Bedside gun. 38 vs. 357

38 or .357

  • Winchester JHP 125 grain .38 Sp+P

    Votes: 17 33.3%

  • Federal Hydrashock JHP 158 grain .357 Mag

    Votes: 11 21.6%

  • Some other manufacurer/weight/load/ Please Explain

    Votes: 23 45.1%
  • Total voters
    51
N

nsf003

New member
My bedside gun(besides my Mossberg 500) is a Taurus M66. 4 inch barrel. I can load it with .357 Mag 158 grain Hydra Shock JHPS or .38 Sp+P 125 grain JHPS. What do you think I should load it with? I am leaning toward the Hydra Shocks.

I can buy other ammo loadings by different manufacturers. If this is what I should do, please tell me so. These are the loadings that I have at my house now.


nsf
 
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Bedside gun: Winchester 125 grain .38 Special +P's, as fired
from my Smith & Wesson 686-5 .357 magnum.:) :D :cool:

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
IMO, don't fire any .357 Magnum round indoors without hearing protection. You will permanently damage your hearing. My S&W 686 is stoked with 38+P LSWCHP.
 
Cor-Bon 158 grain LSWCHP. They aren't making this plus P load any more because they lost their bullet supplier. I won several boxes playing trivia at the old Second Chance Bowling Pin Match back in 1998. I use it as my carry ammo too. In a couple of years I will have to find another load.
 
Keep either a 2.5" M19 or 4" M13 with .38 Special Glaser Safety Slugs. Devastating at close range but limited penetration. Keep two speedloaders filled with Magnum HPs in reserve.
 
A bedside gun is likely to be fired in the dark, so I'd suggest you examine any load for muzzle flash before committing to it.
 
Winchester 158 grain, .38 Special +P LSWCHP.

IMO, .357 Mag. is for hunting or outdoor (animal) protection, not for indoor home-defense use.
Too much penetration, muzzle blast, and recoil.

As has been mentioned, if you really want to use .357 Magnums in your home-defense revolver, first try firing it indoors, in the dark, and without hearing protection......See what the muzzle-blast, flash, and recoil does to your ability to quickly and accurately put follow-up shots on the target.
 
Too subjective for single answer.

1. The muzzle blast from either a 357 or a 38 is too dang much inside. I seriously doubt much difference. (Anyone have a audio meter? Could be a good test.)

2. As in ANY defensive situation, one wants to fire the LEAST number of shots possible. Kids in next room, neighbors across the hall, chickens in henhouse, whatever.... don't want to disturb (or hit) any of them. So make the hits count.

3. Muzzle flash is a consideration. One can use it to illuminate the target, but it takes some practise. I don't find it as much of a problem as others, but that's rather subjective.
4. Recoil in times of stress is inconsequential. I suppose a Desert Eagle or a Contender in 45-70 might be a problem, but I don't suppose there's that many who use them.

So... use the heaviest load you can stand. Make sure you can deliver the shots. And keep a flashlight close to the gun. You only want one shot fired, yours! Stay in touch with the "landscape" of your home.
 
Its a rough choice...no one who has shot both will argue the point that the 38+P's are less intense in regards to recoil and blast. The differences are enormous. But out of the 2 Ill still stick with 357 125gr JHP Defensive loads. I trust my ability with this round and my guns and want to make the shot count. With 2 times the energy being transferred to my target.....better 1 shot that has the energy of 2 IMO.

"As has been mentioned, if you really want to use .357 Magnums in your home-defense revolver, first try firing it indoors, in the dark, and without hearing protection......See what the muzzle-blast, flash, and recoil does to your ability to quickly and accurately put follow-up shots on the target."

Do you really want someone who doesnt know about this gun to be partially deaf? Temporarily or longer? Quite silly advice, IMO.
Not to flame this comment directly...but common sense says that when you fire a gun in a defensive situation...it wont be the same as a practice senario. Your adrenilan level, awareness and nerves will change that very quickly for you...all effecting your perception of shots fired. I know of LE who say they didnt even hear their guns go off...or just heard a muffled "pop". One told me he thought he had fired 2 or 3 rounds...he emptied 16 rnds total....all a matter of percecption.

My K40 is my night stand gun...just because I dont want to be deaf or anything else....but deaf is better than dead.
Ill take the 357's over 38's in ANY situation. Ill take my 40 as my house gun.

Shoot well
 
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