Bullet of choice for 357 mag

[ageingstudent]

The king of one-shot-stops is the 125gr SJHP fired out of a 4" barrel.

Like these?

These are .38+p and they do the nasty on contact. I can't imagine them at .357 speeds. There is nothing nice about that round. That's a whole lot of hurt coming down.

I keep these in my truck gun.

 

[Nosferatu]

I keep these in my truck gun.

View attachment 1090100

You keep 2" wood screws in your truck gun? Do you drive past a lumberyard in a seedy neighborhood everyday or something?

 

[ageingstudent]

You keep 2" wood screws in your truck gun? Do you drive past a lumberyard in a seedy neighborhood everyday or something?

 

[ageingstudent]

I do bring it in and clean it once in awhile haha. The wood screws are for working on my bench.

 

[DirectDrive]

You keep 2" wood screws in your truck gun? Do you drive past a lumberyard in a seedy neighborhood everyday or something?

Flechette load for crowd control.

 

[ageingstudent]

Flechette load for crowd control.

Wouldn't do the barrel any favors but ouch

 

[Jay Walk]

Armscor
Aguila
Federal
and whatever else all 158 for the range.

3" Kimber, it's all the same to me.... a freaking WILD RIDE

 

[ZigZagZeke]

158 gr round nose lead. I use these in my rifle and in my Model 66 S&W revolver. I wouldn't be particular about what goes in the revolver, and I do have some JHP and flat nose cartridges for it, but I like carrying one type for both weapons. The rifle is a single shot Remington rolling block. It will achieve 1800 fps at the muzzle with a 158 gr .357 mag load. At those speeds the round nose bullets are more accurate than a flat nose.

 

[Phred]

Really interesting comparison of velocity, expansion, and penetration.

.38 Special and .357 Magnum Self-Defense Ammo Ballistics Test - LuckyGunner.com Labs

We conducted ballistics gelatin tests for 38 self-defense revolver loads in 38 Special and 357 Magnum. Here are the full results along with photos and video

www.luckygunner.com

 

[ageingstudent]

158 gr round nose lead. I use these in my rifle and in my Model 66 S&W revolver. I wouldn't be particular about what goes in the revolver, and I do have some JHP and flat nose cartridges for it, but I like carrying one type for both weapons. The rifle is a single shot Remington rolling block. It will achieve 1800 fps at the muzzle with a 158 gr .357 mag load. At those speeds the round nose bullets are more accurate than a flat nose.
View attachment 1090172

Oh my that's a beauty. I want one.

 

[Spitpatch]

Having actually killed stuff with the .357, my current go-to handload for .357 is the 125gr Hornady XTP. 296/110 is a good powder, 231 works good too. Blue Dot has been a choice in the past because it burns so clean. For me, the .357 is a performance cartridge and for business, not to be loaded down.

If the handgun was to be dedicated to Big Game, I upgraded to a heavier bullet. Whitetails, Muleys, and Pronghorns tested the cartridge, even to 125 yards.

I carried a .357 on multiple Alaska trips. There I fed the Ruger Security Six with full-house 140gr loads, and killed a Caribou with it.


Colt Trooper MKIII .357, 8" bbl, Electroless Nickel Finish.
Leupold M8 2X, Jay Scott Target Grips, 140gr Speer JHP, Blue Dot Powder.
110 yards.

 

[Spitpatch]

Oh my that's a beauty. I want one.

He tortures us with it on a regular basis.

 

[edzz]

Like these?

These are .38+p and they do the nasty on contact. I can't imagine them at .357 speeds. There is nothing nice about that round. That's a whole lot of hurt coming down.

I keep these in my truck gun.

View attachment 1090100

The wood screws make sense. What I don't understand is the handle less bullet mold. I would think your digits would get a little toasty.

 

[po18guy]

LOL, I never said I don't shoot my carry/self defense loads. I don't shoot them as often as I shoot the target/plinking loads. I just don't need the added "performance" when killing pop cans and paper. As you implied the skill set is transferable.

Just sayin' - for those who read the thread but don't post.

 

[ageingstudent]

The wood screws make sense. What I don't understand is the handle less bullet mold. I would think your digits would get a little toasty.

Yeah it's an old ideal mold for a round nose 38. Men were men back then I guess

 

[David Sherman]

So I'm wanting to know.
What is your bullet of choice for 357 mag &
What is your bullet of choice for a single action 357 mag &
What is your bullet of choice for a 357 lever action and why?
Edit: for those asking "what purpose" it's what ever you use it for and why.
Just trying to get an idea of what bullets people chose and why since 357/38 have a higher selection choice than say 9 or 40 does.

Lyman mold number 358429. Superbly accurate, easy to cast, hits hard, penetrates well.

 

[Papercidal]

Hp 368429 loaded using the old Elmer Keith 38/44 load of 2400 but in a .357 case around 1000fps out of a 2.5" combat magnum. One of these days I'll get a chance to chrono it out of my 6" combat mag to compare.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

He tortures us with it on a regular basis.

I love showing it off because it is perhaps the one major indulgement I've allowed myself in this lifetime. It was junk when I inherited it, having gone through a cabin fire around 1910. But it belonged to my GGrandfather, who was born in 1825. I spent a ridiculous amount of money getting it restored. To me, it was worth every penny.

 

[The Heretic]

So I'm wanting to know.
What is your bullet of choice for 357 mag &
What is your bullet of choice for a single action 357 mag &
What is your bullet of choice for a 357 lever action and why?
Edit: for those asking "what purpose" it's what ever you use it for and why.
Just trying to get an idea of what bullets people chose and why since 357/38 have a higher selection choice than say 9 or 40 does.

For self-defense against humans or dogs/coyotes, 125gr JHP

For hunting small game, 110 gr JSP or JHP - or even lighter, loaded light (e.g., light cast bullets or even balls), for smaller game, like rabbits.

For hunting deer or defense against cougars, 158gr SJSP

For defense against or hunting black bears, 180gr JSP

The .357 Mag is a versatile cartridge, with bullets
I do not have a rifle in .357 mag, but I have the same philosophy for .44 mag, for which I have both a revolver and rifle.

 

[tac]

Lyman mold number 358429. Superbly accurate, easy to cast, hits hard, penetrates well.

View attachment 1090313

I have around 5000 of them waiting to be used up as I write this........BTW, can I have my mould back, please?

Smissing.