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Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 169 Likes: 3
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 169 Likes: 3 |
The fact that you can also shoot .38 Special from a .357 Magnum revolver makes it incredibly useful. The average shooter isn't a reloader.
Of course, with a simple barrel swap I can shoot .357 Sig and .40 S&W from my P226. That gives me a much cheaper option that is similar in recoil for target practice.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 21,955
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 21,955 |
A 357 Magnum is probably as good as it gets for self defense against people. It’s not the cartridge it’s the guns that are chamber for it. That’s probably already been said but I haven’t read through the comments.
A revolver isn’t the most effective option for defense against people these days. As a carry gun for defense against large animals where a revolver still makes a lot of sense as a trail gun a revolver chambered in 44 or 45 caliber makes more sense than a revolver chambered in 357 Magnum. A 44 or 45 caliber revolver can be loaded moderately if needed and makes a nice shooting gun and still be more effective than a loud and obnoxious full throttle 357 Magnum cartridge. Not really. The cartridge itself is what makes it effective, not so much the gun. For example, there are hundreds of thousands of guns out there that shoot both the .357 Mag and the .38 Special, and while the .38 Special is good it doesn't come close to the .357 in effectiveness.....from the same exact gun. I enjoy both the .44 and .45, but the .357 can be loaded "moderately" every bit the same as both of those cartridges. And it's very possible to have less recoil with the .357 when loaded to the same power levels as the others, too, which translates into ease of shooting for your average person. You won't find the cartridge capacity (headstamp) making up nearly as much ground as the package. A 38/44 is perfectly fine handling a 357 style load in 38 case. Matter of fact, just by seating a bullet to the "magnum" case length in the parent case, as long as the GUN is capable of the length, the title on the cartridge does not matter.
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 10,166
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 10,166 |
A 357 Magnum is probably as good as it gets for self defense against people. It’s not the cartridge it’s the guns that are chamber for it. That’s probably already been said but I haven’t read through the comments.
A revolver isn’t the most effective option for defense against people these days. As a carry gun for defense against large animals where a revolver still makes a lot of sense as a trail gun a revolver chambered in 44 or 45 caliber makes more sense than a revolver chambered in 357 Magnum. A 44 or 45 caliber revolver can be loaded moderately if needed and makes a nice shooting gun and still be more effective than a loud and obnoxious full throttle 357 Magnum cartridge. Not really. The cartridge itself is what makes it effective, not so much the gun. For example, there are hundreds of thousands of guns out there that shoot both the .357 Mag and the .38 Special, and while the .38 Special is good it doesn't come close to the .357 in effectiveness.....from the same exact gun. I enjoy both the .44 and .45, but the .357 can be loaded "moderately" every bit the same as both of those cartridges. And it's very possible to have less recoil with the .357 when loaded to the same power levels as the others, too, which translates into ease of shooting for your average person. I agree that it’s a very effective cartridge. Probably thee most effective common handgun cartridge for defense against people. The guns (revolvers) that are chambered for them are the drawback if you take away the fun and nostalgia of a quality revolver and strictly want a carry gun. Sure you can download a 357 Magnum or carry 38 Special ammo but at that point it’s basically a typically heavier all metal low capacity and slower to reload 9mm. There isn’t anything wrong with that but from a strictly utilitarian standpoint it doesn’t make a lot of sense and is more of a niche gun. IMO that’s the biggest reason for the decline in 357 Magnum’s. The 357 Magnum’s sweet spot is as a man stopper but the guns that chamber it are no longer the typical self defense handguns. I love classics and nostalgia but for a workhorse carry gun a polymer striker fired pistol has a lot going for it.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 21,750 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 21,750 Likes: 1 |
What you say is true
But the 8 shot 627 is on my hip right now.
BMT
"The Church can and should help modern society by tirelessly insisting that the work of women in the home be recognized and respected by all in its irreplaceable value." Apostolic Exhortation On The Family, Pope John Paul II
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,142 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,142 Likes: 4 |
A 357 Magnum is probably as good as it gets for self defense against people. It’s not the cartridge it’s the guns that are chamber for it. That’s probably already been said but I haven’t read through the comments.
A revolver isn’t the most effective option for defense against people these days. As a carry gun for defense against large animals where a revolver still makes a lot of sense as a trail gun a revolver chambered in 44 or 45 caliber makes more sense than a revolver chambered in 357 Magnum. A 44 or 45 caliber revolver can be loaded moderately if needed and makes a nice shooting gun and still be more effective than a loud and obnoxious full throttle 357 Magnum cartridge. Not really. The cartridge itself is what makes it effective, not so much the gun. For example, there are hundreds of thousands of guns out there that shoot both the .357 Mag and the .38 Special, and while the .38 Special is good it doesn't come close to the .357 in effectiveness.....from the same exact gun. I enjoy both the .44 and .45, but the .357 can be loaded "moderately" every bit the same as both of those cartridges. And it's very possible to have less recoil with the .357 when loaded to the same power levels as the others, too, which translates into ease of shooting for your average person. I agree that it’s a very effective cartridge. Probably thee most effective common handgun cartridge for defense against people. The guns (revolvers) that are chambered for them are the drawback if you take away the fun and nostalgia of a quality revolver and strictly want a carry gun. Sure you can download a 357 Magnum or carry 38 Special ammo but at that point it’s basically a typically heavier all metal low capacity and slower to reload 9mm. There isn’t anything wrong with that but from a strictly utilitarian standpoint it doesn’t make a lot of sense and is more of a niche gun. IMO that’s the biggest reason for the decline in 357 Magnum’s. The 357 Magnum’s sweet spot is as a man stopper but the guns that chamber it are no longer the typical self defense handguns. I love classics and nostalgia but for a workhorse carry gun a polymer striker fired pistol has a lot going for it. Enter the 357 Sig.
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 2,346
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 2,346 |
A lot of guys say the 9mm (9x19), is more powerful. Not even +P+ ammo. What the hell are they smoking? I don't see it going away any time soon. Sure it's not carried by cops anymore but, a lot of shooters still use it.
Why do I have to press 1, for English?
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