LawofThirds
Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2008
- Messages
- 474
This one's partially for Guillermo, who was wondering exactly how truthful Buffalo Bore's claims of massive velocity is. I admit, I was skeptical of their heavy .357 claims too so I picked up a box and waited for a time to go to the range.
I finally got time to go to the range, and carted along my Colt Lawman 2", my Ruger GP 100 and my S&W 642 2" (1 7/8" with power port in front) along with my brand new CZ P-01.
Going along for the ride was some handloaded 148g Wadcutters, some handloaded 125's in .38, half a box of hornady 158g JHP factory loads and the afore mentioned Buffalo Bore 158g SWCHP +P .38 and Buffalo Bore 158 JHP .357
I decided to run 5 rounds of each buffalo bore product through each gun, excluding the 642 from the .357 offering.
For the .38 SWCHP +P:
S&W 642 1 7/8"
1013
1007
1001
1021
999
Colt Lawman MK III 2"
1000 (I think there's a loose throat on this chamber)
1057
1048
1047
1053
Ruger GP 100 4"
1105
1101
1098
1082
1089
For the 158g .357 JHC:
Colt Lawman MK III 2"
1262 (here's that chamber again, it was clocking ~30-50 fps low on all my handloads too.)
1312
1320
1383
1349
Ruger GP 100 4"
1479
1473
1492
1501
1475
Hornady 158g JHP
Colt Lawman MK III 2"
1052
1032
1043
997 (yeah, chamber)
1035
Ruger GP 100 4"
1105
1060
1089
1072
I only got 4 shots here, ran out.
The Colt definitely soaked the recoil up with the rounded butt and smoothly checkered grips, but the .357 BB offering was obviously much higher power and was uncomfortable very quickly. I would recommend this load for anyone who might run into an agressive black bear, hog or puma though, it's a hell of a load by any standard. As for carry in the Colt, I think honestly the .38 loading or their short barrel "tactical" loads are all I can control in a meaningful way. The heavy stuff takes a lot longer to recover from than the other loads I tried. This is the first load I've found that I will not put into a .357 J-Frame. Ever. Because I like being able to move my hands.
All shooting was done over a Chrony F1, and my handloads clocked exactly what they've clocked over my friend's Chrony Master out of the Ruger. What was surprising was how little a 4" vs a 2" made with the .38 load and that it beat out the .357 load from Hornady.
All the loads I've tested have been nearly spot on with their listed velocity from Buffalo Bore, which is more than I can say for Hornady (who must be putting 8 3/8 numbers on a JHP box.... not sure why since it's marketed as a self defense load).
Oh and the CZ P-01 was flawless and was a real powderpuff to shoot after shooting that heavy .357 stuff.
I finally got time to go to the range, and carted along my Colt Lawman 2", my Ruger GP 100 and my S&W 642 2" (1 7/8" with power port in front) along with my brand new CZ P-01.
Going along for the ride was some handloaded 148g Wadcutters, some handloaded 125's in .38, half a box of hornady 158g JHP factory loads and the afore mentioned Buffalo Bore 158g SWCHP +P .38 and Buffalo Bore 158 JHP .357
I decided to run 5 rounds of each buffalo bore product through each gun, excluding the 642 from the .357 offering.
For the .38 SWCHP +P:
S&W 642 1 7/8"
1013
1007
1001
1021
999
Colt Lawman MK III 2"
1000 (I think there's a loose throat on this chamber)
1057
1048
1047
1053
Ruger GP 100 4"
1105
1101
1098
1082
1089
For the 158g .357 JHC:
Colt Lawman MK III 2"
1262 (here's that chamber again, it was clocking ~30-50 fps low on all my handloads too.)
1312
1320
1383
1349
Ruger GP 100 4"
1479
1473
1492
1501
1475
Hornady 158g JHP
Colt Lawman MK III 2"
1052
1032
1043
997 (yeah, chamber)
1035
Ruger GP 100 4"
1105
1060
1089
1072
I only got 4 shots here, ran out.
The Colt definitely soaked the recoil up with the rounded butt and smoothly checkered grips, but the .357 BB offering was obviously much higher power and was uncomfortable very quickly. I would recommend this load for anyone who might run into an agressive black bear, hog or puma though, it's a hell of a load by any standard. As for carry in the Colt, I think honestly the .38 loading or their short barrel "tactical" loads are all I can control in a meaningful way. The heavy stuff takes a lot longer to recover from than the other loads I tried. This is the first load I've found that I will not put into a .357 J-Frame. Ever. Because I like being able to move my hands.
All shooting was done over a Chrony F1, and my handloads clocked exactly what they've clocked over my friend's Chrony Master out of the Ruger. What was surprising was how little a 4" vs a 2" made with the .38 load and that it beat out the .357 load from Hornady.
All the loads I've tested have been nearly spot on with their listed velocity from Buffalo Bore, which is more than I can say for Hornady (who must be putting 8 3/8 numbers on a JHP box.... not sure why since it's marketed as a self defense load).
Oh and the CZ P-01 was flawless and was a real powderpuff to shoot after shooting that heavy .357 stuff.