.357 magnum questions

[sthomper]

as for shelf offerings will the heavier .357mag bullets , though generally slower, punch through bone better than faster, lighter .357 mag bullets??

do the heavier bullets (in HP) tend to expand as well as the lighter bullets???

 

[kludge]

I will say that the recoil impulse is different between the light weight and the original weight 357 magnum bullets. I find the 110 and 125 grain loads to be very loud and the recoil very sharp, but the 158's while still very loud tend to have a little more of a rolling recoil impulse, have less flash and the report seems to be a little less sharp.

^this^

The 110gr screamers sting a bit out of my SP101, about like an Airweight with .38+P's.

158 and down for SD, 158 and up for hunting. The 158 will likely have more penetration. I would use the classic 125gr for self defense, or the newer 135gr Gold Dot with less blast and recoil, but a bit more power then .38SPL+P.

I would use 180gr Hornady XTP for deer hunting, or a similar weight in lead.

 

[loneviking]

It depends on your gun! In general, I agree that the 158's have a rolling feel to them, while the 125's have a snap/bounce kind of feel. Personal preference is the 145 gr. Silvertips as I can fire those out of either the Colt Peacekeeper or the Mod. 19 comfortably. With the big Colt, my preference is the old Norma hollowpoints that I have a couple of boxes of. I also use the 125 XTP's loaded with 8 gr. of Unique in the Colt and those rounds have some zip to 'em. In a short barreled gun, I'd stick with the Silvertips, or go with the low flash Buffalo Bore ammo.

 

[roaddog28]

Hi,
I just got back from the range two days ago and I was using Black Hills 125gr HPs in my Ruger GP100 4 inch. Accuracy was good but even in the strong GP100 the round felt very snappy as compared to the 158gr rounds. As good as the 125gr full power round is rated, I tend to want to stick with the 158gr because of a more predictable recoil. I also believe the Silvertips would be better too. One round that nobody has mentioned is Remingtons Golden Saber 125gr HP. This is a medium power round that does not have the recoil and using the round indoors should be better for home protection because of less chance of over penetration.
Just some thoughts.
roaddog28

 

[gofastman]

the answer to the first question is yes.

 

[Rexster]

The 145-grain Winchester Silvertips are indeed good carry loads to use, with less overall kick than the 158-grain JHP loads, and less of the sudden, brutal acceleration of the full pressure 125s. (Do note that there are mild 125s; pay attention to velocity data. 1250 FPS is mild velocity for a 125; 1400-1450 is full-pressure.)

As others have experienced, and said, full-pressure 125 may have less overall kick than the full-pressure 158s, but the sharp, sudden acceleration produces a kick that is harsh in its own way. The 158 may be more tolerable for some, the 125 for others.

The grip shape and weight of the weapon also enter into the equation, of course. Weight not only dampens recoil, but acts as a shock absorber for fast-accelerating loads. A grip that lets the weapon ride lower in the hand, all else being equal, means less upward kick, and more recoil directed straight back.

FWIW, another big reason I like 145-grain .357 Silvertips is because they shoot closer to point of aim, generally, when the sixgun has fixed sights, than the 125-grain loads.

 

[Brian Williams]

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