.357 round suggestions

8shot- I have 158gr Starfires in the gun now.

hook- I'm not in constant fear of bear attacks. We're just talking curious black bears here. It's not like i'm wandering through the african bush. Like i said I chased a bear out of my house using nothing but my voice. Most are very skittish but the bb population is out of control out here. I've seen more in the past year and a half than in the 16 years i've lived here. It's not that i'm afraid of bears it's that i don't want to be ignorant either. Black bear attacks tend to have the worst outcome of any bear attack and it only takes one time and one mistake. 5 miles from here a guy woke up with a bb in his room only to have it maul him to death. It seems extreme to walk around with my 12 gauge in my hand but maybe a smart idea. Unfortunately the bears around here are more than used to the sound of a 12 gauge shot as fish and game use bean bags to scare the bears off. I had another big black in my back yard looking for trash. I heard the bear crashing around my shed so i grabbed my 12 and went to the door. The minute i grab my gun in the middle of the night my husky/wolf knows what it means and although i never let him out after the bears he this time blasted past me out the door to harass the bear so i ran out shot 3 rock salt rounds into the bear. . . which did absolutely nothing. . . so i unloaded two rounds of rubber slugs. . which worked to get him turning tail, taking down half my fence while he was at it. . . but he was back the next night, as usual, making his neighborhood rounds.

If i have a bear in the neighborhood I just yell. If it gets close or aggressive around the house i fire off some rubber slugs and that ALWAYS works but i have 4 real slugs behind those rubber ones just in case. I don't carry much more than a hunting knife when i walk out to get the mail or walk around woods nearby but i've decided it's time to smarten up and take my 357 with me at my side. It's mostly because of the lion scare we have now but with all the bear it's still a good idea. I'm not looking forward to test shooting those 180s.
 
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For woods loads...

... I have BuffaloBore 180HC. They recoil a bit sharply in my GP100, but they aren't what I'd call punishing.

One thing I like about BB ammo is that Tim Sundles chronos his ammo from actual handguns, and provides the velocities alongside the make and barrel length of the test handgun.

Not sure what powders he uses, but the flash tends to be less bright than on other +P ammo I've shot, which could be helpful in certain circumstances. Smells kind of odd when fired, but that's not exactly one of my criteria.
 
Ok, I'll tell you what I carry in my 4" S&W 686 when in that neck of the woods, with the expectation of facing the same threats as you are facing.

I carry handloads, Cast Performance 180 gr wide flat nose hard cast bullets that I push using Federal small pistol magnum primers and a 13.0 gr charge of H110. Granted, you'll probably get a bit higher performance with the name brand high performance ammo that everybody cites, but not a whole lot more. I backed down from the max load a few tenths. Not enough so that Mr. Cat or Mr. Bear would notice the difference.
 
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Cor-Bon makes a 200 grain HC flat nose load for .357; I shot a box through my SP101 and they are not too much fun. I havent personally shot any critters with them, but they might be worth a try.
 
Cor-Bon makes a 200 grain HC flat nose load for .357
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Those are pretty hot in my SP101 3". If I was in bear country, I'd bring a wheel or two of those, but that's what I have, and they fit the chamber.:D
 
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.357magnum carry-protection loads...

For general purpose uses: I'd suggest the great factory produced 125gr JHP from CorBon Federal Remington Golden Saber Hornady.

For large bears or wildlife, other loads/designs may be required. The 125gr JHP or maybe the 110gr JHP .357magnum are best for home/personal defense.
 
the more bear threads I read, the more I want some bear spray..
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I agree completely. Bear spray is the way to go. Try explaining to Division of Wildlife how you shot a bear because you thought it MIGHT be a threat
 
This might be another bear thread but you seem to have a real threat on your hands.
I'd say go with Buffalo Bore's 180gr hardcast. That's what I use in my Ruger Blackhawk when poking around the woods in northern Maine. I've never had a problem but I feel confident with that load. If you can shoot fast and accurately you have a chance. The dogs are a big plus.
FYI I also carry a Ruger New Vaquero loaded with Buffalo Bore's 255gr hardcast @1000fps.

Both are pretty fast handling guns. Keep your eyes and ears open and watch the dogs and you should be fine.
 
Alright I picked a box of the BB HC 180s and those thing have some serious bite to them. Especially coming out of my little 3". I like them though. Very straight and a lot more accurate than i was expecting. So combined with some previous different loads my magazine is as such: 1st shot is a 120 gr FMJ. 2nd Shot is a 158 gr HP. 3rd, 4th, and 5th are BB HC 180 gr. I should be ready for anything with that set up. Human, Bear, Lion, or whatever may happen to necessitate that kind of last resort. Thanks for all your advice gentlemen. On a side note i went out and shot off some more High power Fed 3" Rifled Slugs and I almost forgot how punishing they are. Makes a 338 feel like a 22. The best past is when my girlfriend asked to shot one and it knocked her clean on her butt. :D
 
I don't understand the purpose of alternating rounds in the cylinder. If something happens your going to have to shoot them in order anyway and you may only have time for one shot.

If the bears are as big a problem as you say I'd load the 180's first or just go totally with them. It's not like 180 grains won't stop a lion anyway.
 
Irish B,

Boy it sounds like the Black Bear "problem" is out of control in your area. From your comments you sound like you have most your bases covered. However, a short barrel 357 revolver is at best a last resort and does not give you much of a chance against a 260 pound Black Bear that is hungry or angry. I know you just bought a SP101 but you might want to consider a 44 magnum either single action or single action/double action in a 4 to 5 inch barrel. Plenty of hunting ammo for the 44 magnum and this round would be more effective against a bear. There are plenty of holsters to carry a 44 magnum comfortely. Also, there are lots of choices of revolvers that won't break the bank.
Good luck, and stay safe
Howard
 
Bear defense

If I was limited to a 357, I would shoot a hard cast 180 grainer. The HP's would work better on the Lion but a bear needs some bone breaking capability. I regularly hunt in the west in Wyoming and Utah and usually carry a 44 mag with 300 grain hard cast oe a FA 454 Casull shooting a 300 grain hard cast. I have had good results with the Hornady XTP mag bullets in 45 and 44 cal on deer size game. I do believe that there are more black bear attacks than grizzley due to the population of each. I can across a treed mt lion in utah one year while elk hunting. A couple sheep dogs had put him there. He didn't look very menacing and I didn't have a license to shoot lion so I just observed for a while and left him to the dogs. Good shooting.
 
I'm just looking for suggestions on what would be the best bear/lion load.
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I have a cabin in bear country. I keep a 357 revolver loaded with alternating hollow points (effective against intruders) and Double Tap 180gr hardcast flat nose rounds (effective penetrators that should have enough oomph for black bears).

But to be honest, the bears in the country around my cabin don't have a reputation for aggressiveness. I seriously doubt that I'd ever have a critical encounter with one. But just last year, a local used his 357 on a cougar that had decided to take him on during an evening walk. In some parts of the rural areas of this country, it's still risky to go out at night w/o a sidearm.
 
shafter

If the bears are as big a problem as you say I'd load the 180's first or just go totally with them. It's not like 180 grains won't stop a lion anyway.
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Before I read this, I thought something similar. At least the first and last shot should be the 180 HC. Maybe a HP somewhere in there too. And keep a speed loader with you also. I mentioned Remingtons before, not sure if you ever shot them, but they seem to be one of the most powerful .357s I ever shot.
 
Irish,

I have read the foregoing posts; they have much valuable information, however, please permit me to offer a few thoughts:
1) Serious bear defense -- and I have no argument that you NEED it -- REQUIRES a long-gun. For the immediate-range situation you describe, I favor a Remington 870, with a slug barrel and appropriate slug ammunition in this role.
2) No handgun -- and I truly mean none -- is fully adequate to this task.
3) I own (and I really like) the same Ruger SP-101 you have, but it is NOT truly suitable for this role, due to: (a) five rounds; (b) short barrel which means reduced muzzle velocity and energy (plus an abbreviated sight-radius); and (c) .357 magnum loads -- versatile and powerful to be sure, but AGAIN marginal (at best) for bear.
4) If you must to use a revolver in the role -- and I am a strong revolver devotee -- please use a long-barreled .41 magnum/10mm OR LARGER bore, stoked with the right ammunition.
5) Several manufacturers make excellent large-game revolver rounds (Buffalo Bore has properly been highlighted, but there are others as well); I respectfully suggest cast-core lead loads for this situation.
6) Finally, I recommend a "layered defensive" strategy, perhaps including: (a) motion detectors; (b) barking dogs; (c) reinforced doors/windows; (d) elimination of all bear-attractive materials; (d) 12 gauge pump; (e) MAJOR revolver appropriately loaded; and (e) anti-bear spray.
 
I love the 357 magnum but that said I would not feel safe with it if I was in an area that I would see bears. The 357 is great for 2 legged animals but I would only use it on bear if that was all i had.

If that is all you got then I would go with the buffalo bore 180 grain.

p.s. carry bear spray!
 
Bat country....

On Sat a close pal and I saw a huge black boar roam onto a remote dirt road near Groveland, Florida in Lake County. We were there working on his new action-horror film; www.OpeningNightoftheLivingDead.com .

The huge black pig snorted & slumped away but it gave a real "OH #*%+" moment!
When you scamper around "bat country" I agree that a well made 3"/4" barrel DA or SA wheel gun like a Ruger AK Snub, a S&W 29 Backpacker or a Freedom Arms .454 would be a great outdoor sidearm.
.357magnum is ok(GEN George A Patton called his S&W model 27 his killing gun, ;)). But for serious uses, get a robust .44magnum, .454, .500S&W, .480Ruger etc.
 
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