.357Mag defensive ammo?

Here is a good short barrel performer

Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 357 Magnum 135 Grain Jacketed Hollow

SP_GD_53617_9mmLuger_Plywood_Upset.jpg
 
I was using hornady critical defense 125 gr. I found the recoil to be pretty mean. I switched to some blazer 158 gr hollow points. They aren't a super hot round but I am confident they would do the job. I use a taurus 605 btw.
 
What gun are you shooting? There was an issue with the smaller frame S&W shooting a steady diet of light weight high pressure bullets.

I have a 66 and 686 and would not shot a lot of 110 to 125 max loads in the 66.
 
Black Talon

Black Talons are hard to come by, and are expensive, but will stop anything dead in it's tracks. I have a cousin who drops deer with a 40 cal Springfield XD using them.
 
I keep mine loaded with 38 special +p. Shooting a snubbie in 357 mag requires tons of pratice. And what I leared from all that pratice is it takes to long to get that fire breathing thing back on target.
 
Another vote for the Speer 135gr short barrel load. My wife's 2 3/4" Ruger Security Six is loaded with the Speer ammo. It's very very controllable load in 32oz revolver.

My 4" S&W M13 that sits on my nightstand is loaded with the old standby FBI load (remington 158gr LSWCHP +P .38). I want an effective load, but a fire breathing 125gr .357 is overkill indoors.
 
Also, if you are reloading and using the gun for HD, try loading a hollow base wadcutter up-side-down.

When it hits, it flattens out or starts key-holeing.

Not good for anything over 15 yards.
 
If I was to leave mine on the night stand it would be loaded with the same thing I carry in my snubby, Remington 158gr SWCHP +P.
 
OP last response

I should probably clarify what gun I am going to be using it in. I currently have a Ruger sp101 with the 2.25" barrel. I know short barrels reduce velocity, although I would still want a heavier buller for better penetration right?
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I'll leave that one for the kid's.
 
Mauser8mm said:
Black Talons are hard to come by, and are expensive, but will stop anything dead in it's tracks. I have a cousin who drops deer with a 40 cal Springfield XD using them.
Click to expand...

I'd love to have some in .357 Mag (180 gr), but they are so rare now as to be too precious to play with at $65 for 20 last year, I assume more now! I did some field testing with a friend's S&W model 19 and black talons on various targets and they of course expand exactly as advertised. Too bad there is no current Win Ranger T version representing a newer generation of this round, either, as there is for most SD calibers.
 
I kind of like the slightly heavier bullet. CCI used to make the Deputy load. It was a 140 GR hollowpoint called the "Penta Point" (it was a pentagon shaped hole) I really liked that round. Now, I use the Remington Classic 158 GR HP. The 145 Silvertip has good street creds too.

Anything getting close to a dollar a round, or more, just makes my teeth itch, I can't do it.
 
I always catch a lot of flack for recommending 180 gain .357 bullets for SD. So I won't recommend them, just say that I load them in my .357 Magnums. :)

The Nosler Partition HG, which is commercially loaded as the Winchester Partition Gold. Below is the Winchester tested in water. I have tested them myself in wet pack, water jugs and deer and hog meat. They penetrate and expand well. At velocities as low as 800 fps too.


PartitionGold.jpg


My own personal opinion is that in .357 anything from 125-180 will work all of hem penetrate and expand well enough for SD. At the end of the day thats what matters. So whichever load the individual shoots well in their pistol and feels confident with, will be the best one.
 
Lighter bullets need speed to work. You don't get anywhere near the advertised speed from sub 4" guns. The fast 125 gr bullets work great from 4" or longer guns, but from your 2" SP I'd be looking at something heavier that works at slower speeds.
 
Heavy Bullets for short barrels

Use heavy bullets and fast burning powder for snubbies.

I personally carry 158 grain bullets because that is what my fixed sights are regulated for. My SD loads are 158 grain Hornaday HP, H110 powder, magnum primers, and a heavy crimp on the case into the cannelure.
 
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