Hello,

Does anyone know of or carry a reduced power loading (factory load) in their .357? Looking for something in power between the + P .38 Spl and the full power 125 grain .357 blasters.

Speer's 135gr Gold Dot, SB load in 357 mag is a reduced power load. It seems to be more of a low-medium velocity load.

Hi,

Another option would be Remingtons Golden Saber 125 gr HP. Medium power round with less recoil than the full power 125 from Federal or Winchester.

roaddog28

Based on some casual chronographing I've done, most remanufactured "357 Magnum" ammo I've seen clocks pretty mild.

If you consider that "factory", and have access to a chrony, that could be an option.

Speer's 135gr Short Barrel .357 Magnum ammo is designed as a low velocity reduced load. The velocity from that load is stated as 990 fps and that's what it delivers, no more. In contrast the 135gr SB .38 Special +P load is rated at 860 fps.

Speer claims they can keep the pressures and velocity that low because the new bullet they designed will reliably expand at those lower velocities and all the test seem to prove they correct. Both SB Speer loads are accurate in the revolvers I've used them in including a S&W M642, M638 and M36 on the .38 Special side and a S&W M640 in .357 Magnum.

OK, a "Magnum" round producing only 990 fps isn't much of a magnum but when shot from a very light revolver like a 12oz J frame it works...

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SWCA #3437

I, too, use the Speer Gold Dot "short barrel" 357 magnums. It's very manageable ammunition, even in the airlite snubs (weighing just 11.4 ounces).

Independent tests results can be found in the thread below. The bullet was clocked at 1046 fps, 1002 fps, and 980 fps out of 2.25", 2.125", and 1.875" barrels, respectively. That gives it roughly a 150 fps advantage over the same exact bullet loaded for 38 Special +P.

Perma-Gel test results

I have read that the CCI Blazer 158gn 357mag load gives pretty low velocities. Surprises me...I never mistook it for a full bore magnum load, but I have fired it in my Model 19-4 2.5", and in the ruger sp101 I used to own. Usually after also firing 38spl 158gn +P...the Blazer magnum load seemed to recoil more and had more "boom".
Some chrono tests I read put it lower than 900fps.