357 vs 44 for versatility

[roscoe]

If you ever intend to actually fire real .357 loads, the SP101 is as light as I would ever go. With the right grips, even the 180-200 grain Buffalo Bore/DoubleTap loads are manageable. The 3" SP101 is my 'do-it-all' handgun. I even sometimes wear it concealed IWB.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

+1 on this and i do the same but if Ruger ever brings out the SP101 in a 4" 41 magnum the 357 will go by the wayside

 

[RealGun]

+1 on this and i do the same but if Ruger ever brings out the SP101 in a 4" 41 magnum the 357 will go by the wayside

Maybe not hijack the thread for something that is not going to happen.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Maybe not hijack the thread for something that is not going to happen.

Well bless your heart

 

[BobWright]

I think of it this way: The .44 Magnum can do anything the .357 Magnum can do. The reverse is not true.

But I hedge my bet somewhat and have a few .45s as well.


Bob Wright

 

[Armored farmer]

I am a flatland farmer from Illinois, i dont even presume to talk about bears or bear guns.
But.....
Why not a .22 and a can if bear spray for the trails where bears are unlikely and grousr are likely..?
Or just blast your grouse with the big bore.
.

 

[Walkalong]

Or just blast your grouse with the big bore.

.44 Mag rat shot capsules?

 

[buck460XVR]

Or just blast your grouse with the big bore.
.

In Wisconsin, it's illegal to shoot any game bird with a handgun unless one possesses a Class A, B or C disabled permit and then one can only use one chambered in .410. Don't know about other states, folks might want to check their regs.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

.44 Mag rat shot capsules?

I've always heard those wreak havoc on the rifling. Don't know if it's true.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I've always heard those wreak havoc on the rifling. Don't know if it's true.

Yes. Plastic capsules and lead shot wreck havoc on steel barrels.

 

[.308 Norma]

In Wisconsin, it's illegal to shoot any game bird with a handgun unless one possesses a Class A, B or C disabled permit and then one can only use one chambered in .410. Don't know about other states, folks might want to check their regs.

It's legal to shoot the various types of forest grouse with a handgun here in Idaho. Heck, it's even legal to shoot them with a pellet rifle or pistol here. The fact is though, while I've killed a lot of them, both ruffed and dusky (what we call "fool hens" here) I've never purposely "hunted" forest grouse. I've always just used my big game rifle to clip their heads off while deer or elk hunting - usually in the evening on my way back to camp.
We had a son-in-law though that in addition to his 30-06, actually carried one of those Benjamin pump-up pellet pistols just for grouse while deer hunting. I never did understand his reasoning, and as far as I know, he never did shoot a grouse.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Yes. Plastic capsules and lead shot wreck havoc on steel barrels.

I detect a bit of sarcasm coming through my wi-fi.

As I understand it, it's the rifling that gets damaged. Perhaps this old-timey woods lore.

 

[Bigmike79]

I would say they're about equal in versatility.

The 44 is a more versatile hunting round for sure. It can be loaded incredibly light for small game like Jack rabbits or koons with 200 grainers at around 700 fps, and very hot for large dangerous game with 300 grainers at over 1300 FPS

The 357 is more versatile as a defense round simply because it's much easier to carry a 357 snubby than a 44. The 357 can also be used for certain small game, and it can be loaded up to a decent deer round.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I detect a bit of sarcasm coming through my wi-fi.

As I understand it, it's the rifling that gets damaged. Perhaps this old-timey woods lore.

I couldn't help it.
The shot shells will not harm the refiling in a barrel, unless you are loading your own with steelshot . But I don't think that even the 44 Magnum loaded with steelshot would be effective for duck hunting.

 

[CraigC]

If you shot a million dollars worth of rat shot through a revolver, you might start seeing some degradation of the rifling at the edges.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

It's that dang plastic capsule. Ruining gun after gun.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

When I hear "versatile" I think able to do the most different things well. And Bob summed that up as well or better than I could.

I think of it this way: The .44 Magnum can do anything the .357 Magnum can do. The reverse is not true.

 

[tubeshooter]

For the specific situation of the OP, I like the kit gun suggestion. As much as I like and am invested in .38/.357, it simply does not bring enough different to the table over .44 Mag for Alaska to bring a whole 'nother gun IMHO.

If you just want to pop the occasional hare, a smallish .22 handgun and 50 rounds of ammo wouldn't take up much space or weight. Also it would leave enough left to actually eat, which I am thinking would be a big plus.

I say "smallish", because if the gun is too small it will be hard to hit small game at any decent range.

I guess something like an SP-101 or LCRx would work also if you insisted on .38/.357.



For the overall debate, everything seems to have been well covered. Size of guns available, recoil, ammo cost, reloader or not, range of power, all that. Everybody agrees that .44 has more top end power. I'm nowhere near Alaska and don't need it, but as always YMMV.

 

[If1HitU]

More versatile,i'll go with both 357 Mag. and my S&W 69 .44 Mag.

 

[Crowman]

Since you already have a 44, I would add a 357 to the stable. I own both. I live in the woods. Critter wise, I have black bear and the occasional hog. Also there is a big cat roaming through periodically from out of North Carolina. Showed up on a neighbors game camera and I tracked it for a ways in the snow. Lots of coyotes as well. Lost two cats to ‘em. Me and the bears have met...they now mind their own business. The big boar likes to mark a tree every spring around my out buildings to let me know he’s still around. My spring/summer ridge walking gun is a 4.2 inch 38 oz Ruger Match Champion 357, and my hunting side arm is a 4.2 inch S&W model 69 in .44 Magnum. I find the 357 to be a very versatile cartridge and easy to shoot...in the right platform. The Match Champions are not your garden variety GP100’s. They are trimmer and point well. The heavy loads are viable in many situations. I carry mine in a Diamond D Guide’s Choice chest rig.

This is my EDC spring/summer Gun. It is a Performance Center 640 Pro Series .357 Magnum. It uses moon clips. This one will get your attention with 180 grain Magnums, but are doable. The Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips help a bunch. For social occasions, I load 158 grain JSP. For around the property, I use 158 grain hard cast SWC or 180 grain RNFP-GC. I tote it in a Galco OWB pancake, along with 6 sets of reloads plus a few CCI shotshells to thin out the timber rattlers and copperheads.it has night sights that glow in the dark...very handy in low light.



This is my Ruger GP100 Match Champion. It is loaded with Grizzly 180 grain hard cast RNFP-GC bullets. This is a heavy black bear & hog load.



This is my hunting side arm, a .44 Magnum Model 69 loaded with Buffalo Bore 255 grain hard cast SWC-GC . I carry it in a Diamond D Guide’s Choice rig as well. I replaced the factory sights with a set of XS Sights Express Sights. Extreamly fast acquisition.

 

[Crowman]

I detect a bit of sarcasm coming through my wi-fi.

As I understand it, it's the rifling that gets damaged. Perhaps this old-timey woods lore.

Nope. Old timey woods lore. The plastic capsules and soft lead pellets will not hurt your steel barrel and rifling. I’ve used CCI shot shells in a variety of calibers for years, killed poisonous snakes that got too close to me, my cats or the back door. What happens is the rifling disrupts the shot pattern so range is around 10 feet, perfect for snakes. Even the 22 Shot shells are killer for copperheads. Even made up some 45 Auto Rim shot shells for my Model 25 using #9 shot, 45 Colt Speer shot capsules and Starline Auto Rim Brass and a 45 ACP taper crimp die. Works like a champ.

 

[tbob38]

Would you define "little" tbob38?
What I mean is, because I'm a handloader, I would say the 44 is the hands down winner over the 357 in terms of versatility. Yet I would hardly call one of those "little" 5-shot Charter Arms Bulldogs (or whatever they're called) "versatile" at all. Yet I consider my 5-shot, 4" barreled L-frame Smith (Model 69) one of the most "versatile" handguns I've ever owned. But it's hardly "little" compared to my EDC gun - a Smith, 5-shot J-frame 38 snubby.

The 5 shot L frame is what I was thinking of.

 

[MTNSTRYDER]

This is going to be a wandering question. Forgive me.

Which do you feel is the more versatile caliber-357 or 44 magnum?

How does the 44 compare to the 357 for a broad range of use? From a handloading standpoint, I know that 38 spl can be loaded way down for plinking and small game and that 357 can be loaded way up for self defense and deer hunting. Would 44 spl make a useful/practical cartridge for hares or is just way too much overkill. (As my teenage son says: "There's no kill like overkill.)

My purpose in asking is I'm thinking about buying a 357 revolver. I own lever guns in both calibers and a revolver in 44. Obviously, I carry the 44 as a bear defense gun. Because I already have the revolver in 44, I'm wondering if it will have that range of use or should I be looking at a 357. This would be a gun I would attach to a pack, possibly carry in the truck (highly unlikely), etc.

My concern is the 357 isn't big enough for a bear and the 44 is too big for almost anything else.

If you are going to carry a 44mag rifle why not carry a 22lr handgun that shoots well for you.Or if the 44mag revolver is on your person then a small 22 carbine or even a 22/410 over,under will fit on or in a pack or a scabbard .I carry combos a lot revolver/bow ,454 or 45colt revolver with a henry 22carbine ,22 handgun/460 lever action no one gun does it all and I find the 22lr light enough to carry in addition to my main firearm. You are in the woods “lions tigers and bears omg there is a wabbit” dinner is set.No one ever has enough 22’s

 

[D.B. Cooper]

I carry mine in a Diamond D Guide’s Choice chest rig.

I like hearing other people recommend Diamond D. I live about an hour from their shop. Great people. My 32-20 (Colt Police Positive Special) is in their hunter's hip holster (they custom made it for me), and my chest holster for my Redhawk is on order.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

No one ever has enough 22’s

I'm not so sure about this, although 8-10 yrs ago, I would have agreed with you. I'm so put-off by the complete ammo shortage/hoarding of 22LR that happened after 2012, that I essentially swore off 22LR. (We STILL don't have reliable access to 22LR ammo.) I'm also not happy that the price skyrocketed and never returned to pre-panic levels.

I have about 5-6k rounds of 22LR from before the panic and a single gun for it (Marlin Model 60) that I haven't fired much since 2012, and when that ammo is gone, that gun is a wall-hanger.

So with all of that said, I do realize that 22LR is still very viable, and, even at the inflated prices, still that cheapest way to shoot anything. (Although, I suspect I could reload 32-20 for close to or less than the cost of 22LR; heck, I'm reloading 44 special for 20¢ each and seeing 10¢ each for 22LR. )

But you're right, a Savage Model 42 could be an asset.