How many of you have fired full house .357 Magnums - - - in your snubbies
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David LaPell
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In my SP-101, it's all I have fired so far and I wouldn't consider using anything else.
RobsTV
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Picked up at Walmart the only remaining box of Remington .357 magnum 125gr JSP L357M12, so that I could get some 357 brass to reload in a 60-15 3" j-frame. Chrono'd the factory ammo for a reference point, but based on all the people complaining that 357 loads are way to rough in a J-Frame, planned on loading to +P at the most. After 15 shots of the 3" J-Frame, Chrono showed avg 1394 fps, pf=174, 539 ft/lbs, ES-22, SD-7. And they felt great. Had the wife shoot 2 cylinders and she agreed that they were no problem, very enjoyable (her normal gun is 4" k-Frame 38spl). We are a just a couple of normal 55 year old out of shape office workers that could have shot these all day, not 20 year old construction workers.. Am now trying to duplicate 125gr HP reloads to around 1300fps based on this. Don't understand this aversion to magnum rounds at all. I would be upset if a magnum performed any less than normal.
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LimaCharlie
US Veteran
My petite senior citizen wife has carried an S&W 640 Centennial for years. She qualified with .357 magnums, carries them, and practices with them. She asked for and received a 3" Pro Series model 60 for her last birthday.
When I carry a revolver, it is most often a 4" S&W 29-2 .44 magnum. This weekend, I shot a Freedom Arms .454 Casull and an S&W 500 magnum. I am 68 with arthritis.
When I carry a revolver, it is most often a 4" S&W 29-2 .44 magnum. This weekend, I shot a Freedom Arms .454 Casull and an S&W 500 magnum. I am 68 with arthritis.
Yup. Magnums. If I have some .38s lying around I'll practice with them, but the guns are mostly carried/shot with magnums. Still waiting to find an RSR 640-1 so I can try some 125s out of it. Maybe my opinion will change, but I do shoot CorBon .356TSW ammo out of my 940PC and don't find it too objectionable. I suspect the recoil of the .357 may be similar. The wood grips were just for my "family photo", my off-duty guns all wear Pachmayr Compacs (I'm not THAT much of a masochist).
I do. The 357 is more powerful.
My thoughts:
So I did a direct comparison:
Reloaded the highest book loads for the 135gr Gold dot for 357 and 38 +P.
I used the same powder, Power Pistol
Here is the lowest load for 38+P and the 135 GBSB:
now the high end of 38 +P:
So that's a 191 fps 111 ft lbs energy difference between the high and low 38+P loads. Definitely a difference there.
Now for the 357 loads:
The difference between the low 38+p:
473 fps 315 ft lbs energy
the high 38 +p:
282 fps 204 ft lbs of energy
That is a huge difference.
Now the 38+p is much easier to shoot as the 357 is a handful. It borderline hurts. But it is controllable as I demonstrated by drawing and quick firing five shots on target. The 357 definitely packs more punch. There is a difference out of a snub nose.
Some people can't handle the recoil though. So they should stick to the lighter loads, as for me, I will carry the most powerful load I can accurately handle.
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old&slow
Member
About 2 cylinders full of full blown .357's in my all steel m-60 and I don't want to play anymore. Practice mostly with .357 reloads at 38 spl. + P .. less wear and tear on the firearm and me..
Besides to expensive to burn up a 100 or so 135 gr factory Gold Dots in practice.
Besides to expensive to burn up a 100 or so 135 gr factory Gold Dots in practice.
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... well, actually, only once 
Cal44
Member
I've shot these in some of my 357's:
Fiocchi Cowboy Action Ammo 357 Mag 158 Grain Lead Round Nose Flat
They seem somewhere between 38 sp and 38 sp +P.
But, are loaded in 357 magnum cases and don't leave crud in the cylinder.
Seem quite accurate.
I thought they might be a good SD round for my Henry Big Boy carbine. Should feed well. Haven't tried them in it yet, though.
Dave
Fiocchi Cowboy Action Ammo 357 Mag 158 Grain Lead Round Nose Flat
They seem somewhere between 38 sp and 38 sp +P.
But, are loaded in 357 magnum cases and don't leave crud in the cylinder.
Seem quite accurate.
I thought they might be a good SD round for my Henry Big Boy carbine. Should feed well. Haven't tried them in it yet, though.
Dave
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If'n this counts, then yes. Joe
Owen49
Member
The only snubbie I have is a 2.5" Model 66 & I use full power .357's in it on occasion.
white cloud
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Qball,
What are you supposed to use for self defense in your country?
Thanks, White Cloud
What are you supposed to use for self defense in your country?
Thanks, White Cloud
I have several .357 magnum snub guns but I only load .38 special for defense purposes. The reason?
I blew away a lot of my hearing with a .357 magnum in my younger days and I'll be damned if I'm gonna finish off what little I have left at this point.
I wear expensive hearing aids and still have hell hearing women and children at times.
I blew away a lot of my hearing with a .357 magnum in my younger days and I'll be damned if I'm gonna finish off what little I have left at this point.
I wear expensive hearing aids and still have hell hearing women and children at times.
Yes, I've fired full mag loads in my 340PD. Not that much fun, and I wouldn't do it again at the range, but what's the point of carrying a 357 mag if you don't intend to use the power? I carry 357s in it for concealed carry and also as backup when hunting.
Jeff
SWCA #1457
Jeff
SWCA #1457
I have several .357 magnum snub guns but I only load .38 special for defense purposes. The reason?
I blew away a lot of my hearing with a .357 magnum in my younger days and I'll be damned if I'm gonna finish off what little I have left at this point.
I wear expensive hearing aids and still have hell hearing women and children at times.
I understand the hearing issue but I want to point out that immediate hearing damage starts at about 140db so the 38 special is still going to cause damage.
.25 ACP 155.0 dB
.32 LONG 152.4 dB
.32 ACP 153.5 dB
.380 157.7 dB
9mm 159.8 dB
.38 S&W 153.5 dB
.38 Spl 156.3 dB
.357 Magnum 164.3 dB
.41 Magnum 163.2 dB
.44 Spl 155.9 dB
.45 ACP 157.0 dB
.45 COLT 154.7 dB
OP
Can we give it a rest?
The poll was an amusing after thought - is there a rule that says the discussion has to match the poll? 
Seriously, they are not directly connected.
Tempest in a teapot comes to mind.....
***GRJ***
PS:
Snubby = 3" or less. I did note that a little earlier.
PPS:
Everyone has YMMV rights to these discussions but there is a world of difference between a Ruger SP-101 and some of the lightweight guns we're discussing and I admit Rugers were not even on my mind when I brought the subject up.
PPPS:
I'll fire .357s in my 2.5" Ruger Security Six all day long. But it's an all steel tank! I want to see someone do that in a lightweight revolver and tell me it's nothing after the third or fourth cylinder. Maybe I'm just puny.....but I doubt it.
The poll was an amusing after thought - is there a rule that says the discussion has to match the poll? Seriously, they are not directly connected.
Tempest in a teapot comes to mind.....
***GRJ***
PS:
Snubby = 3" or less. I did note that a little earlier.
PPS:
Everyone has YMMV rights to these discussions but there is a world of difference between a Ruger SP-101 and some of the lightweight guns we're discussing and I admit Rugers were not even on my mind when I brought the subject up.
PPPS:
I'll fire .357s in my 2.5" Ruger Security Six all day long. But it's an all steel tank! I want to see someone do that in a lightweight revolver and tell me it's nothing after the third or fourth cylinder. Maybe I'm just puny.....but I doubt it.
I regularly do it in my LCR..... and it is holding up
https://thedesertsedge.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/ruger-lcr-357-long-term-review/
https://thedesertsedge.wordpress.co...-2500-rounds-and-counting-a-long-term-review/
OP
More power to you!!!!
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