Any reason to own a 357 mag if you already own a 44 mag?
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I've gotten to the point that I do not shoot full power loads much any more.
I load 38 Special loads in 357 Magnum cases for my 357 Magnums, 44 Special loads in 44 Magnum cases for the 44 Magnums. I also load and shoot 44 Special and 38 Special ammunition in the appropriate Special cases for the guns chambered in the Special rounds.
The smaller diameter ammunition is a bit more economical to load and shoot than the big bore stuff.
I enjoy shooting the smaller frame, 357 Magnum guns as much as the large frame 44 or 45 caliber guns. For punching paper or ringing gongs, I do not need "billions and billons" foot-pounds of energy.
As an aside, the revolvers I shoot the most these days are 38 Special wadcutters in revolvers chambered for 38 Special. I have moulds to cast wadcutters in 32, 38, 44, and 45 calibers.
I load 38 Special loads in 357 Magnum cases for my 357 Magnums, 44 Special loads in 44 Magnum cases for the 44 Magnums. I also load and shoot 44 Special and 38 Special ammunition in the appropriate Special cases for the guns chambered in the Special rounds.
The smaller diameter ammunition is a bit more economical to load and shoot than the big bore stuff.
I enjoy shooting the smaller frame, 357 Magnum guns as much as the large frame 44 or 45 caliber guns. For punching paper or ringing gongs, I do not need "billions and billons" foot-pounds of energy.
As an aside, the revolvers I shoot the most these days are 38 Special wadcutters in revolvers chambered for 38 Special. I have moulds to cast wadcutters in 32, 38, 44, and 45 calibers.
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Varminterror
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@cfullgraf - I may have inadvertently implied I wanted to be convinced of value for a full sized 357mag. For some reason, folks like yourself feel compelled to attempt to change my mind. Trust, as I tell you, I wasn’t asking for advice.
But I’ll share my evidences to return the favor and offer you advice you didn’t ask for either.
I started shooting 357mag full sized revolvers 30yrs ago. I own and have owned over a hundred revolvers, including many full size 357mags.
I’ve hunted with them, big game and small game, fired competitions with them, hiked with them as belt guns, carried them as open carry and concealed, plinked at the range with them, instructed students with them...
I got over “making noise at the range for the sake of making noise” a long time ago, so blasting a magnum revolver just for kicks doesn’t tickle me.
They’re oversized and overweight for carry, over powered and overweight for plinking, not powerful enough for their cost for real hunting. I’ve not been a fan of watering down magnums for plinking, as recoil from any 357mag has never bothered me, and less money could be spent running an alternative cartridge or alternative platform.
There’s nothing I have found a full sized 357mag really did exceptionally well, for any practical application. They’re highly popular, and I’m aware I’m a dissenting opinion on the topic. I’m convinced folks are tricked into buying them and telling themselves how great they are just because that’s the popular opinion.
I came into this thread because the OP asked - is there a reason to own a 357mag if you already own a 44mag?” My answer is a resounding “no.” I didn’t ask anyone to check my work or ask anyone to convince me I’m wrong. I offered my experience based opinion to help the OP avoid wasting money on a full sized 357mag.
But I’ll share my evidences to return the favor and offer you advice you didn’t ask for either.
I started shooting 357mag full sized revolvers 30yrs ago. I own and have owned over a hundred revolvers, including many full size 357mags.
I’ve hunted with them, big game and small game, fired competitions with them, hiked with them as belt guns, carried them as open carry and concealed, plinked at the range with them, instructed students with them...
I got over “making noise at the range for the sake of making noise” a long time ago, so blasting a magnum revolver just for kicks doesn’t tickle me.
They’re oversized and overweight for carry, over powered and overweight for plinking, not powerful enough for their cost for real hunting. I’ve not been a fan of watering down magnums for plinking, as recoil from any 357mag has never bothered me, and less money could be spent running an alternative cartridge or alternative platform.
There’s nothing I have found a full sized 357mag really did exceptionally well, for any practical application. They’re highly popular, and I’m aware I’m a dissenting opinion on the topic. I’m convinced folks are tricked into buying them and telling themselves how great they are just because that’s the popular opinion.
I came into this thread because the OP asked - is there a reason to own a 357mag if you already own a 44mag?” My answer is a resounding “no.” I didn’t ask anyone to check my work or ask anyone to convince me I’m wrong. I offered my experience based opinion to help the OP avoid wasting money on a full sized 357mag.
Apologizes. I did not mean to ruffle feathers or offer advice. Just presenting another point of view.
Post #77 edited.
Saleen322
Member
The short answer is yes. The Dan Wesson 715 specifically is a nice piece because you can change barrels to fit what you want to do and the revolver is big enough to handle full power loads comfortably while at the same time due to its moderate size, it offers a lot of options for comfortable carry. 38 special wadcutters are very accurate with light recoil and you can go up through 180 grain 357 magnum loads if you need more power. As someone who has revolvers in both 357 magnum and 44 magnum, I like using both and have no plans to go back to one or the other. YMMV
Varminterror
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@cfullgraf - I may be easily ruffled today. Largely, I see this kind of thread on one forum or another every month, and have students/colleagues/customers/etc ask me about 357mag revolvers quite often. I’ve seen so many folks either permanently shelf or trade in their full frame 357’s (as evidenced by how many used full size 357’s you’ll see available at any given shop in America), so I offer my advice in these threads whenever I see them to help balance the otherwise “all pro” advise common in these threads.
But inevitably, someone who loves their full frame 357mag will jump in to “correct me,” with their favored use for their favored full size 357mag revolver - always something for which I have used one myself, and always something for which I have found them wanting.
The threads get old, and getting “corrected” by fanboys in the threads gets old faster.
But inevitably, someone who loves their full frame 357mag will jump in to “correct me,” with their favored use for their favored full size 357mag revolver - always something for which I have used one myself, and always something for which I have found them wanting.
The threads get old, and getting “corrected” by fanboys in the threads gets old faster.
I decided to pass on the Dan Wesson 715... for now at least. As much as I love my 744 it was really tough to pass on the 715... which is still for sale.
I actually found all the replies to my question VERY helpful! I didn't post the questions to start any fights... or just troll. I read each reply and applied it to my situation. I never expected my question to have one answer for everyone.
--Saleen322 did make it really hurt to pass on the 715 though!!! I can see a 715 rise on the priority list eventually (I have never even held a 715... and the one for sale was more than an hour away).
I actually found all the replies to my question VERY helpful! I didn't post the questions to start any fights... or just troll. I read each reply and applied it to my situation. I never expected my question to have one answer for everyone.
--Saleen322 did make it really hurt to pass on the 715 though!!! I can see a 715 rise on the priority list eventually (I have never even held a 715... and the one for sale was more than an hour away).
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I have a hard time understanding the rhetoric about "versatility" when I think most just mean they can shoot cheap .38Spl's in them. Which they probably do 99% of the time. I also don't understand buying a .357 or .44Mag sixgun and only shooting .38Spl or .44Spl in it. What's the point? I shoot .44Mag's in my .44Mag's and .44Spl's in my .44Spl's. Same for .357's. So I much prefer my K-38's if I'm gonna shoot .38's anyway. I guess, I'm weird.
The same thing can easily be said about the 44cal fanboys.
Versatility means different things to different people. To business's that means $$$$. The 44cal's are so versatile/popular compared to the 35cal's that companies like Berry's bullets sells 3 different plated bullets for the 44cal's and 8 different bullets for the 35cal's. Lee sells bullet molds, 11 for the 35cal's & 6 for the 44cal's.
3 VS 8
6 VS 11
Perhaps lee & barry's didn't get the memo about how popular the 44cal's are over the 35cal's.
Master Blaster
Member
Varminterror "They’re oversized and overweight for carry, over powered and overweight for plinking, not powerful enough for their cost for real hunting."
That's a great argument against the .44 Mag. Please explain how a 17 oz J frame .357 magnum I can pocket carry is oversize and overweight for carry compared to a .44 magnum??
What is real hunting? around here a .357 magnum is plenty for a whitetail deer, the largest local game we have.
That's a great argument against the .44 Mag. Please explain how a 17 oz J frame .357 magnum I can pocket carry is oversize and overweight for carry compared to a .44 magnum??
What is real hunting? around here a .357 magnum is plenty for a whitetail deer, the largest local game we have.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Popularity does not equal versatility. How many different bullets does one really need?
However, I wouldn't use Berry's as my litmus test. Their application is extremely limited and between the two sizes there is only one that is even suitable for full loads. Beartooth has 19 different .44 bullets but only 8 different .357 bullets. Midway has 73 different .44 bullets but only 66 different .357 bullets but what does that even prove?
It's all about capability. The .357 is good for self defense, target shooting and hunting of thin skinned game no bigger than deer. The .44Mag can do all that and cover all of the .357's bases with moderate loads without the ear-splitting muzzle blast. On the heavy end it handles game up to and including the African Big Six. That's a lot broader range. The difference is that not many people hunt with a handgun and fewer still anything bigger than deer. So most diehard .357 fans really have a very biased opinion because they don't need a lot of what the .44 offers. I would wager that a great many don't "use" the .357 for anything but paper. They shoot .38's and then load with .357's when it goes in the nightstand drawer. Doesn't change the facts.
Concealed carry is not the topic here but we even have .44's down to within a half ounce of the 2¾" model 66. In fact the ONLY thing the .357 does that the .44 cannot is fit into a J-frame, which is not the topic of this thread.
Midway sells 122 bullets for the 35cal's & 64 bullets for the 44cal's. I'm being generous and including .427" & .428" bullets in the 44cal 64 bullet count. If I was to use the .355" & & .356" bullets in the 35cal count it would be over 200 bullets midway sells.
https://www.midwayusa.com/bullets/br?cid=19785
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I guess you have a hard time READING that Midway's site makes it difficult to differentiate between rifle and handgun bullets. By searching only by diameter, you're counting all the .35 caliber rifle bullets. The .380/9mm bullets are irrelevant. As are .427-.428" bullets. If you look at "caliber" and .38/.357Mag bullets, the total is 66. If you look at .44 caliber and subtract the blackpowder rifle bullets, it's 64. Again, it proves nothing. All the game that can be hunted with the .44Mag can be hunted with three or four different bullets.
So in another thread, the OP posts that...
...for use in the .38Spl.
To which you reply....
....and now you're not only using Berry's bullet selection as a gauge of a cartridge's versatility but also .380/9mm bullets. Which is it???
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Mosin Bubba
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Honestly, why I shoot 357 revolvers over 44s is because A. ammo costs for 38 Spl/357 Mag are both nearly half of 44 Spl/44 Mag if you're buying by the box and don't reload (I don't), and B. comfortably handling full house 44 magnums pretty much asks for something like an 7 1/2" ish N-frame or Redhawk that's going to be a bear to pack around. Something like a 4" 357 is still small enough to carry on your hip, in a saddle bag, etc, while I'll leave packing the N frame to Dirty Harry. A 4" 357 makes a nice woods gun IME.
I have two 44 magnums that I inherited and have never found myself wanting another. Maybe if I reloaded and had cheap plinking ammo for them it'd be a different story, but I never found any use for them besides occasional magnum yuks.
If you have a 44 Mag, then you really don't "need" a 357, cause everything the 357 does in the magnum department the 44 does better, but there is a hole for a cheap shooter and/or a more compact gun. A 38 special is what you really need, but most people end up using 357s for this and it works fine.
I have two 44 magnums that I inherited and have never found myself wanting another. Maybe if I reloaded and had cheap plinking ammo for them it'd be a different story, but I never found any use for them besides occasional magnum yuks.
If you have a 44 Mag, then you really don't "need" a 357, cause everything the 357 does in the magnum department the 44 does better, but there is a hole for a cheap shooter and/or a more compact gun. A 38 special is what you really need, but most people end up using 357s for this and it works fine.
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I guess a 22RF revolver is useless as well.
Everybody has their own likes and dislikes when it comes to just about anything. Guns and cartridges in particular.
Yes, any gun/caliber/chamber options have a range of capabilities. Most have ranges that they are best at and extending outside that range it gets into a compromises. The ranges of flexibilty overlap the ranges of smaller or larger caliber cartridges.
Most folks have some limitations on their recreational expenses and focus their expenditures on what they feel gives them the best bang for their buck. This is great but also a fact of life in the fast lane.
For me, 45 Colt is one of my favorite cartridges to shoot. I enjoy my S&W Model 25-5 revolvers but I also have a 45 Colt Redhawk and Blackhawk.
I had no use for a 44 Magnum for decades but I have obtained a few over the past few years. I still have no use for one, I'll drag out the 460XVR if I want to bust a big block Chevy engine. (Note, I have a hot 45 Colt load loaded in 460 Mag cases for fun plinking with this "crew served" revolver
)
I like shooting my 357 Magnum and 38 Special revolvers but the 357 Magnum revolvers rarely shoot full power loads these days. I like the feel of an S&W K-frame better than an S&W N-frame.
These days, I shoot mostly wadcutters in my 45 Colt, 44 Magnum, 44 Special, 357 Magnum, 38 Special, 327 Fed Magnum, 32 H&R Magnum, and 32 S&WL these days. Paper and metal targets do not care what they are hit with. Fortunately, moulds are available. I have a 41 Magnum S&W Model 57 but I have not had time to cast bullets for it or load ammunition for it.
My self defense chores are taken care of by a 9x19 semi auto or sometimes a (*gasp*) 380 ACP. For my purposes, I feel they are more than adequate. (Notice, self defense duties for me are taken care of by 9mm bullets, not 44 or 45 caliber bullets)_
I can load 38 Special ammunition competitively with the price of 22 RF stuff and I like the bigger hole the 38 caliber bullet punches in the paper.
I do not hunt with my handguns short of dispatching a few small critters on my hobby horse farm. 22LR severs that need very well.
I wish I could find an affordable 32 S&WL K-frame sized revolver. My J-frame S&W 32 S&WL revolvers are crazy accurate but I wish they had adjustable sights. I love my S&W Model 16-4 but it is chambered in 32 H&R Magnum.
None of my revolvers experience cases that are shorter than the chamber they are chambered for. It is just one of my idiosyncrasies. Since I reload, I can load ammunition for the longer case at levels the manufacturers ship in the shorter case.
I'm not trying to convince anyone to change their likes and dislikes when it comes to their revolver collection or selection. I'm not trying to argue on the versatility of one cartridge over an other. I just like shooting lots of different ones.
Fortunately, there are a lot of options out there. Make your choices and be happy.
To answer the OP's question, I'd recommend owning a 357 Mganum along with a 44 Magnum.
Everybody has their own likes and dislikes when it comes to just about anything. Guns and cartridges in particular.
Yes, any gun/caliber/chamber options have a range of capabilities. Most have ranges that they are best at and extending outside that range it gets into a compromises. The ranges of flexibilty overlap the ranges of smaller or larger caliber cartridges.
Most folks have some limitations on their recreational expenses and focus their expenditures on what they feel gives them the best bang for their buck. This is great but also a fact of life in the fast lane.
For me, 45 Colt is one of my favorite cartridges to shoot. I enjoy my S&W Model 25-5 revolvers but I also have a 45 Colt Redhawk and Blackhawk.
I had no use for a 44 Magnum for decades but I have obtained a few over the past few years. I still have no use for one, I'll drag out the 460XVR if I want to bust a big block Chevy engine. (Note, I have a hot 45 Colt load loaded in 460 Mag cases for fun plinking with this "crew served" revolver
)I like shooting my 357 Magnum and 38 Special revolvers but the 357 Magnum revolvers rarely shoot full power loads these days. I like the feel of an S&W K-frame better than an S&W N-frame.
These days, I shoot mostly wadcutters in my 45 Colt, 44 Magnum, 44 Special, 357 Magnum, 38 Special, 327 Fed Magnum, 32 H&R Magnum, and 32 S&WL these days. Paper and metal targets do not care what they are hit with. Fortunately, moulds are available. I have a 41 Magnum S&W Model 57 but I have not had time to cast bullets for it or load ammunition for it.
My self defense chores are taken care of by a 9x19 semi auto or sometimes a (*gasp*) 380 ACP. For my purposes, I feel they are more than adequate. (Notice, self defense duties for me are taken care of by 9mm bullets, not 44 or 45 caliber bullets)_
I can load 38 Special ammunition competitively with the price of 22 RF stuff and I like the bigger hole the 38 caliber bullet punches in the paper.
I do not hunt with my handguns short of dispatching a few small critters on my hobby horse farm. 22LR severs that need very well.
I wish I could find an affordable 32 S&WL K-frame sized revolver. My J-frame S&W 32 S&WL revolvers are crazy accurate but I wish they had adjustable sights. I love my S&W Model 16-4 but it is chambered in 32 H&R Magnum.
None of my revolvers experience cases that are shorter than the chamber they are chambered for. It is just one of my idiosyncrasies. Since I reload, I can load ammunition for the longer case at levels the manufacturers ship in the shorter case.
I'm not trying to convince anyone to change their likes and dislikes when it comes to their revolver collection or selection. I'm not trying to argue on the versatility of one cartridge over an other. I just like shooting lots of different ones.
Fortunately, there are a lot of options out there. Make your choices and be happy.
To answer the OP's question, I'd recommend owning a 357 Mganum along with a 44 Magnum.
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Do you really consider a 17 oz J frame to be a full size 357?
Give me a good 22 auto and I could sure get by without one.
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