357 vs. 44 mag.

My new 686+ with a 3" barrel is about perfect for me in that role, and my wife can shoot it with .38s too.
Click to expand...

You might not have to restrict her to .38s! The ladies can be surprising sometimes.

My Daughter, who is average size, knows a bit about guns and shooting but is not a huge enthusiast, asked me to take her and her boyfriend shooting, one time.

Loaded up a bunch of stuff, and off we went. Had a good day. When it came to the .357, we used my S&W Highway Patrolman (6").

Started with .38s, target was old 2x4 sticking out of a dirt bank, range about 15yds or so. First him, then her, both shot close, hit it once or twice. All shots fired off hand.

The .357s (my handloads, and NOT current "wimp" factory stuff). He shot first, results about the same. But he loved the blast and recoil. He was very enthusiastic. Daughter, not so much, but he insisted, "You have GOT to try this!"..

so, she did. Hit 6 for 6, blowing big chunks off with every shot. Boyfriend kind of deflated a bit...;) I suggested to him it would be a bad idea to get her really mad...:D

My daughter is quietly hyper capable at an amazing number of things, but making the right choice for a boyfriend right out of the gate, wasn't one of them...:rolleyes:

My point is, don't assume your lady cannot manage a .357 until SHE tells you she doesn't care for it. Don't push, and you might be surprised.
 
44AMP, I was thinking the same thing lol. My wife is of average build and she hunts with a Ruger SuperBlackHawk .44mag with 240 XTP's. For me, if I'm doing general plinking, I'll shoot my .357 or my 629 using .44spl. I actually can't narrow it down between the 2 rounds because I really like both, hunted with both, and reload both. Both have their place and roles but why limit yourself to one or the other? Get both!
 
I've never really understood the point of questions like this...

Unless you are trying to find one "do it all" gun, your "go to gun" should be the one that suits the present requirement the best. There is no one cartridge that excels at "everything".

Having said that, if forced to choose between any two calibers, I will almost always choose the larger bore diameter. The reason is simple physics. A larger bore offers more flexibility in loading. A larger bore will, assuming a suitable modern gun, drive an equal or heavier weight bullet to the same or higher velocities with less pressure or a shorter barrel than the smaller bore.

An informed handloader can utilize this characteristic to tailor loads to an incredibly wide range of uses. The .44 can be downloaded to levels that will easily accomplish any task asked of a .357, but the .357 can't be loaded to the performance level of a .44.

For a "go to" gun, I would opt for a 4" barrel or similar. With the introduction of the S&W 69, size is the same for the two, although you do give up 1 round by selecting the .44. However, the difference between a medium frame and large frame gun is not near as great as many think. I frequently carry a Ruger 3 3/4" Bisley in .44 mag covered only by an untucked shirt. I handload a variety or loads that range from mouse farts that my nieces and nephews love to shoot to full power loads capable of tumbling pretty much any critter on North America.

If you don't want to chooses, buy multiple guns! This really is the best answer for a "go to" gun. Go to the one that suits the present need.
 
.357 v .44

My safe has "spawned" many types and calibers of firearms. BUT: if I could only have one firearm it would be my Smith & Wesson 686 (.357)with the four inch barrel. It can do everything I need a handgun to do.
 
BRAIN FREEZE!!! This question is simply impossible for me to answer.

As a lover of .38, .357, .44 Special, and 44 Magnum... I could never choose anymore than I could choose between only apple pie or only cherry pie forever.

Impossible.
 
Over my many years of several hundred guns, I have settled into 44 Mag, 357 Mag & 9mm.
This would be a very hard question to answer. I Love both cartridges but if I could only pick one it would be my Ruger Redhawk in 44 Mag and my 1894 Marlin in 44 Mag to go with it. If pistol only Ruger Redhawk all the way. It will literally do everything that I would ever need. Hunting Deer, Bear and anything else that gave you trouble. Little heavier to carry but very accurate and powerful. I can easily hit a 3" plate with it at 25 yards. The .357 is a great round also and almost as good as the 44 but it will not stop something's that the 44 will.
I am thinking more of a world tragedy kind of thing were everything is out of norm.
Doc very hard question.
 
Your looking down the barrel of a 357 Magnum, not quite the most powerful handgun in the world.
Don't think it would have had the same results!;)
 
G.williikers - "I'm tellin ya son, man, it ain't no fun lookin straight down a 3-5-7"- hmm, yeah I see what you mean :p

Guv- same result? I dunno. Depends on whether you feel lucky. Well do ya - punk! :p

And for the record, I'll vote 3-5-7. Just cuz I don't have a 44 and no grizzlies in my neck of the woods
 
If limited to one, it would be my 4" 629. For me it does it all. Plinking, SD, Hunting and it's just a hoot to shoot. When me and the family did our roadtrip to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, it didn't take more than about 2 seconds to determine what would be on my hip. Of course handloading helps feed it a mixed diet of loads without breaking the bank!
 
What would you rather have as your
go to gun? Would it be a 357 mag
or a 44 mag & why? Barrel lengths
the same & no other choices!
Doc
Click to expand...
My only "go to" purpose would be self defense.

Of those two, a .357.

Why? I don't need or want a .44 Magnum.
 
Several years ago, a series of escapes from the stockyards sent bulls and bossies running through my neighborhood. That's beyond a doubt the biggest problem I have ever encountered. You can drop a cow with a .357. The .44 simply has no place in my needs.

If that cow happens to be totally bug cart crazy and determined to eat my sweetbreads,I have rifles for that, right next to the pistol.
 
.357 because that's what a Colt Python is.

But I have a 4" .44 Anaconda and love it. With that underlug it's the only 4" 44 I care to shoot.
 
I've had both. Love both. But for my go to...bigger is better. 44 all the way. It will handle everything from 2 legged vermin to elk. The 357 just can't compete with all that I need a gun to do. But I am glad I don't have to choose.

Edited to add: if I have an intruder in the night, and I miss...we will both be deaf and blind...but I know my house better than the intruder.:D
 
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For home defense I would chose the .44 because +P 44 specials have less muzzle flash and noise than a .357, then again I also rotate a 625 .45 Colt in the rotation.;)
 
44 does everything the 357 does, not the other way around. At least if you're talking about full size 6 shot guns. I have had multiple L frame S&W's as well as GP-100's from Ruger. After buying the S&W 629 the 357's became expendable.

The 44 is 1/2 oz LIGHTER and 1/8" thicker than either, not enough difference to matter. Loaded with hotter 44 Specials or mid range 44 magnums the 44 is a more effective personal defense round with less recoil and blast than full power 357's. If needed full power 44 magnums take you to another level of power.

I can actually buy practice ammo locally CHEAPER for the 44 than the 357, good stuff is only $1/20 rounds more expensive. Since GA Arms will buy back used brass, and they pay about 5X or 6X as much for 44 than 357 the 44's end up much less expensive.


http://www.georgia-arms.com/357-magnum-158gr-rd-nose-flat-pt/
http://www.georgia-arms.com/44-rem-mag-240gr-lead-semi-wadcutter/
http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-357-mag-158gr-speer-bonded-unicore-hollow-point-p/

http://www.georgia-arms.com/357-magnum-158gr-rd-nose-flat-pt/
http://www.georgia-arms.com/44-rem-mag-240gr-lead-semi-wadcutter/
http://www.georgia-arms.com/new-44-rem-mag-240gr-jacketed-hollow-point/
 
"Go to" doesn't state the purpose of the handgun and the difference between concealed self-defense and big game hunting is obvious. I have two large .44 Mag revolvers: a S&W 629 8 3/8" and an older, i.e., large, Ruger Vaquero. I have carried each on deer hunts but never had a viable opportunity to take a deer. For concealed (or even open) carry, a much smaller .357 is superior - easier to carry, conceal, and shoot quickly and accurately in a self-defense situation.
 
I think that I have to make clear what
I mean by "go to" gun. I do not hunt.
Nor do I collect weapons of any type.
My original question was ( more or less )
if you could carry or have one gun would It be
a 357 mag. or a 44 mag. & why? Doesn't
matter if it's on your nightstand or as
your concealed or carry gun. I've never
fired a 44 mag. But keep reading about
them in this Forum. The info that I have
found here is usually accurate & very
informative.
Doc
 
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