125 grain 357 magnum ammo recommendation

[agent00]

Hello there I need some ammo recommendations for new/old smith and wesson model 19.

For target/fun shooting I use 158 grain 38 special semi wadcutter from federal and for self defense I plan to get some High Terminal Performance 38 Special +P 158 Grain from remington.

The remington rounds are the only lead semi wadcutter rounds I have found here in Austria at a decent price.

I am no expert by any means that this load should be decent lead semi wadcutter hp self defense round right?

Ok now to my 357 mag 125 grain jph question. I plan to use this load only for target/fun shooting and also for " historical reenactment". Even with hearing protection it is very unpleasent to shoot 158 grain 357 mag round at a indoor range. I would never dare to use 357 mag round indoor without any hearing protection at all.

Which 125 grain 357 mag jph round would be loaded close to the round that gave 357 mag it' fearsome reputation.

If I had to guess I would say either the 125 grain load from remington or federal? Am I right?


thanks for your help in advance

Greetings from Austria

 

[mikerjf]

If I’m understanding your question, let me just say that the 357 125JHP loads I’ve fired have all been worse than 158g loads so far as recoil, bang, flash, etc.

 

[shawn mccarver]

The load that gave .357 Magnum its reputation for best stopping power is the 125 grain JHP at 1,400 - 1,450 fps. Remington and Federal brands seemed to be preferred.

 

[AlHunt]

You should read up on the throat erosion the 125 grainer has a reputation for causing and see if your gun is one of the once prone to it. I think it is,

 

[stansdds]

The top of the chart load for 357 Magnum back in the 80's and 90's was a 125 grain semi-jacketed hollow point with a velocity of 1400-1450 fps from a 4-inch barrel. Federal and Remington were the two best, if I recall correctly. These are pretty ferocious to shoot, with maximum blast and maximum flash. They were also hard on barrels, forcing cone erosion occurred quickly. The modern "reduced" hollow point loads are just as effective, but easier to shoot and easier on the revolver.

 

[OutAtTheEdge]

The Federal "blue box" 125gr is often considered ne plus ultra of defensive .357 mag rounds.

 

[murphydog]

It would be helpful to know what brands and types of 125 gr .357 ammunition are available to buy in your country, and in what gun you intend to use them. I would suggest limited use in older K frames.

 

[tom2]

I always got the impression that a K frame magnum was a compromise so that police and security could carry a magnum capable revolver without the weight and bulk but in many cases they were loaded with less powerful rounds for daily carry. But they had to option to switch depending on circumstances. The durability of these revolvers is challenged by a constant diet of full magnum loads, per reputation. I don't know. Ask if anyone has ever shot one loose or cracked a forcing cone in their barrel with lots of hot ammo. Reports claim so but I do not recall seeing it for myself. I have a K frame magnum and also an N frame .357 which is supposed to stand up to the beating better, like the L frame revolvers.

 

[agent00]

It would be helpful to know what brands and types of 125 gr .357 ammunition are available to buy in your country, and in what gun you intend to use them. I would suggest limited use in older K frames.

Yes of course. I can stuff from Federal, Remington, Winchester from the US side. Naturally ammo from European makes like S&B, PPU and many others are also available.

I also would not use that ammo very often in my gun. It is just for fun/research purposes how the famous 125 grain loads feel.

Thanks a lot for the other replies as well.

Like I said It is a project for fun. Buying one box of the real powerful stuff use at the range and that's it then. I was not planning to use it on regular basis in my model 19. I have already suspected that it might not to "healthy" for the gun to use that kind of ammo regular.

 

[505Gibbs]

I haven't looked in a long time BUT the 125g loads are/were primarily for self defense and by that definition are warm to hot in loading. Meant for business not for casual shooting. IMO

 

[WR Moore]

THE full house 125 gr .357 load was by Federal. It was the only ammunition we shot and we shot a lot of it using S&W 681s. I expect it was much harder on the target than the guns, but the guns suffered with extensive use. I wouldn't shoot a lot (any?) of it out of a model 19. In fact, I'd suggest the milder 125 gr Remington Golden Saber round for defensive use or even the +P 125 gr .38 Spl JHP by either Remington THP or Federal Training and Protection.

I did some testing of various 158 gr LHP factory rounds. They were the energizer bunnies of handgun bullets (they kept on going, and going, and going). I was never able to recover one to check expansion. It apparently helps quite a bit if the bullet hits bone, which it might in defensive use (there are spaces between ribs, bone hit isn't certain). I personally am reluctant to suggest them as home defense rounds.

 

[murphydog]

If the major brands are readily available, I would probably try a box of each and see which one you and the model 19 get along with best.

 

[Model19man]

You should read up on the throat erosion the 125 grainer has a reputation for causing and see if your gun is one of the once prone to it. I think it is,

Before there was an internet I bought a brand new S&W Model 19 with 6" barrel and nickel plated. It cost me about $319 including tax. Factory ammo was way too expensive at around $25 per box so I bought a reloading press, powder, dies, and a box of Hornady 125 grain JHP's. I bought one box of factory ammo to get the brass. I proceeded to make thousands of reloads using the maximum charge of either Hercules 2400 or W296. I could clear out an indoor range with six rounds. Huge fireball and report.

I never had any problem with flame cutting the top strap. I think that is a BS story that has made the rounds ever since the internet was invented.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

The differences between the major brand suppliers are really negligible...there will be some measurable differences but in the real world that means little. It comes down to what you find most controllable in your revolver.

I believe there's a couple of very good compromises to consider. Knowing the 125 grain JHP rounds are known to have a lot of blast, flash and recoil...consider the Winchester 145 grain Silvertip. It's controllable and has a good reputation. Another is the Winchester 110 grain JHP in .357...it's a duplicate of the traditional "Treasure Load" in .357.

Remember...only hits count. Two quick hits with a somewhat less recoiling round is better than a loud miss where you have to pull the gun down out of recoil and recover your eyesight from the bright flash.

 

[LVSteve]

I shoot 125 gr Remington JHP from a S&W 686 with a 6 inch barrel. The muzzle flash and concussion get everybody's attention at an indoor range. It is hot stuff, but the recoil isn't too bad in a big gun.

 

[cd228]

The older Remington 125 gr JHPs where good for thump (flash and recoil)

 

[Farmer17]

I have a nice old M-19 4" and I would not shoot any of the hot 125 grain Magum ammo out it. I think a semi wadcutter hollow point with a sharp shoulder is a more effective design than the jacketed "cone" hollow point and I like 158 grains at about 1200 fps.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Which 125 grain 357 mag jph round would be loaded close to the round that gave 357 mag it' fearsome reputation.

If I had to guess I would say either the 125 grain load from remington or federal? Am I right?


thanks for your help in advance

Greetings from Austria

The awesome reputation dates back to the 1970s from my Law Enforcement Officer experiences. Both were great choices.

I preferred the Federal (I carried a Model 19 on vehicle patrol, later on horseback Mounted Patrol a Model 27) and other officers liked the Remington brand.

 

[armadillo]

I come from the old school that avoids full-power, lightweight bullets (110 and 125 gr) in K-frame 357 revolvers. This is due to the rare possibility of the cracking the bottom of the forcing cone where it is the thinnest. I don't know if this is scientific or just a superstition.

I prefer to use 158gr 357 magnum loads or stick with any available 38 Special ammo.

 

[chief38]

It is fairly well known and acknowledged that the use of 125 grain Magnum rounds out of a M19/M66 will rapidly wear the forcing cone and could actually cause a crack in the frame! S&W as well as most here would suggest that using 125 grain Magnums should be relegated to L and N Frame revolvers. Vintage K frame revolvers were not truly designed for lightweight 125 grain Magnum loads and in essence are just .38 special revolvers that have 1/8" longer cylinder charge holes and capable for firing Magnum rounds.

Save yourself the grief! Shoot only 158 grain Magnums in your M19 and keep them to a minimum at that!! In vintage M19's, .38 special and +P should really be used on a regular basis. If you want to shoot a steady diet of magnum rounds (especially lighter ones), an L or N frame is your best bet and will stand up to them much better.