Hornady 357 MAG 125gr XTP
- Thread starter jbtrucker
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Yes, a "Full Load" in a .357 can be an eye opener...........
mostly if out of a short barrel, even more if a K frame.
That 686 is a hoot to shoot.
Hold on and............ smile.
mostly if out of a short barrel, even more if a K frame.
That 686 is a hoot to shoot.
Hold on and............ smile.
wildcatter
Member
You obviously are not talking about the same hot 45 Cilt loads I shoot! Even the 180 grain Mihec cast I shoot at over 1450 fps do not even come close to rocking me like the 340 grain WLF I load in my 45 Colt.
Hot loads in shot safely is very subjective, and usually spoken about loads that are only safe in the weakest of revolvers!
But trust me, any 357 mag load, with 125 grain bullets, or any weight bullet for that matter, are quite tame compared to true heavy Colt loads made for true big game hunting revolvers, which do exceed 44 magnum loads with less pressure! Been there, done that!
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Peakes
Member
That's what I use. Love those!
The_Truth
Member
I carry Underwood 158gr JHP @1500fps in my Model 13.
"You wanna talk about RECOIL? RECOIL?"
"You wanna talk about RECOIL? RECOIL?"
OP
You guys way tougher than me no way would I shoot them in a J frame.
I don't shoot max loads......
...for two legged defense, especially in the house. Besides the racket, I found the best way to keep from compressing my wrist is to not hold down the gun and let it fly up with my elbow mostly and shoulder some. Takes a few secs to get the target picture back. I can macho a few full load shots and keep the gun mostly level, but I'll pay for it later.
...for two legged defense, especially in the house. Besides the racket, I found the best way to keep from compressing my wrist is to not hold down the gun and let it fly up with my elbow mostly and shoulder some. Takes a few secs to get the target picture back. I can macho a few full load shots and keep the gun mostly level, but I'll pay for it later.
Echo40
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For reference: I'm talking about 225gr loads doing about 1200fps. I know there are hotter loads out there, but I said "hot" not atomic.
In a 2 1/2" or 3" revolver, the Hornady 125 gr XTP American Gunner load gives you about 1,380 fps in a 4" barrel, about 1300 fps in a 3" barrel and about 1200 fps in a 2 1/2" barrel.
At 1,300 fps the 125 gr XTP will expand very reliably and give you about 15"-17" of penetration in ballistic gel. Below that it'll still expand reliably down to about 1,100 fps but it will expand slower and you'll see increased penetration out to around 21" in ballistic gel.
It's still a good choice in a 2 1/2", 3" or 4" revolver, but if you hand load you can get the same velocity in a short barrel with a lot less recoil by going with 8.5 to 9.0 grains of Unique (published loads in the older Hornady manuals).
9.0 grains of Unique under a 125 gr XTP at 1300 fps in a 2.5 pound 3" 686 will produce:
Recoil Velocity: 11.7 ft/s
Recoil Energy: 5.3 ft•lbs
Recoil Impulse: 0.9 lb•s
In comparison 22.0 grains of Win 296 with the same bullet and revolver will produce the same 1,300 fps but with a lot more recoil:
Recoil Velocity: 15.2 ft/s (30% greater)
Recoil Energy: 9.0 ft•lbs (70% greater)
Recoil Impulse: 1.2 lb•s (33% greater)
Today's modern .357 Magnum loads using a large charge of slow burning powder produce maximum velocity in a longer barrel, but have little or no velocity advantage at shorter 2"-3" barrel lengths. Even when there is some small advantage, that increase isn't worth the additional recoil. That, and cost savings, make reloading the .357 Magnum attractive, especially for a short barrelled revolver.
At 1,300 fps the 125 gr XTP will expand very reliably and give you about 15"-17" of penetration in ballistic gel. Below that it'll still expand reliably down to about 1,100 fps but it will expand slower and you'll see increased penetration out to around 21" in ballistic gel.
It's still a good choice in a 2 1/2", 3" or 4" revolver, but if you hand load you can get the same velocity in a short barrel with a lot less recoil by going with 8.5 to 9.0 grains of Unique (published loads in the older Hornady manuals).
9.0 grains of Unique under a 125 gr XTP at 1300 fps in a 2.5 pound 3" 686 will produce:
Recoil Velocity: 11.7 ft/s
Recoil Energy: 5.3 ft•lbs
Recoil Impulse: 0.9 lb•s
In comparison 22.0 grains of Win 296 with the same bullet and revolver will produce the same 1,300 fps but with a lot more recoil:
Recoil Velocity: 15.2 ft/s (30% greater)
Recoil Energy: 9.0 ft•lbs (70% greater)
Recoil Impulse: 1.2 lb•s (33% greater)
Today's modern .357 Magnum loads using a large charge of slow burning powder produce maximum velocity in a longer barrel, but have little or no velocity advantage at shorter 2"-3" barrel lengths. Even when there is some small advantage, that increase isn't worth the additional recoil. That, and cost savings, make reloading the .357 Magnum attractive, especially for a short barrelled revolver.
I've launched 255 gr .45 Colt loads at 1200 fps in Ruger Blackhawks. The loads are *not* pleasant to shoot by any means and the trigger guard will rap your middle finger something fierce. Accuracy also tends to be poor relative to a more pedestrian velocity. But those 32,000 psi loads will give terminal performance comparable to a 240 gr 36,000 psi .44 Magnum load.
I need to get my hands on some of this and try it out in my 27-2 it sounds like.
357 mag loaded the way it was supposed to be loaded isn't for the limp wristed. Probably why the model 27 was a thing a year after the 357 was first introduced.
There is quite a difference in my loads when I shoot my 21 oz. J frame snub nose
and my 6" K and L frames.
The J & K frame 38 specials with a full load 125gr JHP do 903 and 1070fps.
the 158gr LHP FBI load does 851 and the 6" spits out 1014fps.
In my 6" L frame Magnum the 125 and 158 do......... 1555 and 1270fps.
The lead 158 has reached 1320 with Unique and the JHP 1340fps with 2400 powder but these are hunting loads and I hope, only one round is needed.
Still, not as bad as a full 44 magnum.
and my 6" K and L frames.
The J & K frame 38 specials with a full load 125gr JHP do 903 and 1070fps.
the 158gr LHP FBI load does 851 and the 6" spits out 1014fps.
In my 6" L frame Magnum the 125 and 158 do......... 1555 and 1270fps.
The lead 158 has reached 1320 with Unique and the JHP 1340fps with 2400 powder but these are hunting loads and I hope, only one round is needed.
Still, not as bad as a full 44 magnum.
31FordA
Member
I've shot those Hornady .357 in my 627-0 (pleasant), snub nosed SP-101 (stout) and 340M&P (zesty, very zesty). I think they'll get the job done.
fredj338
Member
fredj338
Member
I believe the 357mag was developed in the N-frame. In a larger gun it is an easy shooter. When you get to the K-frames & snubs is where it gets ugly.
True.
the original 357 was shot out of a K frame for the 44 and the companies beefed the action up to the K29 with a heavier frame and thicker walls on the cylinder, for the added pressures that the supped duper "Atomic" laser load produced.
The K frame would handle the slower 140gr or heavier bullets at the slower fps but the high vel. 110 & 125 bullets were just to much for it's frame design.
It was a heck of a 38 special +P revolver, though...........
For the average shooter, I still think the .357 is the best over all revolver for most shooters, with a 32 oz. weight that cuts recoil down and have enough energy to stop the BG, usually with one well placed shot, even with a 1 7/8" barrel.
the original 357 was shot out of a K frame for the 44 and the companies beefed the action up to the K29 with a heavier frame and thicker walls on the cylinder, for the added pressures that the supped duper "Atomic" laser load produced.
The K frame would handle the slower 140gr or heavier bullets at the slower fps but the high vel. 110 & 125 bullets were just to much for it's frame design.
It was a heck of a 38 special +P revolver, though...........
For the average shooter, I still think the .357 is the best over all revolver for most shooters, with a 32 oz. weight that cuts recoil down and have enough energy to stop the BG, usually with one well placed shot, even with a 1 7/8" barrel.
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