Thinking of changing my truck gun (.45 vs. .357), input please??

My base gun is either a 1911,45acp, or a FNHP, 9mm. I prefer semi's for defense. I find them quicker to shoot and reload. I often have additional guns in the truck depending what I'm doing or where I am going. If I am woods bound, I'll have my 3" SP101 357 and usually a Walther P22. If things are a little crazy, I'll go HP with 3-13 round mags and carry the Kimber.

Currently: Kimber Compact with IWB and 2 extra mags. A Walther P22 (hunt camp fun - still in truck box) and a Beretta Jetfire (CCW piece that I took off and stowed).
 
Have you shot the 1894C .357 yet?

I had one years ago and traded for an mini14. It looked nice but I was a much better shot with my 4" S&W 66. The rifle always shot low.

Doug
 
I've got it dialed in with the factory sights for dead on at 50 yds. Shoots nice. I'm thinking of swapping out for a set of XS ghost ring sights eventually, but I'm gonna use it as is for now.
 
Accord gun(s)

I carry a Glock 19 behind my hip all the time. My Accord (s)is a Glock 20, kept in the glovebox, and a 308 AP4 in the trunk (Hondas still dont have rifle racks).
Logic is if I need a weapon, either while in the car, or when leaving the car for a variety of circumstances, I go to the 10mm first, as the power is much greater. Hopefully that will get me to the trunk, where I can get my hands on a real gun.
I don't think you need the 357 because it has the same ammo, I think you need it because it delivers a higher energy, better penetrating payload. And adding a rifle to the recipe can't hurt.
 
Either Ruger gun, a revolver or auto, will do fine for a truck gun. I'd pick which one you shoot the best with and not worry about .45 .vs 357.
 
I have to agree with Deaf Smith, either gun would do just fine, which do you like better? Touching off either round in a truck :eek: would be rough but!!!! at the minimum you have one there if necessary! :D
 
I don't own .357's anymore. We were surprised by a feral pig once in the wide open spaces using a 4" GP100, fired about 18 rounds in the process, but my ears were still ringing the next morning. I was impressed with it's performance as I made hits at 40 yards as it was running and they passed right through it but didn't stop it.
I value my hearing, which is still good, so I just won't use that caliber anymore. Sometimes you just don't have the time to put on hearing protection and sometimes you forget to bring any with you at all.
 
1) I choose not to 'keep' a firearm of any type for extended periods of time inside my vehicle; with that clarified I will elaborate on your inquiry with examples of what I take to go to and fro with me;

2) my CCW revolver (S&W 642) get removed from my pocket holster and placed into an inexpensive ambidextrous IWB holster that sits inside a map pocket near my knee while I am driving

3) I transport a Ruger GP100 with me when I go to the hunting grounds and this serves as my protection sidearm while doing work and my hunting backup during firearm season for whitetail deer; this will get placed on the passenger's seat underneath a jacket or raingear that I have with me

4) my recently acquired Sig P220 is serving as primary HD handgun & will most likely not serve as a 'vehicle' gun
 
If you are now carrying a 357; having another one as back up makes the most sense.

Two separate pistol calibers can lead to issues. I'm sure nobody here has ever taken 2 different calibers to the range and tried to load the wrong bullets in one of your guns, but it can happen. :D

Full power 357s have an edge on 45s for omph when you need it.

Nobody would ever fire either 45 or 357 from inside a closed automobile.

When carrying I always have disposable ear plugs in my shirt pocket; just in case.
 
Stick with the .45 ACP. I would choose the extra capacity, speed of reloading, and semi-auto function over the wheel gun. Just curious. Why did you quit the P345? If I were you, I'd also swith back to the P345 as a carry gun. The SP101 or GP100, IMHO, is an ideal night-time bedroom gun.
 
See, Bill, my thinking/experience has it the other way 'round.

As to why I carry the SP in preference over the P345, it's smaller, lighter, and more compact. It just carries better for me.

I keep the P345 on the nightstand with a streamlight TLR-1 installed. I also use 230gr. Hornady TAP ammo which is loaded with lower-flash powders. It seems the better 'indoors' gun for me. Using .357 indoors would not be ideal and moving down to .38, while do-able compromises effectiveness. FWIW, my wife's bedroom gun is a 3" SP101 loaded with .38+P 158gr. Federal LSWCHP's. It's what she's most comfortable with.

Again, I'm not planning on firing the .357 from inside my vehicle. It's more of a 'just in case' gun for the great outdoors or civil unrest within the asphalt jungle. As far as which I like better, it depends on the day :D. I shoot both about equal, though lately at the range I've been spending more time with my wheelguns.
 
rant - thanks for the explanation. At close range, inside my house, I like my SP101 with low power .38 specials. Because, I am concerned with over penetration. I live in town and have kids in our other two bedrooms. I use my 9mm S&W for the same reason the military quit the .45 ACP 1911. I want a higher capacity (at least 16 rounds) and the fast loading ability that a semi-auto affords, especially out on the street when one could be surrounded by a multitude of people. It is in that type of situation that one may need the 60+1 rounds that a hi cap handgun and four mags provides.

I don't mean to be argumentative, but I just don't see needing more that a wheel gun as a home defense weapon. One usually isn't confronted with a mob of people in a home burglary.
 
I'm a 357 fan so that is the way I would go.

Not clear on what your use is. Wash in most cases but if you have to put game down I prefer the .357.
 
Well, hunting season and the Holidays came and went and I didn't do anything about this.......

I had some free time today though and cut a new foam cutout insert for my truck safe that holds a 4" stainless GP100 with two speedloaders full of 125 gr. Remington SJSPs and two Bianchi Speedstrips full of Federal 158gr. LSWCHP +P's. I differentiated the .38's this way so that I can use them as extra ammo for my LCR if it so happens to be the carry gun that day.

My truck gun now matches the caliber of my most often carry guns.
 
Shot placement is more important than caliber. Use the one you're most comfortable and accurate with, and the one that's most reliable if there's a difference.
 
Rantingredneck, I read this entire thread and I see that you have been agonizing over this decision for more than three months now. I might as well throw my $0.02 out there for you. Hey, us gun nuts need to counsel each other, right?

I carry a J frame S&W 340 PD in .357 magnum most of the time and I generally don't like to leave a gun in the truck but I will do it from time to time depending on the situation. I mounted a small safe in my truck and secured it to the vehicle body with bolts. However, if I am out hunting, scouting or just knocking around the woods, a 6" GP-100 or 6" Taurus model 66 will be in the truck as a sidearm. If I want to leave a gun in the truck, the Taurus gets left in the truck safe along with a belt holster because it has the least monetary value although it is a solid performer and both are built from stainless steel.

I never did like leaving a long gun in the truck because in the event I need to leave the truck somewhere, the long gun is harder to hide and I can't very well conceal it while walking. The Marlin 1894C is an excellent compliment to the .357 revolver while spending time in the woods and I have plans to acquire one very soon. Congratulations on your acquisition. I can say without fear of contradiction that my 6" .357 revolver shoots just like a rifle and out to 50 yards, I can hit anything with that revolver that I can hit with a rifle. If you have a 6" .357, that is a rifle for all practical purposes, in my opinion. The game that I have killed with my 6" gun is just as dead as the game I shot with my .30-30 and they don't know the difference.

Four 6-round speed strips, two 5-round speed loaders and two 6-round speed loaders are in my vehicle at all times. All this ammo is .38 special so it can be used in any revolver. The revolver itself has .357 ammo in its chambers. In addition, I have two 8-round speed strips stored with .357 magnum rounds. This makes it easy to spot the .357 ammo and there is no danger of confusing it with .38 special when I'm in a hurry.

So, at any given time, there is plenty of ammo stored in my vehicle but no unsecured gun for the smash-and-grab guys to get.

I'm a big fan of the .38 special/.357 magnum setup. If it is ever necessary for me to fire from within the vehicle, I will do it with my .38 special so myself and my occupants are spared the ear-splitting shock waves. On the other hand, I don't want more guns in the vehicle than I can quickly pack up and carry with me in the event of a vehicle breakdown or other emergency. Hey, even a new truck can have a breakdown and you don't want the tow truck guy or the dealership guys to steal your guns. Keep it simple.

I would tend to prefer high capacity weapons at home for HD. It is not unusual for break-ins to be done by teams of three or four guys. That's where it makes sense to have a high capacity gun or two guns handy. In the outdoors, I think my greatest threat could come from a pack of coyotes. In that case, I think my six shooter will be enough. At least, I will shoot the alpha coyote first and work my way down until the others give up and leave me alone. A carjacker is likely to be a lone crackhead or maybe a team of two. That's the way it seems to be happening around here anyway. I just try to keep everything as simple as possible. One platform for the road and another one for the home.
 
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