.357 Magnum questions

[oldbear]

As per usual my favorite round the .357 Magnum, is getting a lot of space again. I.e. noise, recoil, muzzle blast, etc. I have shot assorted .357 rounds from any number of revolvers for 40 + years, and I have never found it unpleasant to shoot. No problems with noise, recoil, muzzle blast, etc. So my question is, am I in the minority by not being bothered by any of traditional drawbacks of the .357?

 

[Racinbob]

Not in my opinion. UNLESS you're using one of the flea weights. Anything from a steel J or bigger is a lot of fun.

 

[duns]

I carry Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 357 magnums in my M&P340CT. I find the skin gets abraded from my thumb after about 5 rounds so I generally limit shooting it to one cylinder full at the end of a range session. For most of my practice with my "flea weight" J frame, I use 38 Special.

 

[Guillermo]

I gave my daughter a Smith & Wesson model 19 for her 15th birthday

Like her daddy, she is a fan of the 357 cartridge

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // I took three .357s and a.38 to the range today.

This is the same range some were bothered in the past under new ownership.

I started out with a couple of .22 rifles, a Stevens 87T and a Marlin papoose.
Then the .22 handguns, a 10 shot S&W 617 and a 9 shot H&R side kick.
All a hoot to shoot.

Everyone else seemed to be shooting 9mm or .45.

Then I broke out the 1983 S&W Model 586 Distingushed Combat Magnum, loaded up five .38 rounds and one 110 gr. 357. When I fired the .357 round someone down the lane said "Hello", but no further comment.

I did the same thing with the S&W Model 28 Highway Patrol and the Ruger Security Six, five .38s and one .357. Then I went back to shooting the .22 revolvers.

I had stopped to reload the three .357s 5/1 and my S&W 442 .38, four target -one carry round when someone poked his head into my lane. It was a young man shooting handguns for the first time and he just wanted to know what the one in the middle was.
I'm sure my broad smile surprised him, the 6" 586 has long been my favorite.

I asked if he would like to shoot any of them and he sure did (with his Dads permission).
I emptied the S&W 586 and showed him how to use it, explaining how "light " the trigger is in SA compared to DA. Loaded her up and he was off, he did great and he stopped and looked back after he found the .357 round grinning from ear to ear. He then shot the S&W Model 28 and let his Dad step in to shoot the Ruger Security Six. The .357 round happened to be first in the SS ( I spin the cylinder and don't look when I close it) but Dad handled it well.

I enjoy the .357/.38 platform for many reasons the Revolver/Rifle combo is tops. Ammo versatility comes a close second.

I mostly carry the 6" S&W 586 revolver and an Interarms (Rossi) Model 92 Lever action .357/.38 when walking the woods after hunting season. The 586 comes along during hunting season "just in case" the S.C. brush get too tight to swing my rifle/ shotgun or I have a chance at a handgun kill on a whitetail.

So to answer you question ///// You are not alone and I am trying to create other .357 lovers as often as possible ....... enjoy... content.

P.S. The flame thrower like blossom from the Model 28 shooting .357 magnum is UNFORGETTABLE....night or day.

 

[Walkalong]

I don't like full load .357s. I shoot 125's at no more than 1350 FPS, and 158s at about 1150 FPS. All I want in a .357. To make a really big boom, I prefer the .41 or .44 Mag. I don't shoot a lot of those either. Just enough to get it out of my system.

 

[angel1216]

Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 357 Mag. 135 Grain is my ammo of choice out of my "precious". i might try buffalo bore very soon.

 

[357mag.]

I have never shot the "flea-weights",but would think that it would not be nice.I have put alot of rounds (38's & full-house mags)thru my sp-101,and have no trouble with the re-coil even with the stock ruger grips.

 

[Manco]

So my question is, am I in the minority by not being bothered by any of traditional drawbacks of the .357?

Maybe you're in the minority, but you're not alone. With a medium- or large-framed revolver and good hearing protection, shooting .357 Magnum is not unpleasant for me--actually, the concussion and massive flash are rather fun, I think, at least at the range. The recoil doesn't bother me, either. In an indoor home defense scenario, however, I think I'd rather not have to deal with the blast & flash (especially from the cylinder gap).

 

[DWFan]

angel1216, if you can get some loaded for you, you might try these instead of Buffalo Bore.....
http://www.lasc.us/FryxellLyman358627.htm
Just my opinion, but I don't think Buffalo Bore is well suited to a snubby barrel. A 215gr SWC at 900 fps is a pretty decent snubby load and these loads don't have the muzzle blast of the Buffalo Bore.

 

[NMGonzo]

My GP100 can be shot by my GF without much trouble ... even the magnum rounds.

20 shots and she is done for the day, but she can do it.

 

[mothermopar]

I carry a Smith 340 M&P loaded with federal 125 gr hp's. Call me a freak, but I love letting loose a cylinder of those pups from my lightweight 5 shot!

Of course, after 5 rounds, my hand is numb... IMO: that's telling me I'm well armed!!!

Now 357s out of a steel revolver is kids play to me.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm guessing you don't shoot a .357 Magnum without ear protection. I have a feeling the noise would bother you if you did...

 

[oldbear]

Thanks all

Maybe you're in the minority, but you're not alone. With a medium- or large-framed revolver and good hearing protection, shooting .357 Magnum is not unpleasant for me--actually, the concussion and massive flash are rather fun

Thanks everyone for the well thought responses, Manco +1 for your response.

I'm guessing you don't shoot a .357 Magnum without ear protection. I have a feeling the noise would bother you if you did.

ArchAngelCD, I did for years when I much younger and dumber, and that is the reason I HARP about using proper hearing protection when needed.

 

[GRIZ22]

No problems with noise, recoil, muzzle blast

These are things you must deal with if you shoot any magnum revolver. I say it just comes with the territory.

 

[Guillermo]

I am trying to create other .357 lovers as often as possible

while I am not a "cartridge-ist" I sure like to introduce young folks to wheelies

Good job

 

[MR.G]

I lake recoil, flash and bang. .357 is a good choice.

 

[LawofThirds]

Yeah, the buffalo bore .38 +p has some pretty hefty muzzle blast, it's knocked over my chronograph's light register sticks several times at 3' out of a 2 1/2 S&W 19. On the other hand, it feeds the power port on my 2" 642 so well that there's almost no muzzle flip.

 

[marb4]

I let my 11 year old son shoot 357 out of my GP100 (6 inch) after several range sessions of becoming comfortable and profecient with 38s through it. His first comment after shooting the mag rounds was "Wow dad, I love to feel the heat comming off the gun when I shoot!" He's hooked.

 

[Ky Larry]

For noise, flash, recoil, it's hard to beat a Glock-33 in .357 S.I.G.

 

[BigDeesul]

I've shot a few .357's some with VERY hot handloads, and don't know what all the fuss is about. A little recoil, but no big deal. I think people make a mountain out of a mole hill. Talk about noise and muzzle flash, shoot a Draco AK.

 

[md7]

i like the .357 magnum. out of a gp100, recoil isn't too bad for me. i also have a good bit of ambient light in my house. street lights, night lights in hallways, etc.... so i dont think flash would be too overwhelming. then again, i've never touched off a magnum at o' dark thirty in my living room. if i ever do, i'll tell ya about it.

 

[MCgunner]

For noise, flash, recoil, it's hard to beat a Glock-33 in .357 S.I.G

That's a 357 in name only. It's actually a 9mm +P+ with less magazine capacity. .355" bore.

What's great about the .357 as an outdoorsman is the utility of the guns. You're ready for rabbits to black bear, just change the load and elevation adjustment on the rear sight.

 

[MCMXI]

I confess to being a bit of a recoil junky favoring HOT .45 Colt and .454 Casull loads. The hottest .357 Magnum loads have never bothered me in the slightest. I'll be putting 180gr MBC lead through my GP100s tomorrow (4" and 3") pushed along by 13.0gr and 13.0gr of H110 ... it should be FUN!!

 

[rd2007]

I read about the "huge" muzzle flash of the .357 Magnum and the immediate blindness it causes (gotta love the Interweb), so I took my SP101 to the range and did some night shooting one night. I was all set to see a nice big fireball and got pretty much nothing. I could've lit a match and it would've been a bigger flame. Maybe I didn't try the right brand of ammo or something, but I had three different kinds and none of them made any blinding flash. They are loud as hell, though, and I would not want to be in the same room as one without protection. However, that is not to say I won't use one as SD if the need arises. It'll probably suck to be my ears for a while, but it'll suck even more to be the fool on the receiving end.