While I do like shooting full power 357 ammo through my 686 most of my shooting is with 38 these days. Probably about 95%.

It used to be more 357 and less 38 but a few years ago the gun club I shoot at changed the range rules to prohibit 357 ammo at any bay with steel plates. Apparently shooting regular ammo at steel plates and full power 44 magnum ammo only at paper was beyond the mental capabilities of a few dim witted club members and the club got tired of replacing after the plates got damaged by large magnums. So the prohibited all magnum ammo. Moving to a different bay just to shoot a few cylinders of 357 doesn't seem worth the trouble a lot of days.

If you are a reloader, count 38 power loads in a 357 case as a 38.

I prefer 38 Special +P in my S&W 640-1, but that's because it is easier to control than full power 357 Magnum ammo. My reloads, generally loaded well below full power, are made using 357 Magnum brass since I have 357 Magnum revolvers and no 38 Special revolvers.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Just about all .38s in my M19 and Ruger Security six and a few more .357s in my M28. Cost is a big reason I don't shoot more Magnum ammo and when I want something more powerful I like my M&P 4" 10mm. That gun is a ton of fun to shoot and recoil is not bad at all and I'm very accurate with it because the tall, goofy looking sights are easier to see with my 65 year old eyes.

Great minds must think a like

I turned 65 a couple of months ago and bought an optics ready 9mm M&P Compact earlier this year to see if red dots would help compensate for my deteriorating eyesight. Do to some astigmatism and other issues it turns out red dots are not for me. Like you, I found the tall sights are easier to see and I shoot better with them. I took the red dot off but am going to keep the OR Compact and sell my M&P 2.0 Compact. I like both the sights and trigger on the OR better and as a result shoot it better than the 2.0.

Shooting a lot less now , so this is a bid dated but accurate.

Back in the 70s early 80s PPC was a big thing at our local clubs.

I did plenty of shooting both at matches and of course much practice. Wanted a good gun but refused to tie up a lot of money for a special one purpose revolver. (Space gun)

I bought a new 28 6'' and did some work to it. That revolver digested .38 semi wad cutter rounds. I preferred those shape rounds as they fed well and fast from my speed loaders.

If it had over a 100 .357 rounds fired over its life I would be quite surprised. The .38 rounds fired in the thousands. Never had a problem with this gun and still have it for now.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

A fair bit of the .357 I shoot is actually .38 special loads in .357 cases. Makes cylinder bore cleaning a lot easier. That is the nice thing about rolling your own, you get what you want.

I shoot .38 special in my .38 specials, and .357 mag in my .357 mags. Same with .44 special and .44 mag. I am not real big on the interchangeability thing. It was different in my early 20's, when I didn't have a duty-size dedicated .38 special, and my 6" 28-2 and 4" Service-Six had to pull double utilization.

I have no reason to shoot .38 SPL rounds, and choose full-powered .357 loads for target and EDC. My .357 revolvers are all K or L framed, so firing full power loads is only mildly uncomfortable. Moreover, I avoid buildup in the cylinder which can make loading and extracting the longer cartridges difficult.

.44 Magnum vs .44 SPL is another matter, and I choose the latter rather than endure the pain, most of the time and for carry.

I have a passel of .38s so there's little reason to shoot .38s in my .357s...except that now I'm 72 and Magnums aren't as much fun as they used to be. Still, in my 681 and 27 and 28 they're not that bad.

Some companies are coming out with what are essentially .38 +P+ loads in .357 brass. Here is one. It seems to be perfect for a K frame .357.

I recently bought a couple of boxes of Hornady Critical Duty .357 135-grain ammo to see if it shoots to the sights on my 681. It does, recoils about 15-20% less, and is now my carry ammo for that gun, replacing the R-P 158-grain SJHPs I've been using for decades. Now I can start carrying the 681 again.

I load my own practice ammo and have a good bit of .357 brass, so there's no need to run .38s in my .357s when I can make less-than-full-power .357s.

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Regards,

Chuck

That's me as well. If I choose to shoot light loads, I just load the 357 down.

About a million years ago we used .357 Magnum loads in .38 Special cases. It was all we could find/afford. Shot the heck out of them. Now I have an ammo can full of .357 Magnum brass. I still shoot a lot of .38 Special cases, but with .38 Special loadings. Since I shoot a Model 52-1, a pre-15, and a M27-2. I load mainly 2.8 grains of Bullseye under either a DEWC or a HBWC (those reserved for the 52).

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Since I reload I shoot everything in .357 cases loaded down for target and competition, always with lighter loads of Bullseye. Even when I step up to heavier loads, I use mid-range loads of Unique. They would probably considered .357-P.

For my heavier loads in .357, I would use 14.4 of 2400 and 7.8 of Unique.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

The question for me is more like, “Did you ever actually shoot 357s in your 357 revolver?” Mine was a police trade in Model 66 ND and spent most of the time I had it shooting mid range semi wadcutters in casual PPC matches. It has since been reborn as a 327 Fed Mag, and now the question is, “Does your Project 616 get shot more with 32 S&W L, 32 H&R, or 327 FM?” to which the answer is yes!
Froggie

I have an Old Model Ruger Blackhawk in .357 and that's mostly what I shoot in it ....38's from time to time though.
My .38 rounds are saved mainly for my S&W 14-1 .

This really depends on models. If you're talking about K- or J-frames, most ammo will likely be 38; for L- and N-frames or Rugers, the 357 will be more often used, IMO.

Mostly 357 Mag and some 38spl. I own a lot more 357 Mag ammo and enjoy shooting it more. Plus, 38spl seems to get my revolvers dirty faster. My modern S&W's 66-8 and 686+ can handle a steady diet of magnum loads.

I decided long ago the I'd shoot 38's in revolvers so chambered and .357's likewise.
My 1st centerfire revolver was (is?) a Colt Trooper in, naturally .357 mag. To me, shooting .38 Spl. in a .357 mag. was a large PIA at cleaning time due to the powder/lube/crud ring in each chamber.
So I stopped shooting .38's in my .357 mag. I do reload and quickly discovered that my cast SWC bullets (at Skeeter's recommendation the Lyman #358156) were very effective at +/-1,100 fps. and I didn't really need to go "full magnum" with my ammo.
So for me, the .38's - at 750 - 850 fps. - are shot in my Mod 15 and multiple Mod 10's. .357's at 1,000 - 1,150 fps. feed the Colt Trooper and N-frame Smith's. My home cast bullets are the primary projectile of choice.

WYT-P
Skyhunter

Due to arthritis in my hands and wrists I rarely shoot 357 and when I do they’re as mild as I can load them. Out of my lever gun, that’s a different story.

I answered 100%, but it's really more like 97.32%. A couple/three hundred out of 10,000 rounds.

Before there was an internet I shot only 357 Magnums in my Model 19. Most of the ones I shot were either 110 grain JHP's or 115 grain JHP's behind a maximum load of W296. Loud report and fireballs every time one went off. Must have shot thousands of those. Burned up a couple pounds of W296 whatever that number is.

Lately I prefer a lighter load but still the Model 19 gets mostly 357 ammo. These days it is mostly 158 grain PCLSWC over 4227.

I bought the revolver new in 1981. It still looks pretty good.

Attached Images

M19-5 July 17 b.jpg (100.2 KB, 18 views)

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Dave, great question and I was thinking about the same thing the other day at the reloading bench.

I reload and I use the proper tool for the job at hand. Besides what I carried as a cop when I was home on a Horse Ranch I carried a S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum so I didn't bother with .357 Magnum.

Now I see a Rheumatologist every six months for Arthritis. So the .44 Magnum is retired and my 686+ is in the nightstand with .357 Magnum Hornady 158 grain XTPs. I shoot monthly and annually its 20 to 25% .357 Magnum according to my Handloading Logbook.

I never shoot .357 Magnum loads in my .357’s. I do not like it as a handgun cartridge, and I used to shoot them by the hundreds in steel target silhouette matches out to 200 yards. Medium-powered .44 Magnum or .45 Long Colt loads are more effective with a little less blast and not much in the way of fireballs.
If I am going to have to put up with a lot of muzzle blast and concussion, I might as well be shooting a larger caliber.
Even the larger calibers can be more pleasant than .357 out of a revolver.
Now, .357 Magnum out of a rifle is a whole different game.
Easier on the ears and more generally useful while generating greatly improved ballistics.

I never shoot .357 Magnum loads in my .357’s. I do not like it as a handgun cartridge, and I used to shoot them by the hundreds in steel target silhouette matches out to 200 yards. Medium-powered .44 Magnum or .45 Long Colt loads are more effective with a little less blast and not much in the way of fireballs.
If I am going to have to put up with a lot of muzzle blast and concussion, I might as well be shooting a larger caliber.
Even the larger calibers can be more pleasant than .357 out of a revolver.
Now, .357 Magnum out of a rifle is a whole different game.
Easier on the ears and more generally useful while generating greatly improved ballistics.

NONE.........I have a sack full of .38's.........And a sack full of 357's........So WHY BOTHER.

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S&W Accumulator

I too tend to use reduced loads in the larger calibers more than full-blown .357 Magnums, but I still shoot them and certainly prefer them these days to full-blown .44 Magnums, which rarely get fired anymore.

My typical .357s are (1) target loads of 160s at 900-1000 FPS, which would be a pretty sturdy .38 Special , and (2) the “magnums” are scaled back to about 1200-1250 FPS (6-inch barrel). Both are loaded in magnum cases. I went 75-25, but it might be closer to 50-50.

Since my “magnums” for .357 are on the mild side, I use more of those, comparatively, than I do similar magnum loads for .44 Magnum. 1200-1250 with a 250 or a bit heavier in a Model 29 is more horsepower than I care to use a lot of these days.

No .38s.
The CZ Shadow 2 SA in 9M shoots as well as, or better than 98% of revolvers. I see no point in messing with the 38.

Full power 357s with a 158 is still pretty mild recoiling in a 4/inch M27, or a 4 inch 686, or a four inch Python. In an 1894 Marlin, it’s a kitty cat.

100% .357. Never could clean the .38 crud completely from the chambers. Gave up trying. Please, no helpful hints. Been there, done that.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I have 2 357 rifles and two revolvers, but I also have a 14, 15 and a 36. They each get the ammo they are intended for. i do handload so not all my loads are max.

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Front sight and squeeze

I probably shoot 95% 38 out of my 357s. Since I clean my guns immediately after each range session, I’ve never had an issue with carbon rings in the chambers.

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213th FBINA

I don’t reload so it’s purely cost related and what I have more of stacked.

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Take it easy. Chris

When I had a 357, a Model 66ND, I could probably count the 357s it got in the fingers of both hands (that’s cylinders full). Now it’s become a 327 Fed Mag, and guess what? It still shoots a lot of 32 S&W Longs and H&Rs. Just because I can shoot magnums doesn’t mean I have to shoot them!
Froggie

I probably shoot around 90% 357 Mags out of my N frames. Of course, that big old N frame takes a lot of sting out of full power loads anyways and I reload my own, so I don't try to load max loads for range fodder. But they are hotter than mid-range loadings for sure. Now with 44 Mag I tend to load on the milder side, but you are talking about a lot more recoil to deal with in 44 Mag. I don't own any J frames, K frames or L frames.

I don't know about you guys, but anymore I get bored pretty quick shooting light target .38 spl loads and quickly bust out the .357 Magnums. That always puts a big smile on my face. Same thing when I'm shooting 200 gr RNFPs in my .44 spl. After a few cylinders I step it up to the Skeeter load. However, I prefer a lighter .44 mag load, like 10.0 grains of Unique under a 240 to 250 grn SWC.

Dave,
I have been shooting for about 5 decades and I do not recall a time when I shot any of the various shorter cartridges in my 357 Magnum firearms, at least not more than few rounds

I have been a handloader for almost as long as I have been a shooter, so I do often shoot 357 Magnum ammunition that is loaded to 38 Special power levels.

Those reduced loads perhaps account for 10%-15% of the ammunition that I fire in revolvers, or single shots firearms

My lever guns and pump rifles see reduced power ammunition perhaps 5% of the time

My semi auto firearms chambered in 357 Magnum never see reduced power ammunition

BTW, while my motivation to handload began as a cost cutting measure, it quickly evolved into an enjoyable and relaxing hobby by itself

I enjoy the ability to create loads that do not exist commercially. I own more than a dozen molds for projectiles that are not commercially offered.

I enjoy doing load development

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"Acta non verba"

Frankly I was blown away (pun intended) that the lowest percentage of poll responses was 50/50!

Maybe I just typically take my J-frames & K-frames to the range together? Always looking to see what seems to shoot more accurately for me...

Cheers!

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Sit Reloader Sentiret

...I just shoot some .357s for fun. Most of my pistol shooting at the ranges I shoot are well handled by .38s. Mostly targets and some plinking. If I go to the outdoor range I might try some .357 shots at 100 yards, but that's not very often nowadays. Even with my rifles I'm shooting at shorter distances. My 9mm carbines are a stretch at 75 yards, I shoot them mostly up to 50 yds. I only have one 4x magnified scope on my 30-06. Everything else has iron sights and my AR has a red dot.

I'm turning into a 'closer-in' specialist. But I'm not getting rid of my 686. No sir-ree!

PS: Reloading nowadays I just do lower powered .357 for most of my shooting.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Zero is how many 38sp brass ammo I shot thru my 357mags . I can load lite 125gr 700fps loads in 357mag brass up to a 180gr at 1400fps but I started rolling my own loads back in '76.

I will say that my range guns are one thing. They get a steady diet of .38's. I don't care about a carbon ring. They're never going to get anything else from me. I've worn out a few just shooting .38's, and that will likely be the case for the current ones. Except the Blackhawk. I don't think you can wear one of those out.

I do have a relatively new-to-me SP 101. It's a secondary house gun. I've started loading +P .38 loads or minimum .357 loads for it in .357 brass. That's one I don't want a carbon ring in for some reason. It kicks like a government mule with .357 loads. I can handle it but the wife would never.

Wow, me and another 11 weirdos shoot mostly 357 in our 357's. I guess thats why my chambers are so clean. Of course my 357's are L and N frames, might be different if I shot J's.

I shoot mainly 38-44 type loads in my 357 Magnums…1,000-1,100 fps using mainly 158 gr cast 358311 or 170 gr 358429 Keith.