Range Report - Factory 38/357 Defense

I was a little disappointed when I learned (according to Speer's website) that they are just slightly more powerful than the .38 spc+p version.
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Yes, they are a modest (by 357 Mag standards) round - by design. I can hear the powder inside when I shake them. They - I believe - are designed to fill that gap between 38+P and powerful 357 loadings that are "a bit much" for those of slight build and/or small frame guns.

I'm looking forward to my chronograph session too. Once I do, I will start a new thread with all my data for every factory defense round I have tested for 38/357.
 
Well I shot a cylinder full of my gold dots today. Pretty impressed.
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Shot out of my S&W model 649-5 at seven yards, off hand, SA and standing. First shot was the bullseye. Second and fourth were the high shots. Third was the right shot and fifth was the left shot.

They shot point of aim for me and surprisingly had a good amount of felt recoil. Not any real muzzle blast to speak of but much more recoil than any .38+p I've shot.

Still looking forward to your report. My final thoughts on them are they are still five of them loaded in my gun. I will stay on the lookout for some more of these as well, just not for the $31.99+tax that I had to pay for these.
 
I'm gonna try to get out Monday.

The issue is that these GD SB's are the only thing I need to chronograph right now lol. Isn't hardly worth a trip to the range to set up the chrono - just to test 10 rounds.

I've got a couple loads dancing around in my head right now. Maybe I'll load 'em up tomorrow - that'll give me enough fodder worthy a trip out there.
 
I like you idea for making the ZipLock box but why not just make
some b-gel?
It's easier than the baggie box & inexpensive.
 
Nick_C_S said:
I'm gonna try to get out Monday.

The issue is that these GD SB's are the only thing I need to chronograph right now lol. Isn't hardly worth a trip to the range to set up the chrono - just to test 10 rounds.

I've got a couple loads dancing around in my head right now. Maybe I'll load 'em up tomorrow - that'll give me enough fodder worthy a trip out there.
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I'm going to look out for your post. I'm predicting they will come in a little warmer than advertised (Speer says less than a 1000fps).
 
357 Mag 135g GDHP SB Data

I went to the range today. I have data ;)

Yes Matt2009, the Speer 357 Mag GDHP SB ammo exceeded the advertised velocity - by a good margin. Speer is advertising a muzzle velocity of 990 fps through a 2" bbl. I used a 3" & 4" bbls, and here's what I got:

686+ 3" bbl: 1153 fps; 15.26 SD; 398 ft/lbs.
686 4" bbl: 1223 fps; 15.45 SD; 448 ft/lbs.

One more inch of bbl length (from the advertised 2" bbl factory data, to my 3" bbl) doesn't explain an additional 163 fps. They're hotter than advertised - period. And these were clearly stronger than their 38+P counterpart; but definitely weren't as strong as the Federal Hydra-Shok 130's (which are advertised as a "low recoil" round).

For me, this is now my carry ammo. I shot a couple cylinder's worth (through my 3") where I loaded the cylinder: SB+P; SB357; Hydra-Shok; SB+P; SB357; Hydra-Shok. "bang, BANG, BOOM." Definitely three stages of power. I really liked the SB 357 Mag stuff. For me, they have perfectly found that compromise between control and power. I'm pleased.
 
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Hydra-Shok 4" data

From a previous post:

chrono data for the Federal 130g Hydra-Shok "Low Recoil" 357 Magnum round. Again, with a Smith 686 3" bbl:

1356 fps; SD 17.05; 530 ft/lbs.

I had my 686 4" bbl out today; but I wasn't going to spend another 40 minutes of my weekend to get 4" bbl data - for an ammo/gun combination that I'm never going to use.

I know from extensive experience to add about 70 fps for just about any round between the 3" & 4". So figure about 1425 fps though a 4". And they advertise at 1410 fps (does not specify bbl length). So that sounds about right.
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Today, I decided to do a ten-round chrono test on these through the 4" bbl - for the sake of consistency, if for no other reason:

686 4" bbl: 1430 fps (predicted 1425 - so I was really close); 21.23 SD; 590 ft/lbs.

(I'm going to put all this factory defense ammo chrono data from this thread in a single, comprehensive, new post.)
 
I asked on another thread, but no answer. Since this thread is all about velocity and chronography, I thought I would ask here. I have loaded my wife's Ruger SP101 2 1/4" barrel with Fed Hydra Shok 130gr low recoil .357 or CorBon 140gr .357 for awhile. She has weak wrists, but will fire off at least a cylinder-full of these rounds everytime she shoots. (Normal practice rounds are regular 38 or 38+P) I recently acquired some Underwood Ammo .357Magnum 125 gr JHP with advertised velocities of 1700fps out of a 6" barrel, and 1500fps out of a 3" barrel. I was wondering what the fps would probably be out of the 3/4' shorter barrel?


I fired a couple of shots of the Fed 130's, then a couple of the Underwood 125's and there is definitely a recoil difference, but not a large difference. As most know, Underwood tends to load a bit hotter than even it's advertised velocity.
 
Thanks for the report! I'm glad to know my hand wasn't deceiving me.

Did you by any chance shoot for accuracy? Just curious. I think these rounds have very good accuracy potential judging from my results.

I will look for the other post as well.
 
Did you by any chance shoot for accuracy?
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Not specifically. Rest assured, they go where you point 'em. At the end of the day, the center of my target was blown out. Nothing outside the black circle.

(After chronographing, I did some practice shooting with other rounds.)
 
I was wondering what the fps would probably be out of the 3/4' shorter barrel?
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Variables abound. But in most instances, going from 3" to 2.25" will probably yield somewhere around 70 fps difference. Just my guess.

I know there's a "velocitybytheinch" website, or some such thing. That'd probably be a good place to look.

Those rounds you're describing sound crazy hot. No thanks.
 
Hey Nick, went to the range again and took along the wife's Ruger SP101 with 2 1/4" barrel, along with assorted other guns. I mainly wanted to feel the difference between the CorBon 140gr JHP and the Underwood 125g JHP. Woooo, man those Underwood's are some serious nasty. They used an SP101 with a 3" barrel and the velocity was at 1500 fps. What you told me earlier, and what others have said, I think it is probably pushing about 1430-1450 fps out of the shorter barrel. It's certainly a handful.

I'd send you few to check out, but not sure how to go about it. At this point, I'm loading it up with the CorBon 140's for when my wife would be primarily using it, and put the Underwood 125's in if it will primarily be me using it. Keep the stats coming!
 
I'd send you few to check out, but not sure how to go about it.
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Yeeeeeaaah-NO. I don't know all the legal in-n-outs, but I'm almost positive sending ammo through the mail is a no-no.

It's always good to gather range info on factory rounds. But those puppies sound hotter than anything I care to shoot anyway. There's some boutique brands out there that are hot hot hot.
 
Yup, that's what I meant...not sure about the in's and out's of sending ammo through the mail...so not agonna do it. They are for sure some hot-mama loads, check out their site. Underwood and Buffalo Bore are two of the best for hot loads, but Underwood is usually quite a bit cheaper.
 
I'm familiar with Buffalo Bore. I got some 185g +P's for my 45 ACP.

Through my 1911, they chrono'd at 1152 fps - 585 ft/lbs. That's seriously juicy for 45 ACP.
 
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