best .357 mag load for the back country

Just get an 11" Bowie Knife and a full face helmet.

Since you already know a handgun is a low percentage option even if you are fearless and a great shot, then the only other use with a handgun is deterrence. Now how would you deter a charging monster from 10-15 yds plus or minus?

That would leave you with trying to get as much energy dump as possible to the head, neck, or front legs. Hardcast is not a good choice because of the lack of initial energy dump as it will likely either pass thru the target or dump it's energy in an area where the bear wouldn't know it's been mortally wounded until it has mauled you. I'll let you figure out the rest.
 
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If Grizzly is of concern, you want a heavy bullet that either expands moderately or not at all. When talking about handguns and Grizzly, the only two things that matter are placement and penetration as no handgun bullet will have enough energy, "knock down power", or whatever else one might call it to stop a Grizzly with anything less than a perfect shot.

Loadings that would be good for the use you describe would include Federal 180gr Castcore or 180gr Swift A-Frame, Cor-Bon Hunter 180gr JSP or 200gr hardcast, Speer 170gr JSP, Buffalo Bore 180gr hardcast, Double Tap 180gr or 200gr hardcast, and Grizzly 180gr hardcast. A loading with a lighter 158gr bullet could also work, but I would use only a non-expanding bullet such as a FMJ or hardcast with that weight.

Now, it is true that a larger caliber such as .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, or .500 S&W Magnum would be preferable, but only if you can shoot them well. Even with large animals such as Grizzly, a well-placed .357 Magnum is vastly superior to a larger caliber that was poorly placed because you cannot handle the recoil. The best Grizzly defense guns are actually not handguns but rather quick-handling long guns such as a bigbore lever-action rifle or a pump-action/semi-auto shotgun loaded with rifled slugs, but long guns are not always practical to carry.
 
I'm not one for switching rounds in a revolver/pistol.

All my 357s are loaded with a 150 grn LSWC (Lyman mold 358477) pushed by 14.5 grns of 2400.

It worked when I was in LE, killed several moose and a buffalo with it.

Also great for bowling pin matches.

Accurate in all my 357s and really shines in my old duty revolver, Smith M-28 w/4 inch barrel.
 
kraigwy: Thanks for THIS bit of info- "All my 357s are loaded with a 150 grn LSWC (Lyman mold 358477) pushed by 14.5 grns of 2400.
It worked when I was in LE, killed several moose and a buffalo with it."

My carry .357 is a 4" 28 also.. It sure takes heavier loads than my "down the road" 66 or even my pristine Python. Weighs a bit heavier too.. One has the feeling that what didnt get hit with the projectile would succumb to muzzle blast! Not that I plan on shooting moose (none around here) or a bison (few if any free-range in Colorado). We DO have "problem bears" and the occasional big cat out of control. With this revolver I feel about as secure as carrying the .44 Redhawk.
 
I must say in big bear country I would prefer a minimum of a .41M. If limited to the .357, I'd go with the 180 hardcast backed up with some good factory 158 JSP for reloads.
 
Most of the time I'm out in the woods my 357s are loaded with either the old FBI load 38+p 158gr LSWCHPs either factory or my homebrewed, if I want more power I use some 158 hard casts @ 1100-1150fps.
If you don't reload I'd probably just run factory 158gr JSP. I wouldn't beat up my 19 with buffalo bore.
 
158 or 180 grain hard cast RNFP's. They have a larger meplat (flat nose) than SWC's. As an added bonus -- that you're not likely to need in the woods -- they reload faster, especially from a speed loader.
 
Any 180 gr WFN Cast bullet or the original Kaith semi wadcutter (173grs) loaded on top of a heavy load of H-110 or 2400 rifle powder. Go with the older loading books as the new ones have reduced the .357 mag data so it is safe in the Scadmium framed revolvers. Your all steel SW will handle these two bullets well.

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The 180 gr WFN also works great in my Marlin 357 rifle, so you can have common carbine and revolver ammo.
 
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