.45 and .357

[Nightcrawler]

Just out of curiosity, I have a question. (I'm enjoying one of my few days off).

Many shooters here prefer M1911-style automatic pistols, chambered for the .45ACP cartridge. Many prefer .45 to 9mm, .40, 10mm, etc.

Many of these same shooters swear by .357 Magnum in their revolvers, even though large-bore revolvers are available.

If you're one of these people, my question is this: what is it you like about your favorite pistol and favorite revolver? If you like .45ACP pistols, why get a .357 revolver over one of the available .45 models?

Conversely, if you like .357 Magnum, why not choose an autoloader in a catridge that more closely mirrors .357's performance? (10mm comes to mind, and .357 Sig more or less duplicates the ballistics of many factory 125 grain .357 Magnum loads.)

I've been something of a big bore "loyalist" who's probably going to get muliple .357s when I return to the US. I'm also considering picking up one of several available .45 revolvers, and was wondering how others felt on the matter.

Plus, it's my day off and I've got some time to kill. (Not much, though. If I want to get a full night's sleep I've got to be asleep in three hours. 0300 comes early. I'll be glad when I'm no longer on the morning shift...)

 

[ACP230]

To be a well-rounded shooter you need .45s and .357s.

My first centerfire pistol was a Model Of 1911 US Army. My second was a Ruger Blackhawk .357. I still have both and still enjoy each.

Both have served for protection, hunting and competition shooting. Both have been used as plinkers when nothing more serious was going on.

I reload for both, and good loads were easy to develop in each caliber.

I wouldn't want to get along without either.

 

[AirForceShooter]

.357 & .45

I'm the guy your'e talking about.
1911 Springer and mod 689 Taurus .357.
My reason for this choice is simple to me. They're both proven rounds.
Both are very accurate and fun to shoot. The 1911 is my CCW.
I don't need a .454 wheel gun that punishes me.
I'm sure others will have other opinions but that's what makes it fun.

AFS

 

[Boats]

For me its all about platforms.

I have my 1911A1s because they are a happy medium of cartridge and fit. I have a Ruger GP-100 because I find it to be lefty friendly and about the same size package in terms of weight and concealability as a 1911.

I think the .357 Magnum gives up nothing to the larger bores in terminal effectiveness against people. Why carry more weight than necessary to get the job done?

This is not to say I don't like larger bore revolvers. I am angling for one of those new Ruger Alaskan snubs in .45LC/.454 Casull. Like the N frame Smiths though, I will probably never try and conceal it due to the size of the cylinder. Those are belt guns.

As far as 10mm, almost all of the currently produced auto platforms suck rotten eggs for a variety of reasons. The only one I like was made by Colt, and they are rare. I might like the 10mm more in a Dan Wesson, but I have never even seen a DW 1911 as I don't frequent gun shows.

 

[cslinger]

Yep I'm also that guy.

Part of it is the rounds history proven both in documented cases and lots of mythic lore.

Part of it is the ease of finding ammo.

For the revolvers I find .357 to be just about the most versatile round out there. You can shoot anemic, super light .38 special target loads all the way up to crazy butt stomping 180 grain super magnum cruise missile rounds....well sort of but you get the point.

As for .45 I just like the soft push of the recoil, the fact that the bullet is the size of a small thumb and that most .45s are single stack and fit my girly sized hands well.

Chris

 

[shermacman]

Me too! S&W .357 wheel gun that makes me grin with the recoil. ParaOrdance 1911 in .45 that also makes me grin with the recoil. I love 'em both. I love the wheel gun for its absolute mechanical reliability. I love the 1911 for its lots of ammo discharge ability. Both guns for their historical references. I wouldn't be able to choose one over the other at gun point.

 

[Richard.Howe]

The both are proven, available, and established.

They are well-suited to their respective platforms -- I will never own a 45 auto wheelgun, nor a .357 mag autoloader. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[Werewolf]

Wellllllll... Why do some folks have more than one car or some guys (lucky dogs) have more than one girl? Huh?

I mostly shoot for fun. I like variety too. My 686+ with 5" bbl and red dot is a fun gun to shoot. So is my S&W 1911 target.

I have fun guns and tool guns. Sometimes they fill both functions (like my CZ75B SA).

Why limit one's self. Buy what you can afford, what you like and what you'll shoot. Hoooray for variety - it is indeed the spice of life.

 

[Delmar]

A question to you, Nightcrawler. Why would you want to stick to one caliber for both platforms? Kinda boring......

 

[saltydog452]

357s and 45s..

For me, it was sorta 'evolutionary'. Interests change over the years. I've had some good guns come and go. Fortunately, I was able to hang onto a few 'keepers'. A 2 1/2" Python, Mdl 13s, Mdl 27, Detonics 'Combat Master', Clark Ball 45, a couple of 22s, PPK, Colt Cobra, Lew Horton 3" 44 Spcl, and a 'Tunerized' Officers Model.

The ones that I have been able to keep have been aquired over the years and are mostly fairly small and easily held. Since shoulder surgery, I tend to wave heavier guns at the target rather than hold and squeeze. Newest guns have been light weight revolvers and 9mm semiautos.

As I said, interests, eyesight, and physical abilities change. My sidearms have too. I regret trading off a couple of SAA Colts, a Clark Gold Cup, 1926 44 Spcl, and a couple of others, but I couldn't hang onto em' all. Gave each of the kids a 45, and a 357 revolver when they moved out on their on. Whatever is left they will have to argue over if I don't trade those off to pay for trivial things like groceries and utilities.

salty.

 

[cratz2]

I kinda see where you're coming from. Most of us that have been fortunate enough to not have been involved in a shooting have mostly conjecture and second hand information to go on... Some well founded, some not so well founded. This conjecture tells us that 45 is one of the most effective rounds in pistols and the 357 is one of the most effective rounds in revolvers.

In pistols, generally we get to choose between high capacity 9mms, low capacity 45s and moderate capacity 40s. A lot of folks absolutely swear by the 45 and for a long time, I did as well. In revolvers we get a larger selection but it still basically comes down to 38, 357, 44 and 45.

Now, it's always seemed to me that if one believes that a slower projectile that is larger in diameter is more effective in pistols, then that would carry over to revolvers but that just doesn't seem to be the case of most American shooters. Why? Lots of gun articles influencing (right or wrong) generations of those American shooters. Maybe...

To be honest, I grew up with 1911s. I carry a CZ PCR in 9mm now and completely trust the gun and the round. I think in an ideal world, I would open carry a 1911 in 45. If I open carried a revolver, it would be a 4" or 5" 357 Magnum. Pure gut instinct.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The question is, what do you want the gun FOR?

If it's a carry gun for self defense, a .45 revolver is quite a hunk of steel -- much wider than the .45 ACP. I don't have any .45 Colts that I consider suitable for concealed carry.

If it's for general all-around woods loafing, to me it's a tossup between the .22 LR and the .357 -- with the latter usually loaded with .38 Special wadcutters.

If it's for hunting critters about the size of deer or larger, then the .45 Colt (especially in a Ruger Blackhawk) comes into its own.

 

[Kramer Krazy]

Interesting. I've never actually thought about it, but you are right. I prefer my 45ACP and my 357 Mag. Just kinda works out that way. To me, the Colt 1911 and 45ACP are an American icon. I've just always liked the 1911 and prefer shooting the 45ACP. The 9mm is anemic to me. For autoloaders, I have 22s, 9mm, and 45ACPs. For revolvers, I have a Colt Python in 357 and a Colt Anaconda in 44 Mag. For me, all autoloaders get compared to the 1911 in 45 and all revolvers are compared to my Python.....Just kinda works that way.

 

[MrMurphy]

They are proven performers and work well.

The .357 has enough power, and a good range of bullet weights. I've seen people get shot by .32, .380, 9mm, .40 and .45, .38 Special and .357, and generally, with proper bullet placement, all of them work. The .45 and .357 however generally work as long as the target is hit in the upper body, period from what I've seen in the limited amount of shootings I have seen with these calibers.



The .45 is a big fat bullet. I like big fat bullets. I'll take a 9 or .40 if it's what I have, but I prefer bigger rounds.

The .357 is a good all-around package (big enough round with LOTS of power). I'd prefer a .44 Special or .45 Colt but finding one in a decent sized revolver with a good barrel length (3 or 4") is hard at times.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

There you have it -- the .357 is highly versatile, while the M1911 is concealable and effective. That's what makes them so popular.

 

[Cosmoline]

I prefer the .357 because it's so versitile. With the .45 ACP, you cannot stray too far from the standard 230 grain RN. With a .357 I can load up a .38 Special shotshell for mice all the way to a 200 grain hardcast slug for bear. And everything in between. For backwoods use, the .357 revolver wins hands down over a .45 ACP semi. Using a .45 ACP revolver is kinda neat, but ultimately you're still limited because the cartridge itself lacks flexibility. Especially given the amazing new rounds coming from Buf. Bore and others, I see the .357 Magnum as a better choice overall. The 158 gr. load generating 763 ft. lbs., for example. No .45 ACP is going to match that.

As an added plus, the .357 gains leaps and bounds of power out of a levergun. The .45 ACP does not.

As far a the .357 Sig loads, it just duplicates the 125 grain loading. It cannot cope with 180 or 200 grain hardcast slugs, nor can it throw medium size .38 Special wadcutters, or shotshells for that matter. It's limited.

I must admit though that the 10mm is an awesome round, and if you're talking about a wheelgun in 10mm, you're speaking my language! Sadly you are not speaking my wallet's language

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Don't underestimate the M1911 and the .45 ACP.

My Kimber and my Argentine M1927 both will digest anything I feed them -- from 185 grain semi-wadcutters to 250 grain heavyweights. By going to a heavy recoil spring and proper brass, you can shoot .45 Super, which nearly equals the .41 Mag. (The spring you want is 28lbs, about $10 from Wolffs, with matched firing pin return spring. As a bonus, an M1911 set up with a 28 lb spring will still cycle full charge .45 ACP loads.)

You can also load shot cartridges that cycle the action -- Ed Harris designed the dies, and you make the cartridges by using .30-06 or .308 brass as the basis.

Add a conversion kit (I have both a Ciener and an old Colt Service Ace) and you can shoot .22 LR.

 

[Rob96]

I, at one time, was that guy. I had my two Colt 45's, a Glock 19 and two Ruger 357's. I had been shooting my Glock and 1911's so much though, I lost my revolver proficiency, and did not like the recoil of the 357 anymore. The Rugers went towards another Glock 19. I am still sticking to one type of trigger pull, but in two different platforms. For me the 45 is at its best in a 1911, and I love the 9mm GLOCKS.

 

[michiganfan]

Nightcrawler are you missing the Michigan snow? Take good care of yourself.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Why not get them all?

I shoot 10mm in my semi-auto's. Mostly 1911 formats, it is a good fit for purpose caliber.
I shoot 357magnum in my N frames, Colts and Dan Wessons. The 357 is great in the N frame and Dan Wessons, but at times I think it is a bit hard on the Pythons in a hot load.
I shoot 45acp out of a 1911, 97b and an N-frame Pre-25.

So why pick just one or the other? Just start collecting and shooting them.

My favorites are 10mm Les Baer 1911 for an autoloader and the 357 magnum in a "Registered Magnum" for the revolver (but really I like my 38/44 outdoorsman in 38 special more then the registered...)

 

[Standing Wolf]

Trust my life to an auto-loader? No, thanks.

 

[Bulldozer]

I only own two guns these days. At one time, my collection was well over 100 handguns.

My two:

1.) Smith & Wesson Model 66-2 3-inch
2.) Colt Series 70 Combat Commander

Either one is a constant companion from getting dressed in the AM until I crawl into bed in the PM.

In my mind, the 357 and 45 are just about perfect for any scenario I'm likely to encounter. Both can be handloaded in a wide array of weights, speeds, and bullet styles.

 

[MrMurphy]

Just about everyone who packs a pistol these days around the world packs an autoloader, so..... you're in the minority about trusting them. While I like wheelguns, any decent auto is going to be just as reliable.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Quote:
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Just about everyone who packs a pistol these days around the world packs an autoloader, so..... you're in the minority about trusting them. While I like wheelguns, any decent auto is going to be just as reliable.
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You're right -- it's only a myth that revolvers are more reliable. Under bad conditions, revolvers tend to fail pretty regularly.

 

[Bill B.]

I like both the 45 and the .357 and shoot & reload each. Some days I prefer to shoot one over the other. In the 45 ACP I have both a 1911 and a S&W 625 Mountain Gun. I also own a couple of revolvers in 45 LC. If I could only own one handgun it would be be my S&W PC 8 Times .357 mag. Simply fits me perfectly and most important I hit what I shoot at when using it.