The Classic 357 Magnum

[sixshot]

Is it just me or is the 357 magnum kind of forgotten? Seems like it seldom gets mentioned anymore here or on other forums, all the talk is either 32 magnums, 327 magnums or the big bores. I also must confess that I have put my 357's aside in favor on some of the smaller calibers the last few years & used them with great satisfaction. Small bullets use less lead, smaller doses of powder, take small game with ease, recoil is zero & case life is almost forever.
Still I feel a bit guilty when I see my OM shorty sitting in the safe begging to go for a ride. I've had it for many, many years, its served me well, along with many others & I'm kind of curious if any of you have the same feelings.
Mine seldom see full blown mangnum loads, almost always I use 38 specials with 5.2 grs of 231 with the Keith #358429, it kills ground squirrels, badgers, skunks, coyotes & other assorted pests with ease, & as Sheriff & a couple others can agree with, its very accurate at long range, even with the short barrel which has the front sight narrowed to 1/10", very important on a short barreled gun if you have old blinkers!
My longest ever deer kill was with an 8 3/8ths model 27 S&W many years ago, that same Smith was in my Lawrence shoulder rig when I took my Mountain Lion back in the late 70's, early 80's (not sure)
A 4" model 28 S&W, purchased new in the box for $93 in 1967 was my introduction to the 357 magnum, a Keith mould, CCI primers for 67 cents per hundred & Unique or 2400 powder & I took a terrible tole on Texas turtles, bullfrogs, Armadillos, possums, rabbits, snakes, raccoons, alligator gar & snapping turtles. My Ruger Blackhawks saw 13.5grs. of 2400 in a 38 special case with the Keith slug & were shot by the thousands, cast on the kitchen stove in an 8lb. Lyman round bottom casting pot & a dipper.
Anyone else neglecting their 357's?

Dick

[Encore64]

Sadly, I have never cared for the cartridge in a revolver until recently. No particular reason, just one of those things.

Have always cherished it in a rifle, more so after Lil Gun came out.

My recent purchase of the Lipsey's Flattop Midframed Blackhawk has changed my mind a bit. It's size is well suited to the cartridge size, but is designed for hunting, etc.

I feel like it will be more popular in my shooting battery in the future. I tend to cull out anything between the 327 Federal and 44 Special.

[nolongcolt]

Never really been a favorite of mine either but have owned more than a few. Only one currently is a Ruger Security Six Liberty model with short barrel as a house gun. Though due to another thread, I am looking to replace a long ago sold M27 with 5 inch bbl. I have a beautiful carved Threepersons holster from El Paso waiting for it, as soon as I find the right one. What never did interest me is a single action in that cal. I did own a couple of Blackhawks in .357 but probably never would again.

[Markbo]

Since I started carrying my SS .32 H&R I have neglected all my .357s. They are bigger, heavier MUCH louder and if I need more than the .32 like Encore I tend to step directly up to .44 Special at minimum. In shot an awful lot of .357 in my younger days but I just no longer care for the excessive muzzle blast mostly. Maybe if I ever got around to working up 180gr loads in the heavy duty Abilene I might carry one again.

[Fowler]

Yup I have never been a big 357 fan, started out with a 6" Security Six growing up and sorted out I liked 38s a lot more than barky 357 rounds. I went away from handguns for a long while and when I came back to them found the 45 Colts, 44sp ans 480 rugers were more interesting again. When I wanted a light trail gun/vermin gun the 32 mags just worked so well and again the 38/357 got over looked.

But there are so many great guns that are only available in the cartridge that I kept coming back to it. Even today I reach around the 357 almost always (as I sit here with a 2 1/2" Smith 19 on my hip), Although I can tell you over the last year I have fired more rounds of 38sp than I have any other handgun cartridge. But the more I shoot my Smith the more I am reminded it id a fine cartridge as long as we ask it to do work it is suited to. Its not a elk or bear stopping cartridge but a find vermin/man stopping cartridge and I keep looking at my Square Deal B progressive loader thinking I need a 38/357 die set up for it since I shoot it so much these days...

[bushog]

Some folks poo-poo on the .357 and I'm not sure why.

I know one of the custom smiths does.

Seems that a bunch of folks (yes, I'm guilty too) trying to make a .357 out of a .327...

Why reinvent the wheel?

[paul105]

I have several and shoot them frequently, although not as much as other calibers. Many useful platforms.

S&W Model 19-3 with 1960s era Bianchi Jordan holster. Freedom Arms M97 with one of Simply Rugged's carved (Geitlein sp?) holster. Some J Frames (M60 3", M360 w/crimson trace, M340 w/Hogue tamers. New 66-8 shown with M69 and M617.


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Paul

[Encore64]

Jan 25, 2016 16:08:39 GMT -5 bushog said:

Some folks poo-poo on the .357 and I'm not sure why.

I know one of the custom smiths does.

Seems that a bunch of folks (yes, I'm guilty too) trying to make a .357 out of a .327...

Why reinvent the wheel?

For me, it's because the new wheel fits into a Single Six size frame.

[sheriff]

While I don't use the .357 as much as I did in the 60's and 70's, I still keep one around just because......

[BigBore44]

I never really warmed up to the 357 either. I always figured if I needed a 357 to get it done, I'd get it done better with my 44 mag.
I also like the 327 better for my uses.

BigBore44

[Ken O'Neill]

It seems like every couple of years, I remember the .357 and go back to shooting it for a while. I think its a great cartridge, just not one to hunt our largest game with. I've owned many over the years, but am down to a Ruger Flat-Top and a couple Contenders. I figure they will serve all my needs for a medium bore. Unlike you Dick, most of my .357 shooting leans toward the heavier loadings, yet they are always accurate and easy in the recoil department.
It's a shame so many of us have ignored the cartridge because of our big bore infatuation.

[pd]

I will always fondly regard the .357 Magnum. My first duty revolver was a S&W Model 19 and a 60 round qualification course with 158 grain JSPs made quite an impression on a then fairly novice handgunner.

[ericp]

A 2.5" Model 19 is on my hip anytime I am in town but other than that I have given up the 357 aside from practice with said carry gun. For plinking and small game I have gone to the 32 Mag with moderate loads, roughly 1000fps with a plainbase copy of the Lyman 311316. For real work around the farm it is bigbores only. Mostly my 45 Flattop now. I like the fact that you don't have to be running high pressures to have useful power in a gun that will be called into action when there isn't the opportunity for hearing protection. The 357 kills most of the critters I deal with just fine, just happens that a 41 or 45 kill just as well or better with moderate loads that leave my eardrums intact. The 357 remains my choice for concealed carry due to good power in a discreet package.


Eric

[serialsolver]

I've posted before that unless I'm hunting, the big bores stay in the safe. I've settled on the 35 bore for every day all day carry. I was carrying the 357 in snubbies and stopped cause I don't think that the stress on the gun or me is worth it. I now prefer a good 38sp+p in my snubbies. But... I like the 357 in a 4" barrel. My om Blackhawk is gonna get more time. Also I'm thinking my next project is what I'm gonna call a S&W m13 mountain gun. I think it's gonna be perfect for the 357 mag.

[squawberryman]

Having been a victim of coveting because of the enablers, I've sent at least four 357 Rugers to the smiths that are spoken of here. Some with pins, some with three screws. However, Cubrock sold me an old flattop 357 with straight up purple loading gate. That's all it will ever be.