It is the most painful gun I've ever fired, and, that's saying a lot.
It's so light that the really heavy recoiling rounds move the gun at about 45-50 fps into your hand, with a twist, and, about 25 ft lbs of energy. The result is cut fingers, a flinch, palm damage that can last a week, pretty much horrible.
My favorite gun is a .475 Linebaugh. It moves at only 28 fps in recoil, though with twice the ft-lbs, and, is a joy to shoot in comparison.
From another day:
"I went to the range with a bunch of .357 ammo.
Actually got to go shooting yesterday. I concentrated on two things:
FA 83 22lr and finding a load I could fire with some sort of accuracy out of my 360PD with my Hogue Monogrip on it:
I'll post pics of the targets in a bit.
The goal was to fire enough .357, and 38 through the gun to pick a load for carry. Also, to get familiar with the gun.
Prior to the mongrip, the gun was unshootable with .357, cutting my finger on the first shot.
Now, it just beats me up. It requires a death grip to shoot, and, with the heavy trigger pull, double action, is not a candidate for target gun of the month. Shooting was done at 15 yards.
My right hand is very sore from the pounding it took, and,
like a real brain, I forgot my shooting gloves.
I shot a minimum of ten rounds of each load.
Range notes on .357 ammo extended grip
Federal Personal defense 357 158 grain hp 1240 fps
Heavy recoil, last shot came out of time
Not enough rounds to really test
Two cylinders
Recoils hard, have numb trigger finger, but, not cut
Hornady158 grain JHP XTP 1250 fps
Grouped really high takes death grip to shoot near accurately
American Eagle 130 grain FMJ
950 fps
really mild, but a bit low
Haven’t shot a decent group yet.
Federal Premium Low recoil .357 130 grain HPs 1300 fps?
Low recoil compared to what?
Hurt my hand.
Fioochi 357 Magnum 148 grain 1300 fps
Either my hand is really getting used to getting hammered, or, I like this one. Hits but it’s not sharp. Don't think it's that fast out of a snub...
Fusion 357 mag 158 grain hps at 1240 fps
Very heavy recoiling. Hurt hand.
Heavy 38 special Plus P 158 item 20A Buffalobore 1040 fps
Still pretty heavy recoil. Second favorite, behind Fioochi.
Seems the fiocchi recoils a bit less then the buffalobore 38, or at least sort of slower.
I decided that was enough, and, I have 5 more, heavier 357 loads I was going to try, but, didn't, since my hand hurt. I started off shooting about 10 rounds of .475, thinking that would get me ready for the 360PD, 357. Didn't work that way.
At 15 yards, I shot patterns, not groups. Also, after death gripping the 360PD, I doubled my target grade trigger Kimber, and, the range guy didn't like that much. Same problem with the .475 Linebaugh, with 400 grain XTP's, and a pretty good group, but flew the last shot. About 2".
The Freedom Arms 83 22lr, grouped around an inch, or less, with CCI Blazer 40 grain ammunition. The trigger is the standard 5 pound FA trigger, and, it's really sort of weird having a 22lr that has a much heavier trigger pull then a FA 83 .475 Linebaugh.
Anyway, it was great to get out and shoot.Thanks for the response. I had a bunch more stuff to try, but, I figure for now, either the Corbon 125's at 1204 fps, chronographed, or, the Fioochi 147 .357 mag loads will do the
trick. Oddly enough they seem to recoil about the same as the 158 grain Plus P buffalobore, which is a very effective snubby round, penetrating around 14" opening up well, and moving about 1040 fps out of an actual snub. I think the Fioochi is probably going the same, or slightly slower.
I will look into the short barrel stuff. Must be a reason I haven't tried it. This gun is a nice, light, pocket carry gun.
For IWB, or thunderwear, I'm looking at a 3" Model 60, Glock 30, or CCO style 1911, converted to .475 JRH short.
I 'tapered' the HM grip so it doesn't stick out as much, and print, when carried in thunderwear, or whatever the new name is for the stuff, smartcarry, I think.
I like the extra velocity I get from the 158 Item No. 20A/20 158 gr. L.S.W.C.H.P.--G.C. (1,000fps/M.E. 351 ft.lbs.)
S&W mod. 60, 2 inch—1040 fps (379 ft. lbs.)
I'll use that, or the 147 grain Fioochi. Both hammer me pretty good, far harder then the standard 38.
I also picked up these:
Item No. 19C/20 158 gr. JHC (1475 fps ME 763 ft. lbs.)
Item No. 19D/20 125 gr. JHC (1700 fps ME 802 ft lbs.)
But, decided my hand was hamburger, and, wanted to shoot something civilized, like 400 grain bullets at 1350 fps...
1. 3 inch S&W J frame
a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard cast LFN = 1302 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC (jacketed hollow cavity) = 1299 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Speer Uni Core = 1398 fps
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Speer Uni Core = 1476 fps
I'd be real intrested if out of the snub barrel, if the above loads drop 100 feet, how much difference in recoil is really there."
Please note that unless chronographed, the short barrel on these guns REALLY rob .357 of being .357. If you get over 1200 fps, with ANY .357 load in a 1.8" barrel, your REAL lucky.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html