.38 spl and .357 mag ammo for 6 inch barrel

[ISCS Yoda]

Welcome aboard!

What do you suggest as an optimal defensive round for a 6'' barrel and most importantly ... why? I'd like to have a lot of versatility, including in terms of range. This is a gun I take on outdoor trips for example.

So, what you did here is, unintentionally, you started a bear thread. Those are threads where everyone gets emotional and heated when discussing the best round for self-defense against bears in the woods.

WELL DONE!

Even if nobody jumped on it, very well done.

But, let me stay away from bears and make one note. .357 Magnum rounds for self-defense are really only good for the bear woods. Oops. I said it, anyway. You do not want to use that much power in your home unless you literally live in the woods and have no neighbors. Except for your brick walls you're risking over penetration and any miss could injure a bystander/neighbor.family member. Jus' sayin'....YMMV

 

[HunterXL]

Welcome aboard!



So, what you did here is, unintentionally, you started a bear thread. Those are threads where everyone gets emotional and heated when discussing the best round for self-defense against bears in the woods.

WELL DONE!

Even if nobody jumped on it, very well done.

But, let me stay away from bears and make one note. .357 Magnum rounds for self-defense are really only good for the bear woods. Oops. I said it, anyway. You do not want to use that much power in your home unless you literally live in the woods and have no neighbors. Except for your brick walls you're risking over penetration and any miss could injure a bystander/neighbor.family member. Jus' sayin'....YMMV

Yep, not asking about bear defense. This is about getting the most out of the very versatile .357 magnum in self defense situations, ranging from the typical close range, indoor with over-penetration concerns to isolated wide open outdoors at range, where I really would rather have a long gun, and the attacker might have one. The question about .38 special is for the first type of situation, and to have ammo in two calibers instead of just one for more logistical concerns. The question about the .357 is for the second. The idea is to try to find a load that makes the most of the .357's extra power and have something that hits and reaches out a little bit more like a rifle than a Glock 19 or what not. yes, I know a .357 handgun is no rifle, but I think a cartridge that can launch a 158 grain projectile at 1200 to 1500 fps is a good deal closer than a 9mm. but I know enough about ballistics to know that if you aren't using the right bullet at the right velocity, all that the extra power is just going to give you more bang, muzzle jump, recoil and wear on the gun.

one other thing I'll say is that I'm not going to use my .357 for my home defense gun. This is about away from home, where having only my .357 mag is something I can imagine since it is probably the most versatile single gun I own especially if you can only take what you can carry on your back.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO a .357 Magnum is a .357 Magnum, there is no "bad bullet" in that cartridge. You might want to be picky with a .38 Special but a Magnum? Of course, like mentioned above, over penetration is a concern but as for stopping someone, if they are hit with a .357 they usually stay hit.

I'm a fan of the 158gr bullet even in a .357 Magnum. Nothing wrong with a 158gr bullet @1250fps to do the job at hand. Of course there is also nothing wrong with a 125gr bullet if that's your preference.

 

[Alk8944]

I can't believe this, 24 replies and no one even mentioned that commercial ammunition is not loaded to give "best" performance in a specific barrel length. Buy a chronograph and a variety of ammunition and check that ammunition for velocity in your guns, that's the only way you will get an answer to your original question!

 

[HunterXL]

I can't believe this, 24 replies and no one even mentioned that commercial ammunition is not loaded to give "best" performance in a specific barrel length. Buy a chronograph and a variety of ammunition and check that ammunition for velocity in your guns, that's the only way you will get an answer to your original question!

Can't argue with that

 

[HunterXL]

Just to close this out, I decided to stick with .357 Barnes 140 gr Vor-Tx XPB as an all-around outdoor round and Buffalo Bore .38 special +P 158 gr. LSWCHP for a lighter load where over-penetration would be a concern. Out of a 6 inch barrel, it seems like this load will give ballistics getting close close to some .357 mag loads, but I can shoot it out of .38 special guns as well as magnums. I wanted to pick up a lighter 357 load (probably 125 gr. Golden Sabers) but ballistically I don't know if that would offer much above and beyond the hot and heavier Buffalo Bores.

For my old 38 snubby, I picked up some Federal Train + Protect 158 gr. standard pressure "Versatile Hollow Points" which seem to just be LSWCHPs. I don't expect expansion from these at around 800 fps or maybe less, just going the wadcutter type route. Full wadcutters seem to be hard to come by currently.

And of course some cheap 38 130 grain fmjs for practice.

The .357 is really a super versatile caliber.

 

[reddogs]

I have never recovered a hp bullet from a 5 inch or longer bbl. that wasn't fully intact and expanded.That is in jell with or without bluejeans or just water jugs.158 &125 federal winchester and remington.

 

[Piwo]

Just an observation...If you want a bullet that behaves predictably and reliably the same from a long or short barrel, high or low velocity...then I would use a LSWC. It will perform the same over a wider set of variables than any other. No need to worry about if you are pushing it too fast or too slow(within reason). Accuracy and power from the muzzle to as far as you can hit. Among the least expensive bullets to make practice ammo with. Thus you will be better able to hit your target, the most important consideration. I carry and use semi wadcutters for almost all of my revolver uses. There are perhaps more effective hollow points that work better under some circumstances, but SWC performance is never a mystery. For target, plinking, small game, large game, bad actors it's all the same. In 6 inch 357s I will carry 38 spl. LSWC factory or handloads that get 850 to 1000 fps in the gun. I also may carry some factory or handload 357 rounds in an ammo wallet or speed loader for "just in case" situations. I've never had to use them in my life. I carry similar loads in my 44 magnums, 44 specials, 45 auto rim revolvers for the same reason.
If they made a LSWC that worked in my Glock 26, I would carry that as well!

 

[rockquarry]

Just an observation...If you want a bullet that behaves predictably and reliably the same from a long or short barrel, high or low velocity...then I would use a LSWC. It will perform the same over a wider set of variables than any other. No need to worry about if you are pushing it too fast or too slow(within reason). Accuracy and power from the muzzle to as far as you can hit. Among the least expensive bullets to make practice ammo with. Thus you will be better able to hit your target, the most important consideration. I carry and use semi wadcutters for almost all of my revolver uses. There are perhaps more effective hollow points that work better under some circumstances, but SWC performance is never a mystery. For target, plinking, small game, large game, bad actors it's all the same. In 6 inch 357s I will carry 38 spl. LSWC factory or handloads that get 850 to 1000 fps in the gun. I also may carry some factory or handload 357 rounds in an ammo wallet or speed loader for "just in case" situations. I've never had to use them in my life. I carry similar loads in my 44 magnums, 44 specials, 45 auto rim revolvers for the same reason.
If they made a LSWC that worked in my Glock 26, I would carry that as well!

I've had good results with a 140 grain cast lead SWC from an H&G #12 mould in a Beretta 92. Accurate and feeds and functions without problem. I doubt you'll have the same versatility with a Glock, but it might be worth trying.

 

[71vette]

I've had good results with a 140 grain cast lead SWC from an H&G #12 mould in a Beretta 92. Accurate and feeds and functions without problem. I doubt you'll have the same versatility with a Glock, but it might be worth trying.

I know we’re drifting a bit here but I load 147 grain TC coated hard cast from Summit City for my 9mm’s. Full power standard pressure with Silhouette works great in my Glock 19’s. ACME has coated 150 grain 9mm SWC’s but I’ve never tried them.

I’m also a huge fan of 158 grain SWC’s. Summit coated 158’s have shot well with Win 244 and HS-6 from standard pressure 38 to midrange 357. Going to try some with AA#9 in 357 soon……