Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 2" Snub nose 357 magnum self defense ammunition

I use Underwood's 38 Special 158 grain +P Lead HP, does 1003 fps from a S&W 637, clobbers 2-3 gallon jugs and expands like this-



I'm using Hornady 357 Magnum American Gunner 125 grain XTP from a 2" ported Taurus* 617 Ti I bought a couple weeks ago. I'll add chrono & water jug results when I have them. I know it's expanding them because I found nose frags in the second jug but the damn bullet bounced off #4 and got lost in the hayfield.

* Yeah, I know- cheap lottery ticket. Seems to be the best example I've examined. We'll see if I can break it.

Chrono results, 021724 28 F

Alaska Backpacker 200 grain 357 914 fps
Hornady American Defense 357 125 XTP 1198 fps
Underwood 38+P 158 Lead SCWHP 935 fps

Exactly, but also the firing pin channel. If you clean your breechface with solvent or clp & a toothbrush like we all would, looking down at it, the liquid gets into the firing pin hole. Then picture your gun being carried muzzle down, again like we all pretty much do, & the firing pin channel applies the primer killing goo directly to the primer. That it doesn’t kill them all the time is a testament to the tight fit of primers & sometimes use of excellent sealants.

The trick is to clean that breech face while it’s facing down, which is admittedly counter intuitive & more difficult but it helps keep the fluid out of the firing pin hole.

I use Ruger ARX .357 Magnum in my 2 inch Taurus 605 and Ruger SP101. Kicks like a .38 special but tears up water jugs.

Mackay Sagebrush may have something that you’d like.

Good idea. I'm going to adopt that practice.

For reference, here’s some 357 snub chrono data I collected years ago:

https://www.rugerforum.net/threads/2-25-sp101-357-mag-chronograph-data.224289/

The aforementioned Hornady American Gunner 357, 125 grain XTP at 1198 fps (nominal) into water jugs. Stopped in the 4th jug and left 6 nose fragments, about the size of #4 shot, in 2nd and 3rd jugs. Recovered bullet shown in front of the first jug it hit. Offered simply as a point of reference.

SargeMO, How is the recoil of that Hornady American Gunnern357, 125 grain XTP load out of a 2" snub nose? That looks like a full power load to me, I think that I might have controllability issues with that load. The results do look impressive.

21 Oz ported Taurus 617 titanium, recoil wasn't bothersome at all. Then again, I am not particularly recoil sensitive. I'm also not one of those people with thinks every handgun problem is solved by emptying it as fast as you can.

My Magnum Carry is listed as weighing 21 ounces but the barrel is not ported. I'm not particularly recoil sensitive either but I have tried to use medium power loads in small frame 357 revolvers. I have a medium-large frame 4" Colt King Cobra that handles full power 357 loads just fine.

I shot the 200 grain Alaska Backpacker load, Federal and Blazer 125 grain and several full power 158 grain 357 loads through a 2 1/4" Ruger SP101 I owned. Recoil was definitely more noticeable from the little Ruger.

The only 357 load that bit me, using the OEM grip, was a 2000 fps rifle load I worked up, 19.0 grains of Winchester 296 and a 140 grain XTP. The trigger guard rapped my bad-finger knuckle like Sister Mary Elephant.

I de-finger-grooved a set of Houges, which detour the trigger-guard around that knuckle. Even the 200 grain bear loads aren't bad now.

https://www.thesixgunjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240217_164200-768x632.jpg

SarrgeMO, those grips look good. I have the same set on my Magnum Carry, but they are in their original form, I haven’t modified them. They are very comfortable with the loads I shoot through the gun.

From a 3" barrel, the 125 grain 357 mag Buffalo Bore load shows good velocity: 125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 1476 fps - that's their published data, I haven't tried that ammo myself.

My 3" J-frame punches the 180 gr Buffalo Bore 357 hard cast out at 1245 fps. It's a bit of a beast to shoot. Hang on tight!


Used my 2.5" Model 19 with 158 gr Remington JHP ammo, saw 1237 fps from it. Recoil is controllable.

I have carried 38+P in my 2.5" and 3" 357's, but I have to admit liking the "punch" from the magnum loads.

Regards, Guy

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This. I have stopped handloading pistol ammo because his stuff is excellent. A great guy and great ammo.

Screenshot test.

Some chrono results from almost 20 yrs ago. All from 1 7/8" S&W M340 and M360. And the Beartooth is 185gr and not a typo



Let's see if this works.

Do the Houges on your Colt cover the top of the backstrap?? Seems to make a lot of difference on snubs, shooting full 357 mag loads.

Personally I use 38 Special in a 2” gun and magnums in a 3” barrel. But that’s just me.

Plus P.
Underwood or Buffalo Bore

currently I am liking a 162 grain powdered coated LSWCHP, over a stiff load of SR4756 powder. Accurate, easy to control, and effective. (at least on pigs)
This is the load I use in my three inch barrel .357 revolvers. I don't have a two inch revolver.

They come up to the top of the backstrap, almost like a beaver tail, if I had to try and describe it.