7.62x39 vs .357 Magnum

Dont forget about the Hornady SST 7.62x 39 round. Through my testing they have performed very much like .223/5.56 ammo and fragmented in the target.

I would say it all depends on your choice of load for each.

It is easier to find quality .357 ammo than it is to find the Hornady SST in 7.62x39

get 2000fps out of a 357mag in a 20" barrel is very doable. but so many mess the point. shot what you can swing up and hit a target quickly 2 times. Unless your the rifle man a semi auto in most caliber s will be quicker when shooting with some degree of accuracy. You long barreled revolver shooter put 21.8gr of H110 and a 125gr xtpgr and you will see 1900fps in a revolver. people get to use to what the 357mag is today not what it was find developed. Those kind of rounds broke to many mid sized revolvers and still will today.

I mentioned that round 4 post back but 1 gr off in weight, Great photos.

I'd rather have 7.62x39...

The platform (AK, AR, Mini-30, VZ-58, etc) lends itself to defensive work better than any .357 carbine (basically looking at a lever gun), and with those Hornady loads, you're getting excellent performance, without really risking a full pass-through. FMJ isn't the only 7.62x39 load, these days.

The biggest thing the two have in common is that my SKS stripper clips hold both rounds well.

A 357 out of a rifle is best with heavy bullets (bullet contruction for handgun rounds wont hold together at 2000+fps).

I hunt with a 357 and I use a 180grn XTP at 1600fps. It works good, but not as good as a 7.62 x39.

If it were legal for me to hunt with a 7.62 I would choose that over the 357.

to me, this is kind of like asking whether i need a V10 or a V12 to go grocery shopping.

out of a rifle, at close range, i HIGHLY doubt it is going to take more than one shot from either of these( assuming you hit somewhere COM) to reliably put down an attacker.

EBK - those sure look pretty.

Another thing to think about is that the stubby blunt pistol bullet of the .357 has a very poor ballistic coefficent and drops like a rock past 100 yards while the sleek pointy bullet of the 7.62X39 pierces the air with much less wind resistance and is practical out to around 300 yards.

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That stubby blunt bullet will do more tissue damage though.

Here's how I see it: I personally believe the 7.62x39 round will do more damage, period.

one more thing to consider,
Too much stopping power. These are both choices that carry considerable power and almost guaranteed over penetration. Consider collateral. Do you really want a bullet to keep going into the unseen? Its not to often that you can get an attacker to move to right so you have a solid backing. This is kinda like getting an extension ladder to climb onto your Kitchen counter.

Over-penetration is why I keep a PS90 handy. 8 people in my house, I want any rounds I fire at an intruder to stop quickly.

Most other rifles tend to .. well, be really heavy hitting.

My ND involved an AK47. I sent a round in to the rafters unintentionally, when I was 21 or 22. (Been a long time ago). The round hit a main support beam in the roof center, the house was old and had 2x12's bracing the roof (sturdy!). Penetrated *11* inches of wood before twisting out the wood beam and splattering against the plywood roof backing. I recovered the bullet with pliers, still weighed 110 grains.

11 inches of *wood*. Not drywall. Consider that; it'll go through at least 3 interior walls even if it happens to hit a stud, longways, on each and every one. If it is only hitting the blank space between studs? It's going.. and going... and going.. and going.. it'll stop somewhere OUTSIDE your house. WAY outside your house. Maybe, if you're unlucky, somewhere in the NEIGHBORS house.

I'll take a 7.62x39 hollow point 75 round drum AK over a 357 tube fed 357 magnum lever action rifle in a fight. The russian will also penetrate kevlar easier.
I can't see the bad guys during the North Hollywood shootout with a lever action last that long even with their body armor.

I can't believe a thread asking about the effectiveness of a pistol caliber vs. a rifle caliber even went to page two...

Well, when you run a .357 (or .44 Magnum) out of a 16 inch barrel, you greatly change the nature of the ballistics.

I can't see the bad guys during the North Hollywood shootout with a lever action last that long even with their body armor.

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If they had Marlins during the shootout they probably would have killed someone. Blazing away in full auto saved a lot of lives.

As far as this topic. I'm feeling pretty good with either round if I'm lucky enough to be holding a carbine when badguys show up. Everyone gets caught up in the tactical stuff but one or two well placed shots are going to take care of 99% of the problems that are going to appear in the US.

I can't believe a thread asking about the effectiveness of a pistol caliber vs. a rifle caliber even went to page two...

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1) 7.62x39 isnt technically a rifle caliber.

2) .357 is a fairly powerful caliber.... especially out of a rifle barrel.

the question is really as asinine as it seems...

Heh, Cameron just dropped the "intermediate cartridge" rule. Nice.

The 7.62x39 is far more powerful.

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If using KE for the comparison, this statement is not true when using carbines and heavy .357 loads.

7.62x39mm 124 gr. @ 2,400 FPS = 1,586 FPE

.357 Magnum Buffalo Bore 125 gr. @ 2,298 FPS from Marlin Rifle = 1,466 FPE

That is about 1/3 of the difference between 7.62x39mm and .30-30 Win., which it seems some here consider to be equal.......

The .357 is no slouch, epecially when given 16" or 18" of barrel.

See post 15

Drop the Buffalo bore bombastic overload claims that NOBODY'S verified . And compare to ammunition we know is loaded to saami spec.

2000fps from a 357 carbine is a little more realistic and at those speeds any 125 jhp will be a varmint bullet and be of very limited use.

I doubt a 125 Barnes XPB would be a varmint bullet. And those common 158 jsp that don't expand from a revolver probably perform nicely from a carbine.

The forty round magazine that the .357 affords is a decided advantage. ug

MachIVshooter said:

Buffalo Bore does show 2,298 FPS for their 125 gr. load from an 18" Marlin.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=103

Personally, I'd opt for the 158 or 180 gr. loads in a rifle. I don't expect the 125 grain bullets will perform as intended when driven that fast.

Between the 7.62x39 and the heavy .357 loads for defense? I'd lean toward the .357 for terminal performance, but the 7.62x39 for platform. I've never seen a semi-auto .357 carbine.

All that said, if I have to grab a rifle for HD, it'll be my AR with 50 gr. V-max loads.

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Buffalo Bore is exceptionally high energy boutique ammo, which substantially changes the equation. You need to compare like to like, so get some more normal defensive ammo for your comparison.

Ballistically speaking, the applications of a 357 carbine is still similar to those of a 357 out of a handgun. If 357 out of a few inches of barrel is not powerful enough for your need, you need to go up in caliber or jump to a rifle cartridge.

The beauty of the 357 carbine is the ease of accuracy, not a game changing increase in power. So if you are concerned with power, get the 7.62x39 or to sleep even better, the 7.62x51. But if you're looking at the 357 carbine or 7.62x39 for their other attributes, decide so by their other attributes. Both can cause more than enough damage within 100 yds on two legged wolves.

you can shoot .357 out of a 7.62 rifle?? I GOTTA TRY THIS!! cheap shooting ahead!!

I would give this one to the 7.62, even if the actual terminal ballistics are basically a wash, because of the weapons platforms it's available in. I also prefer the .30 carbine over it for the same reasons.

Ballistically speaking, the applications of a 357 carbine is still similar to those of a 357 out of a handgun.

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No, its not.