.45 ACP versus .357 magnum
- Thread starter RWK
- Start date
p l i n k e r
Moderator
Could you provide case names, numbers, and the court in which they were tried? Like 'stopping power', it's just another silly 'urban LEGEND'.
Rocky Road
Retired Screen Name
I have to agree that this topic concerns .357 mag vs .45 ACP. I also agree it has to do with what suits ONE'S OWN uses and talents best. I prefer the .45, due in large part to the guns from which it is fired. RWK specified that this is outside the discussion. He says to consider that both are fired from barrels of five inches or better. This presupposes a rather bulkier handgun, as most .357 double actions are sold with 4" bbls, whereas 5" is standard for the 1911-series of autos.
Slightly off topic for this discussion, C .R. Sam wrote---
I have a little problem equating the .357 sig with the .357 mag. Looks to me like the few bullet weights common to both, are hard driven from the sig at bottom levels for the mag. Seems that the .357mag can drive 180 or 200gr bullets at velocitys close to the 125 from a .357 sig. Or drive a 125gr at 1800 with very modest pressures.
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I've found that the .357 SiG, from a Glock with 125 gr Gold Dot HP or HydraShok loads slightly exceeds velocities of a 4" .357 revolver, shooting GDHP and Remington 125 gr HP. The day we ran this test I couldn't find any Federal 125 factory .357 mag loads. Testing done same day, using an Oehler 43 chronograph.
I have loaded some 158 gr .357 mag loads so hot they would stick in chambers of Colt and S&W 4" and Taurus 6" guns. Backing down to a comfortable level, but still above anything published in the Speer Manual Number 12, highest I got from a four-inch was 1323 fps.
I can't get much over 1175 fps with the
180 gr. silhouette bullets from a 4: revolver. Hottest loads I can find are specified for the TC Contender with a TEN-inch barrel. This is 1573 fps, using 296 powder.
Hottest .357 mag loads shown with 125 gr (same manual) indicate 1507 fps from a 6" S&W, using Viht. N110 powder. Next warmer powder, Unique, maxes out at "only" 1343 fps. I hasten to add that I have personally tested ONLY those loads I specify to have done.
Have I wandered sufficiently far afaield yet?
RR
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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
Slightly off topic for this discussion, C .R. Sam wrote---
I have a little problem equating the .357 sig with the .357 mag. Looks to me like the few bullet weights common to both, are hard driven from the sig at bottom levels for the mag. Seems that the .357mag can drive 180 or 200gr bullets at velocitys close to the 125 from a .357 sig. Or drive a 125gr at 1800 with very modest pressures.
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I've found that the .357 SiG, from a Glock with 125 gr Gold Dot HP or HydraShok loads slightly exceeds velocities of a 4" .357 revolver, shooting GDHP and Remington 125 gr HP. The day we ran this test I couldn't find any Federal 125 factory .357 mag loads. Testing done same day, using an Oehler 43 chronograph.
I have loaded some 158 gr .357 mag loads so hot they would stick in chambers of Colt and S&W 4" and Taurus 6" guns. Backing down to a comfortable level, but still above anything published in the Speer Manual Number 12, highest I got from a four-inch was 1323 fps.
I can't get much over 1175 fps with the
180 gr. silhouette bullets from a 4: revolver. Hottest loads I can find are specified for the TC Contender with a TEN-inch barrel. This is 1573 fps, using 296 powder.
Hottest .357 mag loads shown with 125 gr (same manual) indicate 1507 fps from a 6" S&W, using Viht. N110 powder. Next warmer powder, Unique, maxes out at "only" 1343 fps. I hasten to add that I have personally tested ONLY those loads I specify to have done.
Have I wandered sufficiently far afaield yet?
RR
------------------
---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
Robert the41MagFan
New member
Gee, I have 4 reloading manuals that have 19 grain of Hodgdon H-110 under a 125 .357 Mag jacket clocking at over 1800 FPS (under 35000PSI) from a 6" barrel.
Funny. These same manuals have a .357 Sig 124 grain jacket maximum at 1450 FPS from a 4" barrel.
CorBon sells a 200 grain 357 Magnum bullet that they claim will do 1300 FPS from a 6" tube. All my manuals say that 12.4 grain of Win 296 will more than do it.
These manuals must all be wrong. I'll just rip those pages right out. There must be some .357 conspiracy going around.
Robert
Funny. These same manuals have a .357 Sig 124 grain jacket maximum at 1450 FPS from a 4" barrel.
CorBon sells a 200 grain 357 Magnum bullet that they claim will do 1300 FPS from a 6" tube. All my manuals say that 12.4 grain of Win 296 will more than do it.
These manuals must all be wrong. I'll just rip those pages right out. There must be some .357 conspiracy going around.
Robert