally "de-duned" product from Speer, designed for 5-shot snubbies. The bullet sports a huge hollow cavity that is clearly designed to open up at low velocities. They obviously pack a smaller charge of faster propellant (hence, the lower reading with the 8" bbl) than most other offerings. Recoil is very manageable through my L-frames; but are probably still a handful in a snubby.
Speer 125gn GDHP:
1346 f/s 3"
1460 f/s 4"
1560 f/s 8"
These are hot, big, loud, powerful rounds. It would seem they wanted their 125's to be their flagship defense loading for 357 Magnum. If you're in the lighter bullet camp, these are probably the ones to get.
Speer 158gn GDHP:
1078 f/s 3"
1153 f/s 4"
1190 f/s 8"
This is the round I carry in my 3". With Speer's exceptional bullet design, I have complete confidence in their terminal ballistics at 1078 f/s. Recoil, although pronounced in its own right, is more rolling and less sharp than the lighter offerings. Lower flash, less recoil, and a heavier bullet. My personal choice.
Hope this information is useful.
Here's my chronograph data for four common factory defense offerings. Guns used were all Smith 686's. One 3"; one 4"; one 8-3/8". All data is from 10-shot averages. Yes, it was an expensive day at the range
Federal 130gn Hydra-Shok Low Recoil:
1356 f/s 3"
1430 f/s 4"
1538 f/s 8"
Advertised as "low recoil," but there's nothing low recoil about these. They are hot.
Speer 135gn GDHP Short Barrel:
1153 f/s 3"
1223 f/s 4"
1215 f/s 8"
These are an intentionally "de-duned" product from Speer, designed for 5-shot snubbies. The bullet sports a huge hollow cavity that is clearly designed to open up at low velocities. They obviously pack a smaller charge of faster propellant (hence, the lower reading with the 8" bbl) than most other offerings. Recoil is very manageable through my L-frames; but are probably still a handful in a snubby.
Speer 125gn GDHP:
1346 f/s 3"
1460 f/s 4"
1560 f/s 8"
These are hot, big, loud, powerful rounds. It would seem they wanted their 125's to be their flagship defense loading for 357 Magnum. If you're in the lighter bullet camp, these are probably the ones to get.
Speer 158gn GDHP:
1078 f/s 3"
1153 f/s 4"
1190 f/s 8"
This is the round I carry in my 3". With Speer's exceptional bullet design, I have complete confidence in their terminal ballistics at 1078 f/s. Recoil, although pronounced in its own right, is more rolling and less sharp than the lighter offerings. Lower flash, less recoil, and a heavier bullet. My personal choice.
Hope this information is useful.
chrisintexas
New member
What grain bullet would be less degrading to the gun?
ShootistPRS
New member
This is THE LAST concern I have when choosing a self defense round. To answer your question it would likely be the heaviest bullet you can use. They go slower so less friction in the bore.
ShootistPRS
New member
The 357 has a couple of things that add to the actual ballistics.
1. the muzzle blast is extremely sharp - you can easily recognize the 357 at the range.
2. the muzzle flash is impressive in low light.
Those two things relate to the psychological effect of the gun. It is a little like a flash bang grenade going off. The one time I fired my gun in the house it was still light but the report was so fast that I almost didn't "hear" it. I had to smell the powder before I was sure. My target noticed it and the impact of the bullet but surprisingly that dog ran about 50 yards before it died. None of that pack ever came around so it must have been a good deterrent to them as well.
1. the muzzle blast is extremely sharp - you can easily recognize the 357 at the range.
2. the muzzle flash is impressive in low light.
Those two things relate to the psychological effect of the gun. It is a little like a flash bang grenade going off. The one time I fired my gun in the house it was still light but the report was so fast that I almost didn't "hear" it. I had to smell the powder before I was sure. My target noticed it and the impact of the bullet but surprisingly that dog ran about 50 yards before it died. None of that pack ever came around so it must have been a good deterrent to them as well.
Perceived recoil is based a lot upon the actual gun you get.
Lighter gun, more recoil. I stay away from Scandium, LCR And other lightweights.
My carry is a S&W 640. 357 Magnum with 125 gr Critical defense. I'm not recoil aversive though.
Once you meet a threshold for a Magnum, there's a bit of adrenaline that you get. Key is being able to shoot it fast for HD or CCW. For super Magnums, key is not to flinch or you miss your game.
Key is not to flinch. I load cylinders with snap caps every other or randomly to train myself not to flinch. Particularly important with the bigger magnums.
If you're looking for HD, the Ruger GP100 is a good choice for value. My favorite 357 for hiking is a S&W PC 586 L-Comp 7 round with 3" barrel. My favorite target 357 is a S&W Performance Center 627 8 shot 5" or a Coonan 1911.
I reload my 357 with 125 grain bullets on a Dillon 550B.
Here are some of my revolvers:
NAA 22 WMR
S&W 640 357
Ruger GP100 6" and 4"
Ruger Super Redhawk 455 Casull 7.5"
S&W Performance Center 629 44 hunter 7.5"
S&W 500 6.5" (just got this)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lighter gun, more recoil. I stay away from Scandium, LCR And other lightweights.
My carry is a S&W 640. 357 Magnum with 125 gr Critical defense. I'm not recoil aversive though.
Once you meet a threshold for a Magnum, there's a bit of adrenaline that you get. Key is being able to shoot it fast for HD or CCW. For super Magnums, key is not to flinch or you miss your game.
Key is not to flinch. I load cylinders with snap caps every other or randomly to train myself not to flinch. Particularly important with the bigger magnums.
If you're looking for HD, the Ruger GP100 is a good choice for value. My favorite 357 for hiking is a S&W PC 586 L-Comp 7 round with 3" barrel. My favorite target 357 is a S&W Performance Center 627 8 shot 5" or a Coonan 1911.
I reload my 357 with 125 grain bullets on a Dillon 550B.
Here are some of my revolvers:
NAA 22 WMR
S&W 640 357
Ruger GP100 6" and 4"
Ruger Super Redhawk 455 Casull 7.5"
S&W Performance Center 629 44 hunter 7.5"
S&W 500 6.5" (just got this)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The 357 magnum is a great cartridge, it is difficult to find a bad hollow point. Due to the versatility of the cartridge to accurately and honestly tell you what load to use we need to know what gun you are going to use and for what purpose.
My all time favorite 357 load for SD/LE was the Winchester 145 grain STHP, those are almost impossible to find now. My next two favorites in order are the Remington 125 grain SJHP and the Remington 158 grn SJHP. The Remington bullets with the exposed lead and thinner jacket allowed for some fragmentation at higher velocities.
Any 357 load in any gun is going to give a significant velocity edge to the same bullet in 38 Special, averaging in the 400-500 fps difference. The caveat is of course the light loaded 357's sold today as "shot barrel" loads do not fit into that category. I feel that if you are gonna neuter the 357 magnum, its not a magnum anymore.
My all time favorite 357 load for SD/LE was the Winchester 145 grain STHP, those are almost impossible to find now. My next two favorites in order are the Remington 125 grain SJHP and the Remington 158 grn SJHP. The Remington bullets with the exposed lead and thinner jacket allowed for some fragmentation at higher velocities.
Any 357 load in any gun is going to give a significant velocity edge to the same bullet in 38 Special, averaging in the 400-500 fps difference. The caveat is of course the light loaded 357's sold today as "shot barrel" loads do not fit into that category. I feel that if you are gonna neuter the 357 magnum, its not a magnum anymore.
357 Python
New member
When I carry magnums in my 357s I use Federal brand 125 gr. semi-jacketed hollow points. Nothing fancy but it does the job. The guns I carry this load in are S&W L or N frames or one of my Colt Pythons (occasionally) so I don't need to worry about the forcing cones much. In my K frames I carry the same bullet in .38 Special +P.
random guy
New member
When the .454 Casull isn't quite enough...
Nice "family" you've got there.
I really like the 6.5" M500. It has a more classic S&W look. Imagine that gun polished and blued. With rosewood target grips. That would be a beautiful (but painful) beast.
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HighValleyRanch
New member
Remember the saying,
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast"
No, the important thing in SD is to not miss. With only 5 shots, slower and precise is better than shooting as fast as you can.
Just about any factory 357 load will stop a man. I would go with a JHP bullet. I like the 125 grain weight and there is a slight decrease in perceived recoil with the lighter slug but the weight of the gun will have more effect.
I don't use a 357 for defensive purposes. If I did, I have a load that uses a 125 JHP at a clocked 1525 FPS from a 5" Model 27-2. Recoil is tolerable in the big gun, much less so in a K frame. Muzzle flash and report are intense.
I don't use a 357 for defensive purposes. If I did, I have a load that uses a 125 JHP at a clocked 1525 FPS from a 5" Model 27-2. Recoil is tolerable in the big gun, much less so in a K frame. Muzzle flash and report are intense.