The Classic 357 Magnum

[bisleyfan41]

I started the handgunning part of my shooting life with the 45 Colt. It was a sweet round, but soon moved to the 44 mag, because you know heavy bullets at higher velocity is just the ticket for deer hunting, right? After a few years hunting/playing with the 44, moved to the 41. Hunted with and shot that for a few years. All I ever read about was handgun hunters using all these cool big bore rounds (and bigger) for hunting, most using heavy loads in each. Never even considered the 357. None of the gun writers bragged on it; most said it was too light for hunting. And then I had an epiphany.

I live and hunt on MD's eastern shore. The biggest critters around here are the occasional 200# whitetail with most of the ones I run into lighter than that. Most other vermin I have seen or could run into in the woods that need shooting are quite a bit smaller. After some life circumstances a few years ago which required me to sell pretty much all my toys to raise some cash for bills, it soon became possible to rebuild some and start over.

I found a barely-used 357 SS NM Blackhawk for $300 OTD and snatched it up. Started casting, loading, and hunting with it and found it to be crazy accurate with most every load I tried and the 180 gr. LBTs, in particular, sailed right on through every deer I've shot no matter the angle. And guess what I discovered? It works perfectly well on deer size game, at least out to my 50 yard limit. Side benefit, the recoil is tame enough in the Blackhawk I can shoot it a lot to get really good with it. Now, I'm 6'2" and 290# before dessert. So while the bigger rounds don't necessarily hurt, they just weren't comfortable enough for me to shoot a bunch. And I really don't need that level of power for the deer around here. I'm a 357 believer.

[Deleted]

I have 5 of them and have always reached for my 44 specials or 45 colts over them. Centerfire handguns are illegal for small game here in tennessee, so most of my needs in a handgun are best served by a 200-250 grain bullet anywhere from 850-1050 fps. The 44 special and 45 colt do that prefectly with little recoil or muzzle blast. I will shoot the 357s every once in a while and wonder why i dont shoot them more.

[dixiejack]

There is a Ruger Bisley .357 with a 7.5" barrel on GB. Price seems high $759.00, but I would like to have one in that configuration. I also have a Marlin .357 CB. That would make a nice combination.

[crazycarl]

Feb 26, 2018 13:06:07 GMT -5 oddshooter said:

..and like ezekiel wrote, 1450fps 357mags aren't seen much from manufacturers; more like 900fps.

We chrono'd Remington's (green & white box) 125gr SJHP out of my 6.5" Blackhawk. Average was well over 1650fps & a couple went 1700.

I've always had a soft spot for the .357. My grandpa taught me to shoot with his 4 5/8" Blackhawk & I have always owned at least one .357, to include times when a .357 was the only gun I owned. In fact, a 2 1/2" Taurus model 66 has been my trusty truck gun for over 20 years. My 6.5" Blackhawk is a sweet shooter & actually makes me look good at the range. I'm a total .41 nut, but the .357 will always have a spot in my meager collection.

[oddshooter]

CrazyCarl,

Remington Ammunition Ballistics
Round Type Weight Muzzle Energy ft·lb Muzzle Velocity ft/sec.
357 Magnum SJHP  110 410 1295
357 Magnum SJHP  125 583 1450
357 Magnum FNEB  125 583 1450
357 Magnum JSP    125 583 1450
357 Magnum SJHP  158 535 1235
357 Magnum SP     158 535 1235
357 Magnum SWC  158 535 1235
357 Magnum JHP    165 610 1290
357 Magnum SJHP  180 524 1145

Is the green and white box listed above in the data from Remington ?

[crazycarl]

I have no idea. It's been a few years ago, but I'd hazard a guess it's the second load you have listed. Shooting Chrony Alpha at 10' from the muzzle. No idea what barrel length Remington used for their testing. Maybe my Blackhawk has a "fast" barrel? I do know that a good number of my Remington brass (from factory ammo) has flattened primers.

Screamin' hot 125gr loads can be fun, but aren't really my thing. I've got quite a few 158gr & 173gr LSWC, 180gr SJHP & 180gr WFN on hand that I'm looking forward to playing with. My Blackhawk has been very accurate with 110, 125 & 158gr factory ammo & I hope it shoots the heavies just as well.

[oddshooter]

Thanks Carl,

I am always on the lookout for a manufacturer's hot 357 load. I shoot a lot of silhouette type metals at distance and a hot 357 mag is what most other folks can handle on the first outing. When I shoot with others, I don't let anybody but me shoot my handloads. I swap sixguns all the time, but not ammo.  The Buffalo and Corbon get a little expensive.

Prescut

[ezekiel38]

I'm in the process of "downsizing" my firearms collection, and this is my current inventory of 357s. The MC has a Novak front night sight awaiting for installation, then all three will have night sights as the SP front sight is a Novak night sight also.

[lobo]

FWIW, here are the highest velocities from .357 magnum factory ammo that I have ever chronoed. The recoil didn't seem any different than any other .357 magnum 125 gr. loadings that I have fired.


Double Tap Ammo .357 magnum 125 gr. Gold Dot JHP

Smith & Wesson 686 with 4" – 1,611 fps
Ruger Security-Six with 6" – 1,733 fps

*Both are five shot averages & were fired over an Oehler 35

[ezekiel38]

My MC with Novak front night sight and altamont grips. Nice shooter with the trigger getting better all the time!

[sixshot]

Nice looking gun, I want to shoot one of those some time.

Dick

[AxeHandle]

357 mag? Back before everyone and every bore diameter had a "magnum" there was THE Magnum. There were Pre War and Post war Magnums. Here is my post war S&W 357...

[AxeHandle]

Ummmmm Tasty!

[awp101]

Love that factory top strap checkering!

[oddshooter]

that's gotta be the model 27 ?

that top strap is outstanding !!!