TruthTellers
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That's obvious tho: phased plasma rifle in 40 watt range.I love these topics.
What's next, what pistol to use against space aliens or zombies?
That's obvious tho: phased plasma rifle in 40 watt range.I love these topics.
What's next, what pistol to use against space aliens or zombies?
I take it then for the ram silhouette shooting it was meant to be from a rifle, not a revolver?Yes - the .357 Remington Maximum was introduced to "legitimize" the grossly overloaded .357 Remington Magnum loads being used in the Metallic Silhouette matches.
The .357 Max throws a 158 grain slug at (a claimed) 1800 fps. In order to achieve that velocity - you need to exceed SAAMI levels for the .357 mag by 5000 psi (.357 mag = 35,000 psi ---.357 max = 40,000 psi)
Normally - muzzle energy is a moot figure - actually - any "energy" claims are moot - they simply don't have much merit. (Please - no discussion here about that - please open another thread for that topic)..
HOWEVER - once in a great while, even a blind squirrel finds a nut & a use for downrange energy levels pops up...
The very flat shooting and fast scooting 158 grain .357 max - has a whopping 1100 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle & @ 200 meters (the distance to the Ram target in Silhouette) it still has enough authority to knock over the target. In Silhouette - unless the target falls, it's not scored as a hit.
IIRC - the "sweet spot" for the .35X on the Ram target is about the size of a couple of post cards, high on the back of the target. It takes a lot of oomph to topple the target with a small caliber like the .35X.
OTOH - the .44 mag & "juiced" .45 Long Colts - using a much heavier slug, had no problem generating enough energy at 200 meters to knock the target down.
The .357 and the .44 & .45 competed in different classes.
So - the .357 max and the .357 mag competed head to head.
Anyhow - to answer your question - the .357 max, can accurately throw a heavy bullet faster and flatter than the .357 mag.
Can you push a handloaded .357 mag to the same velocities? Probably. I sure would try it in anything other than a Freedom Arms, an older Dan Wesson and/or a Ruger Redhawk - or a T/C. You are asking for trouble if you do.
Trying to stuff the amount of power involved into that small case is nothing short of complete idiocy.
Damned good food for thought...having fished in Alaska, I can also attest to the fact that if you are distracted (fishing, bird watching etc), you just won't hear them til they're close...it's very sobering to find them 50' away and wondering how they got there. RodLike said above I can confirm. My wife and I were charged by a 400 or 500 lb male grizzly a few years ago. We were in Banff National park so no weapons other than bear spray. Whether the spray worked or it was a bluff charge we don’t know but I can tell you the only gun I believe that would have come close to working is a short shotgun. That bear came across 40 or so yards of ground across a creek and stopped 10 yards from us in seconds.
Maybe some of you who have served and have faced combat could stay calm and used a handgun to kill it but I have not and no way could have come close to hitting that bear with a handgun.
Now having a handgun for backup as well as a 12 gauge with slugs and buckshot I agree but only a handgun not so sure.
I seriously doubt any one can empty a revolver at a charging bear and all shots hit their mark...shooting more than 50 years and serving through several conflicts in my military career makes me sound full of myself, but that is just the way I see it.
The best shooters I know are regular civilians that go to the range all the time. Most military/police can shoot their 9mm well enough to quality every year but that is about it. I'm in the military and don't know of any units that even use a 357 revolver let alone a 44 or 500.This sounds an awful lot like " I can't do it, so nobody can". How many rounds have you fired thru you military career?
I have fired 10's of thousands of magnums, though I am no Jerry Miculek I can do pretty good.
No it is not a question of if I can not do it therefore no one can. The point I am trying to make is that if you do not practice, practice practice with whatever gun you plan to use for bear protection, than you may develop a false sense of security in believing that you can be proficient with a firearm that has a lot of recoil due to caliber size.This sounds an awful lot like " I can't do it, so nobody can". How many rounds have you fired thru you military career?
I have fired 10's of thousands of magnums, though I am no Jerry Miculek I can do pretty good.
The best shooters I know are regular civilians that go to the range all the time. Most military/police can shoot their 9mm well enough to quality every year but that is about it. I'm in the military and don't know of any units that even use a 357 revolver let alone a 44 or 500.
No it is not a question of if I can not do it therefore no one can. The point I am trying to make is that if you do not practice, practice practice with whatever gun you plan to use for bear protection, than you may develop a false sense of security in believing that you can be proficient with a firearm that has a lot of recoil due to caliber size.
By the way have you ever been so frightened that you can not think straight and your heart is racing so hard from fear? If not, than do me a favor, next time you go to the range empty your firearm at your target as fast as the range allows. Than do 50 jumping jacks and 20 pushups and shoot at your target as fast as it is allowed at the range. See how your accuracy is affected...even than it does not compare to being afraid for your life.
I'm trying to give good practical advice so I would appreciate it if you would not act like the CNN journalists and attack me without you having a clue of who I am and how many times I have shot in my military career.
Being ex-military in my case retired or being a law enforcement officer does not necessarily make anyone an expert in firearms or anything.
The advice I give is not aimed at experience people that have been around firearms for a long time. Those that are experienced will either agree or disagree with what I have printed and than point out mistakes or reinforce points I may not have known or forgot.
My advice is meant for the novice person just buying his or her first firearm or are researching and don't even know what questions to ask.
You being a veteran and a LEO should have a more positive attitude and with your many experiences you have encountered should extrapolate from those experiences and give more sage advice as you obviously have the wisdom from practical experiences, instead of acting like the journalists and their ilk.
People get a false sense of security by carrying a larger caliber firearm, but sadly they trust their life on a .357, or 44 magnum, or a 454 casull or a 500 magnum as bear protection when in reality they never practice enough to become proficient because the recoil is unmanageable or practicing is plain expensive so I seriously doubt any one can empty a revolver at a charging bear and all shots hit their mark.