Favorite loads for airwt 357's and 38's?

For some reason those Winchester 110 gr. JHP strike low on the targets I practice with. At first I thought I was flinching but later on determined that it was just the way the ammo printed the target. I have grown fond of the Speer Gold Dot and the Sabers.
 
You are talking 357/110's right? I was wondering if Win white box (USA line) 110's would be comfortable enough for me to actually shoot two cylinders full each time I went to the range?

How do the 110's in the airwt compare to 125 full power loads in a steel 4" 357?
 
Hi Glamdring. Yeah, I was referring to the white box winchester 110s. They are fairly comfortable when I fire them out of my 4" 686. But with those Airlites just about everything will buck hard. Two cylinders of practice everytime you go out shouldn't be any trouble on your wrist. Heck I shoot a box twice a week and I have had no discomfort. I hope this helps.
 
Something I forgot.... Those 125 loads are real brisk in my 686. I would still have to say that those 110s in that Airlite are more unpleasant still.
 
I like faster and lighter.....

In my .38 spcl I like Georgia arms 110 gr JHP+P's because I get good velocity, less recoil, and better follow-up shots. In my Taurus Model 605, Georgia Arms 125 gr SJHP's. This is a standard-pressure load that probably goes out at 1,200-1,400 FPS and I'll bet has excellent penetration/expansion. I've always had good luck with all Georgia Arms ammo and the added plus is that I can simply drive up to their Villa Rica factory and buy direct for cheap.

My experience with the heavier grained loads for the .38 spcl and .357 magnum is that they create heavy recoil and for a small self-defense revolver, I like to keep my barrel aimed on-target and not retrieve it from over my head.
 
I shoot the Winchester 110g JHPs out of a Model 60 (all steel 5 shot J frame snub), not an airlight. They kick pretty good, but I dont think any worse than 125's from a 4 inch K frame.
 
For me so far, the best reduced velocity .357 in the 12 ounce 340PD has been the Proload 125 Tactical Lite. The #5 bullet doesn't pull much. Only about .010". But it did with the Golden Sabers and the Silvertips - more that .025".

The #5 full-power 125gr Fed .357 (357B) only pulled .004, as if the tight crimp is part of the reason for its power. adk
 
I can't imagine wanting to shoot .357's from a 12 oz gun. I've always carried the 125 grain Federal Nyclad in my airweight 37. If my gun were rated for +P or .357 I would carry either the Speer Gold Dot 125 grain .38+P, Federal Hydra-Shok 129 grain .38+P or the Remington Golden Saber 125 grain medium velocity .357.
 
158 gr softpoint in 357 Federal Red Box works well in the Sc snubs.
Click to expand...

BigG,
It may work well, but I can't imagine them being any fun.
I haven't shot many brands of .357 in my Ruger Vaquero, I shoot mainly 158gr .38s.
I got a box of 158gr softpoint S&B ammo and shot it my Vaquero.
(Which weighs what? 3 lbs.?)

I have shot some 158rg jhp Winchester in .357, but nothing kicked like those S&B softpoints.

I can't imagine those in a Sc snub. :eek:

In my wife's Centennial, we like 125gr +P Golden Saber in .38.
No recoil to speak of, but plenty of power.
 
I don't have any of the super-light snubbies, but in my RG .38 Spl snubby, I use the standard Federal 110 GR 'Personal Defense Load', NOT the "+P" stuff. I can't imagine touching off any super hot .357's in a helium-weight gun.

{sort of like my shooting buddy that bought one of those over-under 2-shot derringers in .357Mag. Still has 49 of the original box of 50 Rem 158-Gr SJHP he bought for it in 1993. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: }
 
They are a defense gun so the best cartridges are heavy bullets imho. I don't plink with a 357 but I shoot occasionally to maintain familiarization.

A 22 makes a better plinker than a defense gun if you want to just shoot.

[Noticed Something Above] From my experience the S&B 357 158 gr softpoints are not good in the Sc snubs. They pull the bullets from recoil and fail to extract fired cases well. The Fed Red Box 357 158 gr work. They are crimped enough not to pull the bullets and the fired cases extract easily.
 
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