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Hornady .357 mag Critical Defense
- Thread starter ifjpm
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357 mag K frames should be shot sparingly with full power .357 mag ammo, especially 125 gr. Extensive use can (will) cause excessive wear on the revolver, and is especially hard on the barrels forcing cone. Some K frame barrels have cracked in the forcing cone area because of the use of hot 125 gr .357 ammo. A few rounds aren't likely to hurt anything, but a steady diet of full power 125 gr .357 loads should be avoided.
Metal was removed from the bottom of the barrel on the Mod. 19 and loads at 1450 fps or higher stress this weak area of the barrel.
The velocity of heavier bullets of 140gr or heavier are a lot easier on the model 19 but there is nothing wrong with loading the 125gr Jhp for SD use, since it is the top man stopper for this revolver.
Some 19's hold up but most crack under the stress of a steady use of full load 125 and 110 Jhp at maximum velocity.
You will notice that most modern 110gr Jhp ammo is now down loaded to only 1295 fps.
Good shooting.
The velocity of heavier bullets of 140gr or heavier are a lot easier on the model 19 but there is nothing wrong with loading the 125gr Jhp for SD use, since it is the top man stopper for this revolver.
Some 19's hold up but most crack under the stress of a steady use of full load 125 and 110 Jhp at maximum velocity.
You will notice that most modern 110gr Jhp ammo is now down loaded to only 1295 fps.
Good shooting.
Fantabulous
Member
At the moment I have Buffalo Bore low flash/low recoil 158 grain jhp .357 magnum for my j frame. Only .357 round I've ever fired, and is ok for me. I bought a box or two of Remington 110 grain jhp to try out, but have not done so yet.
I've read that 158 grain can overpenetrate, so it's not the best carry ammo.
I've read that 158 grain can overpenetrate, so it's not the best carry ammo.
I assume you are concerned about full penetration in a self defense scenario. You can experience this situation with any ammo. No loading is guaranteed to only penetrate a set distance. Target mediums, clothing, shot angle, shot placement and many other factors make this impossible to predict. One of the best known penetrators is the 124 gr 9mm loading which is ballistically inferior to the 125 gr 357 mag load. The flips side of this is of course, insufficient penetration. Also bad.
Fantabulous
Member
I considered Glaser Safety Rounds but worried about thick clothing, even with the silver tips made for thicker clothing.
As a routine steady diet, the 125 gr JHP .357 Magnum load is not a good idea for the K-frame as there is the potential for problems w/ cracking at the forcing cone. This is not a certainty as there are plenty of folks who have shot M-19's and M-66's w/ complete success using hot magnum loads. There is accelerated wear. That is to be expected. Heavy loads of any kind in any handgun will cause more wear than light mid-range type target loads.
These razzle dazzle snap, flash and bang loads are a handful in the k-frame. The truth is most people really don't want to fire such loads routinely and extensively. The 125 gr. JHP .357 Magnum load is remarkably effective. But you don't have to shoot hundreds of rounds of it to be effective with it. For learning to shoot the revolver well, one can and should simply use common loads available in .38 Special. From time to time go nuclear and light up the range with the little 125 gr. flash bombs. It's sure to get the attention of of friends and family and anyone else standing nearby! And... if there should ever be a need for a target other than paper to be on the end of your muzzle, then this load is definitely going to leave a mark!
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