Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 357 for general defense

I'm looking for a 3-4" 357 for general defense work. By general, I mean woods bumming, people, plinking, etc - general purpose. I'm thinking a Beartooth 165 FN (looks alot like a WFN) or something similar running about 12-1300. I do alot of bumming around in the woods and run into a fair amount of bears. Bears close to the Smoky's are not afraid of people and I've had encounters with them measured in feet. I also run into some sketchy people back in the hills and think I've come close to a few weed patches.

I've been carrying one of my 9m's with Winchester 147 gr defense ammo. I'm not crazy about shooting this ammo at a pissed off bear. It be fine for 2 legged vermin but don't think it'd cut it for a serious bear encounter.

What do you guys think of a 357 for this duty? Bullets you'd suggest?

Thanks.

I'd be tempted to run some of the Barnes xbp 140 grain HP's for the application you describe.

I think a 357 is very adequate. How many bears have you had problems with? If it does happen from time to time I'd use 180 HC maybe the Buffalo Bore ammo or Fed Premium 180 Cast Cores. If not maybe a good 160 grain hard cast or 158 gr HP.

This is your Huckleberry, a Smith and Wesson 686+ with a 3 inch barrel and 7 shots. I would run 158 grain JHP in it. Bears won't like that one bit and neither will anything else you shoot with it...

I used to carry in the woods and around town a 3� Ruger SP101 loaded with Buffalo Bore .38 Special +P L.S.W.C.H.P.G.C. that chronographed at 1064 fps mv out of that gun. (Buffalo Bore advertises 1143 out of the same model.) It was not a hard round to handle.

Buffalo Bore now advertises a .38 Special +P Outdoorsman 158 grain hard cast Keith that it claims to run 1116 out of a 3� inch SP101. I have not tried that, but it should penetrate better.

I tried some Buffalo Bore .357 Magnum 180 gr. Hard Cast LFN-GC in the same gun. I actually fired 10 but don�t know what I was thinking. It was too much for me. Getting off a second shot at a charging critter with any accuracy would have been difficult for me.

I also would consider CT�s solution of testing some Barnes bullets. I never got around to trying them.

That or one of the 386's if you were lucky enough to find one. Same gun but Scandium/Ti.

Haven't had to shoot or spray one yet but have had both gun and spray in my hand a few times. I normally give them their ground - the bears in the Park will literally walk down the same trail you happen to be on and expect you to move. They aren't moving out of the way. 1-2 people get bit every year. The last person killed was a women 4-5 years ago killed while hiking.

Not so worried about the bears but do run into more than a few sketchy people.

I like the smaller Smith's alot. I was thinking a Ruger SP 101 or an older Security Six. They both weigh about the same.

A nice moderate weight 357 field gun has been my choice for decades. My favorite chambering for hunting big game with a revolver is 44mag, but for a pack gun when hiking and camping around black bear, and as a backup when I was hunting black bear with a bow, my favorite was a nice trim 357mag revolver. Even for a very large black bear, I am of the opinion, that a worst case scenario would be a head down and head on charge with a bear intending to bowl you off your feet, vs. a common bluff charge. A good hard cast load from a 357 has ample horsepower to plow though the front end of a bear, and in my opinion, easier to shoot accurately, and easier to recover for subsequent shots than a similar weight 44mag. I�d not be too concerned, there are brown bear guides in AK who routinely carry a 357mag revolver using the same logic. In addition, the 357mag has an outstanding track record on those two-legged critters in need of being shot.

I probably have 1 dozen handguns , 22rf,9mm,.357,38 sp, 38-40, 44 mag, 45ACP.

I have 4 four .357's, a 6" SBH,a 6" 686,a 2' 66 and a 4" Security Six.

The Security Six is my favorite and it goes with me on almost all outdoor outings. A 158 gr Hornady XTP, with 13 gr of 2400 will work on most anything I am apt to encounter.

I don't think Ruger has made a comparable handgun since that model

Nothing wrong with a good .357 Magnum but from personal observation, experience and a lot of reading calibers under .40 have to make up in velocity what they lack in caliber.

That said the .357 Magnum 125 grain JHP at 1400+ fps is the standard by which all defensive calibers are judged. For two legged defensive use and good round will do. My personal favorite is the Speer Gold Dot HP and it holds together on impact and has the best barrier penetration record. I've known several people ho have lung shot deer with this round and it has been deadly effective. The 125s are also excellent varmint rounds as they will start opening on contact. I've shot small to medium game (woodchucks, skunks, rabbits) with lead SWC .357s at 1250 fps and have then run off or take multiple shots to put down. They have laid right worn however with high speed JHPs.


For general shooting and bear defense a hardcast 158-180 works fine. But as one of the above posters said...how many bear you going to even encounter let alone shoot in this lifetime. But a load made up for carry in the outback is wise..I know I have one when carrying a .357 Magnum.

My favorite all-around .357 Magnum is a stainless 4" Ruger GP100...it is just about bombproof... There are smiths who can tune and smooth the action to that of a Smith, the price is less, and the sights are quick change and lots of options available. Mine has a green FO front and w/o rear.











If I need something smaller for fishing, canoeing or backpacking I like the S&W 60-10 3" (now the 60-15). J-frame, 5 shot, full underlug with adjustable sights.







A Ruger Flat Top 4 5/8" or a Freedom Arms 97 with 4.25" barrel would be SA picks...

Bob

Nothing wrong with your combination fed 160-180 gr cast @ ~1200 fps. I'd vote for the Ruger GP-100 4.2" ss.



Reasonable size to pack and you'd have to work hard to wear it out in a lifetime.

Sounds like a job for a 4" S&W model 19/66 (depending on which finish you like). Back when I used a .357 for black bears, I used a 158 grain JHP as I found it tended to make more of an impact than the hard cast .357's. I personally think you benefit from the expansion you get with the JHP's with a .357. If it were a .44 or a .45 caliber bullet, then the had cast would be a good choice.

For me, I'd use a Remington HTP 180 Grain JHP or a Speer Gold Dot 158 Grain JHP.

Regardless, the K frame Combat Masterpiece is the best blend of carry friendly, shooter friendly in a .357 Magnum. After that would either be an old Security Six 4" or a non-under-lugged GP-100 and a good trigger job on all of the above.

For defense against bears, I wouldn't go under 4" because you need every little bit of velocity you can get.

Personally, I'd opt for a .41 magnum. I got into a fight with a black bear while carrying an 8" Dan Wesson .357 and I sold the .357 after that incident. Honestly it did the job, and I placed shots very well but the bear took too long (for me) to die. When I went back into the field the next day with the .44, the difference couldn't be more pronounced; what a HUGE difference.

The Taurus Titanium Tracker in .41 mag would be an awesome woods packin gun in .41 mag.

Now personally, I'd think a 1911 in .45 Super with that hard cast load that JWP475 has would be THE ideal gun for what you're looking for. Second choice would be a 1911 in 10mm with either a 200 grain JHP or a 180 grain cast flat point.

hard to beat a good Smith & Wesson Model 19 for woods walking. I load mine with either a Sierra 140 grain JHP over a good dose of SR4756, or a 158 grain Speer LSWC over BlueDot powder.
Accurate, effective, easy to handle.

Nothing wrong with a 357 , at all
Ronnie

I really like the 4.2" SP101. It's a 5 rounder, so if the 6th (or 7th) round is important to you that might put it out of the running. Solid gun, good sight radius, less blast than a 3", and less bulk than many other full size .357's.

Although I'm a S&W man, I've taken a liking to the Ruger GP100 3in TALO Wiley Clapp edition.
https://www.google.com/search?q=wil...mp;ved=0CBwQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=698

for what you list as "possibles", you will never go wrong with that chambering--and in my opinion and experience, the 4 inch stainless steel Ruger Security six, or the GP-100 are as good as it gets. (the 3 inch Ruger GP-100 is also mighty fine medicine). in my opinion, the Security Six feels a little nicer in handling and balance, but the GP-100 boasts an excellent crane lock, and is bull strong...

for a "broad spectrum pill" that will suffice for what you list, i would suggest the Speer 170 Deep Curl SP, powered to that "ain't no-more" level of velocity, and walk/hike with confidence, worrying little about bears that may want to scratch and bite.

as a side note; i've run into a lot of bears over the past 35 years of hiking--some just a few feet away. in every instance that i can recall--save for one--they have split the scene--like lightning flash. the one that waited about 4 seconds before taking off is the only one i would have had time to shoot--had it been necessary...

Nice....

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-GP100WC.htm

The 140's are a sheer plow, the 125's at an easy 1450 are hell on wheels too and a bit less flip.