Anybody Not Like Shooting .357?

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D-Man

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Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I just don't enjoy shooting the .357 round. As much as it's fun shooting .38 out of a 6" 19-4, the .357 round isn't any fun. Yes, I understand the ballistic numbers out of it and know it's a proven stopping round, but I much rather stick to 9MM or .45ACP.

Without this becoming a 'which round is better' argument, does anybody else feel the same way? Maybe I'm just not a revolver guy......
 
I have two 38/357 S&W's, a 4 inch Model 19 and a 2 inch model 640. I find the 357mag round really uncomfortable to fire. I use 38's at the range, and load them at home with 38+p. I think the 38+p would be an effective personal defense round, and lets me avoid having to practice with the 357mags.
 
Good grips and practice make a big difference -- as does the weight of the gun. My 6" barreled Colt M357 and my 5 1/2" barrled Colt SAA are very easy to shoot. Some of the modern flea-weight revolvers are brutal, though.

Two things you might try are PAST shooting gloves and good ear protection. The sonic shock wave is a big part of the unpleasantness. I wear both ear plugs and muffs when shooting.
 
I'm not crazy about shooting .357mag, either, even when I shoot them out of the larger L-framed 686. 'Course, grips likely play a big role, and I'm currently using Miculek grips, which are known to not handle bigger power factors well. In my hands, shooting .357mag with these grips is best described as "vicious".

At any rate, it's prudent to fit the round to the application, and to stick to what you're capable of shooting. My interest is mostly paper punching, but If I were hunting, or carrying my 686 in the woods, I'd load it with .357s and not worry about recoil. At the range, I shoot .357mags occassionally to remind myself how the round shoots, but otherwise, I generally stick to .38 or .38+P.
 
I very much like the .357 cartridge, but I don't really like shooting the full-powered ammo in anything lighter than an L-Frame Smith...for two reasons. One is that it's hard on the guns, and two is that after about a hundred rounds...the concussion starts to make my head hurt.

I use a handloaded 160-grain home cast SWC and 14.5 grains of 2400 for those times that I want the downrange punch of the "magnum" without all the fuss and stress on the gun. It's about a 90% top-end load that's extremely accurate in every revolver I've fired it in with one notable exception. If you're a handloader, I suggest that you give it a try. It's actually fairly mild as .357 goes. Of course, it goes without saying that the charge should be approached carefully, reducing it by a grain-point-five and working up to it. It's better suited to heavier revolvers, though.
 
I don't see much difference between my 4" 65-5 using .357, and my SP101 with 38+P. Recoil is comfortable enough that I usually go through a box of shells when it goes to the range. Maybe it is a grip thing. I use Hogue rubber grips, and they take the sting out of things pretty well.
 
Totally depends on the firearm.

Out of my old S&W model 65 its a load of fun. Out of my S&W 340PD its torture and once the novelty wore off I went to Gold Dot 38+P. :)
 
I have a pair of ruger new Vaqueros and usually shoot the 38 special loads appropriate for cowboy action shooting but BROTHER shooting 357 magnum is a RUSH in comparison. The noise and the muzzle rise tells me it is a whole different animal. I thought it was fun but truthfully because of the ammo cost difference I don't do it often. I can't imagine enjoying and/or controlling in a lightweight stub nose.
 
I use a handloaded 160-grain home cast SWC and 14.5 grains of 2400 for those times that I want the downrange punch of the "magnum" without all the fuss and stress on the gun. It's about a 90% top-end load that's extremely accurate in every revolver I've fired it in with one notable exception. If you're a handloader, I suggest that you give it a try. It's actually fairly mild as .357 goes.
Click to expand...

pretty close to the 14 gr. load I use with 158 JSP. Nice shootin' load that still gives one the "magnum" feel, but is easy on the gun and on your hands. I have a nice little load with 7 grains of Unique that's fun for all day also. Me and the youngest shot almost three hundred rounds thru the 686 today. Only 50 of them were the plinkers, the rest were the 2400 loads. The youngest is just 15 and neither of us will quit shootin the 686 till we run the 'ell outta shells........it's just that much fun to shoot. We mostly shoot clay pigeons that we stack against the berm' and continue to challenge each other on the pieces till there are no pieces left. Of course compared to the .460, the .357 is just a peashooter. We 'peck away" at the smallest of pieces with the .22 pistols while the barrels cool down on the canons. Then we set up another 10 and do it all over again.
 
Full loads from my 2.5" M19 are a handful, but from larger guns like N frames or I frame Colts I enjoy the bark and bite of the Magnum.

Who wouldn't enjoy shooting this 1st year Highway Patrolman?


standard.jpg
 
I'd guess you either have a .357 in a light frame, or a type of grip that doesn't fit your hands well. I shoot full house loads from a Colt Peacekeeper, and a S&W 65-6---both medium frames with Pachmayer grips and have no problem.

The other thought may be your shooting technique. A semi-auto recoils by pushing back at you, a revolver kicks up. You need to 'ride the recoil' and let the gun bounce up and then drop the barrel back down again to get it on target. If you fight the recoil you will get stung! If you don't understand what I mean, go and find a good handgun instructor that can show how to handle a big wheelgun. They are a very different animal from the semi-autos.
 
I don't care for .357 either. As loneviking said, it's a very different experience compared to any semi auto I've fired. I try to use my standard grip on powerhouse revolvers and usually I'm sore in no time. I've heard the "let it roll" technique, but my autoloader voice screams "You're limp-wristing!" and my attempts to do it correctly seldom go anywhere. However, I believe I don't like it just because I'm not used to shooting revolvers of any kind.
 
On the contrary, it's my favorite round to shoot.

In my 340pd, I practice with handloads (in .357 cases) that launch a 158gr jhp at 1000 from the 1 7/8" pipe. This approximates the 38special +p offering from buffalo bore that I carry.

In my Ruger Service 6 and S&W 627 I shoot everything from mild (158gr swagged at 850fps) to wild (158gr Double Taps at 1500fps or my handload 185gr LFNGC at 1200fps).

For me, the .357 seems to be the perfect balance between power and control. The 6" model 19 you describe sounds like a near perfect platform for a .357mag round.
 
Of all the handguns I own, I find my 686 Plus 4" barrel the most fun range gun I own. It is accurate and easy to shoot. The recoil is the best part of shooting the beast! I also get a kick when it is a bit overcast and you can see the flash it puts out, wow!
 
I usually buy .38 instead of .357 because I can usually save a few dollars going that route. I don't have any problem with the .357 and if I were going to carry my Ruger Service Six or S&W 28-2 then I would want to carry .357. However for target shooting I'll stick with .38 since I don't need stopping power against paper targets.
 
Things like grips, weight and practice are important to shooting .357's, but I think the key to really enjoying shooting the .357 Mag, be it a large frame revolver like a GP100 or a snub, is reloading. One can develop anything from inexpensive plinking/target loads to higher velocity (158 gr JHP @ ~1,200 fps) loads that have much less recoil and muzzle blast than commercial loadings.
 
Comapred to shooting .45 or 9mm, it does feel like .357 punishes you more, but on the other hand, the "ride the recoil" advice is spot on.

If you try and take the recoil the same way you handy a semi-automatic, you're going to feel the difference in a "less than good" way.
 
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