Suggest some light 357 magnums please

Shoebox1.1

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So I’ve got a couple lighter 357 guns that plus P 38’s would be fine with but I’m thinking I want to use the longer case 357. What would be some off the shelf magnums that are on the milder side but still have a decent bullet? Thanks 😊
 
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For the lightest recoil you need to look up what the fps of the load is and the weight of your gun

then look up the amount of recoil in a online system that will show you what, turns up.

With out knowing your ammos, I can't help you out.
 
Speer Gold Dot 357 magnum Short Barrel is supposed to be really good, but good luck finding this load. Remington 125gr Golden Saber would be a good choice and can actually be found, at least from time to time.
 
CCI Blazer 158gr .357 JHP. A medium load suitable for practice and fine in your guns, given the 28 or so ozs you mentioned. I've carried this load on occasion after using it to 'break in' a new .357 at the range. Difficult to find, though, and the $ has SKYROCKETED, more so than many other .357 loads, from less than $20 per box of 50 to over $40 in some instances.:eek:

Another load is (are?) the 110gr .357 JHPs from the major mfgrs. We used these back in the 1980s when the Model 19/66 RB magnums proved nearly impossible to control with 158gr bullets. Some folks on this forum will say not to use them, that they will damage your medium or light steel frame magnum. No they won't: I've fired many of them in K-frames via quals, training etc. without a problem.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
You just have t shoot 38s. It does not matter if you use the shorter or longer case unless you are reloading and even then the only extra effort is separating the cases.
 
CCI Blazer 158gr .357 JHP. A medium load suitable for practice and fine in your guns, given the 28 or so ozs you mentioned. I've carried this load on occasion after using it to 'break in' a new .357 at the range. Difficult to find, though, and the $ has SKYROCKETED, more so than many other .357 loads, from less than $20 per box of 50 to over $40 in some instances.:eek:

Another load is (are?) the 110gr .357 JHPs from the major mfgrs. We used these back in the 1980s when the Model 19/66 RB magnums proved nearly impossible to control with 158gr bullets. Some folks on this forum will say not to use them, that they will damage your medium or light steel frame magnum. No they won't: I've fired many of them in K-frames via quals, training etc. without a problem.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Very true;
the old 110gr magnum at 1600fps has been dropped down to a safe
1295fps for todays 357 revolvers and is very light in recoil.
 
I'd just go with Buffalo Bore HEAVY +P 38 Special's. Look at their spec's - some of them actually are close to 357 magnums in certain barrel lengths. Especially after you look at the REAL velocities from actual guns.

I will tell you one thing about BB ammo - what their stated velocities and foot pounds of energy are on their site are 100% accurate! Almost everyone else's published spec's are exaggerated by at least 10%. This is mainly due to the fact that BB uses actual guns and actual stated models and barrel lengths while most of the other ammo manufacturers use "test barrels" which are completely meaningless for specific guns.
 
Another reason for using the shorter heavy plus P ammo like BB offers is more positive ejection for combat reloads. The 2 inch J frame revolvers have marginal length ejector rods, by necessity.

73,
Rick
 
Blazer aluminum 158 gr is pretty tame. Some of the "short-barrel" and "low-recoil" stuff I've tried has been anything but.
 
The 357s I have shot in J Frames have all been pretty unpleasant.
And I have shot thousands of 357s in K, L and N Frames.
A few Colts here and there,
And let’s not forget those Rugers.
 

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