Recommended 357 load for 2.5" 19 snubbie?
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big al - tennessee
Member
Try Winchester Silvertip, 145 gr. JHP. It's my favorite for all K frame magnums.
How does the Silvertip compare to the tactical Buffalo Bore?
If BB truly designed these for less felt recoil and muzzle flash in short barreled wheelguns, I'd love to hear from anyone who's shot this stuff and whether it's hype or a good alternative!
If BB truly designed these for less felt recoil and muzzle flash in short barreled wheelguns, I'd love to hear from anyone who's shot this stuff and whether it's hype or a good alternative!
JF3D
Member
Golden Sabre 125 GR. .357 Good round and nice to shoot in smaller frames. JF
I agree with big al. Silvertip 357.
PI Rob
Member
Another fan of the Win Silvertip .357. I shot a box of the Speer GD short bbl .357 and it was an easy shooting load. The Win silvertip is easier to find, a little cheaper, and still an easy shooting round, so I go with it for a defensive carry load.
Blueduck
Member
Personally with so many variables I'm not sure anyone really knows for sure what the best load is.
Not saying I disagree with the 145 Silvertip suggestions, (it seems like a good choice) but just to play devils advocate here is an artcle fairly critical of that exact load in regard to a police shooting.
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs3.htm
(Relevent part starts about 1/4 way down with "In November 1992, South Carolina Highway Patrolman Mark Coates ..."
Yet another factor is that since 1992, the Silvertip design may have been "tweaked" a bit one way or the other I've noticed same brand different year ammo have slight differences in the serations in the hollow-tips (longer or shorter) or even numnber (6 versus 8) with no mention of the changes in the gun media. To me anything 125-158 grain moving at 1,000 to 1,500 FPS is something I would try to stay out of the way of
Not saying I disagree with the 145 Silvertip suggestions, (it seems like a good choice) but just to play devils advocate here is an artcle fairly critical of that exact load in regard to a police shooting.
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs3.htm
(Relevent part starts about 1/4 way down with "In November 1992, South Carolina Highway Patrolman Mark Coates ..."
Yet another factor is that since 1992, the Silvertip design may have been "tweaked" a bit one way or the other I've noticed same brand different year ammo have slight differences in the serations in the hollow-tips (longer or shorter) or even numnber (6 versus 8) with no mention of the changes in the gun media. To me anything 125-158 grain moving at 1,000 to 1,500 FPS is something I would try to stay out of the way of
casingpoint
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110 grain .357 MAG JHP's for the reduced recoil were popular in the heyday of the snub nose revolver.
flop-shank
US Veteran
I would take the suggestions above, pick three or four that sound good, go to the range and see what you and your gun shoot best with as far as accuracy, power and follow up shots go. You may have to decide what you feel is more important, power or follow up shots, if choosing between a managed recoil and full power load that shot with equal accuracy. It will cost some money for a few different boxes of different ammo, but I never let that hang me up since I always save the ammo I choose not to adopt as carry ammo for future testing and reference.
By shooting 38's in my snub 19, I do very well on follow-up shots. The magnum will hit a lot harder, but you have to make the hit.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I carry Winchester 145gr Silvertip .357 Magnum ammo in my M640. The reason, POA=POI and in the end that's what counts.
Well, I want to try some of the Buffalo Bore Tactical Low Flash, reduced recoil 357 and they offer 3 different choices:
A. 158gr. Speer Uni-core, (Gold Dot) hollow cavity, bullet @ 1,100fps from a 2.5 inch barrel. It is designed to mushroom, yet hold together and penetrate deeply—roughly 13 to 15 inches in human tissue.
B. 140gr. Sierra JHC bullet (jacketed hollow cavity) @ 1,150 fps from a 2.5 inch barreled S&W mod. 66. Designed to mushroom and penetrate deeply—roughly 12 to 14 inches in human tissue.
C. 125gr. Speer Uni-core (Gold Dot) bullet @ 1,225 fps from a 2.5 inch S&W mod. 66 barrel. Designed to mushroom violently, yet hold together and penetrate deeply—roughly 12 to 14 inches in human tissue.
I don't want to order all 3, so between these choices, which would you choose? Thanks.
A. 158gr. Speer Uni-core, (Gold Dot) hollow cavity, bullet @ 1,100fps from a 2.5 inch barrel. It is designed to mushroom, yet hold together and penetrate deeply—roughly 13 to 15 inches in human tissue.
B. 140gr. Sierra JHC bullet (jacketed hollow cavity) @ 1,150 fps from a 2.5 inch barreled S&W mod. 66. Designed to mushroom and penetrate deeply—roughly 12 to 14 inches in human tissue.
C. 125gr. Speer Uni-core (Gold Dot) bullet @ 1,225 fps from a 2.5 inch S&W mod. 66 barrel. Designed to mushroom violently, yet hold together and penetrate deeply—roughly 12 to 14 inches in human tissue.
I don't want to order all 3, so between these choices, which would you choose? Thanks.
I've always leaned towards heavier rather than lighter bullets for a given caliber. I have my .38 Special snubbies loaded with Buffalo Bore 158 gr. loads and would go with your load A. in your .357.
Regarding the 145 gr. Silvertips, you can't judge a cartridge by one incident as there are a myriad of variables involved in a shooting. Overall, the .357 Mag Silvertip load has a very good record in actual shootings and it's what my 4" Model 13 is loaded with.
Regarding the 145 gr. Silvertips, you can't judge a cartridge by one incident as there are a myriad of variables involved in a shooting. Overall, the .357 Mag Silvertip load has a very good record in actual shootings and it's what my 4" Model 13 is loaded with.
I just shot some of the BB 158 grain JHC 357 ammo this past weekend. It clocked 1104 out of my 3" Ruger SP101. The recoil was stiff, but tolerable.
I've used WW 145 Silvertips in the past, and they are a reasonable load. I've shot them in a light weight 386SC 3" and found the recoil to be acceptable.
I'm also a fan of the Speer 357 Short Barrel 135's.
Here's what I carry: Speer 135 in my 640, BB 158 in my SP101, 386SC and 681 3".
I've used WW 145 Silvertips in the past, and they are a reasonable load. I've shot them in a light weight 386SC 3" and found the recoil to be acceptable.
I'm also a fan of the Speer 357 Short Barrel 135's.
Here's what I carry: Speer 135 in my 640, BB 158 in my SP101, 386SC and 681 3".
Kamerer
Member
Of the choices you enumerated earlier, I would choose the 1st - it is the only one weighing 158grs. This is the minimum bullet size recommended in the K frame by S&W and many armorers. There are too many well-documented cases of cracked cones and cut frames from using the lighter bullets.
Double Tap offers a loading of that Gold Dot which they chrono as 1245fps out of a 1 7/8" j-frame. Alternatively, load it at home to the velocity you wish - speer publishes data specifically for 2 1/2 revolvers, or at least used to, in their manuals.
Double Tap offers a loading of that Gold Dot which they chrono as 1245fps out of a 1 7/8" j-frame. Alternatively, load it at home to the velocity you wish - speer publishes data specifically for 2 1/2 revolvers, or at least used to, in their manuals.
