Snub nose 357 mag recommendations

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pitbull23

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Just picked up a 340 and looking for 357 magnum ammo recommendations for ccw. I am not recoil sensitive. My other jframe is packing the 38 +p , so really wanted this 340 for 357 magnum. Something that will allow for decently quick follow up shots.

I shot some 158gr federal jsp at the range and it was way to slow to recover for a second shot, wondering if dropping down to a 110gr doubletap or cor bon would help with the follow up shots. Looking for less flash and just a little less recoil. I think the flash was the hardest part to deal with when trying to get back on target.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
 
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Important point, which model 340 do you have? If you have the 340PD with Titanium cylinder, you are restricted when it comes to magnum ammo. There is a warning on the bbl not to use ammo of less than 120gr bullet weight.

There is no such restriction on the M&P 340 which is slightly heavier due to a steel cylinder. This is the model I carry daily and I use the 110gr .357 JHP. The recoil is less than other loads and this round is perfect for this gun, IMO.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
You are braver than I am. I'm not at all recoil sensitive but when I shot 158gr Speer GDHP .357 Magnum ammo in one it felt like someone hit the palm of my hand with a ball peen hammer. (a friends revolver)

The only magnum ammo I would shoot in a 12oz J frame is the Speer 135gr GDHP Short Barrel Magnum load. It generated 990fps while the .38 Special +P Short Barrel load delivers 860fps.

I carry the 135gr .38 Special +P Short Barrel load in my AirWeight M442.

If you had a M640 it would be a different story @23oz but 12oz AirLite??? Not for me.
It's not only the recoil, it's the difficulty getting back on target quickly which is bad IMO.
 
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ArchAngelCD said:
You are braver than I am. I'm not at all recoil sensitive but when I shot 158gr Speer GDHP .357 Magnum ammo in one it felt like someone hit the palm of my hand with a ball peen hammer. (a friends revolver)

The only magnum ammo I would shoot in a 12oz J frame is the Speer 135gr GDHP Short Barrel Magnum load. It generated 990fps while the .38 Special +P Short Barrel load delivers 860fps.

I carry the 135gr .38 Special +P Short Barrel load in my AirWeight M442.

If you had a M640 it would be a different story @23oz but 12oz AirLite??? Not for me.
It's not only the recoil, it's the difficulty getting back on target quickly which is bad IMO.
Click to expand...

That’s exactly why I bought the 342PD. No desire to ever shoot magnums out of an uber light gun. :)
 
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Most professionals carry +P 38 special in snub noses. Unless it's a full steel gun with 3"+ barrel.
 
I use Speer 125 grain gold dots in my M&P 340. It’s a hot little potato. It’s even split the webbing on a friends hand from recoil. Most people that give it a shot give up after the first or second round.
 
Factory fodder is too much flash for me in the short barrel. I ended up developing a load with Longshot powder under a 125 grain XTP, getting around 1100 FPS. Was getting around 1230 with H110 with significantly more muzzle blast and flash. I am happy with the Longshot.

Rosewood
 
After decades of using 110 and 125 grain JHP Magnum loads in my 640-1, I came to the conclusion that recoil is much easier to handle and follow up shot come much faster when using reduced power ammo. I never could find any of Speer's Short Barrel 357 ammo, but before the pandemic I did buy a good amount of Speer's Short Barrel 135 grain 38 Special +P ammo. As I understand it, this was the last ammo authorized for use by the NYPD. It's good stuff if you can find it. An alternative would be Remington's 125 grain Golden Saber 38 Special +P.
 
Federal used to make a 147 Grain Hydra-shok 38 special, +P+ load. Just a stunning performer in anything I shot them in. HOWEVER, I never shot them in any kind of 38 snubby. I carried them for a long time in Magnaport 2.5” custom model 19. Controllable, nice expansion, not too bad of a muzzle flash. They were LE only as I recall. If you can find them, buy some.

Regards, Rick Gibbs
 
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It is a M&p 340 so no restrictions on ammo, I understand the difficulty and hesitancy to carry a 357 , I probably won't use it too much as a range toy....I just like the size of the gun and the option of a 357 round. I have other small revolvers loaded with 38+p underwood. I also carry a micro 9 sometimes. This is strictly a gun to carry at work or a quick run to the store. But I am really interested in what 110 grain brand any of you can recommend. I was looking at the doubletap lead free copper round, or the corbon.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
 
I chose 125 gr Golden Saber for my 360 AirWeight. Manageable recoil but still pushing over 1000 fps. Hornady's 125 Critical Defense is about the same. Both are manageable.

I did swap stock grips with Hogue monogrips and that helped a lot with follow up shots.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
110 grain HP's aren't bad out of my Taurus 605. But it's probably a bit heavier than most 357's that people carry.
 
rosewood said:
Factory fodder is too much flash for me in the short barrel. I ended up developing a load with Longshot powder under a 125 grain XTP, getting around 1100 FPS. Was getting around 1230 with H110 with significantly more muzzle blast and flash. I am happy with the Longshot.

Rosewood
Click to expand...

Nonwithstanding Hodgdon's use of a 10.00" barrel for their 357 Mag load data, that almost HAS(?) to be significantly less than their START load for that 125gr XTP bullet (8.7gr @ 1529 fps)...?

Their +P load is 7.0gr @ 1228 out of a 7.7" barrel.:confused:

Cheers!
 
STORMINORMAN said:
Nonwithstanding Hodgdon's use of a 10.00" barrel for their 357 Mag load data, that almost HAS(?) to be significantly less than their START load for that 125gr XTP bullet (8.7gr @ 1529 fps)...?

Their +P load is 7.0gr @ 1228 out of a 7.7" barrel.:confused:

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Not in a short barrel.

9.2 grains.
 
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pitbull23 said:
Just picked up a 340 and looking for 357 magnum ammo recommendations for ccw. I am not recoil sensitive. My other jframe is packing the 38 +p , so really wanted this 340 for 357 magnum. Something that will allow for decently quick follow up shots.

I shot some 158gr federal jsp at the range and it was way to slow to recover for a second shot, wondering if dropping down to a 110gr doubletap or cor bon would help with the follow up shots. Looking for less flash and just a little less recoil. I think the flash was the hardest part to deal with when trying to get back on target.
..
Click to expand...

I think you answered your own question - .38 SPCL. A true .357 Magnum load will have more recoil than a .38 SPCL and will be tough for follow up shots, unless you so incredibly strong that you can overcome the recoil impulse. It's just physics.

And depending on the load, a lighter bullet can still have a heck of a recoil. Finally, you're loading a 13.8 ounce gun with .357, so any .357 load will be tough to get back on target (unless it is so watered down that you might as well just go with a .38 SPCL).
 
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