Remington 125 gr “ king of the streets”

[Shoebox1.1]

Let's talk about the old 125 gr swchp round that is so famous. I believe the Remington model number is L357M1B. I'd like to carry this round in my 686 4 inch as a hat tip to the old days. They say 1400+ fps out this round, I'd assume that's 6 inch barrel? Any opinions or stories about this round and it's variants? I think I have some vintage fiocchi 38 specials in this configuration.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

In my 686 Plus four inch I'm using the Remington 125 JHP Golden Sabre. GS357MA

40+ years ago the Federal 125 JHP had the #1 spot (per Gun Writers) of one shot stop probability followed closely by the Remington 125 JHP. The 45 ACP was a close third as I remember.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Aquila, the Remington of Mexico, loads a 357 Magnum with a 125 SJHP bullet like in the old days.

 

[Shoebox1.1]

I've got golden sabers in my king cobra and I've heard Aguila loads "hot" which Is great! I had a 38 super with those. Loved it

 

[Shoebox1.1]

The modern Aguila offering cooks at 1550! Per their website

 

[Skeet 028]

I shot some of those Aquila loads out of my 3 1/2 inch 27. Over the chrono they averaged 1347. out of a 5 inch 27 1408... at an auction got a mixed box of the 125 Rem and Win HP..bout 400 the auction people just poured 'em together. I also got a partial box of Remington 38 HPs really different ...90 Gr HP Hollow base...the OLD Red Rem box Bet you can make them SMOKE. Got to add.. In the batch of 38/357 bullets I also got a full box of Gold Dots for the 357 Sig. Marked .355 though. If I ever load any 9mm I guess I can load them too

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have shot a lot of old 110 and 125 gr JHP loads from all makers, when I had a M19-5
and they were very accurate and something that I would not want to get in the way of.

I feel a lot better shooting them in my new 686 revolver, that was made to handle any 110 r 125 JHP made by any company, be they +P or +P+ 357 Magnums.

If six , full blown, 125 JHP will not put a BG down, he either has too many chemicals inside him or you
"Missed, by that much" .

 

[oldman10mm]

I also got a partial box of Remington 38 HPs really different ...90 Gr HP Hollow base...the OLD Red Rem box Bet you can make them SMOKE.

Maybe they were the 95 SJHP.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Back in the 1970s and 1980s Remington offered semi-jacketed hollow point bullets, and the 125-grain was popular in both .357 and .38 Spl. Large hollow cavity, lots of exposed lead, and a scalloped jacket design that was intended to facilitate expansion.

Came on the market fairly early in the hollow point era and remained in production for quite a long time. Pretty good reputation for performance.

By the later 1970s just about every company had their own new and improved super-duper wiz-bang products, full page ads in all the gun magazines, and glowing reviews published every week or two. Now we have the internet and even more choices to make.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Let's talk about the old 125 gr swchp round that is so famous. I believe the Remington model number is L357M1B. I'd like to carry this round in my 686 4 inch as a hat tip to the old days. They say 1400+ fps out this round, I'd assume that's 6 inch barrel? Any opinions or stories about this round and it's variants? I think I have some vintage fiocchi 38 specials in this configuration.

The picture you posted is a SJHP. (semi-jacketed HP) Yes, the 125gr SJHP was made famous as a man stopped in the .357 Magnum.
Remington # RTP357M1 or # L357M1B (you have the number correct)
Federal # C357B
Winchester # X3576P

As for the .38 Special, just in case you want to carry the FBI load in the future to pay homage to the old timers here is some information.

The .38 Special "FBI Load" is the 158gr LSWC/HP in a +P configuration.
Remington old # R38S12, Remington new # RTP38S12
Federal # 38G, Winchester # X38SPD

Once an a while I carry it in my 4" pre-M10 M&P and a 2" Chief's Special. That ammo just seems right in those revolvers lol...

 

[chief38]

The above Remington round is a very viable round but I'd not use them in a J or K Frame Revolver. In those Revolvers I'd stick to a 158 grain bullet as the lighter ones don't ply nice with the forcing cones.

While the old Remington Magnum round is still very good, there are now better rounds out there IMHO.

 

[Shoebox1.1]

The picture you posted is a SJHP. (semi-jacketed HP) Yes, the 125gr SJHP was made famous as a man stopped in the .357 Magnum.
Remington # RTP357M1 or # L357M1B (you have the number correct)
Federal # C357B
Winchester # X3576P

As for the .38 Special, just in case you want to carry the FBI load in the future to pay homage to the old timers here is some information.

The .38 Special "FBI Load" is the 158gr LSWC/HP in a +P configuration.
Remington old # R38S12, Remington new # RTP38S12
Federal # 38G, Winchester # X38SPD

Once an a while I carry it in my 4" pre-M10 M&P and a 2" Chief's Special. That ammo just seems right in those revolvers lol...

Thank you for those part numbers!!

 

[Shoebox1.1]

I'll add the Aguila part number is 1E572827. I found it online in stock for like 32.00 a box of 50 at mid south something store

 

[BigMoneyGrip]

When I carried my M&P340, it had Remington HTP 125's in it. It was the SJHP and the clocked 1200fps out of that 1 7/8" barrel. That 125 is a wicked round for sure.

 

[Mike-4]

OP's post made me go thru my ammo stash. Found 2 - 50 rd boxes of my old issued duty ammo. Initially carried in a 6" S&W 686 then went with the 4" 686. Sorry about not positioning the pics properly.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

When I carry a M640 it's loaded with 145gr Winchester Silvertips. It's not so much for the velocity, it's the accuracy. My gun just seems to love that round and it's almost scary how accurate they are! Other ammo including my hand loads shoot well but nothing like the Silvertips.

My point is, slight differences in velocity or how "special" the bullets are means nothing unless you hit what you shoot at. Some say but the box says 1435fps but I only get 1350fps. Really? You do realize it's a .357 Magnum, right?

Carry the ammo you shoot best in your gun. I have several different brands of ammo for different guns. They get fed what shoots best or in a semi-auto the ammo that's 100% reliable, 100% not 99.99%...

 

[sandog]

This was the Hornady 125 grain XTP American Gunner load.
Pretty dang fast. Out of a 4 5/8 barrel, it was getting 1540.
I prefer heavier for caliber bullets but had just acquired a 686 and wanted something other than .38 Special to try so I bought a box.
Once I gathered dies and components, I've stuck to 158 and 180 gr. bullets.
Those I carry when up in the national forest for 4 legged critters.

For anti personnel, I've been carrying the Remington 125 scalloped HP but in .38 +P.
Super accurate out of the 66-8 as well, and with my vet discount they were $31 per box of 50.
I haven't chronographed them yet but they are not wimpy, and for sure much faster to get back on target than a 1500 fps. load.

I chose a military career while my older brother chose law enforcement.
Not too long into his career he had an encounter where he killed a guy, using his M66 and the Remington 125 grain load being discussed here.

He was on the SWAT team at the time, also training for the National Police championships coming up. He ended up winning the Nationals that year in the 70's, so yes he was a good shot.

He kept his SWAT gear in a duffel bag in the back of his Corvette which was parked in a well lit parking lot just below his apartment. There was a folding stock 870 in the bag with a full magazine of buck, chamber empty.

He had just got out of the shower when he heard glass breaking in the parking lot, grabbed the M66 and walked out onto the patio.
He saw a guy reaching into the back of the car, and he yelled "Halt Police"!
The guy was already in the gear bag and came up with the 870, racking a shell.

As he was raising the shotgun, my brother fired the first round at him, but he was turning and autopsy showed the 125 gr. blew up on the guys upper arm bone and did not reach the chest.
Not to worry, more were headed his way, and the autopsy showed that the guys heart was pretty much non-existent.
Shredded into nothing.
The guy was in no shape to do further damage but he managed to crawl 75 feet still clutching the shotgun before he died.
Autopsy also showed that the guy had a lot of PCP in him.

 

[LVSteve]

Is that the stuff where if the bullet doesn't get them the muzzle flash will? I have some 125gr Remington 357Mag that shoots sheets of flame from the muzzle and big bat wings from the cylinder gap on my 6" 686.

 

[Skeet 028]

I have some of that 125 357. It will blind you at night out of my 27 3 1/2 inch but it shoots well. I broke one of them down may years ago. Looked like 4227 powder in the factory stuff. I can't remember the amount. Too many years ago. Sometimes I could get some factory 2nds from Remington and that may have been some of that ammo. Shot ok though. Love that 27 but it is loud and lots of fire...and accurate even in my hands

 

[Shoebox1.1]

Loud and lots of fire? Sounds fun!