I know this was recently discussed and there was much difference of opinion about whether it was a good idea to fire 125 grain bullets out of a K Frame S&W.

My problem is that K Frame is all I have and all I have been able to buy recently is 125 grain stuff from Walmart. Then today I discovered 100 rounds of 110 grain stuff I did not even know I had. Do I have to quit shooting?

And more of a problem (possibly) is that I am about to get a 2.5" Model 66. Can I shoot these light bullets from it?

Second questio - I may decide to carry the "snubby .357". What's a good self defense round for it??

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Steve, K-Frames were designed when 158 grain .357s were the standard. The faster, lighter bullets like the 125 grains got a reputation for cracking forcing cones and flame cutting the topstrap. I think you'll find that most of us here believe this had more to do with certain very hot loadings like Super-Vel that you saw in the 1970s than with the K-Frame itself.

That being said, I do not fire a lot of 125 and lower grain loads out of my Model 19. Just don't have a need/desire to. But if you clean the gun well, I don't think a few hundred rounds of that stuff a year will hurt your K-Frame. If you stick to the 158 grainers you will be passing the gun on to your grandchildren. I have put probably 5000-6000 through my 19 plus all the .38s and the gun is still perfect.

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Aaron Terry

You have options that definately are easier on the gun than full power 125 gr. screamers. First are some makers 110 gr. .357 offerings. Some, like Corbon, are loaded screaming hot, but Winchesters and better yet Remington's are lownloaded IIRC. They should be easier on the gun. There are also the downloaded managed recoil .357 loads such as Speer 135 gr. Short Barrel and Remington's 125 gr. Golden Sabre. Of course The Winchester 145 gr. Silvertip and several hot 158 gr. loads will work well also. The biggest sleeper might be the Corbon .38+P 110 gr. JHP. It will match or exceeed the old +P+ treasury load in power and do so at much lower pressure than hot 125 gr. .357s.

The 110 grain Winchester .357 offering I have tested in pretty mild. As Erich once said, it is one way to turn your .357 into a 9mm, performance wise. The same is not true of all 125s, for example the UMC, which I have clocked at over 1400 fps from a 4" Model 28. I believe the 110s are OK for your K frame, unless they are premium ammo like Corbon, etc. Hope this helps some.

UMC 125 gr. .357s are full house all the way. They differ from the Express line by using unplated brass and cheaper powder.

Maybe a 158 grain .38 +P load would serve well as a self defense round and be less likely to hurt me or the gun when I practice?????

I'll be headed to the dealer's today or tomorrow. What do you guys think about that approach to a self defense load.

No doubt if all I did was carry it and never shoot unless I REALLY had to defend myself I'd get the hottest .357 I could find - but I do like to practice with my self defense loads at least occasionally. (So far it's been .45ACP so I'm in new territory here.)

Thanks

Steve

I think flopshank gave you the best advice. I keep either Golden Saber 125gr. loads or Speer Short Barrel 135gr. Gold Dots in my K-frame Smiths. All the 110 gr. .357 loads by major manufacturers are pretty mild, but most I've tried are flashy as hell. There is no reason to back all the way off to +P .38s, unless you are too recoil sensitive to handle the mid-range .357 loads. Federal's 147 gr. +P+ Hydra-Shok .38 load will give you about the same ballistics as the Golden Saber or Short barrel .357 loadings, also. All are a significant improvement over +P .38s.

There is a common misconception that it is the (GASP!) 125 gr. weight that hurts K-frame .357s. It is not; it is the massive amount of powder loaded under the 125 gr. bullets in full-power loadings that can cause gas cutting and forcing cone cracking if enough of them are shot.

John

It's a 66-4, with 2 1/2" barrel and it came new with rubber Hogue grips, round butt. Since I started this thread I have actually gotten the gun and fired it, first with .38 Special, then some Magtech 158 grain .357, and finally with 158 grain Hornady XTP's. I was surprised how accurate it is with the short barrel and found each of the three loads was manageable with the XTP's giving the most perceptible recoil, but still not too bad. A Hoot but OK.

Did not shoot it with anything other than 158 grain though I suppose I might try some 125 grain self defense loads but not shoot them very much.

For now I'll use the XTP's for self defense. These did not make the list of recommendations above but it was all my dealer had and even if there are better choices, I would sure hate to get hit with one of these at short range!

Thanks guys for all the good info.

Steve