.357 Mag Ammo Question

[bananaman]

I was looking at .357 ammo yesterday, as I just bought a 65-3, 3". I know to shoot 158 grainers to be safe. My question, is Federal SJSP, what is the special purpose of this round? It almost looks like a semi wadcutter that is partially jacketed. Was looking for hollow points, but all are 110, 125, + 130 gr. I have shot Federal .38 Specials, and boy are they dirty. (almost like black powder) Thanks in advance , Bob

 

[s&wchad]

They’re designed to penetrate deeper than a jacketed hollow point. Intended for hunting, not self-defense.

 

[Nick B]

They’re designed to penetrate deeper than a jacketed hollow point. Intended for hunting, not self-defense.

Yep, what he said . That round out of a 3" barrel probably wouldn't even expand . Good round though for hunting with a 6" barrel or a carbine .

 

[Texas Star]

If you like Federal, try to find their 158 grain Hydra-Shok. Should be good for defense and for deer at average handgun ranges.

That's what I usually have in my .357's.

 

[XTrooper]

The Federal 158gr HydraShoks are excellent, hard-hitting defensive rounds. Also, their conical shape makes reloads fast and easy even when reloading 8-shot cylinders!

 

[Texas Star]

But the 140 grain loads give the best velocity balance from a three-inch barrel. You'll get about 1200 FPS from them.

The Winchester 145 grainer is in that group, too.

Unfortunately, most dealers don't stock them where I live.

 

[chief38]

Click the link below. 1400 fps form a 3" bbl.



Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

 

[bananaman]

Thanks, for the info! I guess that my main purpose would be defensive rounds, wanting to use 158 grain hp. I do reload .38's, so I am good to go with every day ammo. Bob

 

[hawgleg]

I use remington 125 gr Golden Sabar's in my 3 in. Being a defensive round I don't shoot that enought to worry about hurting my gun. All practice and plinking rounds are 158 gr.

 

[handgunner356]

The Remington Golden Sabers would be my choice also, in a short barreled .357. They are loaded to the older Remington medium velocity 125gr specs that were designed for shorter barreled .357s'.

 

[StatesRightist]

The solid copper Federal Vital Shok 140 grains retain as much or more of their weight than the jacketed HP's. That said, the 125 grain round is always quoted as having the highest stopping percentage of any round for the handgun. I carry the 140's and like the test results I've seen, good through 4 layers, gelatin, barriers etc.

 

[StatesRightist]

Just adding to a dead post in case someone pulls it for info purposes.

 

[trulyapostolic]

Click the link below. 1400 fps form a 3" bbl.



Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

Their 158 gr load ran less than 1100 fps out of my 3" barrel.

 

[oberon]

I run Federal Nyclad .38 specials, either the 125hp or 158rn for 'social occaisions'. They work like a soft lead slug, but are driven to a decent velocity without the concomitant leading one might expect with a fairly quick lead bullet. The hps are dramatic. I use 'em in a 2.5" model 66, mainly because the thing is no fun with .357s, and barely shoots ok with .38s. They work well in a 6" model 10.
I'm not sure you can buy 'em these days, and I don't know if they ever had 'em in .357.
Plan 'B' would be a 148 gr. Hornady hollow base wadcutter loaded backwards, and kept to a useful but functional velocity.
A legal friend once said never use handloads for securty purposes (for several obvious reasons), hence, the Nyclad high performance factory round.

 

[Naby]

I just saw after I replied that chief38 already mentioned Buffalo Bore, so I'll second it.

If you want a very powerful round, check out Buffalo Bore. Their 158 grain JHC rounds (Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition) have a muzzle velocity of 1398 ft/sec from a 3" J-Frame and their 125 grain rounds (Heavy 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition) have a muzzle velocity of 1476 ft/sec.

They also have tactical short barrel .357 rounds (Tactical Short Barrel Lower Recoil Low Flash 357 Mag Pistol & Handgun Ammunition) that have lower recoil and their heavy .38 special +P stuff (Heavy 38 Special + P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition) is nothing to laugh at. Their 158 grain LSWCHP-GC .38 special +P round is what I carry in my 340 M&P.

 

[bananaman]

Thanks everyone! I haven't looked at this for a while. My .357 defensive loads, will like likely be Buffalo Bore 158 gr. Cabelas probably has these. As for .38's, for every day, I load 158 gr. LSWC's over 3 gr. of Clays. Nice clean load. Bob

 

[old bear]

bananaman,

If you reload try this for a snappy .357 Magnum load. 158Gr LSWC, 14Gr. Herco. 2400 with a CCI magnum primer. I only shoot this in my L and N frame guns.

 

[Dadsnugun]

I was looking at .357 ammo yesterday, as I just bought a 65-3, 3". I know to shoot 158 grainers to be safe. My question, is Federal SJSP, what is the special purpose of this round? It almost looks like a semi wadcutter that is partially jacketed. Was looking for hollow points, but all are 110, 125, + 130 gr. I have shot Federal .38 Specials, and boy are they dirty. (almost like black powder) Thanks in advance , Bob

I'm sorry about the threadjack, I'm thinking of trying for a model 65 on an auction site myself. What is meant by your statement (in bold)? Why would one bullet weight be "safer" than another in a handgun rated for that cartridge. I just don't get it and can't even think of search terms to try and find the answer.

thanks, back to topic

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Other than the ammo listed above (except for the Golder Saber) another good factory round is the Speer Gold Dot 158gr .357 Magnum. I've found them to be very accurate and clean too. They work well for me and the bullet is of a newer design that a lot of the other ammo out there. (but not the newest)

 

[Naby]

I'm sorry about the threadjack, I'm thinking of trying for a model 65 on an auction site myself. What is meant by your statement (in bold)? Why would one bullet weight be "safer" than another in a handgun rated for that cartridge. I just don't get it and can't even think of search terms to try and find the answer.

thanks, back to topic

I think I just learned the answer to this from other members in a different thread. It is my understanding that the forcing cone on K-Frame .357's can be a weak point. It is said that the 158 grain rounds are longer than the 125 grain rounds (or other lighter rounds). I think the idea is that the longer 158 grain rounds don't have to move as far before entering the forcing cone after being fired as the lighter rounds do. This lessens the force of impact on the forcing cone. I'm not 100% sure about my explanation, I am copying what was explained to me in a thread about K-Frames to the best of my understanding. I have no experience of this in practice as I have never even held a K-Frame in my hand let alone shot one.