Your thoughts on the noise level of .357

[old bear]

Would the intense noise level of a .357 revolver, that might have to be fired without hearing protection, steer you away from this round?

No, as the only way I would shoot any firearm without hearing protection is in a emergency situation. If it's an emergency I will have other things to worry about than causing any potential hearing damage.

 

[jlrhiner]

Now you boys want to hear loud, get yourselves a Hakim. Loudest thing I've ever been around. Buddy brought it out, fired it once and we made him put it away. I can't imagine what it would be like in front of it.

 

[1morethan8]

A .357 magnum doesn't make noise...

...get ya some of this!

Notice the two guys next to him!

Ruger 454 Casull Super Redhawk Alaskan - JL - YouTube

 

[blujax01]

you are kidding now, right?

Some folks have the impression that the .357 is "untamable" or "too much gun" or something. Not true in the least.

If it's not the gun for you, that's fine.

 

[blackpowder]

Some folks have the impression that the .357 is "untamable" or "too much gun" or something. Not true in the least.

If it's not the gun for you, that's fine.

Not at all. I like my .357 just fine. Only not for home defense at close ranges. It doesn't matter how well you handle a full house .357, you will not get off follow-up shots as fast and accurately as you would with a .38spl - simple matter of physics. And while the .38 lacks the energy and velocity of the .357, at close range it is an adequate man stopper. Ask Jack Web or several generations of LEOs who used it quite sucessfully.

 

[blujax01]

...It doesn't matter how well you handle a full house .357, you will not get off follow-up shots as fast and accurately as you would with a .38spl - simple matter of physics. ...

Gun control is dealing with the various physics of a given firearm. It becomes a matter of practice. With the guns I own I am as accurate with my follow up shots as I am the initial. Speed? In my experience not a big difference between a M64 or a M65 in the same barrel length.
Keeping in mind that I do not want to be misconstrued as telling anyone whether they should or should not choose a .357 for SD. It's none of my business. Whether I can or cannot do a thing has no bearing on anyone else.

 

[Will Carry]

I own a couple of .357 magnums and I use them for woods carry. So far I have never had to shoot anything. When I go camping, I usually don't carry a firearm.

I would get a CZ-75 with 19 rounds of 9mm goodness.

 

[blujax01]

I own a couple of .357 magnums and I use them for woods carry. So far I have never had to shoot anything. When I go camping, I usually don't carry a firearm.

I would get a CZ-75 with 19 rounds of 9mm goodness.

Someone posted an eloquent quote that I will no doubt butcher but it went something like:

If you place a round in a vital area stopping the threat, it doesn't matter what caliber it is. If you fail to place a round in a vital area, it doesn't matter what caliber it is either!

 

[1morethan8]

It would be nice if it was a perfect world.. but it's not!

"If you place a round in a vital area stopping the threat, it doesn't matter what caliber it is. If you fail to place a round in a vital area, it doesn't matter what caliber it is either!"

A .25 auto might be deflected from a skull at 25 feet...
same shot from a .44 magnum...
Well... the .44 might hurt you ears more anyhow!

 

[blujax01]

It would be nice if it was a perfect world.. but it's not!



A .25 auto might be deflected from a skull at 25 feet...
same shot from a .44 magnum...
Well... the .44 might hurt you ears more anyhow!

Goes to show that attempting a head shot with a 25 auto isn't such a good idea, right? I guess what I'm saying is "a man's got to know his limitations." I hope to score a Sig P238 this week (please - please!!!) and will be learning what ammunition, where to place shots, etc. as I go. Wish me luck!

 

[whw]

Hello All,

Would the intense noise level of a .357 revolver, that might have to be fired without hearing protection, steer you away from this round?
What do you guys think?

It is great to hear there is another Johnny Quest fan out there.... As to your question, let me first say that I tend to take care of the things I treasure, and hearing is pretty high on the list. My life, and the safety of loved one's takes the top spot. Sometimes, there have to be tradeoffs and the loss of hearing may be necessary when defending my camp from predators. I'm good with that and will arm myself appropriately, which leads me to a critical decision point.

Prior to taking to the field, I always ask myself what I might reasonably expect to encounter in camp or on the trail. If your only realistic threat is human, then you have several handgun caliber options that will not be as damaging to your hearing as a .357, but just as effective. You know what they are; 38, 38+P, 9mm, 40, 44 Special, 45....

Now if I'm in bear country, my concern for hearing takes a back seat to my fondness for life. My go to gun is a rifle first, but the practicality of carrying one everywhere in camp makes it necessary to have some type of backup in the most powerful of handgun calibers. Carrying a .44Mag, 454 or .50 in a chest holster is the only compromise I'm willing to make. Hearing takes a back seat to survival.

Everyone's experience and prejudice plays into caliber selection. I just don't think there is a significant advantage gained in the use of .357 against humans when compared to other handgun calibers. I do think there is a significant chance that a .357 is more likely to cause permanent hearing loss than the 38, 9mm, etc..... when you have to shoot without hearing protection.

Good luck with your decision. I hope you never have to fire a .357 without the advantage of hearing protection. If you do, something has either gone terribly wrong or you made a very bad decision that will result in some degree of hearing loss.

whw

 

[blackpowder]

+1
Very well put, whw. You perfectly capture the essence of the dilemma!

 

[1morethan8]

Well, let's see... Yes, I believe this is the "Concealed Carry and Self Defense" section of the forum?

Humm? Then the only time I can draw and fire my revolver is when life is the price.

OK... So, I've been told that man is the most dangerous animal and bears don't carry knives or guns...
So I need to use a .44 magnum, or .454 casull on bears and something less than a .357 magnum on man to protect my hearing?
Maybe I should just use my .44 magnum, or .454 casull, on ALL animals... or do I need to get killed with perfect hearing? I just don't know?

Humm.. which is the most deadly, a large bear, or a druggy with a gun? Which is the easiest to kill? If I have to shoot a bear 3 times before he gets to me...
and if it takes 3 shoots to kill that druggy with a gun, is it possible he could return fire before my 3rd shot...

I just don't see this hearing loss thing when life is the price...
maybe I need to get another pair of Rose Colored Glasses...

Nah.. they wouldn't fit me after not having a pair on in 44 years!!

 

[blackpowder]

Well, let's see... Yes, I believe this is the "Concealed Carry and Self Defense" section of the forum?

Humm? Then the only time I can draw and fire my revolver is when life is the price.

OK... So, I've been told that man is the most dangerous animal and bears don't carry knives or guns...
So I need to use a .44 magnum, or .454 casull on bears and something less than a .357 magnum on man to protect my hearing?
Maybe I should just use my .44 magnum, or .454 casull, on ALL animals... or do I need to get killed with perfect hearing? I just don't know?

Humm.. which is the most deadly, a large bear, or a druggy with a gun? Which is the easiest to kill? If I have to shoot a bear 3 times before he gets to me...
and if it takes 3 shoots to kill that druggy with a gun, is it possible he could return fire before my 3rd shot...

I just don't see this hearing loss thing when life is the price...
maybe I need to get another pair of Rose Colored Glasses...

Nah.. they wouldn't fit me after not having a pair on in 44 years!!

Well, of course, we all can appreciate that when it comes to cartridges and projectiles, more mass is better than less, higher velocity is better than lower velocity and a bigger powder charge is better than a smaller one. Yes. Correct. Point taken. Will a .454 casull stop an assailant more reliably than a .357? Yes! Will a .357 be more effective than a .38? Yes! So, following this pattern of reasoning, should we all use a .50Cal. BMG handcannon on the druggie? Yes!

I always felt that one should use what is adequate to get the job done. And adequate for close range SD are all the above mentioned popular handgun calibers, ranging from .38 to .45, their magnum variants, as well as some of the more exotic creations. I am fine to load .38+P SJHP in my .357mag revolver as a WELL BALANCED CHOICE for home defense. Needlessly to say, there is almost no upward limit if you feel you need it. A S&W 500 .50Cal. magnum will do just fine. Is it a well balanced choice? Hmm, . . .

 

[1morethan8]

In my opinion...

A .357 magnum is the smallest caliber that I would use for a self defense caliber.
How anyone would even be concerned about noise level in a self defense situation is beyond common sense.
And anyone that doesn't use ear protection plinking and target shooting is stupid.

 

[Neumann]

Any noise level that leaves your ears ringing causes permanent damage. If you're shooting to be shooting, always wear hearing protection, indoors or out. If you shooting in self defence, you may not even hear the blast over your pumping adrenalin. Damage will occur in any case, but it won't matter, considering the alternatives.

 

[IndyHD]

At the range my .357 always gets noticed. It's usually the loudest gun there. I did fire a round off without ear protection while camping/shooting last year. While my ears didn't bleed, it did ring my bell for little bit. I think on the off chance you have to pull and fire on the spot you'll survive the noise. Just don't make a habit of it.

I love mine mainly for the fact that the .357 is a great round that lets you know you're shooting a 'real' gun but if I run .38's through it it's like a .22 on steroids. Love it!

 

[Lost Lake]

I had a malfunction last week with my Comanche 6" 357 magnum. I had just cleaned the weapon and was going to cycle the cylinder and have it drop on the 1 empty cylinder by pulling the trigger....... Of course I had the gun pointed downward, but it was no more than a foot and a half in front of my face when it went off. ..........

was in a small basement, maybe 11'x18' or so.

I'm thinking the malfunction was between your ears.

I don't want to be a smart-hiney, but my Lord, you were indoors, with a loaded gun, pulling the trigger.... That's pretty stupid in anyone's book.

If you want to leave a revolver on an empty cylinder, turn the cylinder by hand and leave your finger off the trigger.

If you want to actually cycle the action and have the gun drop hammer on an empty chamber, do so outside at a safe shooting range, pointing in a safe direction with ear and eye protection.

I'm far from perfect, but I always try to practice safe handling, and you should also. I hope you don't suffer permanent hearing loss and I hope you remember your mistake and we all learn a bit from it.

 

[G.T. Smith]

I don't know this to be a fact but, Could it be that some people are more sensitive to different noise levels and frequencies than others. For instance, my Son says that my .38 special standard pressure loads out of an 1 7/8ths barrel don't bother him as much as rounds from my .25 Colt vest pocket. I wouldn't know because I wear ear plugs with any gun except my .22 rifle.
Peace,
gordon

 

[Stu1205]

If you have the time, take a couple of bullets from your speed
loader or from the cylinder, or spare magazine, and put them in your ears.
While not quite effective as regular hearing protection, it will soften the noise.
If you don't have the time to do that, hearing loss it not your main problem.
Just my .02.

Stu