The new perfect .357 round for scandium J frames

[MrPink]

I've found my new best favorite round for my S&W 340PD: the Speer 135grain Gold Dot HP .357 magnum "short barrel" load. It uses the same bullet as the .38+P load but steps out at a supposed 990fps vs. the 860fps of the 38+P.

Prior to this new load, I liked the Pro-load "tactical" .357 load of a 125grain Gold Dot at a medium velocity or the aforementioned 38+P GDHP load.

Recoil of this load is stout, more than the 38+P, about the same as the Pro-load and a whole lot less than full power 125grain magnums. I wouldn't want to plink all day with this load but practicing with a box of 20 won't give you nerve damage. Think of somebody slapping the palm of your hand with a 2x4.

My caveat with this load and gun is for the experienced shooter who can handle some recoil. I love the gun because it is sooo light it just disappears when you carry it. Flip side is the sharp recoil. I don't like shooting full power magnum loads in this gun at all. But this new Speer load is tops -about as powerful as I can handily shoot.

 

[HighVelocity]

I'm glad to see somebody else likes their 340PD as much as I do mine. I've been carrying the Remington 125gr Golden Saber 357mag ammo in my 340PD and 386PD. It's not fun to shoot but it's the most controllable mag round I've found.
Being a big Gold Dot fan I'll definitely try some of the 357mag short barrel ammo now.

 

[MCgunner]

When are they going to chamber one of those unobtainium J frames for .357 sig to use moon clips? That would be the ultimate J frame IMHO. I don't care for short barreled .357 mags, give up too much velocity at the cost of a lot of flash/bang. Might as well be shooting .38+P. I think a .357 sig, shooting a faster powder, could beat the traditional .357 mag in ballistics out of a J frame barrel length and would have moon clips to boot! Those tapered rounds would slide into a cylinder like a hot knife in butter, too. I'm always looking for ways to speed up a revolver reload without having to carry a foot long speedloader.

All conjecture. I've seen no ballistics to prove the above. I've often thought of this, though. If I were a rich man, I might try to find a smith that would take this project on.

 

[Brian Williams]

I wish that S&W would put a 9mm in their unobtanium J frames. It would be better than 357sig which would not fit any way.

A K Frame unobtanium in 9mm with a 3" medium taper barrel would be a great carry gun.

 

[[email protected]]

Yeah, and make it hammerless "Centennial" style... now I really want one...

DanO

 

[MCgunner]

There have been nines available from several manufacturers. I like the tapered aspect of the .357 sig, not to mention ballistics. Yeah, any such revolver would have to have a bigger diameter cylinder for those fat little pills. If you were going to build one, you'd have to build it on a K frame and give it the five shot treatment.

I'm not all that hot on 9mm in J frames, though. I mean, you might as well carry a compact nine like my Kel Tec or a Kahr or Glock 26. You get over twice the firepower with a flatter, smaller gun that reloads from the bottom. I like revolvers, but I am a practical guy.

OTOH, the .357 sig could put up some big numbers from a 2" revolver barrel, have moon clip speed aided by the tapered cartridge for quick reloads. I bet you could approximate .357 mag velocities from a 4", or not far off. The faster burn powder is the key.

The corbons out of my Kel Tec's 3" barrel are sizzling pretty good, though. Who needs more? But it's fun to speculate, eh?

 

[MrPink]

I appreciate the input guys, but my thread was about a managable .357 load for the scandium J frames. But to your points, granted a traditional 125grain full power .357 has serious muzzle flash, but this new round is designed for reduced flash.

Also, if you are looking for full power .357 perfromance from a 357 sig round, you will also get .357 full power recoil or something close - and from a scandium bely gun, that is just too much for me. This new Speer load seems just about right.

And you can get your J frame cylinder machined to run moon clips. TKcustom makes the clips. I've been thinking about doing that mod myself, but truth be told, I like the flatness of a speed strip reload. But I agree, moon clips make for a very fast reload.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

K frame 9mm snubby?

Heck, make it an I frame snubby, moonclips, Centennial.

Taurus tried to make something like that with their Instant Backup line, but that seems to have petered out. Never understood why Taurus put exposed hammers on what would obviously be a pocket gun.

I had a 9mm SP101, and thought the 9mm interface was great. But it was really annoying to have a little steel brick when a gun the size of an S&W Terrier would have accomplished the same purpose.

I wish that S&W had the "insane gundesigners locked up in the basement" that Taurus apparently has. Then we'd be seeing 9mm Terriers, .32HR No.1 Safety Hammerless, etc.

-MV

 

[cookekdjr]

There already is a .357 round made especially for scandium revolvers.
Its called the .38 special.
-David

 

[TOADMAN]

I guess the Speer 357 magnum short barrel ammo is now on the streets!! Got to get me some...

 

[MCgunner]

There already is a .357 round made especially for scandium revolvers.
Its called the .38 special.
-David

 

[mtnbkr]

I guess the Speer 357 magnum short barrel ammo is now on the streets!! Got to get me some...

My local shop has it on the shelf.

Unfortunately, they don't have the 38special SB load yet.

Chris

 

[c_yeager]

My favorite .357 loads for lightweight snubbies come marked .38spl. Im of the opinion that my gun should be more painfull to the person getting shot than the person doing the shooting, but I am a wimp.

 

[CZF]

Sounds great! SPEER is across the river from me. My favorite ammo for a long time. The new SB load fits my idea of a .357 Magnum load. Anything starting around 1,000 fps.