Why Not the .357 magnum?

R

RWK

New member
I have a serious question re the venerable .357 magnum versus the broad range of popular -- and excellent -- autoloaders. I have a variety of semiautomatic pistols, including:
a) Glock 23 in .40 S&W
b) Sig P-220 in .45 ACP
c) Sig P-226 in .40 S&W and .357 Sig
d) Kimber full-size 1911A1 in .45 ACP
e) Colt model "M"/Browning 1908 in .380 ACP
I think these are all fine handguns; I would not trade any of them.

However, my "N" frame Smith 627 (five-inch barrel with full under-lug) revolvers in .357 magnum/.38 Special really seems to meet all my needs VERY well:
a) They are significantly more accurate (for me) than any of the above autoloaders.
b) I suspect they are also marginally more reliable/durable.
c) Admittedly, they are a large handgun, but carry them concealed most of the year.
d) In addition, for home defense, they appear ideal (accurate, potent and absolutely dependable).

So, with the foregoing as background, what am I missing:
a) Am I really likely to require more than six rounds?
b) Isn't the 158 grain/.357 magnum still a particularly reasonable "one-shot stopper" (I general load Hydra-Shoks)?
c) What other elements am I not evaluating accurately?

This thread is started because I honestly want to hear what experts believe I am failing to fully appreciate. Thanks for your advice.
 
Why not indeed. I also own autoloaders in .45 and 9mm as well as a .357 S&W 686 .357. If I had to have only one handgun (horrible thought), it would be the .357. If you have more assailants than you can stop with 6 shots, I hope you have an AR15 with a couple 30 or 40 round magazines handy. Depending on which authority you believe, the .357 125 g hollow point is the round that others are measured by.
 
MikeK,
I second the thought of having a .357 (one gun, one round) over everything else I own. Still have the S&W model 19, the very first handgun I bought, so many years ago... :)

------------------
...defend the 2nd., it protects us all.
No fate but what we make...
 
This was quite a hot topic on another board last month. The poster carries an N frame, like yourself. His basic contention was that reliability was paramount, and NO pistol has displayed that 100%, as does his wheelgun. He also had to take a shot at 68yds while in LE duty. In his opinion, no pistol combines the flat trajectory, long-range accuracy and inherent power of the 158gr .357 LSWC. If I were to CCW with a large revolver, it would be the 686+. Just my $.02
 
Nice thing bout .357mag ( in wheel gun ) is that you can feed it anything. It doesn't care about bullet weight or shape. It doesn't care about load intensity. You can shoot 158 gr wadcutters into one hole with no recoil. In the same gun you can put a 125gr out at 1800fps or a 200gr out at 1300fps without straying into the high pressure envelope. .357SIG at full song equals a very mild .357mag. Don't have to worry about case length either. Use .38S+W, .38spec or .357mag brass. Get short on usable cases, trim the nastys off the ends and keep on usin em. For really hot loads should use full length .357mag cases but for defense level and under, any case will do.

I love the .45 ( SIG P220 prefered ) but think the .357mag is a far more flexible round.

Sam
 
I would carry a .357 revolver if they were not so bulky. And, they were not so slow for me to reload, with bulky reloads as well (I can't figure out where to carry that speed loader without it being very annoying).

I can carry, say, a 1911 quite easily because it is nice and flat, and it holds %50 more rounds (9 instead of 6), the reloads (magazines) are flat and easy to put in a pocket, and the reloads are very fast.

I find my better autoloaders to be as accurate if not more accurate than my revolvers.

Revolvers being more reliable than autoloaders is arguable. revolvers generally don't jam, but when they do you are screwed because it is bad. There are othre issues, but when it comes down to it they both have advantages and disadvantages. Autoloaders can fail to cycle, but they are very easy to fix in half a second with any kind of practice.

This is all "to each his own".

I could handle carrying a 6-shooter, and I could even learn to reload it rather fast, but what it comes down to in the end is that theses type of revolvers are very thick, bukly and heavy so they don't interest me for carry.

JMHO!



Ps- If I were to carry a .357 Mag, I would, without a doubt, carry 125gr bullets in the city. The 158gr bullets are known to overpentrated dramatically. Not only will they not "stop" that well because all the energy is wasted beyond the target, but you could hit someone innocent.
 
Why not indeed again! I fly into Dallas alot and I asked a Police Officer at the airport why he carried a revolver. He stated that they were allowed only to choose between the .357/.38 and the 9mm-------I can't say that I blame him.

As for me, I will take a .357 Magnum any day over a 9mm with a high cap mag. I must admit that I am fond of the .45ACP but the .357 Magnum runs a close second.

------------------
"When guns are outlawed;I will be an outlaw."

[This message has been edited by Will Beararms (edited June 05, 2000).]
 
I'm no expert, but from what I've read, heard and discussed with/from those that probably are - I don't know that you're missing anything.

I occassionally carry a Model 19 snubby, but I'm too scrawny to carry anything like an N-frame unless it'd be the dead of winter and I never came inside.

------------------
Jim Fox
 
The .357 in a mid frame revolver is the most utilitarian handgun in existance. I have carried 9mms and .45s in the past, but today I carry a .357 revolver with 6 rounds and trust it totally. I actually traded a 9mm auto to get my carry revolver.
 
Ruger SP-101 DAO, 125 gr.HPs, small solid and
easy to carry concealed. I have many 9mms and
.45s and .380s 2 .44 mags, the SP is the only gun I feel secure with,
 
If I'm carrying a weapon concealed, it's gonna be a 9mm or a compact .45. My GP100 is too much gun to carry discretely.

If I'm going hunting/hiking in coyote country with a sidearm on my hip, it's the .357magnum and a warm feeling of security.


------------------
Take the long way home...
 
I've got 7 .357 Mags. I carry both the 2.5 and 4" Model 19s regularly, and shoot the 4" and 6" Model 28s quite a bit at bowling pin matches.

If I were forced to go back to a single handgun, I would be hard pressed on which to keep, the 4" 19 or the 4" 28.

Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag. Chances are he knows how to use it.

(Hey, I like that so much I'm going to make that my signature line!)
 
Same here. I am a small framed man, and the revolvers are too bulky for me.
You can bet I would carry .357 if it would fit my body. My buddy's older Rossi 971 6"(?) barrel is quite accurate and easy to shoot.

------------------
And if you hear from my Louise, won't you tell her I love her so?
 
RWK,

Only 6 shots in your 627? Mine carries 8, putting it on par with a single stack 1911 quantity wise. At self defense ammo velocities the detachable compensator should be useful, but adds an extra 3/4 inch or so.
pc627_8shot_large.jpg


(Please excuse the oversize image--couldn't make the small one work.)

The 130 gr Hydra-shok is the one I see listed as the one shot stopper. A 158 gr at appropriate velocity ought to be interesting.

I am too skinny to try to carry the N frame, though.

C.R.Sam,

What loads are you using to get those velocities with only moderate pressure? Or is your revolver just very tight?

I did clock a 158 gr. .38 spl load doing 3000 fps once, right about sundown.



[This message has been edited by Guy B. Meredith (edited June 06, 2000).]
 
Guy....those .357 fast loads were from Winchester data sheet. Naturaly they would be slower out of my 2.5" 686. The pressures on them tho are mild enough to be ok in my 6" mod 19....AS LONG AS THE TIMING IS SPOT ON.

Gotta remember to try to chrono my Mod 36 at sundown.

Sam
 
.357 is LOUD! When fired indoors, even with hearing protection on and a 6" barrel, 158gr "quieter" ammo...it is still LOUD and WILL damage your hearing fast.
 
The 357 is a good round but not for personal defense.Even with the best defensive hollowpoints it suffers from over penetration.It will go through your target plus anything (including steel)that is behind it.The 44 mag suffers from the same problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top