Who Would Choose .357 Mag Over .45 ACP For Home Defense?

[coach22]

Ruger 2 & 3/4" SS Speed Six 357
with Pachmayr Compacs, loaded with
Buffalo Bore 158 38 +P's.
Next to it, 2 Safariland Speedloaders
with Corbon 357 DPX.

 

[KINGMAX]

NO

45 ACP over the .357 mag

 

[orionengnr]

That's why they invented .45 LC

Okay...actually they invented it years before this debate existed, but it's a viable alternative.

I have one on my nightstand, and carry it regularly.

 

[TimboKhan]

I have a .357 bedside, and a .45 not a foot from my hand here at my computer desk, so I guess I choose both.

I don't worry about penetration a whole lot. Why? Because any round worthy of self-defense status will penetrate. .22's will penetrate. Buckshot will penetrate. I know some penetrate less than others, but I think the point is moot given that most of us have to worry about maybe 6 sheets of drywall at most (that is three walls worth, by the way) and any worthy SD round is going to eat through that and still be lethal with no particular problem.

I am definitively NOT saying don't worry about it, but in my opinion it is an issue that is far, far, far too overblown.

 

[Owen Sparks]

The .357 fired in the confines of your bedroom will probably do perminant damage to your hearing. I use a shotgun.

 

[Big Bill]

I think with HD one always needs to be wary of wall penetration. So, with that in mind both the .357 Mag and the .45 ACP are too much gun for HD. And, remember that any adult in the house needs to be able to use the firearm, especially ones wife, girlfriend, or daughter. Therefore I'm going to vote for a Ruger LCP with HD ammo or a 20 gage Shotgun with HD ammo.

 

[Gunfighter123]

A great choice is a S&W-625 or 25 in 45acp.

A better choice is a S&W 610 in 10MM !!!!!!

 

[Kind of Blued]

If we're talking revolvers, I'd go .357 over a .45 because I could most likely get two more rounds out of a gun the same size and weight.

Other than that, I'd prefer a .45 for every other reason.

 

[warriorsociologist]

Who would?

I do.

YMMV. I bet with equaly shot placement, the guy on the receiving end will be equally "hurtin."

 

[RippinSVT]

I used a .357 snubby for defense for quite some time, never actually used it though. One day while plinking at the 50 yard gong while in our barn's doorway, I decided to remove my muffs. BAD idea. The noise and shear concussion of that hot .357 load rang my head for the next 6 hours. Then I got the thinking...how important is it that I can see/hear in a defensive situation? I hedged my bets on "very" and promptly sold the .357 snubby to a friend and bought a 9mm SIG with Lasergrips. Now, a .45 is even more ideal, but my point is that unless you think the BG is gonna be put down in one masterfully placed shot in the dark confusion of night, whilst you are still half-asleep, think again.

 

[WardenWolf]

If you can afford quality semi-autos for home defense, go for it. But a revolver is cheaper and absolutely reliable. My house relies on several large-frame .357 revolvers, and my Saiga .223 rifle with a 30-round magazine. If I have time to get the Saiga charged and ready, heaven help the poor bastard(s).

From a pure caliber standpoint, I would prefer .45 ACP, or a revolver chambered in .45LC, over the .357.

 

[Stainz]

.38 Special +P 158gr LHPSWC for HD here - 2" 10, 4" 64, & 642.

If the choice was .357M or .45 ACP, I'd choose .45 ACP - big and slow. Revolvers only here.

Stainz

 

[woad_yurt]

I'd go with the .45. Unless it's loaded down, which would defeat its purpose, a .357 is just too crazy for in my living room. The flash & volume would be too much for me and the penetration, too much for the neighbors.

 

[sohcgt2]

.45 - bigger heavier bullets stop aggressors faster, the .357 may do more damage or may pass right on through, the .45 won't likely overpenetrate even in soft tissue.

 

[Marvin KNox]

Quote:
I think its a damn fine caliber for bear protection. I have never been killed by a bear while carrying a 22 mag.
(/QUOTE)

I've never heard of anyone who has ever been killed by a bear while dressed only in a jock strap.

Dress appropriately while in the woods and you should be OK?

 

[jaholder1971]

I would choose a 1911 .45 ACP over any .357 Magnum revolver for home defense. I shoot that gun very well and the low boom of the .45 is much easier on the ears and nerves inside without ear protection.

In order to honestly know this, one would have to touch off a round or two of each to tell the difference. I'm in no rush to do either.

Sheesh. Load one or the other and use it. When you're talking room length distances the bad guy's not going to know the difference. Both a Federal 230 JHP and/or a 125 grain JHP to the chest is going to make most burglars stop and rethink their lives as they bleed out.

 

[skoro]

Me.

I keep a S&W Model 13 loaded with magnum rounds both at home and in my cabin out in the woods.

I also have three 45acp pistols, but I don't keep 'em loaded and rady for use.

 

[ArmedBear]

Who would choose the .357?

Someone with a big house.

I like both, myself. Each has its merits. Overpenetration is a turn-off, though, that keeps me from wanting to shoot the .357 in town, should the need arise.

 

[modwerdna]

keep the 45 and sell the 357. The 45 has established itself as a far superior man stopper. Our army proved it in ww2 , the only reason we dropped it and went to 9mm was to facilitate more women and wimps, and be inline with all the nato countries.

 

[feudalson]

actually the main reason the armed forces moved to 9mm in handguns is capicity

 

[wep45]

S&W 686-4................there is no substitute

 

[30mag]

Which one can you shoot better?
Shot placement is key.

 

[ZombiesAhead]

Phooey. Use whatever you shoot best. Discounting .38 special as "not powerful enough" is ridiculous. Law enforcement has used the .38 for almost a century.

The difference between being unarmed and having a single shot .22lr is huge. The difference between protecting yourself with that .22lr and protecting yourself with a 100 round capacity Beta mag-equipped AR-15 is probably minimal in any practical home defense situation.

I feel more-than-adequately protected with pretty much any functional firearm at arm's reach - sometimes it is my .38 special Smith and Wesson Model 15, sometimes a Glock or CZ "wonder-9", sometimes an AK/AR, and sometimes a 12ga 8 round capacity shotgun. If I can't stop them with one or two rounds of .38 special I'm pretty sure there's little I could do in that situation anyway.

 

[AStone]

I keep my .357 Mag (3" Mod 65) loaded with .38 spl +p.

I really own it for a camp gun. Hard cast .357 Mag is good for bear, and no walls out there protects hearing.

In the studio EDC? Airweight in .38 spl +p is good enough for me.

Bumps in the night at home? These days, I'd grab the .30-30.
But then, I have no close neighbors and could care less about the dry wall.

 

[altitude_19]

I'd say 45 ACP revolver, but I guess you don't have one on hand. I don't recommend semi-autos over wheel-guns in matters of home-defense (reliability is more important than capacity in that case). I'd say use any quality revolver that can muster more than 300 ft lbs muzzle energy. Since the 357 cranks that out fairly easily, I'd call it the winner. Most home-invasion confrontations won't require more than 3 shots to neutralize, so ammo shouldn't be an issue (but I'd still want more capacity than the SP-101 has to offer). Over-penetration can be called a non-issue. Penetration is no longer caliber dependent due to modern ammunition options. Quality sub-sonic hollow-points, frangible rounds, safety slugs, pow'r ball, etc... A 357 revolver with 6 shots or more is a fine home defense weapon by any reasonable account.