[jgo296]

i was thinking about the age old debate of which is better the 357 mag or the 45acp
do you need high speed or heavy punch to take a man down
well i choose both types but i went about it in the opposite manner
the classic being 357mag revolver and 45acp 1911
my basakwards way is glock20 (10mm) and s&w 296 (44S&W special 5 shot airweight)
so you see i prescribed to both methods in a convoluted manner

but honestly, if i had only one shot at a perp with each gun at close distance,
i dont know which would be more effective

any ideas yall?

[Hoppy590]

one shot at gut buster range?

.357 no doubt.

for a personal carry gun, .45. mainly because 90% of my range time is on semi autos. and probibly 80% of that is on 1911's

but the .357 snubby provides more power, in a smaller package witht he only trade off is sites and for me quick follow ups ( little practice with that on revolvers)

as you said though. 1 shot, close range. .357 all the way

[DougDubya]

They're both equivalent in punch and effectiveness, provided a dead COM hit. Neither is worth anything on a peripheral hit or a miss.

Whichever is easier for you to shoot.

[R&J]

A quick look at high performance ammos, such as Double Tap, shows that 10 mm easily meets or exceeds .357 magnum performance:

1) .357 Magnum, 1600 fps, 710 ft. lbs., 125 gr Gold Dot

2) 10 mm, 1600 fps, 767 ft. lbs., 135 gr Nosler

3) .357 Magnum, 1400 fps, 688 ft. lbs., 158 gr Gold Dot

4) 10mm, 1475 fps, 750 ft. lbs, 155 gr Gold Dot

5) .357 Magnum, 1200 fps, 640 ft. lbs., 200 gr Hardcast

6) 10mm, 1300 fps, 750 ft. lbs., 200 gr Hardcast

I believe them's apples & apples! :)

Then there's the whole sixteen shots thingy! ;)

And a nice slide to eat up some recoil! :cool:

Plus, you could opt for a more compact G29, or a converted G30, for carry.

Note: My last range trip, I shot 150/150 10 mm rounds, without a hiccup, through my .45 ACP : 10 mm G21 conversion. I was shooting ammo (2) mentioned above.

I saw field notes on this ammo & load recently, from Gel Tests performed, that included the comment, "Nasty!"

--Ray

[MikePGS]

I think the third school, the "Placement is what counts most" school that is, is probably right.

[Walkalong]

The 10 mm Covers It Nicely!Come on now, stay on task. :D


Both excellent rounds. I have a 2 1/2" 686 that I really like, but I favor the .45 in a 1911.

[1911Tuner]

No big secret as to my main affiliation. 1911s and the .45 ACP cartridge fits my general requirements neatly. That said...If I had to choose one sidearm to see me through come what may...it would be a DA 4-inch .357 Magnum revolver with fixed sights. An adjustable rear sight would be a plus, but they're relatively fragile should the going get rough.

Why?

The .357 Magnum cartridge is a more versatile round, and the revolver would do well in a greater variation of "Come What May" situations. It's powerful enough to kill medium-sized game at ranges out to 50 yards if shot well. Well-suited to defensive use with a proven track record. It can be downloaded for
use on small game. It's not dependent on power levels or bullet geometry for reliable function, and the majority of good-quality revolvers are adequately accurate out of the box. They do require a bit more care than ordnance-grade autopistols in adverse situations, and most need a little smoothing up and tuning of the double-action trigger. Most of them are fine in the single-action mode, but that varies from gun to gun and is dependent on shooter preference.

As far as effectiveness on target, the .357 has it over the .45 round until you get into some pretty hairy and exotic ammo, which may or may not function well in a particular gun...and even then, it's a toss-up because the difference is slight...with the edge still going to the revolver.

[BlindJustice]

+1 to 1911Tuner

Since I'd limit my load to sub-sonic indoors as well as being
able to get a .22 LR conversion kit for my 1911
I'll stick with it. I still like shooting my 686P They're both
great

[RNB65]

Neither will be effective if you don't hit something vital.

Both will be effective if you hit something vital.

Ballistic comparisons between the two are irrelevant.

'nuff said.

.

[edrice]

The stopping effectiveness between the .357 and the .45 is to me somewhat moot. They're both proven stoppers and debate as to which is better is mostly a waste of time on one hand, if not fun and the other. But anybody that needs more than either of these is just a terrible shot.

But the deciding factor for me does not have to do with how effective one round or the other is. I inadvertantly had "opportunity" once to "listen" to a .45 acp being fired indoors with nekkid ears. I never want to do that again, although I've ultimiately perceived no hearing loss. This is probably to the credit of the .45's lower pressure and decibel levels. Had it been a .357, I'd likely not hear again. If I remember right from decibel charts I've seen, the .357 is four times louder than the .45 and that's substantial.

The .357, being generally louder than a .44 magnum, I don't even like to listen to that *with* hearing protection on. Don't get me wrong. I own three .357's, two six-shots and one five-shot. I like them a lot, but my first choice for defense. is the .45, because I'm probably not going to get a BG to pause while I don ear muffs.

Additionally, in the event that I'm a terrible shot (who's going to be good at 2AM?), my six-shot .357s don't hold as much ammo as .45 stuffed with a ten-round magazine (and with a spare in reserve).

Having the perspective of hearing an indoor blast has added a strong dimension to my choice of defense weapon. Warning! Do not try this at home! Any argument to the contrary will just fall on deaf ears. (OK, just a metaphor...)

Ed

[Vern Humphrey]

The only handgun I have ever used to shoot a man with is my Colt M357, in Viet Nam. It made two one-shot kills.

Nowadays, though, I carry an M1911, a Kimber Classic.

[jgo296]

well i guess the title threw it all off but i have 10mm and 44 spec
would everyone agree that the 10mm and 357mag are pretty similar and that the 44spec and 45acp are as well?

[1911Tuner]

would everyone agree that the 10mm and 357mag are pretty similar and that the 44spec and 45acp are as well?

Yes on the first question...not really on the second if you're comparing the old standard .44 246-grain LRN round. Advertised velocity for that one was 750 fps from a 6-inch barrel, but my chronograph has yet to clock one at more than about 700...and in a 4-inch barrel, it drops to a fairly mundane 630 fps. Not somethin' that I'd want to stand in front of, mind you...but still pretty anemic as big-bores go. The Winchester 200-grain Silvertip really wakes the old .44 Special up, and puts it on a par with the .45 230 HP.

[jgo296]

Caliber : .44 Special

Bullet : 200gr. Speer Gold Dot Jacketed Hollow Point

Ballistics : 1100fps - 538 ft./lbs. - 5.0" bbl.


Caliber : .45ACP

Bullet : 200gr. Speer Gold Dot JHP

Ballistics : 1125fps - 562 ft./lbs. - 5" 1911
thats what doubletap does with each
but isnt a .44 actually like a .42 though?

[1911Tuner]

but isnt a .44 actually like a .42 though

More like a .43 caliber. .429 inch

[Bazooka Joe71]

Since shot placement is the most important aspect, I'll take a .45 anyday...Much more difficult "rapidfire" .357 on target than a .45 for myself.

[Timthinker]

With comparable barrel lengths, the .357 should have the edge when loaded with 125 grain bullets. I believe that it would also have superior penetration. Now, some people might find the .45 ACP more controllable for rapid, accurate fire. Think about the matter this way. Both handgun rounds are good, so what handgun design would you prefer to use in a highly stressful situation? If you are more comfortable with a good double-action revolver, then I would select it even if it was loaded with .38 Special rounds. The point here is accurate bullet placement. Choose the handgun with which you are most comfortable.


Timthinker

[MCgunner]

I have plenty confidence in either, or even 9mm or my .38s for that matter. Thing is, a SP101 is easier to carry than a Ruger P90 (my .45), so I generally go with .357 magnum between the two calibers. I very much am a revolver guy anyway.

I carry a 140 grain Speer load that chronographs 1335 fps from the SP101, plenty.

[skywarp_]

10mm.

Good placement is key.


but having more than enough capacity and power never hurts.

[Vonderek]

125gr .357 Federal JHP & 230gr .45 Hydrashocks are both at 96% one shot stop and both are at the top of that scale if that sort of measurement means anything to you. Shoot whichever you want knowing you can't do much better with a handgun. The .45 platform generally has more rounds on tap and may be easier to shoot more accurately and quickly than the .357. And you won't blow your eardrums out quite as badly if you ever have to fire it in self defense w/o ear protection indoors or within the confines of a vehicle.