.357 magnum defense ammo

[Sportsterguy]

I'm looking at this from 40+ years of hunting. You have to have penetration and the 158 gr. will expand and pentrate leaving an exit wound to bleed the 2 or 4 legged animal out much faster depending upon which organs or blood vessels are hit during its path. As I stated earlier you still have to hit the vitals, take out the spine or brain for rapidly taking an animal out

Like PPS stated there are some BIG BG's out there. In the winter with heavy clothing being worn I want a bullet that will penetrate through the clothing AND vitals.

JMO

 

[Otis311]

so even though the bigger bullet is going slower than a lighter bullet it still penetrates better? The specs for Gold Dots are 125gr. going 1450fps and 158gr. going 1235 fps.

 

[pps]

so even though the bigger bullet is going slower than a lighter bullet it still penetrates better? The specs for Gold Dots are 125gr. going 1450fps and 158gr. going 1235 fps.

In terms of Kinetic Energy the 125 grain @ 1450fps is more energetic, but the 158 grain @ 1250 has more momentum, therefore gaining deeper penetration than the 125 grain counterpart...in spite of less velocity.


125grains 1450fps 582.9ft-lbs 0.804 slug-ft/sec
158grains 1250fps 547.6 ft-lbs 0.876 slug-ft/sec

 

[WB5MHA]

125 is the way to go in your 28. 158 in a 19 due to forcing cone issues.

Really, either load is powerful and reliable as long as shooter does his/her job.

 

[Capt Steve]

Just a thought, when temporarily away from your vehicle someplace you can't carry, you might take an inexpensive coated bicycle cable with loops on either end. Wrap it around a rear bracket of the front seat and pull one loop thru the other. Use a long shank padlock to then lock the trigger guard or topstrap of the unloaded handgun to the available loop and push the whole thing further under the front seat. Out of sight and secure against the typical opportunistic thief while being relatively quick and easy to unload/lock and later unlock/load. Been doing exactly that for many years in my Jeeps and P/U, works for me anyway ...

I took your idea one step further. I bought a steel locking box, a little less than a gun safe but fairly secure (I think I got it at Midway USA or Cheaper than Dirt). It came with a stainless steel cable which, as you suggested, is wrapped around the seat chassis. If I have to leave my truck gun behind (as in not on me concealed), it goes in the box out of sight under the seat. If the truck gets broken in to it will take some serious effort and or tools to remove the box and get to the gun locked inside.

 

[4inch357]

I've said it before and I'll say it again; A pox on M&S and their stopping power nonsense. The 125's are borderline on the penetration tests, as long as it gets there ought to be pretty effective. I'll join with those who prefer a heavier bullet.

 

[.45mtngun]

I have tried 145 Winchester Silvertips through my 28-2 and found them to be very accurate and very explosive on a gallon jug full of water at 10 yards. A very distructive round to say the least and easy to shoot out of the Model 28. Try some if you can.

 

[kmrcstintn]

Winchester Silvertip 145gr jhp; the PA Game Commission used this load until @ 2005/2006 in their 4" barreled .357 magnum revolvers before transitioning to Glocks in .357 Sig; this load splits the difference between light-n-warp speed and heavier-n-slower

 

[Markcuda]

Ok people, can you answer me this?
I have Speer Gold Dot-125 gr. in all my .357s
Today I bought some 158 gr. and did not realize it.
Will the bad guy know the difference now?
Or will I?

 

[flop-shank]

I certainly won't be the guy to tell you either won't work. .........because they will. For defense there is probably little difference, especielly since the Gold Dot bullet doesn't behave like the SJHPs from the '70s that are designed to fragment. I like SJHPs more for CCW, but think that the Gold Dot should work better for law enforcement type work where gunfights are more likely to happen in and around cars, and non frontal shots are more common. We're talking top notch .357 loads, so the difference in performance shouldn't really be that great.

 

[Markcuda]

Thank you very much.
At 28 bucks a box of 20, I want good stuff

 

[hogblue]

The 125 gr choice for law enforcement is twofold. First, it does not overpenetrate resulting in unwanted collateral damage. Second, the slug dumps all of its energy in the target. This causes the most blunt trauma possible to the assailant.

The 158 gr does have the tendency to pass through the assailant, carrying energy with it and not dumping all it's energy in the intended target.

 

[flop-shank]

The 125 gr choice for law enforcement is twofold. First, it does not overpenetrate resulting in unwanted collateral damage. Second, the slug dumps all of its energy in the target. This causes the most blunt trauma possible to the assailant.

The 158 gr does have the tendency to pass through the assailant, carrying energy with it and not dumping all it's energy in the intended target.

That's a good synopsis. I still would be comfortable with the best loads in either weight. FWIW, I run 125s in my guns (except the 360 pd; 135 gr. SB).

 

[ArchAngelCD]

C'mon now, do you really think there's a bad .357 Magnum round made by any of the "name brand" manufacturers?

Any decent hollow point traveling that the speeds associated with a .357 Magnum will do the job it's supposed to do and do it well IMO. I happen to like the bullet Remington uses in their "cheap" line of ammo. Their "rose peddle" bullet expands reliable and well. If you go with the more expansive stuff I also like the 145gr Winchester Silvertip ammo like some said above. Nothing wrong with Remington Golder Saber .357 Magnum ammo either. (like Ford and Chevy)

 

[sheriffoconee]

"C'mon now, do you really think there's a bad .357 Magnum round made by any of the "name brand" manufacturers?"

'zactly....
cause you don't have 6 in the cylinder of the latest 125grn laser-bonded-fangface-be-all-end-all-according to some magazine writer doesn't really mean that the BG will walk away shaking off the hits...
put them where they count, and they will work. Misses and loud noises won't...

 

[hogblue]

I didn't say some were bad or good. Just some are better. I'm retired from the U.S. Marshals. Firearms inst. for 23 yrs. I've done my homework, and not from magazine articles.

 

[Batjac]

Do a Google search on Buffalo bore ammo.
Potent stuff, I hear

Edit=here ya go.
Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

I have been using the LSWCHP load in my 2" model 64 with good results. I would hate to touch that load off in a J frame, tho.

 

[roaddog28]

I have been using the LSWCHP load in my 2" model 64 with good results. I would hate to touch that load off in a J frame, tho.

I just bought a box 50 round of Black Hills 125gr hollow points. I plan to shoot them in my model 28, 686 and my Ruger GP100. These are the heavy built 357s that can handle the lighter high power 357s. But if your talking about a home defense round that will stop a attacker indoors, I still have two speedloaders full of the Buffalo Bore LSWCHP "FBI". I have my model 10 4 inch revolver ready for them in my bedroom. I believe indoors and low light that that the "FBI" will get the job done. They are dead accurate with a S&W model 10 4 inch barrel.

Good luck,
roaddog28

 

[cjw3]

Federal's 125 JHP chronographs at 1290 fps from my 4" 686. That's down from the listed specs of 1440 fps, but still no slouch.

 

[flop-shank]

Federal's 125 JHP chronographs at 1290 fps from my 4" 686. That's down from the listed specs of 1440 fps, but still no slouch.

I don't know what, but my hunch is that there is more going on here than meets the eye.