Is there a more practical & versatile cartridge than the .38/.357?

[RobertJ.]

I just re-read the title of the post, and realized it not only says "versatile", but also "practical".

I think we've established that the .44 Magnum is clearly more versatile.

As far as practical, I'd actually have to go with the .38/.357. I think the practicality of that combo might just nudge it slightly ahead of the .44 Magnum, in terms of usefulness.

And after raving on and on about the .44, I thought it would be fun to show the combo I'd keep, if I was limited to 1 rifle and 1 handgun:

 

[crazyphil]

"If I could only have one firearm, it would be a .357 Magnum revolver.
And most likely, it would be a Smith & Wesson Model 27."
- Skeeter Skelton

 

[Kanewpadle]

I like the 357/38 combo as well. Growing up in Alaska the 44 mag/44 spl was a necessary choice and back then most people reloaded. When I was a kid my dad and I both took moose with a 44 mag. Worked well.

I don't live there any more so the 357/38 works for me. A 442. model 19 and a 686 let me shoot lots of both.

 

[P-229]

I completely, thoroughly agree that the .38 Special/.357 Mag is the most versatile handgun cartridge available. With .38 Special wadcutters, it'll take small game. With shot capsules, it'll kill grouse. With 180 grain .357 Mag rounds, it's good black bear defense. And it'll kill every species of deer including moose. Such big game are killed every year with arrows. With .38 Special 158 grain LSWC +P, it's a good self-defense round.

The .44 Rem Mag is a very powerful handgun round, but I would not consider it suitable for griz defense. Were I fishing in griz habitat, I'd want an 870 with slugs or a Marlin Guide Gun. From what I've read, guides who take fishermen into griz country protect their clients with 870's loaded with slugs.

I've hunted in griz country. If a 7MM Rem Mag can't get the job done, I'd reload it before I reached for a handgun. But methinks that a round or two out of a 7MM Rem Mag would kill griz. I believe Eskimos use '06's for polar bears. The 175 grain .284 bullet has legendary penetrative ability. An African elephant culler killed close to a thousand tuskers with a 7x57.

 

[series guy]

Yes. It's called the .45 Colt. At 650fps it's a fantastic pinker/target round. At 950fps it's all you need.

 

[rwsmith]

In SC...

DWalt:

As a native West Virginian, I can verify the use of .22 Hornet in the Eastern Panhandle for deer hunting. I have a camp over in that area, and have hunted with locals who liked the round. One of the fellows in particular that I remember had what I am sure was a pre 64 Winchester model 70 in .22 Hornet, and told me that his father had left it to him when he passed away, and he still deer hunted with it. I'm not sure that it is still legal as a n approved cartridge or not. I'll have to look that up. But some of those boys over there probably don't care whether it's approved or not.

Best Regards, Les

We have a 6mm minimum in SC. Though I have 'heard' of people successfully hunting deer with a .22lr but I have never heard of, or at least nobody talks about, UNsuccessful hunting with a less than legal caliber gun.

 

[rwsmith]

One reason I don't do big bore..

Friends:

Let me add another point in favor of the 38/357 over bigger calibers. If we ever become dependent on our own resources, less lead means more bullets. I also mold, size and lubrcate bullets. Not all the time, but sort of as a way to ensure that I am not totally dependent on commercial sources. Whenever I find supplies of lead, I collect it. I try to every now and then melt it down and mold into ingots, and mark them with what I know about the content. I have all sorts of stuff. One guy gave me a lot of auto body lead. It's real soft, and used to (still is?) be used like bonds in auto body shops. Another gave me hundreds of pounds of old fashioned wheel weights. I understand a lot of the new ones aren't good for bullet casting, but the old ones are just fine. And so on.

Anyway, the point is, if you rely on 38/357, you can make many more bullets from a given amount of lead, than if you are loading 44 magnum.

Which, in my thinking, makes that a more desirable choice if you could only have one.

Also, availability: there are very few places in the United States where you cannot find some sort of 38/357 ammunition. Sometimes the big boys are a little harder to find.


Just thinking out loud....

Best Regards, Les

Being broke, if I shot/reloaded big bore bullets would be much more expensive, especially if I treated myself and shot up some jacketed.

 

[les.b]

DWalt got me thinking about legal rifles here in West Virginia. The .22 Hornet would be legal. Here are the permissible choices right from DNR's website:

a rifle using centerfire ammunition.
a rifle using .25 caliber or larger rimfire ammunition.
a muzzleloading rifle, with or without scope, and muzzleloading pistol of .38 caliber or larger.
a handgun using a straight-walled case of .357 magnum cartridge or larger or a bottle-necked case of .24 caliber or larger (see page 5). A Class A-1 handgun stamp is required.
a shotgun loaded with solid ball ammunition.

So the .357 rifle or handgun would be legal for hunting deer, at least here in WV, as well as something like a .22 Hornet rifle.

Best Regards, Les

 

[rwsmith]

AHA!!!!!

I note the the OP didn't specify rifle or pistol rounds. This gives me a chance to extend this discussion a little further.

I count about 15 cartridge cases with the same base but variations to the cartridge length shoulder and neck.

Besides, there are about 14 recognized wildcats that are simply necked up and down to accept bullets from .17 caliber to .405 caliber.

I'm not counting the 30-03, which was quickly replaced.

I also see some German Mauser rounds with a similar base. Anybody know who came up with the idea first?

 

[iPac]

I absolutely love the 357mag/38spl round. It is hard to argue against it being an "all around do it all".

Majority of my guns are in those calibers because they serve the most purpose to me. Especially with reloading.

It is my conceal carry cartridge, my hunting cartridge, and my plinking cartridge.

Even forsaken the 'almighty' 45LC Colt SAA by getting one in 357mag instead. Haven't regretted it at all!

 

[twodog max]

I am a firm believer that the most useful calibers all start with a 4. However I have many 357/38s and if I had to stick with only one it would be a 357. To many pluses to ignore.

 

[Jim L]

In 2016 I would say 9mm is more versatile.
There are plenty of 9mm carbines made now, so now you can have a 9mm handgun & a 9mm rifle.
Plus 9mm ammo is much cheaper giving it the edge in my opinion.

 

[apollo99]

My friend has a .357/.38 spl. copy of a 1873 lever action rifle, along with a 4 inch modern .357 revolver, I have a .44 lever action repo , and a 629 5". I reload, he doesn't , I can shoot my .44's cheaper than he can shoot his .357's for. If I didn't reload the .44 would be cost prohibitive. For me I go with the .44 mag/44 special. For him I know he would agree with the OP.

 

[Cleveland48]

This is a hard one! As much as I love the 38/357 combo I'm pretty devoted the the 44 mag/special. If not a hand loader I'm sure the 38/357 takes 1st place.


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[Pa.Bill]

I don't think so. I have been shooting S&W Combat 19/38-357/6" barrel since 1974.
We have been shooting Long distance 100, 75, 50 yards for much of that time. ( its not as hard as it 1st sounds)
Hunting with 357 - a range of animals. Target.
38 also and with +P's brings it to another level.
Plus they are controllable.