.357 mag jhp's for SD in S&W 60

[kmrcstintn]

I just obtained a used S&W 60 w/ 2.5" barrel and grabbed a few different loads...the packaging can be deceptive:

I thought I was going to do well with Federal Hydrashok 'Personal Defense' 130gr jhp that says 'low recoil' on the package...it's a flipping lie! that load rocked me harder than Federal American Eagle 158gr jsp ammo I shot to get used to the gun...

I had better control and less pain using Fiocchi 125gr sjhp's which is listed as a full velocity load...what gives with the Federal Hydrashok 130gr load?

 

[Badkarma 1]

That Federal load is rated at 1300fps and is darn near the full 1450fps of the legendary 125gr JHP!
If I may, I suggest you try the Remington 125gr. Golden Saber load (1250fps) and the Speer Short Barrel (990fps 135gr.bullet) loads, they do kick less, as does the Winchester White Box 110gr. load. These are what I carry in my short .357s
Hope this helps. Dale

 

[ArchAngelCD]

You're going to get dozens of different answers to your question. The truth is most name-brand SD ammo made today will do a good job at stopping the bad guy. You and your revolver are the only ones that can tell you which to carry. If you can control the revolver for a fast follow-up shot using Brand A, that's what you should use as long as it's accurate in your revolver. Find an accurate ammo you can fire well and stick with it...

That said, I carry Winchester 145gr Silvertip ammo in my M640 because of the above reasons.

 

[XTrooper]

That "low recoil" description is the worst case of marketing BS in the ammunition world today. Any regular member of this forum will tell you that I advocate the use of .357 Magnum ammo in .357 Magnum revolvers, but the felt recoil generated by that particular load can only be described as vicious. Even in my N-frame .357s, it's no fun to shoot.

I wrote the following awhile ago and will repeat it here. Just keep in mind its only my personal opinion and may not be worth much more than you paid for it.

Let me begin by saying that I've fired just about every factory magnum load on the market from my lightweight .357 Magnum snubbies, so the following recommendations are based on my personal experiences with them.

In order of felt recoil, from the lightest to the heaviest, I would suggest the following loads based on ease of control-ability and their recorded performance in ballistic tests and/or actual shootings.

1. Remington 110gr SJHP and Winchester 110gr JHP. The Remington load was the Border Patrol's issued ammo from 1986 to 1994 (when they switched to autoloaders) and it had an impressive performance record with them in actual shootings. The Cor-Bon 110s are a real handful so I don't use them, but don't let me stop you from giving them a try.
2. Remington 125gr Golden Saber. A "medium velocity" .357 load, it is very manageable and the Golden Saber bullet is a consistent performer.
3. Cor-Bon 125gr DPX. Another medium velocity load, the Barnes X bullets are some of the most consistently reliable performers on the planet.
4. Speer 135gr. Gold Dot Short Barrel. This is a great round for snubbies with its bullet designed to guarantee expansion from short barrels. Its recoil is only slightly stiffer than the lighter bullet weight loads. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to find for sale at this time.

The next two loads are a good step up in recoil from the aforementioned. They are good choices for all-steel snubbies and service revolvers.

5. Winchester 145gr Silvertip. Still the best of the .357 Magnum loads, in my view. Unfortunately, it too is currently almost impossible to find.
6. Federal 158gr Hydra-Shok. There are other 158gr loads out there, but this is my favorite of the lot. It is what I keep my Performance Center 627 UDR 8-shot loaded with.

The various 125gr "full house" loads are great performers with impressive track records, but they are hard on you and your revolver. If you don't mind their recoil, they are a good choice.

Two warnings: First, if you have a lightweight snubby, always test for bullet jump with any load you are considering. Do this by firing four rounds (or three if it is a really hot load) and then checking the remaining round(s) to see if it has started to pull out of its case. In extreme cases, the bullets can and do jump forward enough to lock up the revolver. Also, if you have a titanium cylinder Smith & Wesson, follow Smith's recommendation and don't use loads with bullet weights of less than 120 grains.

 

[Goffman]

That Federal load is rated at 1300fps and is darn near the full 1450fps of the legendary 125gr JHP!
If I may, I suggest you try the Remington 125gr. Golden Saber load (1250fps) and the Speer Short Barrel (990fps 135gr.bullet) loads, they do kick less, as does the Winchester White Box 110gr. load. These are what I carry in my short .357s
Hope this helps. Dale

This is good advice here, although the FPS on the Golden Saber 357 Mag load is not directly comparable to the FPS on the Speer 357 Mag load because Speer lists velocity for their 135gr 357 Mag from a two-inch barrel while Remington used the standard 4-inch barrel (I believe). Given the difference in test barrels, I would guess that the two loads are nearly identical in velocity, and I have found the Speer load to be manageable even in my 11-ounce S&W 340PD. If I couldn't find the Speer, I would go with the Golden Saber.

 

[roundgunner]

The Speer 135gr gold dot SB 357 clocks 952 out of my 60-9.

I think it is a good compromise between weight, recoil, velocity, accuracy + expansion.

It has a kick but is not that bad, if you want less get it in 38 +P.

The 125gr JHP Golden Saber exits at 1160 and kicks like it too.