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Post by timothy on May 24, 2009 20:47:28 GMT -5
I think the popularity of the 357 stems from the fact that most feild revolvers are usually guns of oportunity. And 99 percent of those oportunities are well served with the 357. No you cant take an unexpexted elk or bison, but are they in season,do you have tags, do you have time? If you do you'd probably have rifle or dedicated hunting handgun. But for times when your in the outdoors not hunting and a shot presents itself the 357 is perfect. And as a bonus it can take small deer and bear too.
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Post by rep1954 on May 24, 2009 20:50:51 GMT -5
Interesting, I shoot 22 rimfires and then skip the 32's and go for the 38/357's and from there move right into into the 44's and 45's. I've never understood the 32's, 40's, and 41's much and for sure dont have a need to go past the 44/45 class as my elbows keep me up at nights when I do. For me one shooting session with the real big guns takes one to two months to recover.
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Post by Mark Terry on May 24, 2009 22:29:04 GMT -5
I like the .357s a lot but I enjoy the .44s and .45s more. To me, the larger calibers are easier to reload and I can see the holes down range much better. They tell me I have the elbow recovery issues to look forward to.
No doubt about it; The .357s and .38s perform excellent and probably are easier for most to shoot regularly plus there is some economic advantage.
I haven't spent enough time with .41s but plan to in the future. I also want to get some experience with the .32s.
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Post by rep1954 on May 25, 2009 0:44:06 GMT -5
+1 on easier to reload the big bores, the 44 spl./44 mag. are my favorite cartridges to reload. Still yet I enjoy reloading the 38 spl./357 mag. also and get very good results.
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Post by Frank V on May 25, 2009 11:44:51 GMT -5
I am probably one of the few that don't really like the .357. It's way noisier than a mid .44 or .45 & doesn't take game any better. The real saving factor is gun size it can be had in smaller frames, but for defense there are few better. As a field gun, I'll take the .44 & .45 anytime. Frank
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Post by jimmarch on May 25, 2009 15:11:34 GMT -5
I live on a pretty extreme budget. I have only one centerfire gun, period. It's a 357 sixgun, used for daily CCW, woods carry (lower 48) and the like. I'm not a hunter.
The 357/38 is cheap to feed, ammo is plentiful with good JHP designs with lots of development effort, easy to handload without a need to get "edgy" as it tops out around 800ft/lbs energy but is very effective from 400ish up.
Is it perfect? No. To get strong performance you have to go seriously supersonic, whereas the bigbores such as 45ACP/45LC/44Spl/44-40 can work well as subsonics.
Up against, say, a wild boar of medium size, I'd rather have a 357 in heavy hardcast loaded max to almost 800ft/lbs than the aforementioned calibers maxing out at around 550ft/lbs energy. (This is discounting the 45LC in a heavier gun loaded like it was a 44Mag.)
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Post by boxhead on May 25, 2009 17:37:38 GMT -5
Not me. Give me my 45 Colt with a 285 gr SWC at 1000 fps over any 357 Mag load for my hog hunting. Same for my 44 Special's with 250 grs at 1100 fps. Neither in heavy framed guns. It isn't just energy that kills critters.
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Post by AxeHandle on May 25, 2009 18:00:20 GMT -5
I think Boxhead needs a FA 353.....  |
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mt
.30 Stingray
Posts: 163
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Post by mt on May 25, 2009 18:01:38 GMT -5
If you had to buy your ammo at a small country store in the middle of nowhere, which handgun cartridge would be most likely in stock?
I would have to look in my records to tell you how many 357's I own but I still prefer my 45 ACP's and 45 Colt's.
mt
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Post by boxhead on May 25, 2009 18:57:41 GMT -5
If you had to buy your ammo at a small country store in the middle of nowhere, which handgun cartridge would be most likely in stock? I would have to look in my records to tell you how many 357's I own but I still prefer my 45 ACP's and 45 Colt's. mt I have no clue as I do not by ammo. As I wrote above I do like my 357 Maxi so no need for a FA 353.  |
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Post by Mark Terry on May 25, 2009 20:12:15 GMT -5
Box,
I hate to argue but I'm leaning toward the 'Axe Philosophy', which simply stated is that we all NEED at least one example of EVERY caliber / chambering and we NEED to eventually have AT LEAST two, one of which is a one off custom (different barrell lengths and manufacturers are optional).
That about right, Axe?
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Post by CraigC on May 26, 2009 9:46:34 GMT -5
I have just never cared for the .357Mag as a cartridge. Too much noise and blast. I'll take a moderately loaded big bore any day over the ear-splitting .357. However, there are some .357 sixguns that I like such as the 4" M19 and I'd love to have an old M27. I would also like to have an original 4 5/8" flat-top to leave so-chambered. Love the .38Spl and the .32's though.
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Post by nobearsyet on May 26, 2009 10:00:53 GMT -5
I've always liked 357s for the pure and simple facts, 1. I can take a deer (just about any size really, providing I can get pretty close) or a smallish bear with it on Saturday with my OMG that's hot handloads, run a CCW course on Sunday with factory fodder (the teachers where I tought didn't allow handloads), and carry it Monday with whatever I have left and not be underarmed, 2. Factory ammo of some variety is usually pretty easy to find (lately being the exception) 3. They usually make lightweight easy packing pistols
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Post by the priest on May 26, 2009 10:04:00 GMT -5
This is a question that has been in the back of my mind for some time now. Examples include the Ruger mid frame anniversary model. .357 The USFA Magnum series, .357. The original Ruger Blackhawk, .357. There are proably others I cannot recall right now but you get the point. I am not knocking the great .357 magnum but really, how often do you here amongst avid single action fans something like this, hey guys, I just sent off a beater 44 mag to Harton to be customized into a real cool .357. It just doesnt seem to be that popular of a cartridge in the world I live in. I have a nice customized OM .357 by Andy Horvath that I really like but all I ever shoot in it is 38 Specials. I wonder why the gun companies don't just start out with some cool calibers in the first place so we don't have to keep getting .357 mags converted. ;D One of the biggest advantages of getting a 'custom' revolver is a smith will build you something the factory won't. .44 frames are larger with every maker. the .357 frame gives a gunsmith a small platform to build whatever his imagination can put in it. think of the more popular or noteworthy conversions,.....the five shots, the .41 special on a SS frame,.....all maxing the potential with big bullets or more power. so in the end it's taking the smallest usable factory frame and building,....that and you can't take a big hole in cylinder and go backwards to a smaller hole. |
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Post by the priest on May 26, 2009 10:10:16 GMT -5
on a completely seperate note,.....someone posted a table on sixgunner showing that the .44 mag and a few others were actually louder than the .357. it's obviously the frequency that bothers everyone's ears, so, which one actually does more damage to your hearing. the louder one,....or the one hitting that certain frequency.
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