bluto
Member
Please bear with me. I don't reload, I've done several searches, and there's something that's always puzzled me. So I'll ask what may be an ignorant question:
I've read some very informative threads about chronograph results for various factory ammunition loadings. But I've always wondered why there seems to be such a big gap from high end .38 spl. +P (maybe maxing out with remington golden saber +P's @ 270 ft./lbs) and low end .357 magnum loadings (starting out @ around 471 ft./lbs.).
I shoot mainly auto's (9mm, .40, and .45). Most loads are rated from 345 ft./lbs to around 410 ft./lbs. give or take. And ther are tons of factory defensive loads built around those numbers. But I like my S&W 586-7 and my Python as well. Shooting full power .357 loads seems a bit much for a defensive load (at least for me) but the very controllable .38 spl. +P's through the same guns are kind of anemic.
Why doesn't someone (factory load) download a .357 to produce power in the 9mm to .45 range? Like 370 ft./lbs to 410 ft./lbs.? Or load up a .38 spl.? In a 4" bbl S&W it would seem like a great load. Better ballistics than a .38+P - less muzzle blast, recoil and more controllability than a full power .357 round? Seems like they've got everything else out there.
What am I missing here?
bluto
I've read some very informative threads about chronograph results for various factory ammunition loadings. But I've always wondered why there seems to be such a big gap from high end .38 spl. +P (maybe maxing out with remington golden saber +P's @ 270 ft./lbs) and low end .357 magnum loadings (starting out @ around 471 ft./lbs.).
I shoot mainly auto's (9mm, .40, and .45). Most loads are rated from 345 ft./lbs to around 410 ft./lbs. give or take. And ther are tons of factory defensive loads built around those numbers. But I like my S&W 586-7 and my Python as well. Shooting full power .357 loads seems a bit much for a defensive load (at least for me) but the very controllable .38 spl. +P's through the same guns are kind of anemic.
Why doesn't someone (factory load) download a .357 to produce power in the 9mm to .45 range? Like 370 ft./lbs to 410 ft./lbs.? Or load up a .38 spl.? In a 4" bbl S&W it would seem like a great load. Better ballistics than a .38+P - less muzzle blast, recoil and more controllability than a full power .357 round? Seems like they've got everything else out there.
What am I missing here?
bluto