Best .357 Mag "Mountain Load" for 6" Model 28?

[.455_Hunter]

Greetings,

I have decided that my 6" Model 28-2 will be riding in my holster during my upcoming elk hunt north of Dillon, CO. There is no specific planned use for this gun on the trip, it will just be fulfilling my personal policy of ALWAYS being armed while in the "hills". What should I load it with, noting that the potential threat matrix ranges from two-legged idiots through feral dogs, mountain lions and black bears?

Here are some of the choices I am considering:

Fed American Eagle 158 gr. JSP (cheap)
CCI Independence 158 gr. JSP (cheap)
Win/Rem UMC 158 LSWC (very old school)
Win/Rem/Fed 158 gr. JSP or JHP (traditional)
Speer 158 gr. Gold Dot JHP
Fed 158 gr. Fusion JHP
Rem 165 gr. Core-Lock JHP
Speer 170 gr. Gold Dot JSP
Rem/Fed 180 JHP (traditional)
Fed 180 gr. Cast Core LFP
Win 180 gr. Partition Gold
Buffalo Bore ???
Cor-Bon ???
Others???

Please comment.

Thanks,

Hunter

 

[Magnum.35744]

.455_Hunter...

In my honest opinion any of those bullets will do you just fine. But if I were you I would look at some Buffalo Bore 180 Grainer’s! Hope this helps, and good luck on your hunt.

Sincerely,

-Tre

 

[Slugless]

Check the ammo maker's website. See the Federal example below. They rate their cast 180 grain for black bear. It's what I have.

http://www.federalpremium.com/ballistics/Ammo_Search.aspx?act=choose&firearm=2&s1=1

The american eagle 158 is only rated for target shooting.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I'd pick Double Tap over Buffalo Bore, simply by price.

 

[wnycollector]

Selliet and Bellot make a nice 158gr FMJ flat point that put's out ~680lbs. I shoot it in my 4" 28-2 and it's only $14/box!

 

[warriorsociologist]

DT 180gr. WFN
or Win 180gr. Noslers.

I'd carry the first for toothy critter protection and the second is a great deer round (would work well for the 1st option too, but might not penitrate as well).

 

[Gordon]

The Winchester 180 Partition Gold worked well for me on pigs from my 27 6 1/2". So did the Corbon 200 grain hardcast which unfortunetly are long gone.

 

[BlindJustice]

FWIW - WHen CorBOn offered the hardcast SWC bullets
their source was Leadhead. - guess I should check and see
what they offer in .357 cast bullets.

Best stuff I have on hand are the following with
velocity claim with a 6 inch Bbl.
Hornady JHP/XTP
140 gr. 1,529 FPS
158 gr. 1,470 FPS
180 gr. 1,296 FPS

I have read that the 158 gr. with a good bullet is a great
all-arounder in terms of vlocity and weight. WIth my 4 inch .357
mag. I think that's a good call as long as it's a good bullet
and it's placement is appropriate for the game.
.

 

[W.E.G.]

125's for two-legged predators.

180's where deep penetration of thick-skinned, heavy-boned animals is required.

"Foot pounds of energy" means little. You need an elephant gun to knock over a man - and even then it won't get the job done if he has the proper stance. Let's please not revisit the physics lesson on that topic.

When you shoot an animate target, you are creating a WOUND CHANNEL. The objective is to cause rapid blood loss, resulting in hypoxia to the central nervous system. Other than a direct hit to the CNS, hypoxia the only reliable "stopper."

The pain caused by gunshot wounds is hardly even a speed bump during the amped-up interval between muzzle flash and critical hypoxia. Have a plan for what you will do during that interval.

As always, accuracy is king.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO Buffalo bore and DoubleTap are both the best choices but you can but 50 DoubleTap rounds for almost the same price you get 20 Buffalo Bore. (DT rounds 50 for $30, BB rounds 20 for $22)

Double Tap has a 180gr. Wide Flat Nose Gas Check Hardcast bullet that is tested at 1300 fps from a 4" barrel with 676 ft/lbs of energy. From your 6" barrel you will get 1425 fps according to Double Tap. They also have a 200 gr round with the same bullet configuration. That bullet will achieve 1200 fps from a 4" barrel but will have less energy at 640 ft/lbs. IMO the upper limit of a .357 Magnum bullet is ~180 gr and that seems to be shown by the data. The 180 gr BB rounds are reported to have a velocity of 1375 fps from a 4" barrel. That's not enough of a performance increase to warrant buying the BB rounds over the DT rounds IMO.

I truly feel you will be very well protected if you load your 6" Magnum revolver with 180 gr Double Tap rounds. That are also cheap enough that you can do enough practice to make sure you hit what you aim at.

 

[JNewell]

My first choice would be the Buffalo Bore 180, but I have had good luck with the Federal Cast Core 180 as well. These are probably fine in a Model 28. In a K frame or a Security Six, they are...lively.

 

[Oohrah]

Your Highway Patrolman N frame will handle most any load
that you feed it. However, you would be better off with a
reverse gear and use your legs to leave on those things that
bite back. Things need to be perfect with that caliber and
there are too many varibles for that caliber. Yeah, I know
it has been done, but screw up is a hospital trip or worst.
Before it became illegal, hunters with bear dogs I knew, used
heavy loaded 44 Mags for average size. The bigger were always
taken with a center fire rifle. The same loads you use for deer,
will work as well on two legged stuff as well! I have owned
and used this handgun since the late 60s in a 4" barrel. It does
most things, but for dead serious stuff, like many, nothing under
a .40 caliber for confidence.