Throughout the years on this forum I've been watching post on 357mag revolvers. Seen opinions from 357mag is too much blast and noise for it's performance, etc. I've mainly been using mine to shoot 38spec as an alternative to the 22lr shortages past and present for plinking.

I also keep this revolver around to introduce new shooters. They're less intimidated by a revolver than semiautomatic pistol. Load up those mouse-fart 148 wadcutters and it has very little recoil and noise. If double action feels to heavy, they can cock the hammer for single action.


However, I'm wondering if 357mag revolver is worth keeping? That' perhaps getting a 22lr handgun would be a better alternative both for cheap plinking and introducing new shooters. I have 9mm pistol for self-defense so I got that covered. New shooters looking for self-defense seem to skip over the revolver and go for some plastic striker-fired variety or whatnot. What reasons are there to keep 357mag revolver?

It’s not a terrible cartridge but for me it’s generally worthless. I have a handful of 357s but rarely shoot full tilt loads out of them. For plinking and small revolver self defense the 38 sp is a better choice. It has workedon deer and black bear for me but I prefer the 44 sp on up. If you buy a S&W 340, you’ll quickly learn why the 357 sucks in a small gun. That being said, having a 340 gives you the additional option of shooting 38s. Btw you can handload 125s and 158s out of a 357 at warp speed.

They are awesomely powerful and versatile.

For me, the .357 is middle of the road.

For target and critters it does a fair bit

But Id rather have a .22 lr and a .44 mag.

What most want a 357 for is what you get with 327. 327 has more to offer for plinking loads. If you go to heavier loads for more power I'd as soon use a .44. I feel like the higher velocity recoil of 357 much less pleasant than. 44 mag.

Much of this is comes down to personal perception and revolver weight. For the stated purpose I would use 22lr. 22lr will pay for itself in ammo cost savings.

The only reason I can think of to have a 357 is it doesn't cost anything to keep after you buy it.

Well it is too much for the GenX and GenZ man-boys who are struggling with the mighty 9mm.

I would rather have 10mm/.40 S&W revolver. The .40 ammo is less expensive then .38/.357. S&W makes L-framed gun in this caliber. Based on comments I think we can skip Ruger. Unless one truly loves great Ruger customer service.

This,
Its a very versatile round, and in a 357 revolver you can easily shoot light 38's for fun, heavy duty or +p 38's for carry, or multitude of 357 rounds for carry, and makes a great deer and pig round if you know how to shoot.

Not a 7 day pillboxer here, but I carried one on the SD.

I think every handgunner should have a 22LR, 357, 44, 454, 475, 500JRH & Linebaugh. And for good measure a 32 and 41 mag.

^^^^^^This^^^^^^

Who makes that holster roundoak?

The .357 Magnum was the first revolver to exceed the power of the Walker Colt.

S&W did make relatively small run of excellent .357 revolvers (-5 or -7 era if I remember correctly). These were stainless magnum J-frame with 5 inch barrels, fully adjustable rear sight, five shot cylinder and combat S&W grips (about half inch longer than standard boot grip). These would make wonderful trail guns.

You wouldn't want to touch off too many full power Magnum loads in them, though. Not fun.

I have several and shoot them regularly . I think they are very versatile and will serve for most anything the average person will normally shoot . I prefer the .44 Special but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the .357 Magnum .

I am not the right person to ask that question. LOL

I think the 357 is a great all around cartridge. It's kinda like the f150 of cartridges, too small for heavy work, but big enough it can handle some real chores. If you live east of the Rockies 357 or 10mm is as big as you'd ever need to go in a handgun. Out west, the smallest thing I carry in the woods is 10mm with a 44mag for some areas. I sold one of my 2.5" Smith 686 years ago because I never shot it and needed the dough. It's one of my most regretted gun sales and I will replace it when I find one. I like the simplicity of revolver and the ability to shoot 38's out of it. 357 is great for whitetail, midwest black bear, 2 legged vermin (the 125gr HP was the gold standard for stopping power), and ammo is universally available. The only drawback is revolvers are LOUD when shot without ear protection. That's not just 357, 22mag is just as bad. Would also make a great cabin gun. You'd never had to worry about magazine springs going bad.

Agree. The .327 is a great round. Lots of options for ammo. Funny that all of my .357 revolvers are loaded with .38 spc. But my .357 carbines are loaded with .357. Great hunting round here. I’m going to get me a .327 lever action and have fun with it too.

Aside from the already mentioned versatility. It can be had in smaller guns that fit the hand well, and carry without strain.

For those with cosmopolitan appreciation. Many of the finest quality revolvers ever made were chambered for it.

So very true. Wife has a 640-1 with a 2 5/8" or so barrel, painful with magnums for sure. Spectacular yes, but painful.

357 revolver is a great gun for the handloader, bullet caster. It's also nice for shooting in the snow if you keep your brass.

Still viable for personal defense, small/medium game, target.

I've got a couple myself, Ruger Security Six 4", and a Ruger LCRx 3". Definitely keepers for me.

It is probably the single best revolver chambering for 95% of most folks usage. With today’s ammo price and availability it is most likely a hand loaders proposition. That’s ok, as hand loading will let you get the level(s) of performance you want at a reasonable price per round. If all you ever shoot are full throttle factory .357 and wimpy factory .38’s, you are missing the fat part of the .357 curve.

My 357 is a S&W 28-2, 6". Paired with my my 29-2 44. With factory load options I can do about all I could want to do with a handgun.
My 9mm's, not so much

Worth keeping?

What a stupid question. Let the late Skeeter Skelton make the case…

http://www.darkcanyon.net/MyFriend_The357.htm

The .357 is probably the best cartridge devised for a fighting revolver. It also plinks very cheaply < maybe $0.15 a round under normal circumstances, something like $0.20 with everything screwed up now.

Hunter Company
https://www.huntercompany.com/?gcli...VG0plyKgwphq8qVo5odkv-sPYERoCTW8QAvD_BwE

A wise man once told me - “the two best reasons for any shooting enthusiast to own a revolver are the .357 and .44 magnums.”

Here in Alaska, the handgun is one of the most important tools I own. I only use and own one. From small game on the trail using various fmj's over alliant unique, to full power 180 grain swift A-frames clear through a bull moose neck as a finishing shot, the 357 mag is the most versatile, compact trail gun anyone could ask for.

As a dog musher, I can't help the dogs run a sled up a trail with a 40+ ounce 44 mag bouncing around in my parka pocket. I don't even notice an SP101 in my parka pocket.


Late season moose will hog the trail, and won't leave. They're so grumpy, they stomp dogs to death. I cannot use hardcast, for fear of over penetration and killing a dog.

The swift A-frames will punch clear through a bull moose, and stay in the offside.

I've done some survival training in below zero weather, where the only thing you have, is what's in your parka pockets. A 357 mag was at the top of the list, out of the tools I tested.

Anyone who claims that a 357 mag isn't useful, is smoking crack-mother-fkn cocaine.

Finishing shot though the neck of this moose and the recovered bullet:

It replaced my 40oz single six and my 3 inch 44 mag.

Single six with 22 magnum cylinder



629 Talo 3 inch 44 mag:

Mostly 158 Speer tmj and 170 sierra over 7 grains unique in 357 mag brass:

How much does it eat when it's in the safe?

A .357 revolver and a couple of boxes of ammo tucked away may well offer some peace of mind

That. When I actually run full .357M loads through my SP101 I prefer to be wearing a glove.. I don't use mine for varmints or other game - mine is to be used strictly for self-defense if the need arises... FWIW..

I still have the 3” Mod 60 that my Ex and son learned to shoot handguns with about 25 years back, likewise with mild .38 loads. It did kick like a mule with full-bore .357 rounds but it did shoot them. In the woods and camping I would keep it loaded with .357 rounds.

For nearly two decades that gun loaded with .38 Plus P’s was the at-hand home defense gun, simple for anyone to operate.

I kept as a companion piece a .357 Marlin 1894 (??) carbine. Seems kinda quaint now, but the ol’ Cowboy “one caliber for my rifle and handgun” concept had appeal.

The first Marlin I owned would feed both .38’s and .357’s. I gave that one to my brother, the same model Marlin I replaced it with only feeds .357-length cases, no idea why.

Anyways, I’m pretty much a 9mm guy now, even bought a Ruger PC carbine, tho I ain’t shot it much yet.

Back in the 1980s and 90s I had a Rossi Saddle Ring Carbine in .357 Magnum. It was a faithful replica of the Winchester Model 92. It would shoot .38 Special and Magnum just as reliably and accurately. Sure wish I hadn't sold it. The ones they make today have safeties on them. No thanks.

That companion piece is one of my favorite rifles. To much fun with 357 mag revolver and a 357 mag carbine, kids love shooting that rifle. And yes, it's the 1894.

I kept my Python 6".
Just because.

Played w a 3 screw 4 5/8" this week.
It shot well. Surprisingly well.

Med/ hot 158s. Recoil was more in the Ruger. Not bad but way more than in the Python.

The issue i found.....was blast. The Ruger was annoying.
The 6" Colt wasnt bad.

Used to shoot 180s from 4, 6 and 8 3/8" Smith .44 mags.
Maxd out.

Get used to barn burner .44 mag and then go to.
357 and you think youve got a cap gun.

Bud has scandium J frame and Corbon .357 in it are downright nasty.

Recoil is stout, blast is wicked.

Way i shoot, my hands....i get some bump of trigger guard on knuckle. Not horrible but after a few rounds gets more noticed.

Id have to practice a lot to work one of those little bastards

Looking at going 10mm auto to cover what would be .357 duties.

Wheelguns are cool. Shot em a bunch over thr yrs.

Dont do as much now, dont need as much.

A 22, 9mm and 10mm proly do everything i need.

.357 just sit in safe

My experience is a fraction of many on this board, but my opinion about the .357 Mag is it one of the best if not THE best all-around cartridge for the average person who owns just one centerfire handgun (we all should have a .22lr...right?).

The average person just target shoots with handguns - there are MANY .357 loads for that. The average person might hunt deer with a handgun but not much else - there are many .357 loads for that. The average person wants to shoot as inexpensively as possible - before the world flipped, there were many 38 Special and .357 loads for that. For personal defense - the 357 is proven beyond discussion. Small game? There are great loads for that. Cowboy action shooting? The list goes on...

And I don't know if someone has mentioned this already, but considering the small amount of handgun cartridges I have handloaded for, the .357 Mag. has by-far been the easiest to get to shoot little groups with. I've made my .357 shoot groups that even surprise me (considering my marksman skills are nothing to write home about). This could lead to another conversation about competition cartridges and how the 357 fits in there.

A .22lr, a 30/06, a 12ga, and a 357 Mag. Not much a person cannot get done with the set.

My dad ran an 8 3/8" 686 no lock for IHMSA.
It outshot his 8" Python by a smidge.

He liked .357 for target and silhouette.

Got my first .357 in 6th grade ( 3 screw Ruger since my Single Six .22 mag lacked oomph for groundhogs ) and have never been impressed.

For a casual one gun person, proly a good pic.

Think it better to own more than one 😊

Best attribute of the .357 is the ability to use the .38 Special. If the left has it's way and I can only own one handgun the .357 is it.

I think highly of the 357. I'm giving my eldest grandson the first centerfire pistol I ever bought - a Ruger Security Six 357.
I shot it enough that I had to send it back to Ruger for a rebuild. Just time to pass it on, and his graduation from NMMI is a good excuse.
(I WILL also buy some good hearing protection, and provide a coffee can full of reloads)

I'm a big .357 fan. First revolver I ever owned, a Security Six 6" stainless, got me started and I never looked back. I still have that revolver nearly 40 years later, together with a 4" blue version I carry, and a Freedom Arms 97. All of them get exercised regularly. I own handguns in numerous other chamberings, but if I could keep only one centerfire handgun, it would be that 6" stainless Security Six. There's nothing I want a handgun to do, including taking the odd deer, that I couldn't do with it.

i got started shooting a colt bisley saa in 38.40 later when joining the local sheriff's dept it was a smith model 19. i ran about 1000rounds a month through that thing for almost seven years, and it still is fine.
i like the ability to shoot mouse fahrt loads, or full steam ahead loads.
taking a tip from a guy in alaska who bopped a bear with a 9mm, i have loaded full boat 180grain full metal jacket loads that are quite awesome to see in use.
i have a lot of other guns, but will never be without a .357

Since I don't handgun hunt large game anymore, I sold off my heavies and picked up a .357. I got the .357 mostly because I wanted the gun, not so much for the cartridge. I rarely shoot .357's out of it, but its a wicked target revolver in .38 Special with good match 148's.

A .357 is good for defense against critters both two and four legged. And these days I'd recommend a .357 for bear defense (even the big bears) over the truly large magnums, just because most can't shoot those heavy magnums well enough for self defense. More than a couple of grizzlies have been taken down with 9mm's and .40's. I think hi-cap 10mm's are starting to replace many of the .44's and .454's for wilderness guides, because those 10mm's are powerful, yet WAAY easier to shoot. Obviously if you can shoot the heavies extremely well under stress, that's the way to go; but most can't do that.

I live in bear country, but they're black bears. Black bears are pretty easy to deal with, and any decent defensive handgun can take care of that problem should anything ever escalate that far; which it shouldn't if you have anything between your ears.

For self defense against humans, I think most are better armed with modern .38 Special +P's; those are good defense rounds.

But the .357's real weaknesses has always been noise and muzzle flash. Well, modern ammunition has greatly improved on that. Modern loads produce about half of the muzzle flash you saw 30 years ago, and with that much of the noise has gone down as well Don't get me wrong, if you set a .357 off indoors, everyone is going to be deaf and blind still. But it's not as bad as it used to be.

The .357 was created to give stopping power comparable to large frame revolvers in a smaller package, and it mostly does that. Its just not the best choice for game larger than deer. These days when I carry a revolver, its because I want to carry that particular revolver. Until you need .44 magnum or greater power, auto's just have revolvers beat in most every category...except the cool category.

Love them, needs a 4"+ barrel for me though...



Mike

I've been carrying a ruger security six on my tractor on farm for forty+ years.back then it was my dad's but i still use the same way takes care of all my needs utility wise i do hunt using the 475 or 500 linebaugh but this year i'm working on a hunting load for my 8'' colt trooper to maybe do a little deer hunting.That ruger security six is the last i would sell

I've gotten away from the 357 but not because there's anything 'wrong' with it. A dehorned SP-101 is a mighty strong and versatile little revolver.

Jack of all trades, master of none comes to mind when I think about a .357 Magnum. One of my first centerfire handguns was a 4" M66 S&W if for no other reason that it was the standard issue for the state patrol back in those days. Their K frame duty guns were shooting loose with a lot of rounds through them and that 66 sure was loud with magnum rounds. I sold that handgun because it was too large for concealed carry, not accurate enough in my hands to hunt with and minimum for deer. There was nothing that I could do hunting with a handgun that I couldn't do better with a rifle. A 6" 629 .44 Magnum was here for a time and .44 Specials could be shot in that one just like .38 Specials worked well in the 66. A Colt .380, .38 Special +P J- frame and CZ 9mm do a better job for CCW and near nothing beats a .22 LR in these parts just for rambling around. I just don't see a good place for another .357 Magnum for me.

I like my .357's.. I also like my .44s.. I usually have one of each in my truck..

If I could only have one handgun it might be a 4" 357 mag DA revolver.

If I could only have 3, the 357 might not be one of them. "Might be/not" means open for review.

But beyond all that, a 357 is a damn versatile handgun & a great tool in the box for a multitude of reasons.

Ya recognize them or ya don't.

I would suggest looking up the Skeeter Skelton article titled “ My Friend the 357”. Great piece about a fine cartridge.

A .357 akin to a 30-06 or .308 it the rifle world.It will do most anything most need.I have had several 44mags in many years. Personally, although they will do a better job, are uncomfortable to shoot and loading them with 44 sp is little costly for plinking, they are to heavy to walk around with and if used a lot over the years,will sure work on wrist and elbows to hurry arthritus along . I also had Ruger 32 mag. Not much use IMHO. I could never get a 1911 in 45 ACP to fit my hand.

I have 4 .357's. A Ruger Security Six with a 4" barrel, a S&J frame with 3" barrel, a Ruger Blackhawk with a 6" barrel
and a S&W 686, with a 6" barrel.

The 686 goes to the range with me and was used several years in Action Pistol competition using .357 bras and 38sp loadings. Pretty darn cheap shooting

The S&W J frame, 3 " I carry when out and about and when I want to carry a handgun while rifle or ML hunting.Great for grouse with shot shells and rabbits.

The Blackhawk doesn't get used much.

Favorite is the Ruger Security Six. The 4' barrel doesn't ride low and rub the cantle of the saddle and will handle most jobs and is light enough to hike around with. As some one mentioned,I have 1980 era Rossi Model 92 in .357 that fits nicely in an old 92 sized scabbard an is thin enough that it rides under the fender without a bulge.It will do any heavy work I need and inside 100 yards,coyotes die.

I have a Sig 320and an old Interarms Firestar in 9mm. I carry the 320 at times and the Firestar stays in the truck. They don't get used much.

The .357 magnum was the first gun registered...it was considered so powerful most law enforcement weren't allowed to carry it. I believe the Highway Patrol were the first to carry one I read somewhere that the .357 magnum was powerful enough to shoot through the trunk of a car through the back seat and kill the driver in the front seat.

I've owned and shot several .357 magnums over the years....I currently own one and don't have any .357 magnum ammo for it.

A 158 grain, hard cast, lead semi-wadcutter, in a .357 Magnum, has a great rep for penetrating through cars and such.

Skeeter liked that load a tad.

With certain firearms like Magnum J frame with 5" barrel this caliber has potential for wilderness/self-defense carry and as a survival tool. In certain guns like the N-frame it amount to waste of a frame because one can have .44 Magnum instead. It depends on firearm chosen. Recently 10mm in gun like G29 has made .357 kind of useless. Obviously with .38+p and .40S&W nether .357 or 10mm are really needed for urban self-defense.

I must be about the only guy who doesn't care much for the .357 magnum.

Swore when I got something else after being a cop and carrying/using one for so long, that I'd never own another.

I've been true to my word so far. Not tempted either...

Leomort: The 357 is a VERY useful and versatile pistol cartridge.
I would NOT be without one.
And especially in todays political climate I recommend you NOT sell the 357 and also that you buy a 22 L.R. revolver as well.
Best of luck to you with whichever you decide to do.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Rockinbbar: During my 29 year law enforcement career I also carried a 357 Magnum (Smith & Wesson Model 66 6") for MANY years and found it lacking in NOTHING!
In fact I was saddened when my 1,100 man department opted to go universally to the Glocks in 40 S&W.
I purchased that S&W Model 66 6" (for $60.00 as per city ordinance!) and have it to this day!
And as far as I know YOU are the only law enforcement type "decrier" of the 357 Magnum for police work/self defense/fun gun that I have ever even heard of!
To each their own - they say.
Please reconsider your puzzling (irrational?) contention - you would be better off for doing so.
Long live the wonderful, powerful, versatile and accurate 357 Magnum cartridge/firearms.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thank you to everyone who's replied. I currently have blued GP100 357 mag w/ 4" barrel.

Unfortunately here in Maryland where I currently reside, what I currently have does not make the legal requirements to deer hunt with it. Requirements are barrel length of at least 6" barrel and 700 ft-lb muzzle energy. From the google calculators I've use, I would need to step up to 44mag to meet the states requirements. At this time I don't foresee me hunting with handgun so moot point at the moment.


For now, I'll probably just keep my GP100 since I already own it and can reload for it and just save up the money for 22lr handgun. I'm leaning toward semiauto 22lr mainly because I want to run it with a suppressor and maybe put a Burris Surefire III on it.

LOL.

I'm far from the only LEO who didn't care for the .357 much.

If you'd been inside the small cabin with 2 of us shooting off 2 1/2" M66's at guys with a Mini14 and a 9mm... all in close quarters, and having hearing loss permanent like, and need of better stopping power and more shots, you might change your mind.

My ears are still ringing as I type this.

If the .357 were such a crackerjack LEO round, why are departments not using it anymore?

Not all, but much of the blast and flash problems associated with the .357 Magnum have been addressed with more modern powder formulations.

I don’t think it’s the round itself so much and I don’t disagree on the noise level either. My GP100 4” while a fun gun to shoot its report with full magnum loads is a bit much, in fact I think my 41 mags are quieter.
Now just my opinion but even in Nebraska I saw a definite trend away from revolvers to semi autos after the 86 Miami shootout. Many followed the Federal Bureau of Instigators lead. Also noticed at about that time more female officers on the beat so maybe the wonder 9’s were easier for them to shoot.

Do not worry, .380, .38Special, 9x19, .40S&W, .357,.......which you pick as civilians for normal defense situations will be just fine. It will make no difference what most choose. I guess if one is contemplating using gun when camping in wilderness something in magnum category makes sense.

Yessir. The .357 is a sharp "Crack!" and very concussive out of a short barrel.

Larger bored handguns tend to be much duller, and "Boom!" rather than the sharp crack.

I think the females not only in the military but police jobs made better use of 9mms.

I was around when the FBI was still carrying 3" S&W's in 357.

Agent Starling's gun.

Who the hell is agent Starling. Ain’t pretty no more but it’s the only 357 I have ever needed since 88.

Good enough for Buffalo Bill!

And here all this time I always remembered it as a .38.

😆😆😆

I also believe that to be true.

Found a lot of info regarding that after a boatload of research on .357 load data over the last week or so. In all honesty, in addition to load data, much of the research was done to validate my love for the guns and cartridge.

Short barrels and magnums usually don't mix well, imho. Even in my 4"barrel 357mag the 125gr rounds were loud and obnoxious. When I went up to the 158gr loads it was much better on muzzle blast and noise. It may also have to do with how they loaded them. Alliant 2400 vs H110 for example?

But yes, from my experience the 357 mag does seem higher bitch compared to the 44mag. That's my one big complaint with 357mag the muzzle blast and noise/loudness.

Lit him up before turning his lights out.

Starling had the hammer eared back on that M13 with her finger on the trigger... She didn't learn that at the FBI academy.

I know I enjoy full power loads a whole lot more in my N and L frames than my K's. Mb

I had thought .357 ballistics was a major selling point of the .357 Sig round. Dunno how many agencies still use it.

I know. I noticed exactly the same thing when I watched it before posting it. Eastwood does the same thing with his Model 29 before he enters the alleyway in search of the serial killer in Dirty Harry.

Poor guy who played Buffalo Bill, Ted Levine (?), apparently really hurt his career by doing such a good job of being a bad guy.

357's are great!




More rounds in a 9mm and new bullets work better than the old ball rounds in 9mm.

They don't come in plastic .

What would you carry if you were still on the job rockinbar?

The 357magnum is BEST, "manstopper" EVER designed, FBI/Agency statistics through the years prove it, as that was it's sole design purpose. Just because revolvers have fallen out of favor, doesn't make the 357mag any less effective. Because I'm proficient with all my firearms, 357mag would be my first choice, if I couldn't get to a long gun. 357magnum, Long Live The King!

What type of ammo did you fire with your M66? Did you also use the 125 HV hollow points?
6 inch for police duty? Isn't that a little bit long? Which holster did you take for carrying your M66?

Cost and snowflakes I believe were the contributing factors to the demise of the 357 Sig in law enforcement.

Let’s see how fast we can dump a mag.

Oh I still dabble in law enforcement from time to time. May yet again look at the Constable's election next time... but I doubt it. I'm not too much of a fan of local politics.

I'd still carry my Colt 1911 45ACP with 230gr Fed. Hydra Shoks.





Not saying the .357 isn't a good stopper, or even a good hunting cartridge. Just saying I don't really have a need for one, and love my 1911's. Wouldn't have one of those Coonan .357 atrocities either.

Prior to the 1950s, six inch was a pretty standard barrel length for a police officer in the US. As patrolling in cars became more the norm than patrolling on foot, they switched to four inch barrels.

Hydra Shoks? There are a couple of bullet designs that have proven superior to them in the last decade or so, like HST and Gold Dot. Why do you favor the Hydra Shoks?

Same thing happened to Andrew Robinson after Dirty Harry.



He could only play roles where his face was unrecognizable. Here he is with a vagina on his forehead.

Ahhh, thank you!

Actually, I think my latest box of 50 for carrying are the HST's.

I did some ammo development testing for ATK (they owned Federal at the time) and they gave me lots of ammo. I had them include some .45acp Hydro Shoks, and the sent enough that I've been using out of that stock for years.

I may not be the right person either. I own six 357 revolvers. It would be wrong to say I’m not a little fond of the cartridge. Hasbeen

For me, they were a cheap way to get a good centerfire revolver. This would have been when every police department around was trading them in. $200-$300 would get a good one. My first was a 4"trooper mkIII, the next a 4" 28-2 highway patrolman. The trooper went down the road years ago, while the 28 added a *few* N-frame companions over the years.

Back in the day, .38 Special was significantly cheaper than 9mm & .45 ACP. So the .357 magnum made sense because you could shoot it cheaply, and yet you have a first rate cartridge for defense. These days, .38 Special isn't cheap; certainly no cheaper than bulk 9mm or .45.

Back in 1980 and thereabout, I used to shoot my Model 67 S&W .357 Magnum very cheaply by stopping by the local gun store on the way to the range and picking up extremely inexpensive .38 Special, target wadcutter, reloads. If you returned your brass to the gun store, you got it even cheaper. I swear, I think it was like $5.00 a box of fifty if you returned your spent cases. This was when it was the standard police round, and there were big local companies that reloaded them for sale on large scale.

Yeah, cheap .38 reloads were easy to find if you knew where to look. But even factory new wadcutter loads were a good 25% cheaper than 9mm back then. And that was some accurate ammo too!
Today's "cheap" .38 specials with the 130gr FMJ's are sufficiently accurate for fun, but not great if you want to shoot little, tight groups. And they're often slightly more than the cheaper 9mm's.

Yeah, the 357 mag in the last five to ten years has become a lot less common.

But not less efficient. A great round!

.357 magnum? Yes, I like that cartridge, very versatile, mild to wild.

Mostly I like Smith&Wesson’s…… M19-2, M66, M27-2.

Nice

I have several revolvers in this caliber, but my carry pistols are all 9mm bores, including .357 SIG.

In the woods I carry my FA .22 mag.

Go figure.

The article was written in 1988. .357 has had its 15 minutes of fame.

Sweet!

I own 3 357 magnum revolvers, a 4" Model 19 a 6" nickel model 19 and a pinned and recessed model 27 4"

Rokinbbar, you're a kind of serious looking fella in that photo!

Eye of the ranger.

Can the 357 mag hit 700 ft-lbs of muzzle energy from 6" barrel without using boutique ammo?

I've seen the results of people shot with various handgun cartridges, from 22 LR, to 45 automatic. The only handgun cartridge I saw that resulted in chunks shot off a man, was a 357. The versatility of the cartridge dictates that I will always own one.

There's a new, unfired, four inch 27 for sale at a local pawn shop. The price tag is well over $2,000.00.

Very nice!

PS- Look like Patrick Grasshorn's stag grips on the 19-2.

I've stated here numerous times in the past, there really isn't anything the 357 does that can't be done in the 38 Special case and for the most part, 38 Special chambered guns.

The 357's detractions are noise, blast and racket. It's most ardent supporters of the past were basically stone deaf before they should have been.

Someone mentioned "modern" or "new" powders that aren't as obnoxious. They would be great, but none hit the velocities with the bullets that made the 357 famous as a "manstopper" or loads that go much beyond a 38's capabilities. Ones that get close without being nasty are right at home doing the same thing, for all practical purposes, in a 38 Special.

The upside to the 357 is that it has been chambered in the very best, most highly regarded revolvers since its inception. That's probably my only reason to find for liking it. It's nostalgic, being the first "Magnum" and "Atomic" handgun cartridge to hit the scene of a long lineage to follow it. It's also the one Magnum that many can control, recoil wise, if they can plug their ear canals...

My smallest offhand group at 100 yards was fired with a nasty, loud 4 inch 357. It didn't kick much, if at all, so I suppose it has its merits and most serious shooters have had some good moments with it, but IMO, its more about the guns it was chambered in.

My only 357 is a 6 inch King Cobra. Shooting 38’s out it is pretty mild. I just like the longer barrels on revolvers. Less flip, longer sight radius, velocity….

Correct about the firearms! S&W 19's and 27's, plus the 586/686 are great guns. And the previously discussed Marlin 1894 rifles adds to the enjoyment of a great round.

I have several, and the cartridge is a favorite.

I always use 158 grain or heavier at or near 1400 FPS in my 357's anything less isn’t a real 357 magnum
I never use 125 grain or lighter

jwp475, what barrel length and load were you using to get that 1400 FPS? Alliant 2400? H110/296? Thanks!

I've heard it said that it's the lighter bullets that do the most to damage forcing cones on K-Frame .357 Magnum revolvers.

H-110/296 will get you there easily. My 4" M-19 will get there with Buffalo Bore 158 Gold Dot.

When S&W originally released the 357 mag it was loaded to 1550 FPS with 158 grain bullets

They definitely are

That seems to be the rumor. When I was at Davis (a S&W depot repair) we encountered several that were from 158's as well as the 125's and 110's. My first handgun was a 6" M19 and my forcing cone split from a 158gr JHP.

So the light bullet thing seems to be the prevailing theory, but I have seen it, and personally experienced it with 158's.

Phillip B. Sharpe who is credited with working on the 357 mag with Elmer Keith and Douglas Wesson might disagree with that. In fact his 1937 book Guide to handloading he states 2 factory loads for the round 158 grain lead @1240 and a police load 158 lead @910

Gets me things to throw on the fire, revolver or carbine.






GR

I only have 2 .357’s left. My brother has permanently borrowed my SP-101 and the NM Blackhawk I got about 20 years ago only because it was waved in front of me for a really good price went out to Missouri with me last time and stayed with one of my sons. That leaves me a 27-5 and a PC 627. I shoot them occasionally. They are much easier shooting in a big revolver than the other magnum revolver rounds. Both of mine being N frames they have no advantage, carry-wise, over a .41 or .44 magnum.

I love it but have only two 357 mag revolvers, a first gen 4" blue Colt Trooper and pre-27 S&W 8-3/8.

125gr Barnes' from 1450 to 1600 fps
158gr Keith at 1000 fps
158gr Cast Performance hard casts from 1400-1500 fps
180gr Swift A Frames 1400 fps

No hand gunner here, but i think a man can get a lot done with a good 357 mag revolver.

Modern "fighting" guns are semi automatic and have a capacity larger than 6 rounds. As semi autos became more reliable, These factors combined along with a few high profile shootings were likely the reason that revolvers became obsolete in LE work. The .357 mag earned its reputation as a manstopper using a 125 jhp. Its versatility is a benefit, but if using a revolver, Id rather use a 45 LC or 44 Magnum. A concealed snub nose 357 mag snubby for CCW or a backup wouldn't be a horrible idea.

Unless you actually touched one off with full power Magnum rounds in it. No fun at all.

A new model Black Hawk, capable of the most off the wall 357 loads just shy of a Model83 Freedom Arms @ 2 grand & change.

180's at 1938 velocities for 158's. Over 1500. Been there, done that.

Risky, but doable. Superior dimensions & tolerances of the FA might save brass. But when testing stuff like this, the Ruger holds, the brass doesn't. I never went to the point of blowing or splitting brass, but the primer pockets were toast.

Time to stop & back up. Use the 357 for things that don't require a 44. All of them have their place.

Never said it had to be a full power .357 mag load.

+1........

gunner500, is that velocity from the 8-3/8" barrel?

My favorite duty load back in the day was either the Remington reduced velocity scalloped jacket hollowpoint which was a 125 gr. at 1250 fps, or the Winchester 145 gr. Silvertip hollowpoint at 1275 fps. In a 4" K frame Combat Magnum either load was much easier to handle than the full house 125 gr. at 1400+ fps. I had the bad luck to be inside a vehicle when a 4" .357 was fired six times with the Federal 125 gr. full house magnum load. It will get your attention and it will blow a lot of dust and debris around in your face in a "disconcerting" way.

The M66 must be one of the early ones. Stainless front and rear sight. I suppose: Model 66-no dash. Very nice. And I like the appearance of the M27

Yes Sir, load book not handy so those are from memory, do know:

125's with Longshot and 296/h110
158 Keith, [plinker load] Longshot
158 hard cast 296/h110/lil gun
180 SAF's 296/h110/Lil gun

All are book loads from Hodgdon website, most don't like to load a 125gr bullet to 1600+ fps, what a fireball LOL, but you damn sure safely can.

Forgot one buzzsaw load, 140gr copper Barnes at 1500 fps with lil gun, that load is a flying chainsaw on homemade media testing ; ]

Thanks, gunner!

I don't think anyone makes an 8-3/8" barrel 357mag anymore?

Taurus does i think

Thanks for the kind words on my three .357’s.
Yes, the stags are Grashorn’s on the M19-2. On the M27-2 they are Culina’s.
The M66 is an early one I bought new in 1973. The sights were very hard to see in certain light so the front sight has some paint on it and the rear sight blade has been replaced with a blue one. The corners were rounded a bit because they were bothersome in my duty holster.
While I think of myself as a .45 caliber guy I seem to have a lot more .38 caliber handguns. 😁

Well, the .357 Magnum, in general, will do everything I really need a handgun bullet to do. I have seen, first-hand, what it will do to a human opponent. (Police patrol, line-of-duty incident.) In places where feral hogs are a hazard, well, acquaintances, whose opinions I respect, have said that 180-grain hard-cast .357 will do the job. Feral hogs killed and partially ate a woman, one county east of here. https://abc13.com/christine-rollins...d-animal-attack-death-wild-hogs/5716849/

Cougars/Pumas/Mountain Lions face hunting pressure, here in Texas, so tend to stay away from human encounters. Should a big cat decide to behave in an anomalous way, well, he .357 is enough for the cats.

If I could rescue only one of my firearms from a house fire, it would be my first GP100, a very-early-Nineties sample, with a 4” lugged barrel, adjustable sights, and made of stainless steel. It is the one I used in the above-mentioned defensive incident. I have another, just like it, plus a 3” version, with a black finish and an XS Big Dot night sight, a 4” fixed-sight stainless, without the full lug, and a 6”, adjustable-sight stainless, without the full lug. The original-pattern OEM grip fits my hands better than anything I have tried, and my index finger falls natrually into a perfect position on the trigger. A GP100 points “naturally,” for me, which means that acquiring a sight picture is for refining the point-of-aim, rather than just beginning the process of lining-up the sights. So, I obviously consider the Ruger GP100 to be a viable weapon, and I would rather have six rounds of .357, than five rounds of .44 Special, or deal with moon clips for the 10mm version.

There are, of course, other handgun cartridges that can do what I need a handgun to do, but though I have relatively long hands, I have medium-length fingers, so, medium-framed revolvers are a best fit, for reaching a DA trigger. I like some autos, but, am already having trouble with an aging right hand that does not always do what I want it to do, so, it does not always provide a stable, firm platform for reliable auto-loader functioning. I can, of course, shoot lefty, but using that gimpy right hand to run the slide may become problematic, in the future. (I already had to change to the “Israeli method” of running the slide.) Ambidextrous shooting is desirable, for one’s important weapons, and, for me, that means revolvers remain important, as auto-loaders decrease in importance. (I have nothing against auto-loaders, conceptually; my favored home defense weapons are Benelli M2 shotguns, one of which was my police duty shotgun, and I stil love my 1911 pistols, which I see as relatively less-susceptible to malfunctions, if I “numb-thumb” a limp-wrist type of user error.)

So, yes, the .357 Magnum seems plenty useful, and viable, for my needs. Others’ needs may vary. I could have written much more, but long posts are difficult to read. I did not even get to all of the reasons I love the Ruger SP101, or the S&W Model 19.

Would prefer a .41 caliber revolver over a .357.

Perhaps one get their gp100 or S&W 686 re-bored to 41 mag?

Back when Skeeter Skelton was alive, he touted a load using the Lyman 358156GC bullet on top of 14.5gr. of 2400. I had a six inch Security Six at the time, and had a friend who cast those bullets. I was able to get some from him, and chrono-ed them at 1465fps. out of that Ruger. Granted, that gun was a "fast" one (shot loads faster than some identical revolvers), but that load would shoot into 1.5" at 25 yards.

It made the .357 a real contender. Subsequent revolvers have been equally accurate, but a lot slower. If I still had that Security Six, I'd probably be happy as hell with that combo. I never liked the lighter bullets. Probably the easiest shooting .357 I've had was a 4" 686 CS-1 (round butt, all black sights, front sight was only .10" wide). It was smoother than any other wheelgun I've ever owned, but it wasn't anywhere near as "fast" as that Security Six. They were in different classes, really. Still excellent, but not quite the gun that Ruger was.

SAAMI had to reduce the 357 registered max average pressure when thin wall chambered 357 mags were first newly manufactured that got sticky cases when the chamber expanded too much.
The old high pressure was ok with the old thick chamber walls of heavy revolvers.

Analysis from John Bercovitz in 1993 who then worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab [retired but still alive].




Newsgroups: rec.guns
From: [email protected] (John Bercovitz)
Date: 12 Feb 93 00:48:39 GMT
Local: Thurs, Feb 11 1993 5:48 pm
Subject: Re: Brass Expansion in a .357
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In article <[email protected]> [email protected]
(Mike Janeczko) writes:

#....... Also, some postings ago,
#suggested that the thickness of the metal used for the cylinder has something
#to do with it. Next time I see the guns, I'll compare.
Sheesh! I can tell _I'm_ not a very convincing poster! 8-)
OK, here's something I posted a long time ago after I did
some figuring for a friend of mine. It's a little broader
than your question but the answer to your question is imbedded.
John Bercovitz ([email protected])
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A friend asked why steel cases aren't more common since they would
allow higher chamber pressures. I thought that as long as I had
written something up for him, I might as well post it here:
Material Properties
CDA 260 cartridge brass: barrel steels:
Young's modulus = 16*10^6 psi Young's modulus = 29*10^6 psi
Yield stress = 63,000 psi min. Yield stress: usually > 100,000 psi
I was going to get back to you and explain further why brass is a better
cartridge case material than steel or aluminum. Sorry I took so long. I
left you with the nebulous comment that brass was "stretchier" and would
spring back more so it was easier to extract from the chamber after firing.
Now I'll attempt to show why this is true given the basic material properties
listed above.
A synopsis would be that the propellant pressure expands the diameter of
the thin wall of the cartridge case until it contacts the interior wall
of the chamber and thereafter it expands the case and the chamber
together. The expansion of the cartridge case, however, is not elastic.
The case is enough smaller in diameter than the chamber that it has to
_yield_ to expand to chamber diameter. After the pressure is relieved by
the departure of the bullet, both the chamber and the cartridge case
contract elastically. It is highly desirable that the cartridge case
contract more than the chamber so that the case may be extracted with a
minimum of effort.
A quick review of the Young's modulus: this is sort of the "spring
constant" of a material; it is the inverse of how much a unit chunk of
material stretches under a unit load. Its units are stress / strain =
psi/(inch/inch). Here's a basic example of its use: If you have a 2
inch by 2 inch square bar of steel which is 10 inches long and you put a
10,000 pound load on it, how much does it stretch? First of all, the
stress on the steel is 10,000/(2*2) = 2500 psi. The strain per inch will
be 2500 psi/29*10^6 = 0.000086 inches/inch. So the stretch of a 10 inch
long bar under this load will be 10 * 0.000086 = 0.00086 inches or a
little less than 1/1000 inch.
Yield stress (aka yield strength) is the load per unit area at which a
material starts to yield or take a permanent set (git bint). It's not
an exact number because materials often start to yield slightly and then
go gradually into full-scale yield. But the transition is fast enough
to give us a useful number.
So how far can you stretch CDA 260 cartridge brass before it takes a
permanent set? That would be yield stress divided by Young's modulus:
63,000 psi/16*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .004 inches/inch.
How far can you stretch cheap steel? Try A36 structural steel:
36,000 psi/29*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .001 inches/inch.
How about good steel of modest cost such as C1118?
77,000 psi/29*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .003 inches/inch.
(Note that C1118 doesn't have anywhere near the formability of CDA 260.
Brass cases are made by the cheap forming process called "drawing"
while C1118 is a machinable steel, suitable for the more expensive machining
processes such as turning and milling.)
What about something that's expensive such as CDA 172 beryllium copper?
175,000 psi/19*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .009 inches/inch.
(This isn't serious because CDA 172 is pretty brittle when it's _this_
hard.)
Titanium Ti-6AL-4V
150,000 psi/16.5*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .009 inches/inch
(This is an excellent material though expensive and hard to work with.)
Really expensive aluminum, 7075-T6
73,000 psi/10.4*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .007 inches/inch
Cheap aluminum, 3003 H18
29,000 psi/10*10^6 psi/(inch/inch) = .003 inches/inch
(Aluminum isn't a really good material because it isn't strong and cheap
at the same time, it hasn't much fatigue strength, and it won't go over
its yield stress very often without breaking. So you can't reload it.
It makes a "one-shot" case at best. Also, 7075 is a machinable rather
than a formable aluminum, primarily.)
Magnesium, AZ80A-T5
50,000/6.5*10^6 = .0077
(Impact strength and ductility are low. Corrodes easily.)
+Here's the important part: Even if you stretch something until it
+yields, it still springs back some distance. In fact, the springback
+amount is the same as if you had just barely taken the thing up to its
+yield stress. This is because when you stretch it, you establish a new
length for it, and since you are holding it at the yield stress (at
least until you release the load) it will spring back the distance
associated with that yield stress. So the figures given above such as
.004 inches/inch are the figures that tell us how much a case springs
back after firing.
Changing subjects for a moment: How much does the steel chamber expand
and contract during a firing? Naturally this amount is partially
determined by the chamber wall's thickness. The outside diameter of a
rifle chamber is about 2 1/2 times the maximum inside diameter,
typically. The inside diameter is around .48 inches at its largest.
Actual chamber pressures of high pressure rounds will run 60,000 psi or
even 70,000 psi range if you're not careful.
One of the best reference books on the subject is "Formulas for Stress
and Strain" by Roark and Young, published by MacGraw-Hill. Everyone
just calls it "Roark's". In the 5th edition, example numbers 1a & 1b,
page 504, I find the following:
For an uncapped vessel:
Delta b = (q*b/E)*{[(a^2+b^2)/(a^2-b^2)] + Nu}
For a capped vessel:
Delta b = (q*b/E)*{[a^2(1+Nu)+b^2(1-2Nu)]/(a^2-b^2)}
Where:
a = the external radius of the vessel = 0.6 inch
b = the internal radius of the vessel = .24 inch
q = internal pressure of fluid in vessel = 70,000 psi
E = Young's modulus = 29 * 10^6 psi for barrel steel
Nu = Poisson's ratio = 0.3 for steel (and most other materials)
A rifle's chamber is capped at one end and open at the other but really
it's not too open at the other end because the case is usually bottle-
necked. You'd have to go back to basics instead of using cookbook
formulae if you wanted the exact picture, but if we compute the results
of both formulas, the truth must lie between them but closer to the
capped vessel.
For an uncapped vessel:
D b = (70000*.24/29*10^6)*{[(.6^2+.24^2)/(.6^2-.24^2)] + .3} = .00097
For a capped vessel:
D b = (70000*.24/29*10^6)*{[.6^2(1.3)+.24^2(.4)]/(.6^2-.24^2)} = .00094
There's not a whole heck of a lot of difference between the two results
so let's just say that the chamber's expansion is .001 inch radial or
.002 inch diametral.
The cartridge case's outside diameter is equal to about .48 inch after
the cartridge has been fired. So its springback, if made from CDA 260,
is .004 inches/inch (from above) * .48 inch = .002 inches diametral
which of course is just the amount the chamber contracted so we've just
barely got an extractable case when chamber pressures hit 70,000 psi in
this barrel. This is why the ease with which a case can be extracted
from a chamber is such a good clue as to when you are reaching maximum
allowable pressures. By the same token, you can see that if a chamber's
walls are particularly thin, it will be hard to extract cases (regardless
of whether or not these thin chamber walls are within their stress limits).
A really good illustration of this can be found when comparing the S&W
model 19 to the S&W model 27. Both guns are 357 magnum caliber and both
can take full-pressure loads without bursting. The model 27 has thick
chamber walls and the model 19 has thin chamber walls. Cartridge cases
which contained full-pressure loads are easily extracted from a model 27
but they have to be pounded out of a model 19. So manufacturers don't
manufacture full-pressure loads for the 357 magnums anymore. 8-(

Isn’t the 357mag the #1 man stopper?

I've owned a few 357s not don't own one at the moment. It's sort of the handgun equivalent of the 30/06. It does everything decently but is kinda boring.

Can't believe I'm going to agree with Slavdood. Partially, sort of, anyway. (That's as good as it gets)

Yeah, I see no remaining reason to fool around with .357 in a medium frame six shooter when you can have 10mm/.40 in the same size revolver.

But wait....



Proves again Slavdood, you not only don't have a clue, but don't even know the difference. We ain't talkin' about the SP101 here.

When I was young and first married one of my first centerfire handguns was a Ruger in .357. I was attracted to it as a caliber due to it's all around capabilities and when I was more price conscious then..... it was the choice.

As time moved on and my bank account grew I became more interested in getting specific caliber handguns, rifles, and shotguns for specific hunting applications. The Ruger .357 was replaced with a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44mag for the upper end of the handgun calibers for my needs and I started to get into different rifle calibers for hunting different types of game and conditions. I eventually ended up with a safe full of firearms with each one (and some duplicates) tailored to specific purposes and situations.

I find now that I only have one double action revolver....a Smith 60 with a fabulous trigger job and bobbed hammer on it that will never be sold. The other handguns are all autos and now there are no .357 in the safe. I just found out that other pistol calibers were better suited for me and now I could buy many autos with different calibers instead of watching the pennies.

I think today I could become a fan of some of the great .357 revolvers but being admiring the pistols more than the caliber.

Everyone has their likes/dislikes and buys accordingly with no fleas on their choices from me.

With the 10mm/40 you need to use moon clips in a revolver or go without using the ejector. . Also, finding ammo might be tougher compared to 357/38

I see more 10mm and 40 than I do 38 special lately

I recently got a Ruger GP100 Match Champion 4.20" which I just received the other day I've owned many .357 Magnums in the past, heck even
carried them on duty. I love the way this one carries and I can't complain about it's lighter weight, than I had. Lots of us here in NW Montana carry them over the heavier larger
caliber revolvers... many carry less caliber because of the hype of supposed better constructed 9mm bullets... okay enough, carry what you want and be happy.

You must use moon clips only for the .40, and they need to be heavier clips than Ruger provides to be reliable. But that's kind of irrelevant, as a practical matter. I haven't seen any 357 or 38 factory ammo for over a year, but 40 has been available from time to time - and currently, quite plentiful. But that's irrelevant too, because I load my own. And yeah, I'm seeing far more .40 components on the shelf than .38/.357.

I just bought 3 boxes of Aguilla .38 special on my way home from work last night.

With the good bullets we have now days a good six gun man is a very dangerous opponent. If you're in law enforcement go with the semi auto. A lot of misses will never equal a good hit.

Dick

Mostly I like it for the versatility and lower cost compared to larger rounds. Plus, as I get older I'm becoming more and more of a recoil wimp so the recoil of even full power 158 grain loads in a full size revolver isn't abusive - we're talking GP100, Smith 586 or N-frame, that type. I fired 5 rounds of full power Federal 158 factory loads from my 4" SP101 a couple of weeks ago and while it's still doable that's a bit more fun that I want out of a handgun any more.

You can use powder puff 148 grain loads in .38 cases up to a 180 grain bullet at 1200 fps and they will all be reliable in a revolver. You use less powder and also less alloy per bullet for casters. It is loud but to be honest any handgun is going to be loud, repeated exposure to any of them without hearing protection is going to cause hearing loss.

I look at it as the .308 of handguns and that's not a bad thing.

Lets not forget what really makes the .357 so great; the revolvers!.

Seriously, some of the finest revolvers ever made, have been made in .357 Mag. If you're a REAL wheel gun guy; why wouldn't you own at least one .357?

Good point. The Model 19 and 27, the Python.

I think a good six gun man has always been a dangerous opponent. But that has little to do with the weapon and everything to do with the man. I find the idea that using a revolver somehow makes one a much improved combat marksman over the same person armed with a semi auto as silly.

Yeah, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the imaginary binary choice between hits with a revolver and misses with an auto.

The GP 100, the Security Six.

Yep. Agreed. And the Speed Six, and the S&W Model 13.

And the model 60.

You lost me with that one. I think that was a pretty stupid gun/cartridge combination to come up with.

King Cobra

Let's not forget the Colt Shooting Master. I'll also give a nod to the S&W Highway Patrolman, the second 357 I bought back when they were $250 all day long.

Yep, I picked up a nice clean one of those at a gun show way back when, too. Wish I never sold it. So dumb.

[/quote]

now, there is a sexy post

My father in-law came up for Thanksgiving and said he had a gift for me. It was his blued, Python he bought in the mid-70s in a leather, Colt holster. He thinks he paid $175 for it and only put a few rounds through it. To say I was happy would be an understatement. He’s in his 80s and just wanted me to have it. I’m a .357 fan but this was over the top!

Damn! Nice.

Wow! Congratulations.

O yes! Bought for 270 Euros, sold for 440 Euro a few years later. I think I should no longer hesitate to contact the buyer if he still has the gun....

Congrats to your father in-law! And to the wonderful gift.
I'd like to see a picture.

I did just the opposite for my dad’s 70th birthday, year before last. I paid a lot more than $175 for a 6” blued model. Shot a bit but still in good shape. Dad always wanted one but never ponied up the dough. I’ll never forget his reaction when he opened that gift and found the Python inside.

Nice. That's about what mine looked like. A real sweetie to shoot. The hottest Magnum loads felt, recoil-wise, like shooting a K-Frame .38.

How many handguns does Germany allow you to own at one time?

Have 3 .357’s , was the first centerfire pistol I had,really like the .357

How so? A 3" model 60 makes a lot of sense when roaming around the hills. Made even more sense back when it was new.

I like the .357 and a lot of guns it comes in.

Anything from powderpuff 38's to fire breathing 357's on loads. Light to heavy bullets. Easy to make rat/snake shot loads. Wide range of ammo and loads for it off the shelf and unlimited reloading options....of course this can be limited by availability like anything else....

Guns range from long barreled 8 shot revolvers down to 5 round snubbies. Blued, stainless, scandium....heavy to light. 8"+ to 1 7/8" barrels. Guns available with moon clips...can carry speed loaders, speed strips, or just loose rounds in a pocket. Can stretch distances when shooting or shoot from inside a pocket. Single action, double action, DAO, hammer'd, hammerless, bobbed, covered.

Whole lot of functionality in 357's and every one is a 38. I will say, my general rule is if I'm wanting to shoot mainly 357's I like a 4" or longer barrel....but that's just my preference.

I've posted in this thread once, but when I read JBM's post I just had to say I'm on board word for word with what he typed.

357's are very versatile. Not saying that cause I have them, I have them cause I believe it.

Yep, the 3” adjustable sights Mod 60 is a design greater than the sum of it’s parts. Mine served for everything from teaching the Ex and son to shoot, lots of plinking, with .38 plusP for concealed carry, the at-hand home defense gun and for woods carry with hot .357 loads.

I will say, as you stated, there’s a lot more options now than there was 25+ years ago when I bought it.

I've got a three in inch J-Frame revolver with adjustable sight, a scandium frame, and a titanium cylinder, but it's in .38 Special. Pre-key-hole.

I've shot a scandium J frame 38, and it was more than unpleasant. I'd much rather shoot my 3" 60as with 158gr GD than that. For me, the scandium J is past the point of diminishing returns.

Yeah, it's a bit rough with +P.

When I was looking for a light weight J-frame, I didn't need to read too many reviews of the Scandium frame .357 Magnum 340/360 S&W's to see that guys shooting magnums regarded it as a 2" barreled flame thrower or "Like a bomb going off in your hand" is how one guy described it. .38 +P is all that my 12 ounce 337PD will handle and that is even high end enough to hang on to. If I did want to shoot it more often, I'd look for larger grips.

"WHAT?"

"Oh, the .357 Mag. Good cartridge."

Glad I have become a lip reader. Damage done, I guess.

Yep. Larger grips help tame recoil a bit.

+P aint bad in a Scandium.
That Corbon .357 mag though..............yowza.
Beyond annoying blast wise.
Recoil is stiff, I get bonked on trigger finger some.
Don't shoot my buds enough to master the technique.

I wouldn't change grips, for me the idea is to keep it small.

Still want one, but w my P365 I may never get the wicked J.

I love my blackhawks.

My brother got my late fathers 3 screw blackhawk a couple years ago. Then last month my uncle says he has one just like it that he bought at the same store that my dad got his from. Now my brother and I have three screws that are 5000 apart in serial number.

For deer, in a rifle barrel, they are deadly..........and far more effective than many might imagine. 2050 with 158 loads.........

Thank you!
As a hunter or target shooter: two. But as a target shoot you may broaden your requirement by proofing an additional interest which must be confirmed by the parent organization of the shooting club your are a member of. Being a little bit mor dexterous four or five are no problem when you combine the hunters licence with a full memebership in a shooting club. With a collector's licence which is hard to obtain you can collect as many handguns you want if you stay within the limits of your topic e. g. German police and military handguns from 1871 to 1945.

This is another thing I really like about the .357. In a lever action or bolt action it's a light weight and compact package with decent range, decent capacity, can be a big jump in velocity, and is a really easy on the shoulders/ears. A lever action 357 can put a lot of rounds downrange very quick. It's not an AR but it's a very effective weapon. Rifle and revolver using the same ammo is nice.

.357 Mag is probably a better carbine cartridge than it is a handgun cartridge. And its a damned decent handgun cartridge.

Looks like you have to be quite ingenuitive to have much of a handgun collection there.

I ran those Corbons for a while in my 642. And you are right. They are a handful. I've run through 2 or 3 other self defense loads and have currently settled on 158 gr hard casts.

JMC and GG - agreed.

Folks would be surprised to watch the 2 liter bottles blow up at 150 yds, offhand, either open sights or peep, can't recall, shot both as well as a 2.5x scope. A red dot might be sweet. Those bottles looked like a hi-vel rifle hit them......destroyed them! All I can say, I don't know much that would take a hit to 150 yds, thru the lungs and survive.

All that said, I was thinking the new 350 Legend might be a thought for a rifle round.......perhaps closer to the 'Maximum?'

Most useful guns I own are 357. Most used are 9mm. Most liked is 44.
I've killed more deer with the 357 but that was due to opportunity more than plan.
Downers:. Loud. Energy level.
Upper:. Cost, weight, variety
My Contender 357 is my most accurate center-fire.

My wife carries a S&W 327 TTR8 around the house and barn, and when we head into the mountains, her Marlin 1894 comes along as well. The 158 grain XTP's work well in both, 1275 fps in the Smith and over 1850 fps in the lever gun. One cartridge in both guns.

I do the same but in 45 Colt.

Manny

I've always thought the S&W 327 5" models were about as good of a design as a combat revolver could be.

I want to a single action revolver for occasionally plinking. The 45 Colt was the obvious choice, but now I might consider the 38/357.

Agreed. 8 shots, a rail, tuned action from the Performance Shop, enough barrel length for proper balance, which also gives more velocity, and with the frame and barrel shroud materials such as they are, comparatively light weight.

Manny

Love these pics.

Been running 170 grain Keith wide nose hard cast SWCs through a press for the ammo company:





for those who don't know btw:

:
https://www.lostriverammocompany.com/



The heavy Keith 170 grain .357s are what my oldest kiddo carried when she was working as a cowboy/wrangler for an outfitter this past season. Carried in my 2.5" Model 19.

Mackay_Sagebrush what mold is that 170?

Looks like the Lyman 358429, THE classic Keith .357 bullet.

I’ve got 358429 but the MP looked wider in the pic. Maybe I am mistaken though.

Sadly, that bullet is too long for some cylinders when used in .357 cases. Smith M27s and M28s, along with Colt Trooper (old style) or Pythons, all have cylinders that are too short for that bullet/case combination. They can be used in .38 cases, though, and will work, but the powder charges should be lowered accordingly. Smith K-frame .357s and L-frames have longer cylinders (go figure), and they work there. Rugers have always had long cylinders (except the early SP-101s). I don't know about any other makers, though.

They can also be used in 357 cases by deepseating them and crimping over the driving band

Likely the Lyman 358429, or another mold makers version of that. I have the Lyman 4 cavity version and it casts extremely well.

Oops - see that has already been posted...

True enough, I neglected that aspect. It's an excellent bullet, regardless. That one, and the old Thompson gas checked #358156 are superb.

I’m trying to decide if I have any use for a .357 magnum. I had 4 up until recently but 2 went to family members and one went down the road to help finance a new sporting clays gun (which has seen more use in the month I’ve had it than the 27 saw in the past 15 years.) All I have left is a Performance Center 627 from, probably, the first run they did of those. I’m trying really hard now to decide whether I really need that. When it’s revolver time one of my.41’s or .44’s gets the nod. Still, it’s a cool gun so I guess I’ll keep it for a while, maybe…then again, if that nickel 57 at the lgs or another Italian shotgun starts calling my name….

Get the nickel 57, anyway.

I like the .357, but have a bit different take on it. I like it with 180 JHPs or flat nose hard cast lead at 1300 from a 6” barrel. I shoot some 158 .357 loads too, but the 158 loads I really like are lead SWCs @ 950-1150 from my S&W M15 .38 Special.

Expat

Sounds like you're pushing your .38 Special loads into the .38-44 power level. Pretty hot to be shooting out of a Model 15 S&W.

No, it’s fine.

Don’t like ‘‘em much that’s why I only have five.

That one needs to be printed out on proper photographic paper and framed. Very cool shot.

I really like the .357 mag, was my first centerfire handgun and now I am shooting it more and more.