My home defense revolver is chambered for .357. I'm currently using .357 hollow points. I'm wondering if that load may be to hot and if there is a better choice for use in the home. I'd appreciate you thoughts

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For HD I prefer using a .38spl. +P round.

My thinking is you are very likely to miss with one or more shots when confronted with an intruder in your own home -- no matter how well you do at the range.

I know I'd be scared ****less.

So follow up shots are key, and the flash and noise of the 357 make them harder.

You didn't mention what size revolver you have.

In an N frame, 357 mag isn't too bad. In a J frame it's very hard to control.

Has anybody welcomed you to the forum? So many factors in play here:

Can you control a .357 revolver with .357 ammo in double action fire? Maybe you should use hollow point .38 Specials instead. .357 guns handily fire these.

What type of home do you live in? A thin-walled apartment or an isolated house out West? Over-penetration is often mentioned as an issue.

Do you have a plan for home security? Simply having a gun is not enough.

Other posters will know MUCH more.

The above answers touch on a lot of the factors that must be individually taken into consideration for your situation for home defense. Over-penetration into a neighbors house is a prime consideration. Being able to control the firearm for multiple shots is another prime consideration. Be sure to practice enough to be able to ascertain these facts, and taking training in using a handgun for home defense is highly recommended.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Buffalo Bore makes a low flash, lower powered .357 that is very manageable.

For in the home I use low end .357 rounds but as a second choice I would use really hot .38 +Ps.

It is manageable, but given that BB's .38 Special +P makes low power .357 numbers, their low power .357 I think is everybody else's standard power. Don't get me wrong, I like BB a lot, but they load hot compared to the rest.

But as long as we're talking powered down .357, Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel is an excellent, manageable round, as is Remington's Golden Saber.

Regardless, I don't like .357 for home defense, anyway. Suggest OP run a search and read one of the many, many .38 Special for home defense threads and choose a round accordingly.

I would use 38+p for HD use, instead of 357. For outdoor, maybe need bear protection rounds, absolutely 357. For indoors, maybe I might shoot through walls and hit a family member, 38 is my choice. If you hit someone in the chest with 1-8 hollowpoint 38's, TRUST ME, they will die. Even if they have body armor on, you will subsequently proceed with a failure drill after the 2nd chest shot failed, and the head shot would surely kill them. I think people over analyze the HD rounds a lot these days.

I got a used riot gun. 12 gauge bird shot followed by buck shot. On the bedside table is my every day carry, a compact 40s&w, and a slightly paranoid room mate with a glock 40.

(My sister came in one night and the click clack from his room startled me, so the clack clack from my room had my sister ringing the door bell and announcing her presence)

But since we're talking about a 357mag revolver, I'd say any round has plenty of power to seriously injure or kill someone. So it's about accuracy, flash, noise, follow up shots, etc... This all assumes your neighbors aren't close by, I'm not getting into over penetration. I would go with regular 38s. By day in a carry gun I'd have 357 mag, but 38s in the bedside gun.

Dad has regular 38s (not +p) in his 357mag, and he's got wadcutters in his 44mag, and a 9mm out of sight in the living room

the original point and click interface, by Smith and Wesson

+1 on the buffalo bore low flash ammo. That's what I use in my 44 that's backup to my 1911 for HD. Can't go wrong if you scare the hell out of them and you can still see.

One good reason for not having full .357 in the home. Do you value your hearing??

Or vision in low or no light? Or fast accurate follow up shots? Or people on the other side of the walls? Or...

It's all been said. I prefer one of my shotguns with high-brass #6 shot. Within in-the-home ranges....it's going to poke a pretty big hole. My handguns all get a full stomach of 38-special. +P on my side of the bed and a lighter load on the wife's side.

None of my 357's are ever loaded with actual 357's. They all have one of the various name-brand 38+p loads. I generally don't run 357's through my guns. Saves wear and tear on them and me both. Besides, it's been said before, "shot placement is King".

If you can find some Federal Nyclad .38 special HPs, you can adress a couple issues. The bullet performs just like a a dead lead slug, only with a hollow point, and works at somewhat less 'whack' than the
.357. You don't have to drive 'em as hard as some others to get the job done.
Advantage: less over penetration, effective anti-personnel charactristics, improved ease of handling.

Agree 100% I took a wound ballistics course with an emphasis on defense ammunition. In .357 Magnum revolvers the Nyclad 158 gr. HP +P round was THE recommended ammo. That is what I use in my 2.5" 66 and in my nightstand gun:

M64-2 • shipped Sept. '81

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Bill - SWCA #2327

Those are all good reasons.

Kaaskop49 raises a good point. Why not use a .38 special, low-flash hollow point? For home defense it's a better choice if your home is in close proximity to neighbors, or if there are people in another room. Hornady's Critical Defense or Federal HST would be great choices.

I agree with your recommendation, but offer some caution about the *definitive statements ("TRUST ME, they will die, and the head shot would surely kill them")...there was a lady in Georgia last year who EMPTIED her .38 spl at a home invader, hitting him all 5 times in the neck and head. He was caught by the police in her neighbors front yard, crying and pleading for help - but not dead...nor did he die.