Is .357 Magnum too Loud?

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WheelGunRealGun

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I hear some say that .357 Magnum is so loud indoors that during a self defense situation the loud noise could affect you so much that it could impair your ability to defend yourself (I've even heard one say it can burst your eardrums and mess up your balance). Does anyone feel this is true?

I have a 6 inch barreled Colt Python, I've shot loud .357 out of it, but never without hearing protection. So I really wouldn't know the answer.

Let's completely disregard the damaged hearing that becomes evident after the shooting, let's talk about DURING the self defense situation. Do yall think that the noise of the first (or more) shots from the Magnum could be so intense that it could cause either a delay in follow up shots or otherwise hinder your abilities to defend yourself?

Someone said as soon as they fired the first shot without ear protection they instinctually put their hands to their ears.

But what about the people that have to fire AR15s and 12 gauges indoors without hearing protection? Isn't that much louder?
 
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It is definitely loud. There's only one real way to find out if it's too loud, and I'm not volunteering for that experiment.

I load mine with Remington Golden Sabers. It's a mild .357 load, but still has plenty of power. The report isn't very loud, recoil is manageable, and there doesn't seem to be much muzzle flash either.
 
Golden Sabers is a good idea. Not only is the sound deafening, but the 4 foot flame at night causes temporary night blindness.:D I guess it would even be worse from the other end of the gun.:D Golden Sabres are suppose to alleviate a lot of the issues.
Yes, I agree with Crazy88Fingers, although I do not want to ask any questions about his name/handle.:D
 
Anything indoors without ear protection is LOUD ! The 357 used to be worse than today as muzzle flash and blast have been reduced by use of coatings for powder.
In a defence situation you may not even be aware of the blast [auditory exclusion] but damage will still occur . I have plugs next to my gun if I have the time to use them.
Long barrels , large bore , slower bullets all help. a 44 special , 6" barrel or 45 colt 6" ,with velocity 900 fps max. are good choices.
 
It is definitely loud. There's only one real way to find out if it's too loud, and I'm not volunteering for that experiment.

I load mine with Remington Golden Sabers. It's a mild .357 load, but still has plenty of power. The report isn't very loud, recoil is manageable, and there doesn't seem to be much muzzle flash either.
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Remington Golden Sabers 125 grain .357 Magnum:
Muzzle velocity: 1220 fps
Muzzle energy: 413 ft. lbs.


Corbon 9mm +P 115 grain:
Muzzle Velocity: 1275 fps
Muzzle Energy: 415 ft. lbs




I like the Golden Saber, but how is it better than 9mm?
 
I have said in a previous post that in a SD situation I don't think it will matter much. You can't tell a BG hey wait til I have my hearing protection on before I shoot you.
 
Was at an indoor range and stupidly dropped my ears since I had the range to myself. Forgot to put them back on and fired a Federal 357B from a S&W snub which is a pretty hot 125gr round. Immediately after firing my first reaction was to cover my ears since it was pretty damn painful. The ringing was freaking unbearable, and for a month after I couldn't even take a shower or drive with the window down without earplugs as it was hell to my ears and made them hurt. For up to 6 months after the incident I was left with an extremely loud ringing in my left ear that drove me on the verge of insanity. After the first 6 months the ringing started to diminish in intensity but continued to ring. As I am typing this it is 10 months later and from time to time my left year will still ring, usually when I am really tired or drinking. Point is choose something quieter for home defense if you actually want to enjoy silence for the rest of your life and not be stuck with a permanent ring in your ear.

You can't tell a BG hey wait til I have my hearing protection on before I shoot you.
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Yeah but you can choose a quieter round. You can all chime in and say you would rather be deaf than dead, but untill you are stuck with a permanent ringing in your ear or have experienced long term ringing than you have no idea what kind of toll it takes on your day to day life. Fortunately I have no noticeable hearing loss, although I do suffer from slight high frequency hearing loss.

By the way I no longer own a .357 snub and never plan to use the round for carry or home defense. I will not subject my ears to that kind of torture ever again. A .38 special or 9mm will do me fine for home defense and carry.
 
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Was at an indoor range and stupidly dropped my ears since I had the range to myself. Forgot to put them back on and fired a Federal 357B from a S&W snub which is a pretty hot 125gr round. Immediately after firing my first reaction was to cover my ears since it was pretty damn painful. The ringing was freaking unbearable, and for a month after I couldn't even take a shower or drive with the window down without earplugs as it was hell to my ears and made them hurt. For up to 6 months after the incident I was left with an extremely loud ringing in my left ear that drove me on the verge of insanity. After the first 6 months the ringing started to diminish in intensity but continued to ring. As I am typing this it is 10 months later and from time to time my left year will still ring, usually when I am really tired or drinking. Point is choose something quieter for home defense if you actually want to enjoy silence for the rest of your life and not be stuck with a permanent ring in your ear.

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You can't tell a BG hey wait til I have my hearing protection on before I shoot you.
Yeah but you can choose a quieter round. You can all chime in and say you would rather be deaf than dead, but untill you are stuck with a permanent ringing in your ear or have experienced long term ringing than you have no idea what kind of toll it takes on your day to day life. Fortunately I have no noticeable hearing loss, although I do suffer from slight high frequency hearing loss.

By the way I no longer own a .357 snub and never plan to use the round for carry or home defense. I will not subject my ears to that kind of torture ever again. A .38 special or 9mm will do me fine for home defense and carry.
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This is certainly something to consider. I'm glad you posted this, sir.
 
.357 too loud?

After some looking around I found that virtually all of the 125 grain .357 loads exceed 1120 fps (the speed of sound) most 158 grain loads are too close for comfort. the obvious solution is to go with 180 grain .357 loads.
Hornady's 124 grain 9mm lists at 1110 fps, too close for comfort in my book. Their 147 grain 9mm is listed at 975 fps.
My bedroom gun in a Glock model 22, .40 the 180 grain loads Hornady XTP's are listed at 950 fps. /361 ft lbs energy
Looks like the old .45 auto with 230 grain bullets may be the best house gun, 920fps/422lbs.
 
I once owned a stunningly beautiful six inch Dan Wesson heavy barrel shroud 357 magnum.

Just to prepare myself for if I ever had to fire the thing with the 158 grn full power 357 rounds I kept in it in self defense,I fired it twice-three times each about two weeks apart without hearing protection.

And that hurt bad-real bad.

The sound is like having two huge steel frying pans held tight against your ears and a sledge hammer hitting each at the same time.

Stupifyingly loud but not just that.

There is a crack sound to the 357's report that I am told is unlike any other magnum round (as there are magnum rounds I havent fired) and it's that blisteringly loud cracking sound that positively guarantees-should I ever desire to get a magnum handgun again-it won't ever be a 357 magnum.

(+P 38 caliber self defense rounds don't even get close to how loud those 357 rounds sounded.)
 
After some looking around I found that virtually all of the 125 grain .357 loads exceed 1120 fps (the speed of sound) most 158 grain loads are too close for comfort. the obvious solution is to go with 180 grain .357 loads.
Hornady's 124 grain 9mm lists at 1110 fps, too close for comfort in my book. Their 147 grain 9mm is listed at 975 fps.
My bedroom gun in a Glock model 22, .40 the 180 grain loads Hornady XTP's are listed at 950 fps. /361 ft lbs energy
Looks like the old .45 auto with 230 grain bullets may be the best house gun, 920fps/422lbs.
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What about a .44 Special 200 grain going 1100 fps? I'd say that's better on the ears than a 125 grain .357 going 1450 fps?
 
I know that they are loud to the point of pain. I think that full house 357's are over 165 decibels.
 
The 357 magnums sound is an oddity related to just how it's extra powder capacity was acheived and the just odd group of factors from just how the powder burns in the round to how darn fast that bullet is traveling when it leaves the barrel.

I have'nt heard anyone say a larger caliber round hurt as bad as the 357 magnum.

The few hundred feet per second makes a huge difference in the type of sound this particular round makes.
 
.44 special

"What about a .44 Special 200 grain going 1100 fps? I'd say that's better on the ears than a 125 grain .357 going 1450 fps? "

The speed of sound at sea level @ 70 degrees is 1120 fps. That .44 Special load is pretty close. If you exceed the speed of sound it gets much harder on the ears.
After some more looking around I haven't found any .357 Mag 180 grain defensive loads, all I can find are hunting loads and they are HOT!
Some of the 158 grain loads are under 1120 fps though they are close.

I guess the .357 mag may not be the best choice for a house gun. Better to have a big and slow round.
 
"What about a .44 Special 200 grain going 1100 fps? I'd say that's better on the ears than a 125 grain .357 going 1450 fps? "

The speed of sound at sea level @ 70 degrees is 1120 fps. That .44 Special load is pretty close. If you exceed the speed of sound it gets much harder on the ears.
After some more looking around I haven't found any .357 Mag 180 grain defensive loads, all I can find are hunting loads and they are HOT!
Some of the 158 grain loads are under 1120 fps though they are close.

I guess the .357 mag may not be the best choice for a house gun. Better to have a big and slow round.
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Agreed. I've never been a big fan of heavy .357's. I've always thought of them as hunting rounds.

As a revolver fan, perhaps a .45 ACP revolver would be the ideal?
 
.44

As I said before my bedroom gun is a Glock .40 If I were going to a revolver I'd load up my S&W 629 with .44 specials.
I'll stick with my Glock though, it ain't pretty but it's simple and reliable.
 
Remington Golden Sabers 125 grain .357 Magnum:
Muzzle velocity: 1220 fps
Muzzle energy: 413 ft. lbs.
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CorBon's 125 gr. .357 DPX is listed @1300 fps.

From my Pro Digital Chronograph

M640-1, 2 1/8th in. bbl. ----1280 fps. Potent, but manageable from this gun.


M66 3"--------1300 fps

IMO, the DPX is a more reliable than the older (but still good) .357 GS.
 
Too fast!

"CorBon's 125 gr. .357 DPX is listed @1300 fps.

From my Pro Digital Chronograph

M640-1, 2 1/8th in. bbl. ----1280 fps. Potent, but manageable from this gun.


M66 3"--------1300 fps"

More that 1120 fps is supersonic. That's gonna hurt.
 
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