Old Guy Brand Thing

[brokenprism]

I guess this is about the realities of time more than anything else, but when I went looking for familiar brands I cut my shooting teeth on -- Fed, Rem, Win -- in .357 yesterday, I had to look high, then low, then lower, then underground. I found one 20-rd box of Fed 125 JHP, and it was insanely expensive. Had to wade through a sea of Magtech, SB, and other off brands (including econo loads from the big three -- or should I call them the Classic Three), but do you think they're cranking out the tried-and-true load that made the .357 a thing to be feared? Hell no. Not even Remington seems to be making the .357 Remington Magnum in a configuration I recognize (no thanks on the Golden Saber). I know they manufacture calibers in certain cycles, but I had this problem a year ago.

Is this caliber in its 'twilight' years, getting nudged out of the way by 9, 40, and 45?

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I know what you mean! I think most of the reason is that in these economicaly tough time's the dealer's stock what they can sell the most of and that is economy ammo. Add in the ammo shortage real or imagined and it's tough to find quality ammo. The 357 Mag is not oblsolete, it's just not cool right now.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I think that retail ammo availability is very variable with the location, and day of the week, and time of day.

I do not consider MagTech to be off-brand. I have had more problems with a major US manufacturer which was neither Winchester nor Federal. That said, anyone can make a mistake once in a long while. I haven't caught MagTech yet.

 

[ExplorerOne]

The markets have changed, especially in the last 18 months. There are many more manufacturers now, some comparitively small and some not so small. Georgia Arms, Black Hills.......and lots and LOTS of small operations that only sell within the immediate area (though the internet opens that up).
Many of the big names are so busy on their primarily products the other loads are just a thought (go try to find 380 or 45 Colt ammo today); thats the opening many of the smaller operations are so successful.

 

[brokenprism]

Never mind.

 

[Alk8944]

Not even Remington seems to be making the .357 Remington Magnum......

Might sound nit-picky, but it really isn't. There is no such animal as ".357 Remington Magnum". The proper nomenclature for the cartridge is .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum. The cartridge was a collaboration between S&W and Winchester with Phil Sharpe and Elmer Keith making some contributions during development. Remington had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Now, .41 Remington Magnum and .44 Remington Magnum are a completely different matter.

 

[649 Bodyguard]

Did the samething today, went out hunting for the good stuff.

 

[flop-shank]

The .357 is very popular and by no means in it's "twilight years". Availability issues with all ammo have been the norm ever since Hussein got elected.

One of my friends just picked up a hundred round value pack of the Remington UMC 125 gr. SJHPs at Wally World. I like nickel cases, but there certainly is nothing wrong with that ammo. I would be willing to use it for self defense without reservation.

Corbon also makes an old school 125 gr. screamer utilizing the excellent Sierra SJHP.

 

[ect1222t]

We have warehouses full of 9mm, .45A.C.P., 5.56 and 7.62. Keep the big manufacturer's busy filling government contracts, and they have no time or resources to make any other types of ammo. Never let a crisis go to waste. Use it to further your socialist agenda. -Ed.

 

[beemerphile]

Have you considered having your LGS order them for you? I have had the same experience with not finding what I want in stock anywhere. Often I mail order it but I had my local dealer order me a couple of 500 rd. boxes of Speer Gold Dot .44 magnums. He was negotiable on price since I offered to prepay so he didn't have any money tied up in the inventory.

 

[n4zov]

I don't think it is a matter of the .357 being nudged out of the picture, but it is a matter of the growing popularity of semi autos and the shrinking market for revolvers. Look at the number of ads for semi autos in gun magazines compared with those for revolvers. With the single exception of the Taurus .410/.45 do-hickey you don't see many ads for wheel guns.

 

[flop-shank]

I don't think that the market share of revolvers is shrinking. As more states enact concealed carry, more and more people are carrying revolvers everyday. Look at how popular snubbys are and how many different types S&W offers. It's almost mind boggling. There wouldn't be such selection if the things weren't selling. I'm thinking that there might be more .357s on the streets now than when it was a common police caliber. There's one in my pocket as I type.

 

[ozzie9]

What happend to all the handloaders???????

___________________________
Ozzie9 NRA life patron Member

 

[jframefreak]

What happend to all the handloaders???????

___________________________
Ozzie9 NRA life patron Member

They're keeping quiet, or they can't get components either.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Another thing-I grew up buyig shotgun shells by dram equivilents. Now it's by FPS. COnfusing.

 

[brokenprism]

Have you considered having your LGS order them for you? I have had the same experience with not finding what I want in stock anywhere.

Yeah, just did. My LGS just found a few boxes of Remington Express 158 gr JHP, so I'm in for a box at $50.

 

[beemerphile]

Georgia Arms wrote me the other day and asked if I still wanted to keep my February backorder in play for .357 Magnums. They still can't get the components to make the order. So maybe Federal is playing games, who knows, but I don't think that is the general condition.

 

[brokenprism]

It's just the biggest damn coincidence in the history of coincidences that an industry should suddenly evaporate like this. If there were a protracted run on Taurus sedans, Ford would be working day and night to keep them on dealer lots.

On the other hand, I haven't had any trouble finding Federal HST in .40, so I guess it's just a seasonal production issue.

 

[rev.]

What makes certain brand names "good stuff"?
Being fortunate in owning a chronograph I've checked various brands of .380 shot in my Mustang pocket lite (shhhh, colt).
2 3/4" brl.
Federal's American Eagle 95gr. fmj was fastest at 923 fps.
Speer gold dot 90jhp=881
Fiocchi 90jhp= 870
Rem.Golden Saber 102 jhp= 855
cci blazer 88jhp=854
S&B 92fmj= 833
Win.White Box 95fmj-fp=804
Hope you find this usefull knowing that velocities will vary with the pistol used.
rev.

 

[Dogguy]

My opinion--you can do a helluva lot worse than Golden Sabers.

....But how about this:Ammunition To Go : 100rds - 357 Mag Remington 125gr Semi Jacketed Hollow Point Ammo [L357M1B] - $54.95

Brass cartridge case? So what! This is essentially the same stuff I have in the ammo box left over from 1989. That and Federal 125 gr JHP. Good stuff indeed.