Why not .357 for home defense

[Ron H.]

I had the opportunity to buy a real nice pre-lock 686 with 4" barrel and so I did. At the range, I shoot both .38 Special +P and .357. Then I started to think about home defense. I've read so much about the danger of hearing loss from shooting a .357 indoors, how it's too much cartridge to use at home, and how a better choice would be a .38 Special +P like the 158 gr. LSWCHP - the FBI load. I have a problem with this way of thinking. If I must use my gun against a BG in my home, I want to stop him as quickly as possible, preferably with one shot. Why would I deny myself the undeniable stopping power of the .357 in favor of the less potent .38 Special +P (especially if I have a chance to throw my ear muffs on first!)? I own a .45 semi-auto too, but I like the reliability of the revolver. What good is owning a .357 if you don't use it for its intended purpose? Burning up ammo at the range? Plinking? What do you think?

Sir, the .357 is an excellent choice for home defense. If ever you have to use it on an intruder:

(1) the report will explode his eardrums and void his bowels;

(2) the muzzle flash will set his clothing and hair on fire;

(3) the bullet itself will vaporize his entire torso, then pass intact through 17 walls and kill his accomplices waiting outside in the car.



Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[FirebirdV8]

Let's be reasonable here and just shoot what your are naturally most accurate and comfortable with in a high stress situation. Personally, I feel comfortable shooting 357 mag. If defending my life means I suffer some hearing loss so be it (I already work in aviation, so I fully expect to be half deaf anyway). A shotgun isn't exactly a quiet option either as far as sound goes. Train to shoot to stop the threat and hope you never need to rely on that training. For me, personally I use either 10mm or 357 mag for that possibility and I feel comfortable doing so. Do what you feel comfortable doing and don't overthink things.

 

[junkman]

Let's be reasonable here and just shoot what your are naturally most accurate and comfortable with in a high stress situation. Personally, I feel comfortable shooting 357 mag. If defending my life means I suffer some hearing loss so be it (I already work in aviation, so I fully expect to be half deaf anyway). A shotgun isn't exactly a quiet option either as far as sound goes. Train to shoot to stop the threat and hope you never need to rely on that training. For me, personally I use either 10mm or 357 mag for that possibility and I feel comfortable doing so. Do what you feel comfortable doing and don't overthink things.

I think that's sound advice. No pun intended.

 

[SAFireman]

Sir, the .357 is an excellent choice for home defense. If ever you have to use it on an intruder:

(1) the report will explode his eardrums and void his bowels;

(2) the muzzle flash will set his clothing and hair on fire;

(3) the bullet itself will vaporize his entire torso, then pass intact through 17 walls and kill his accomplices waiting outside in the car.



Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

WOW Ron! I hope that you got that on video!

All kidding aside....all firearms can cause permanent hearing damage.

I don't mind having to use any of my firearms to save my life or the lives of my family (some of them excluded ) and friends, even if it means that I have to mutter huh? for the rest of my natural life....

But, if large numbers of rabid zombies or other undead entities attack, I will don appropriate hearing protection, as well as my foil hat.

Use what you can shoot well....it only takes one well placed round to stop a threat, but a whole lotta misses don't do any good.


oh, and kudos to whomever mentioned the 10mm for home defense.

 

[cshoff]

If you subject yourself to enough sound to ring your ears, you have done permanent damage. It may not be much, or you may not consider it to be significant, but it is there. Hearing damage is cumulative and permanent.

Like everyone else has said, in the heat of the moment you may not notice the sound. But that is irrelevant. Sound is pressure, and pressure does damage whether you notice it or not.

When I shoot my .45, I use ear plugs. When I shoot a .357, I use ear plugs plus muffs. There is a huge difference.

Inside a small room or in a vehicle, the difference is insignificant. Both would far exceed acceptable and safe sound pressure levels (SPL) and both have the potential to cause hearing damage.

As for me, it's a risk I am willing to live with in exchange for having the immediate means to defend myself and my family at hand. I would NEVER shoot on a range without hearing protection, even with rimfires, but I do NOT consider hearing protection to be anywhere on my priority list at 2:00 am when some crack head starts kicking in the door. And whether you use a .380 or a 12 Ga. shotgun inside a small room or hallway, the SPL will be high enough to possibly cause hearing damage.

 

[ColColt]

I don't worry about hearing loss as I've had tinnitus since 1974 when some red necks didn't like a VW passing them and at the next stop light, the driver turned the ignition on and off causing the dump truck to backfire. It was summer and my window was down and we were side by side at the light-need I say more? The ringing never stopped and never will. It wasn't a firearm that destroyed my hearing.

I live in a two story brick house and don't think a 357 or anything else will penetrate the brick so, I can "voice my choice" on SD weapons...within reason, no RPG's or anything as drastic.

 

[ambassador]

357 HD

That is why I keep a .380 with 13FMJ in my night table.N.J. does not allow HP bullets for self defense,although they would be the prefered ammo forHD.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I simply cannot believe that someone would be worried about overpentration and hearing loss while defending your home.

There is a very real possibility of overpenetration or missed shot in ANY self defense situation regardless of what caliber you use.

I would rather live to explain how and why I shot instead of being DEAD!

Let's put the baloney aside for once.

Pick a gun in a decent caliber, make sure it works reliably, load it with quality self defense ammo, practice and then practice some more. Work out a plan with your family.

Quite simply, that's all you need.

 

[srgvaz]

.357 HOLLOW POINTS

 

[Dusty Miller]

There's no such thing as a quiet firearm discharge in a house. Load some 125gr JHP's in it and don't overthink the problem.

My sentiments EXACTLY!!

 

[Dusty Miller]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moonman wrote:
"One or two shots from a fullhouse 357 mag inside your home certainly WILL HARM your hearing."

One or two perps in your home certainly WILL HARM your entire life.

 

[oldman45]

My opinion and mine alone.

There are thousands of LEO out on the streets that fired inside a residence and their hearing is fine. My hearing is fine and I have shot several times indoors.

According to the directions and my training with the dosimeter I use to track noise levels, hearing loss comes with sustained exposure to noise.

Sure, a sudden exposure to noise like a gun blast inside a closed auto or someone shooting a large caliber gun next to your ear could likely cause instant damage but not a very casual shooting indoors.

Decibels are higher in a vehicle with the radio turned up so high that the trees vibrate as the car passes by.

As to the penetration of walls by a .357, it can and likely does happen. However, name me just one case where someone was injured by having it happen. It is one of those things you hear about but never documented. I have never ran across it as yet in 38 yrs of investigating accidents and even crime scenes.

I have seen where a gun would accidentally discharge (in a police station no less) and the bullet travelled through a wall and into the office of the Chief. Two people were in that room and neither was hit. Of course, the Chief was not too happy.

I also know a man that had an accidental discharge in the end office of a strip center. The bullet went through TWO offices, again, both occupied and no injury.

Yes, I have seen where drive by shootings caused injury and death to people indoors. These were multiple shots fired by AK/AR type weapons. I have also seen hunters shot in the woods.

I will shoot indoors if it comes to stopping a perp. I will use a heavy caliber, be it a .45acp, a .40, a .357 or whatever is most ready.

 

[Moonman]

This has been an interesting thread. Please think about protecting your hearing always, you may have children or grandchildren that you would like to hear later in life. As for perps in your house, call 911 first, then shoot, if you must shoot, as accurately as you can and remember EVERY bullet will have to be accounted for and has a lawyer tied to it. Please think about getting a 12 Ga. shotgun, and a load of 00 buck is not required to get the job done in close quarters. The 357 shooters need to consider that some (many) people live in an urban neighborhood or an apartment. The home you were protecting just may belong to someone else at the end of the civil lawsuit proceedings that were caused by errant rounds or a determination that too much force was used. Civil suit verdicts are the preponderance of the evidence (51%) probably thought you acted with negligence or like a RAMBO wannabe with your actions.. Some jury members may be of the opinion or thought train that firearms should never, never be a solution. A fact of life is that civilians must operate in a different world than Law Enforcement officers do and may not receive an initial evidence interpretation or perception of the incident that a brother LEO might or might not receive (THE SYSTEM). Try to live a great life, make good choices, support the NRA, introduce someone new to the shooting sports and have a WONDERFUL and SAFE day everyone.

 

[GatorFarmer]

5.56 mm carbines are what seems to hit the sweet spot for penetrating people but somewhat minimizing barrier penetration. At least with the right ammo. You can either wear electronic hearing protection, use a suppressor, or else deal with going deaf.

In general anything that penetrates deeply enough into a person (humans are tough critters) to reach their vital organs will also penentrate walls.

Current science suggests that even a single exposure damages hearing. Firing .357 mag loads indoors is unpleasant. If the powder isn't flashed suppressed it lights up with a big fireball too. Shooting a 6" 28-2 with .38+P indoors, it sounded like a cap gun. Not everyone experiences auditory exclusion, tunnel vision, what not either.

The 125 gr .357 mag JHP isn't the king of one shot stops anyway. That's a Marshal-Sanow fiction. It certainly isn't as good as a rifle or shotgun, and even amongst handguns it's anecdotal effectiveness places it on about the same level as .45 ACP FMJ and .38 FBI loads in the "usually works well enough" camp.

 

[cshoff]

This seems like an appropriate forum for this question...

Has anyone tried the new Hornady Self Defense ammunition and what do you think of it.. I have ordered some of the ./38 Spec. +P, .357 Mag. and .45 Acp Self Defense stuff from Hornady to test, but wondered what everyone thought of this concept.. This ammo should take care of the New Jersey "No Hollowpoint ammo for Self Defense" statue..

Comments....

Dave

Appropriate forum, but wrong thread. Probably a good idea to start a new thread with your questions rather than hijacking this one.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Dave270]

Sorry, I will repost my question under a new thread..

Dave

 

[Centenniel]

One thought, NEVER expect one round to stop an assailant. It sometimes happens, but no handgun cartridge commonly used for self defense purposes can consistently accomplish that task. No, not even the much vaunted 125 grain 357 magnum load. Expect, and train to fire multiple rounds with speed and accuracy.

 

[Kanewpadle]

One thought, NEVER expect one round to stop an assailant. It sometimes happens, but no handgun cartridge commonly used for self defense purposes can consistently accomplish that task. No, not even the much vaunted 125 grain 357 magnum load. Expect, and train to fire multiple rounds with speed and accuracy.

So true. Fill em full of lead before their adrenalin kicks in.

 

[bassoneer]

I just purchased a 686-4(P) for my home defense gun and have it loaded with .38+P Speer Gold Dot 135 grain. I have some 125 grain Speer Gold Dot .357 Magnum rounds...would those be considered "full house" loads? Are those on the same level with the Remington and Winchester 125 grain "full house" loads? I also was somewhat afraid of the noise/flash level inside and that's why I put in the .38+P's. I'm reconsidering now, based on this thread, and may put the .357's back in...just wondering if these are the ones that are so loud and throw the flames...???

 

[Capt Steve]

Lots of good info here, no crap or baloney from where I sit just a lot of varied opinions. Seems like we all have our favorites for any number of reasons and I sincerely hope no one here ever has to find out first hand. I think a simple way to find what works best for you (if you are not currently sure), is to simply try several different loads and see what you can accurately, comfortably and reliably shoot in the 3 to 10 yards range (we are talking home defense here right?).

As far as the noise and your hearing I can guarantee you that it only takes one round from a 357 in the wrong acoustical setting to do permanent damage. Might not happen but it can.