Night Table Ammo in .357

D

David1958

New member
In general, would it be better to load Speer Gold Dot .38 spl 125 gr +P or a 125 gr .357 cartridge in a bedside S&W Model 65 .357? The other thought is to have the first 2 rounds .38 +P's and the rest .357's. I have never fired a .357 cartridge inside, in the dark without ear protection, but have heard that it is like a small cannon going off and causes sight and hearing problems.
Granted, those are smaller problems than an intruder, but am curious on others experiences and recommendations. Thanks.
 
The .357 inside a room has effects not unlike a SWAT "stun" grenade.
TREMENDOUS blast and flash.
The 125 grain is especially bad.

Wake up from a sound sleep and fire off one of these, and you may be really slow getting off another simply from the shock.

I recommend the .38 Special +P, 158 grain, lead semi-wadcutter, hollow point.
Commonly known as the (depending on where you live) the FBI, Chicago, LAPD, New Orleans, etc load.

Also known to street cops as the .38 SPLAT, for the noise it makes when it hits.

This round was specifically designed to replace the old police 158 grain lead, round nose ammo commonly known as the "Widow maker" for the numerous failures to stop police had.
This ammo earned a great reputation for stops, and ended the police complaints about ineffective .38 Special loads.

Recoil, muzzle blast, and flash are low, and effectiveness is quite high.
 
I wouldn't agonize over ammo choices in .357 magnum. The .357 was a great stopper even before the current advances in expanding ammo.
 
Any Gold Dot from 125 to 158 grains. I prefer the heavier ones.

As far as blast and noise, you need to develope the fighting mindset. And part of that means concentraing on overcoming anything that comes your way in a confrontation if there is no alternative or escape.

Your uninvited guest might have a blaster that is equally or worse a flash n' blaster than your hotloaded .357. Plan on some loud noise and flash - concentrate on the target, and plan on follow through shots regardless. Until your target is not longer a threat.
 
.357 Bedside Ammo

Thanks LAK, I hadn't really considered the BG's weapon/ammo potential in my original thought process. Excellent point. Thanks.
 
When Gremlin enter house, hit-or-miss, the 125 gr will either drop said gremlin or you can follow a "dark" smelly, brown substance to Gremlin's lair...since you know the blast/flash is going to occur, said Gremlin might be the one at the disadvantage...use the best ammo you can get your hands on and pray you never need to use it!
 
.357 Bedside Ammo

Winchester Silvertips? I've seen them and priced them. They run about $25.00 for a box of 50 here in Charleston, SC. I don't know anything about them specifically. What's their advantage in general over other name brand defense ammo such as Federal, Speer and CorBon in the same bullet weights?
 
I would stick to 125gr SJHP unless you want a frangible round due to penetration worries.

If you're ready to kill someone the blast and noise will be of no issue.
 
.357 Bedside Ammo

I have read that 125 Grain .357 ammo is not recommended for K Frame S&W .357's. Is that just the older revolvers? I have a M65-7. Can that handle the 125's better than in the past? I will probably only use the 158's in my M19-3 for SD. Comments?
 
David,

Any commercial .357 load is safe in your revolver - providing it is in sound mechanical order.

However, the K frame Smith & Wessons will tend to wear out quicker than heavier frame revolvers with regular .357 magnum loads. But this shouldn't stop you shooting this type of ammo to settle on one that shoots close enough to point of aim for you and for alittle practice.
 
mattz357,

I've wondered that too. It seems not too long ago that it was THE ultimate .357 Mag. load. Of course, As I get older "not too long ago" gets longer and longer ago. :o I am led to understand that it might retain a bit too much energy in terminus. Thus, it is reputed to overpenetrate human assailants. I would think it a good deer round for those who go afield with a .357 in search of such prey. Although I was reading an article by Chuck Taylor recently in Combat Handguns in which he declared the round overpenetrative even for that! I will stress that all of this is hearsay that I am carelessly repeating;), and also that I own a box of the stuff. So if anyone has the real scoop, please pipe up.
 
I opened up on a coon in the dimly lit, enclosed tack room of our barn a few years ago with my Ruger GP 100 357 mag. I was shooting 16.6gr of 296 behind a 158 grain JHP, a full house load. To put it bluntly, it was the dumbest thing I ever did.. I didn't have ear plugs in and the blast stunned me, on top of blinding me for a few seconds...

I missed...

I didn't fire a second shot from the 357.. I went in the house and got my 10/22..
 
I've been in a small room when some one had an ND with a 357 and couldn't hear much for 1/2 hour .I'd go along with the recommendation for SWC-HP +P not quite as loud and proven effective stopper.
 
You may wish to consider new production Georgia Arms Gold Dot .38 Special +Ps. I believe most .357 magnum loads are too loud for unprotected indoor use, recovery/target reacquisition takes longer, over-penetration is an issue, and so forth. If you do your job – accurate shot placement – with a .38 Special +P Gold Dot, I believe you will rapidly incapacitate the adversary . . . and that's the goal.
 
Hummm, I wonder what would be lounder a 12ga, with buckshot in a closed room or the 357?

If noise is a concern, then go with a Mak.

Personally I would think that you would be so hyped with adrenalin that you wouldn't notice the blast/flash. Under high levels of stress we become tunnel vision, and shut out everything but that one small area...

I would be more concerned with over penetration.

You might consider a 158 gr. which might drop the blast/flash a little bit. My primary Gremlin gun is a Rossi Lever Action loaded with 158 gr. backed up with a Tarus 357 with 125. Wify poo uses the rifle, I use the handgun, and my teen-age son uses a 12ga with #7 shot!

At least with the noise the neighbors will be calling the police...
 
i would keep her with 125 grn 357 magnum golden sabers.i rather have better stopping power next to bed.hell my bed gun is 870 remington pump 12 gauge with 00 buck.also have a 41 magnum 7.5" ruger blackhawk loaded under bed,now that will wake up the dead it is loud as hell.
 
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