I think the .357 Mag is brutal - am I alone?

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rock_jock

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After putting .357 Mag rounds (factory loaded only) through my S&W 686 4" for the umpteenth time in the last two years, I finally conceded the fact that I don't care for the big-bore magnums. Well, to be honest, they kind of scare me. I had always fancied myself a real shooter and thought that getting a .44 Magnum would be neat and a good compliment to my collection (you know, Dirty Harry and all that), but firing the 357 tonight felt like punishment, not fun. I thought that I would eventually get used to it, but I still get nervous and anticipate recoil. Does anybody else share this sentiment? Don't get me wrong, I love to shoot .40's, 9MM's, .45's, etc., but I believe I have defined my limits. BTW, how does the .44 compare to the .357? Maybe I'll fire one one day just to find out.
 
rock_jock,

Out of a hefty piece like the 686 I have no problems, but what I can't see is how people shoot .357 out of some of these new featherweight snubbies. That, to me, would not be enjoyable.

If you don't want to continue your relationship with your 686, I'd be happy to adopt it and give it a loving home. :)

Sub
 
I'm still suffering from a strained left elbow that I got from the first time that I was shooting my Ruger Security Six...it wasn't the recoil that did it..it was me over-tensing my left arm muscles *in anticipation* of the recoil..
I find my S&W Model 27 MUCH more comfortable to shoot...can't beat an N frame for shooting .357mag.<g>
 
Some of your problem may be grips. Rubber helps absorb recoil on DA revolvers.

Heavy bullet loads kick more, but to me, the blast of factory 125 gr loads is just nasty. Maybe this isn't the case from all manufactures, but the Federal and Winchester 125s I have shot had a great deal of blast.

The most comfortable .357 revolvers I have shot are single action Rugers. Shooting should be fun.
 
Rock; My 2.5" 686 would love to have a mate. E me and I will send shipping addy. :)

Sam...my favorite 9mm is the 9X32R
 
Sorry, Sam, but I do enjoy shooting .38 sp and .38 sp +P out of it. And, it's a real neat looking gun and pretty accurate. Besides, if I ever do some real hiking in the mountains, I want it with me, loaded with the hottest .357 round I can find. When it comes to large four-legged creatures sizing me up for a meal, I'd rather trust my life to a hot .357 round than to anything I have in the SA category.
 
OK, a few things:

First, I have a S&W Model 60 in .357. That's the J-frame. As far as I can tell, it's the lightest, smallest .357 made (other than derringers). It's brutal to shoot full house loads out of it. However, shooting .38's is no problem (although shooting .38's out of my titanium 342ti feels like shooting .357's out of the 60).

Secondly, shooting .357's out of larger guns isn't quite as bad, but still kicks a good deal more than my semi-auto 9mm's, .40's and .45. However, shooting out of an N-frame (or even an L-frame), or a GP-100 or Python isn't too bad.

Third, while double action guns are built to take the recoil by pushing the gun into your hand, many single action designs such as the Colt SAA and copies such as the Ruger Vaquero are built to slide in your hand (the side bonus to this on single actions is that it brings the hammer closer to your thumb), rather than push into it. The only one I've shot is the Ruger (I forget which one, but I know it was a .357; Blackhawk maybe), and I don't remember the recoil being that much different than the double action guns.

Finally, most .44 mags are overbuilt. My Colt Anaconda kicks more than most .357's, but not much more than the smaller ones. It's more for aggression release at the range and hunting, rather than target shooting and self-defense. It's really not enjoyable for more than a box of ammo, but it sure gets the adrenaline going.
 
rock_jock,

I know how you feel...I keep .38sp +P in my S&W 65 and feel real good about that. If I or my wife (as if...! :rolleyes :) ever had to shoot it in a defensive situation, .357 would be much harder to place accurately.
LD
 
I don't find that firing 158gr Georgia Arms from my GP100 to be very bad at all. On the other hand, firing 185gr SWC handloads from my SBH is a session in pain. I can only fire about half a box befor my firing hand starts to get pretty banged up. It takes a great deal of concentration to finish all 50 rounds. I would rate the .44mag in my two guns as at least twice as vicious as the .357.
 
Suggest adding Pachmayr Decelerator grips ($30) to your 686, or trading for .357 Redhawk (yes, I know it'd be used) or S&W N-frame, and getting the barrel shortened to your favorite length.

I have a .357 Redhawk (7.5" -- all I could find) and it delivers 180's at 1260fps with the kick of a 38...into one hole...

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"
 
>>>Topic: I think the .357 Mag is brutal - am I alone?<<<

Depends which end you're on.
:D

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Panzerführer

Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die Säue.

Those that beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those that don't.
 
My experience (based on thousands of rounds from two "N" frame Smiths and a Ruger GP100) is the .357 magnum (principally firing 124 and 158 grain loads) is NOT at all "brutal". Certainly, there is some additional recoil compared to (for example) a .45 ACP or a .40 S&W; however, it is absolutely not difficult to control.

On the other hand, the results at the impact end -- where, potentially, it really counts -- are decidedly in favor of the .357 magnum.


[This message has been edited by RWK (edited August 19, 2000).]
 
I've never shot a .357, only a .44 magnum. I don't find it's too bad at all--out of the revolver I have. But it's a Taurus M44, with a six-inch ported barrel and rubber grips. Heavy as can be and I really think the porting makes a lot of difference.
As someone said, it's there for hunting, not plinking. If a similar revolver is available in .357 without breaking the bank on custom porting, I bet you'd find it pretty mild with .357.
 
357 Magnums are no trouble for me, but I use a S&W 586 with 8 3/8" barrel. I have shot them from a ruger snubbie before too and they are wicked. I would still carry them for defense, especially if I wasn't carrying extra ammo. In this case, they would be strictly for close quartered defense. It is hard to make an accurate distance shot from a magnum loaded snubbie when you are anticipating.
 
You folks that have trouble with .357 Mag recoil should try a ported pistol or have your weapons ported.

My 115 lb 5'5" wife has no problem firing full power .357 from a 2" ported Taurus mdl 605 but hates to fire my 357 Sig (recoil less than +p 9mm) because it "kicks" too hard for her.

And the sugesstion about grips is right on too. Just remember though, too soft can be just as bad as all wood.
 
IMO the trouble is more with noise than with the recoil. 686+ and 66 don't kick overmuch, neither does ported Taurus 617 (2") but, with 11gr JHPs, the muzzle noise and blast are painful. I decided on 45acp in part based ont he concussion from fast and light chamberings...
 
I'll have to agree with AC on the grips comment. When I first got my 6" Python, I noticed that the checkering on the stock grips rubbed my hand raw, so I changed the grips. Now, the revolver is much more comfortable to shoot.

I've never shot the .357 cartridge from a 2" bbl.; the noise must be astounding. The report from my 2" S&W 642 .38 Spl. is ridiculously out of proportion to the cartridge, and I'd imagine the .357 would be even more so.
DAL

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Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school.
GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA
 
I shot my 60 at the range this evening without any problems. Yes recoil is wicked due to the small size. However, intense recoil never bothered me with any guns.

The only one I won't shoot (unless I had to) is the 454. That's just too much for my size.
 
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