.357 magnum vs .44 magnum recoil?

[Glock19Fan]

Hello.

I always hear stories about the recoil of both the .357 magnum and .44 magnum. I have shot a .44 magnum before, but never a .357 magnum.

Anyway, how do they compare? The only calibers ive shot so far are .22LR, .22WMR, .38 special, 9mm, and .44 magnum. Personally, I could tell a big difference in recoil between the .44 magnum and my Glock 19, although the muzzle flip was very similar. It was still easy to shoot though, as I was shooting one handed with my weak and strong hands with pretty good accuracy.

So what can I expect from a .357 magnum, with a 2-4 inch barrel? (BTW the .44 was a 7 1/2 inch barrel).

Thanks!

 

[Preacherman]

My own rule of thumb to assess (and describe) their comparative recoil is that the .44 Magnum is the .357 Magnum plus 50%. YMMV.

 

[Yooper]

For a couple of fairly hot ( but within Hornady specification) loads, a 32 oz .357 revolver with 158 gr. @ 1250 fps. generates 11.78 ft/lbs recoil. A 48 oz. .44 mag with 240 gr. @ 1400 fps. generates 21.5 ft/lbs recoil.

 

[Magnum88C]

Well, I'll give a "feels in the hand" comparison.

A "full power" factory 158-gr bullet from my 2" .357 is about as violent as a full-power factory 240-gr bullet from my 4" 629.

Or, since you've fired a 7.5" .44 before, a 240-gr full power load from my 7.5" SRH, feels about the same as a full power 158-grain .357 from my 4" GP-100.

 

[snubby]

My 340PD (11 oz.) 357 mag with full power 125 gr loads recoils appreciably more than my 629 MG (39 oz.) 44 mag with full power 240 gr loads. But, in general, with typical handguns for the caliber, the 44 mag recoils harder.

 

[Standing Wolf]

My own rule of thumb to assess (and describe) their comparative recoil is that the .44 Magnum is the .357 Magnum plus 50%.

I'd concur, although a great deal depends upon barrel length, gun weight, bullet weight, and the powder charges. All other things being equal, which they rarely are, I'd say a .44 magnum recoils one and a half two twice as noticeably as a .357 magnum.

 

[joshlm]

I have a 6" gp-100 and a 4 5/8" Bisley Vaquero in 44 mag. I think the 44 has probably about 1.5x the recoil of the 357 when using my handloads. The 44 does not have rubber grips though so that could make a difference. The 44 is much more inspiring for those that like a little pop.

 

[chaim]

In a J-frame a .357mag is probably similar in felt recoil to an N-frame .44mag.

In a K-frame or L-frame .357 v. an N-frame .44mag it is night and day. I love a K-frame .357, there's nothing better. I could almost shoot them all day. I shot a couple 6" 629s (N-frame .44mags) and I have to turn them in to the rental counter after about half a box (I guess I could force myself to shoot more, but they just aren't enjoyable anymore).

Personally I'm a big fan of .41mag. Cuts the difference pretty much in half to the point that in a 6" N-frame (I have an M57) I find it both quite a rush and yet very comfortable to shoot.

 

[happy old sailor]

i too prefer the .41 mag. as to 357/44 comparison, the .357 recoils less than the .44. but the .357 is also much more sharp. one reason i swapped off a blue 4" Python with issue grips. the sharp checkering would eat my hand up. it was a great gun, just not pleasant to shoot. i know, i know, but 30 some years ago, who would have thought the Python would achieve such popularity. they were plentiful then. no comparing the power between the .357 and .44. i find the .41 to be the more pleasant of the maggies and has sufficientl power to do most things i need a handgun to do. there are always rifles. pistol power cannot compete with rifle power or range. JMO

 

[wanderinwalker]

All other things being equal, which they rarely are, I'd say a .44 magnum recoils one and a half two twice as noticeably as a .357 magnum.

I think this sounds about right. My father has a 6" GP-100 .357, and compared to my 6" 629 .44, the .44 has about 1.5 times the hand-thumping power when using similar magnum-level loads (ie: full-house 158gr .357s compared to full-house 240gr .44 Mags, 158gr .38 Specials to 240gr .44 Specials). Now if that GP-100 was an old Smith M27 or 28 with same barrel length, I'd imagine the .44 would have about 1.75 times the hand-thump.

 

[BigG]

Recoil is a subjective thing. I say given two similar guns, i.e., a Model 29 and 27 (N frame Smiths) and assuming standard factory ammo, your .44 is twice as noticeable as the .357 When you step up to the .454 Casull, you are receiving twice as much kick as the .44 Magnum, according to my seat of the pants computer.

41 Magnum is noticeably milder than .44 Magnum. I think it allows guys who don't like the backlash of a .44 to have something that starts with "4." The downside is .41 Mag ammo is scarce and pricey. I've had em all and kept the .44 Magnum as an N Frame. Of course the Casull is available only in a Single Action Casull firearm (or a competitor but not a S&W) so I'm not inclined to own one. YMMV

 

[Byron Quick]

I've got a few S&W N frames: two Model 29's with 6.5 inch barrels, two Model 57's with four inch barrels, and a Model 27 with a 6.5 inch barrel.

With hot loads in each caliber I can shoot about a half a box before the recoil of the .44 Magnum hurts my hand. I've never had either the .41 Magnums or the .357 Magnums hurt my hand from recoil. Of course, YMMV...maybe I just have wussie hands.

 

[Topgun]

A .44 magnum ruined my thumb for life. It took 40 years to fully develop, but I can recall the day exactly.

It is NOT pleasant. MANAGEABLE.....but not pleasant.

 

[wanderinwalker]

I confess, the only way I can fire more than a dozen or so rounds of .44 at a time is because I reload. My recipe is roughly the equivalent of what Keith and company were trying to do with the .44 Special before they got the magnum. A 240gr SWC launched at about 1100fps is very easy to shoot, IMO. Step on the gas to full power and heavier bullets and things become unpleasant. Just MO though, YMMV.

(The above load accounts for around 90% or so of the .44s I shoot. The remainder is probably 75% Specials and 25% full-house Magnums.)

 

[13.45]

you'll have no problem with the 357 (just bring lots of ammo, 'cause they sure are addictive )

 

[CraZYWiLLiE]

yeah 357 is addictive, I shot 5000 through my DE, it is like shooting a PPK.
Colt 4 in anaconda 44 kicks like a mule.
Colt 4 in king cobra kicks about half.
A snub s&w kicks a tad more, could be the head space between the cylinder and barrel.

 

[BluesBear]

A 6" barreled N-frame Model 29 will have about 50% more kick than a 6" N-frame Model 27.
It will have about 75% more kick than a K-frame Model 19.
In fact .357 from an N-frame is easy to shoot and .38 special is a cream puff.

The secret to dealing with recoil is finding grips that fit your hand properly.
I am one of the lucky few who actually prefer the wooden S&W target stocks.
They fit my hands.
At the range I can comfortably shoot more factory .44 Magnum ammo than I can afford out of my 3" Model 29. I average 100 rounds per session.

Even Lady45 thinks nothing of putting 50 rounds downrange in a single session from either my Model 29 and my Model 57 .41 magnum.
I really need to find a reloading press. She's rapidly depleteing my ammo stash and I can't afford to buy more.

 

[george burns]

This just seems to always come down to one thing, the smaller lighter framed guns, are always going to hurt more than the Larger heavier frames. Thus the problem in carrying a 357. After the first shot, you usually will have a longer lag time getting back on target, while that guy with the 9mm, is firing away at you.

 

[eldon519]

This thread is over a decade old.

 

[98Redline]

Necro-thread

 

[Dain Bramage]

After the first shot, you usually will have a longer lag time getting back on target, while that guy with the 9mm, is firing away at you.

Why did you miss that guy?

 

[MrBorland]

Necro-thread

Yup. Closing this one.