I am going to hit the easy button on this question and just post it up. If you guys tell me to go back and do my homework I totally understand.

I am wondering if there is a prevailing defense round (.357) for shooting from a 640? I am not necessarily looking for manageable, but most effective. At the distances I will need the 640 at managing followup recoil should not be an issue.

Same question for a 4" 66. Same round for both?

Thank you.

"Best?" I wouldn't know. But the Speer .357 short barrel ammunition certainly seems more appropriate to me in my model 65 than the 158gr .357 over WIN296 SP handloads I use for hunting with my 686.

__________________
Science plus Art

In general the full power 125 gr HP rounds have long been considered
to have the best track record for one shot stops. I think Remington
and Federal have been highly regarded with velocities above 1400 fps
out of 4" barrels. The same load would be fine for either one of your
guns.

After a lot of testing in a variety of 357 Magnum revolvers I've settled on the Remington Golden Saber 125 grain load. It is what some call a "mid-range" load. I find it very accurate in all of my 3" Performance Center guns (L-Comp, F-Comp, 357 Carry Gun), entirely controllable and with a very good record on the street. I don't care for it in my 6" Model 27-2 however; but prefer instead the Winchester 140 grain Silver Tip load. Accuracy is outstanding (in this gun, not my others) and with the longer barrel recoil is very controllable.

Keith

My .357 Model 60 Ladysmith is the 'sister' to your 640, both steel-frame guns. I shoot a lot of CCI Blazer .357 158gr JHP. Not as hot as other 158gr Mags; another poster reported 990fps in a 3" bbl. I also shoot W-W 110gr Mag JHPs. Possible to do double-taps with both loads if you're adept enough; they produce acceptable, not heavy, recoil.

I have no problem carrying the CCI Blazer round even if it is only considered to be a 'range load.'

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Hitting your target in a vital area is far more important than the MV. Or anything else of a ballistic nature.

Buffalo Bore's 125 +P hits 1050 fps and Doubletap hits 1175 fps in a 4" 38 special.

The Remington 125gr GS357MA load hits 1220 fps with 413 ME
and is very controllable and accurate.
That is twice the energy of a 38 snub nose with the 158 FBI load
that was carried back in the day by the LE.

You can shot the full load at 1450 fps but a 2nd follow up shot
will not be as quick and accurate for most..........
I have plenty of targets to prove this fact.

After extensive tests (retired LEO training officer), I'm partial to Speer Gold Dot, 125gr hp-------Has always performed well & has good expansion

I prefer Cor-Bon 124 (DPX) to anything…..however,
Remington Golden Saber, Speer Gold-Dot are terrific….and accurate.
There are SO MANY new loads from Hornady, others from a new company (PolyCase)using copper/acrylic uniquely-shaped bullets….(See this month's Guns & Ammo)……..makes it is tough to decide.
I tested 11 loads in 3 different .357 N-frames…a Reg. Mag., a 27-2, and a Perf. Ctr. 8-shot….all 5"…
Best load was MINE…a 125gr Montana Gold over 14gr. 2400…0.7" 5 shot group at 25yds with RM. Just one hole….
However, best commercial load (of those tested) was Cor-Bon
I was using group size as a primary parameter…hitting a vital area is more important than velocity or penetration….

__________________
Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

I carry the Buffalo Bore 158 Soft Cast LSWCHP-GC (#20A) 38 Special +P in my 66-4 4" barreled revolver. MV ~ 1140 ft/sec. I get 3" 6 shot groups at 25 yards with that load from a Ransom rest.

My model 60 .357 mag is the exposed hammer version of your 640. The rifling in this revolver (and I suspect your 640 also) is not happy with the soft cast Buffalo Bore bullet that I use in my 66-4 (16+" 5 shot patterns from the 60 at 25 yards). With the Remington 125 gr. Golden Sabers (GS357MA), the model 60 gets 2.5" 5 shot groups at 25 yards from a Ransom Rest. MV ~ 1100 ft/sec