The more that a bullet retains weight, the better the jacket and the core lead (or other material) held together. Best .357 Magnum Self-Defense Ammo . ... With free shipping on bulk ammo orders, and more than 100 million rounds of ammo in stock, whether you need ammo for target shooting, hunting or competition ammunition, Target Sports USA has it all. At any-rate , I'm not an expert , so I'll listen to the experts that have "been there , done that" , and this Author falls into that category . Best .38 Special & .357 Magnum Ammo [2021], Putting a .357 Magnum round in a .38 Special takes the firearm from. It has a muzzle velocity of 938 fps. Let’s go over some common terminology first before diving into the best .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammo for home defense, target shooting, and hunting. You’ll want handgun ammo that has a light recoil, such as a small-bore rimfire cartridge, so that you won’t wear your hand or shoulder down. It doesn't flash, has lower recoil and is more controllable. The .357 Magnum is one of the more versatile pistol cartridges in the world for shooters who want something that can bridge different use cases. Being unjacketed lead it does require a thorough gun cleaning after a range session. Lead flat nosed bullets deliver better impact than round ones. • The heavier the bullet, the slower the velocity (load dependent). Very straightforward and minus all the caveats and disclaimers. Table of Contents. The hard-hitting copper bullet still offers maximum stopping power despite being lighter weight than some competing projectiles. a steel case so sometimes it might not eject easily for your revolver. It also allows for a lighter trigger pull on guns with a short barrel length, like a snubnose. The .357 magnum 125gr hollow-points have been recognized as the best round for self-defense . Semi-Jacketed Rounds (SJ) have a harder shell around the shaft of the bullet, but not the tip. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). Whether you agree it’s a real thing or not, there is a dearth of credible unexplained data that shows this phenomenon has at least some roots in reality. If it doesn't, something major is wrong. I think this starts to reverse as you decrease in caliber. I guess I was snoozin’ at the switch. Best 38 Special Ammo for Self Defense: What is best for you? Upon entering a fluid medium, the heavier bullet will still have more energy to drill deeper than a lighter one. Most important is you don't need to clean after targe practice and there is no residue and nothing gets clogged up. The tip will still expand and deform, but at a greater rate than a standard hollow point. GunandShooter is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, Best Sniper Rifles In The World And My Buying Guide. We carry 357 Magnum ammo from top brand ammo manufacturers such as Federal, Remington, Winchester, Hornady, PMC and others. This bullet has excellent high terminal performance, ensuring maximum effectiveness with proper shot placement. According to Ruger, this creates a maximum lethal hydraulic displacement in human tissue upon impact by the way the flutes in the projectile expand outward, delivering energy laterally in surrounding tissue, in addition to head-on. Best Ammo For 357 mag. Another excellent round for whitetail-sized game. PewPew articles are a great place to start. The greater the retained weight, the less energy loss inherent to the projectile and the greater the stopping power at impact. target shooting. Don't waste your time with expensive and flimsy brass models, when cold, hard, steel can get the job done in half the time and price. If it doesn’t outright offer the best in class cartridge for you to buy, it should serve as an easy guide to push you towards the ammo you should be looking for. The literature that came with my j frame specifically states not to run any 357 loss under 120 grains as it will prematurely wear the cylinder. Cheap range and target shooting and plinking for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money practicing. I SAW NOTHING ABOUT THE Fiocchi 357 ammo. Whether you are buying bulk 357 Magnum ammunition for target shooting or personal protection 357 Magnum ammo, we've got it all! COUPON (6 days ago) 357 Magnum ammunition for sale with free shipping on bulk ammunition orders available only at Target Sports USA. Ryan. They’re practical target guns, reliable self-defense tools, effective hunting implements, and in some cases…downright gorgeous pieces of firearms art. It's been my experience that a heavier bullet tends to go deeper than a lighter one. I'm going to try some Prvi Partizan 158 gr SJSP next for inexpensive range rounds. It is a high terminal performance bullet. Barrel length can either make very little difference or make a huge amount of difference, it's odd. Very fast, a nice sized projectile and an exceptional ballistic coefficient, makes this offering from the LeveRevolution line by Hornady a near perfect hunting round when you need to be going out past 50 yards with a .357 in the field on intermediate game sized animals like deer. Using the wrong ammo can cause you to flinch, breathe wrong, or even close your eyes while firing. The best .357 magnum ammo is the ammunition that fits the specific need for you in the most efficient manner. reviews about performance , along with the Speer GD 135gr SB 357mag with less felt recoil. Very rarely will you go wrong. . But, I like the round and, if I’m not mistaken, it once was the standard FBI load. It was first introduced in 1934 and serves as the foundation of the “Magnum Era.” Then, as now, everyone wanted more powerful ammo. Thanks. Learn all the important stuff about handguns...with none of the attitude. Bullet Weight: 180 Grains Lighter bullets have slower bullet drops, which can increase accuracy over long distances. As I stated I have been a gun dealer as well as a gun owner since age 5 and I still own my .357 Ruger New Model Blackhawk, and my wife has her 6 inch Smith and Wesson Model 28 .357 mag Highway Patrolman she picked out for her self which I had sold out of my gun shop in 1979 and bought back here in Oregon in 1989 for $25.00 more than I sold it for, and I had personally done the trigger work on this revolver before I sold it, TulAmmo’s budget .357 ammunition is one of the cheapest options. I see a trend towards lighter ammunition , and I suppose it's due to advanced bullet design . The premium brass is reloadable like the other cartridges on this list, and this offers a benefit to perceived value for shooters. projectile. I see how this may be desirable in a self-defense situation. Hello The .44 Magnum was designed by Elmer Keith, the legendary sportsman, writer and firearms enthusiast. Back in the day, .38 Special +P 158 grain LSWCHP was the preferred round for carry in J-Frame snubnose revolvers. More than that, the debate about what is and is not a proper penetration depth and performance is a heated discussion at most times. Lead Flat Nose (LFN or Cowboy Action Load) is flat all the way across the top. Sure you can shoot 357 from a sub 30 oz pistol rated for it but you're gonna feel it and you will not want to train with 357 using that pistol. Sorry for making a similar comment. Hunting. The ammo will need to produce a lot of energy to produce the greatest amount of tissue damage and trauma. The revolver would cease functioning. The. velocity (copper-polymer is going to be light either way I suppose). is a good starting point. is also good training round due to its low recoil. Hi Matt, Best bet for practice in a defensive mode is 38 Special 125 gr. It shoots a 142 Grain FMJTC bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1420 fps. It shoots a 158 Grain FMJ bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1280 fps. This is what the state has on file for me to shoot. The lighter the bullet the faster it will travel. Keith began to design the round by lengthening a .44 Special cartridge and altering the bullet weights and grains of powder. Our goal is to be the best website for buying ammo online. It has a Single use-case – range and target ammunition, Heavy energy transfer and excellent penetration in tough animals. Father. +P: Cheap, Practice, target, fun to shoot, SD? A handgunner using .38 Specials is set for targets, plinking and small game while .357 … sj bullet. Self Defense and Concealed carry for shooting out of a compact revolver or an ultra-lightweight .357 Magnum. Make no mistake, there are other great rounds out there, and many loads that could easily replace the above list items, but for the money, and given the specific use of each of these loadouts, this list is a very good indicator of the stacked lineup of .357 Ammunition that exists on the market. All images are the property of their respective owners. Budget range ammunition that is well priced and well made for a consistent and reliable range experience every time you use this ammunition made by Fiocchi who makes all their own components for each line they market (with the exceptions of certain premium collaborations). Again that's regardless of whether the bullet weighs 110 grain or 158gr. I have a quick question. However, the steel jacket can lead to poor ejection in some revolvers, and it leaves enough residue to make cleaning mandatory after every shooting session. Muzzle Energy: 783 ft lbs, Caliber: 357 Magnum . Gunpowder is designed with it's own oxidizers and burn in an expanding chamber. 357 load. Meaning if you have a revolver chambered in .357, you can fire both ammo types without any issues. Shooting this round can be a little dirty though, so gun cleaning is mandatory after each shooting session. Love it so much I'm going to buy the 627 in the 2.5/8" version. For beginners, it is just as important to choose ammo that has the least possible recoil. Most will come from Lucky Gunner…see why we like them in our Best Place to Buy Ammo Online article. The lower grain ammunition is generally reserved for target shooting, while bullets with … There are many kinds of ammunition for modern .357 Magnum and .38 Special revolvers. Choosing .357/.38 Special Ammo for Hunting. So imho for sub 30oz pistols train with 38 special +P or try a lightweight 357 grain and see if your hand can handle the recoil. So training with an L frame and 158 is I'll advised? It wouldn’t fit and close. It’s known as the cartridge that started the “Magnum revolution” in handgun cartridges; and is based off the .38 Special cartridge. If I can shoot a running deer with a .454 Casull, I can shoot a .357. This side seems to have the most acceptance, and I don’t mean to suggest that this bit of conventional wisdom didn’t come from somewhere. Please recommend either .357 or 38 special cleanest rounds. But what I also wonder is if this also may cause an undesirable effect of shattering when passing through hard backdrops such as glass windows, if say perhaps given circumstances required such a shot? CA 36th Congressional District. with a .357 Magnum revolver I would use a bullet weight of at least 158 to 180 Grains with a heavy powder charge. A) They are a youngster on the market, having only been released around late 2016. i know there is a point where the speed will have the lighter round having more kick but if the rounds are close in speed the heavy will have more of a kick. Never use full metal jacket bullets because they may pass through the animal without a humane kill. Intermediate and large game hunting for the .357 magnum out of a revolver. Luckily, I have a habit of opening a box first to ensure all of the rounds are there (yes, I’ve purchased ammo before that was a round short of a full box) and the first thing I noticed was the bottleneck cartridge. It is great for training or target. This is a variable in calculating and delivering mass on target through kinetic energy transfer. The 1934 introduction made the .38 Super for law enforcement use all but obsolete. In matters of self defense, your goal is to hit the target somewhere vital in order to neutralize the threat. shoots a 158 Grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1240 fps. These are the standard self-defense rounds. A heavier grain bullet will have more power behind it, but may also create more recoil when fired. Because it is solid lead, I thought they had stopped making these rounds. If your gun and ammo are both labeled as being the same caliber, the ammo will fit. I've tried 38+P 158 grain & 357 mag. This is somewhat of a unique characteristic to just .454 Casull revolvers..) When I don't need the range & accuracy at distance, I shoot 300 gr or larger round and the lesser recoil of the heaver loads is significantly lower. Out of my GP100 with a 4" barrel, it clocks right along at 1500+ FPS. Excellent article. Great read! It’s got less velocity and less energy potential compared to other rounds, and on the surface, it looks like a sort of anemic .357 Magnum, but the uniformity of expansion and the adequate penetration levels, as well as the relative consistency and reliability means this is a perfect pairing with your self-defense concealed carry type revolvers. It looks like some of the smaller shops like Buffalo Bore are doing pretty well in those tests. Editor’s Note: This is what I carry, and it has literally saved my life in a situation with a rabid dog. The larger the bullet weight, generally the larger the energy delivery (though there are some exceptions to this rule). Get proficient on YOUR time. But if you want to train with any magnum load then do your hand a favor and get a N Frame . What are your opinions on factory ammo for a GP100 4" for following purposes? The barrel becomes a part of the chamber as the bullet advances, and with pistols having sort barrels, not all of the powder is burned before the bullet exits the barrel and releases the unburned, or incompletely burned, powder, and creating muzzle flash (easily seen at night.) This has been proven to be less effective than some other aspects of projectile performance, as the diameter sometimes does little more to cause more trauma or decrease the time it takes to stop a target. A Total Metal Jacket (TMJ) completely surrounds the lead core. Shooting less powerful ammo helps novices handle the recoil. Also, even the biggest, baddest dude at the gun range is going to get tired of shooting if the recoil is hurting his hands after a while. New and experienced shooters usually look for the cheapest ammo to use for practice. Also, the velocity can aid in things like impact energy, and in the case of some animals, the amount of shock to the system through a controversial topic called “hydrostatic shock theory”. The author gave that advice because different bullet weights and powder charges will have different points of impact if your point of aim is the same for all of them. Home Defense and Personal Defense in a Carry situation, when you need the ultimate in stopping power and need ultimate reliability and are aware of the surroundings. Yes, there are other loads that can do well in concealed carry, but none of them are as well put together as this cartridge when you look at all facets of design and performance. If you have a concern (even if it's remote) make sure head is preserved and the authorities notified. not saying like only 2-3 inches but in the 6-9 range, while heavier rounds tend to go 12+ inches. Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the permission of GunandShooter. I bought a box after reading several reviews speaking in its favor. Its "World Champion" title , I believe , is all related to Velocity . But other than these, I've never even seen anything come close to 86gr. is an excellent round. I needed this article. The revolver, and the .357 Mag. But there’s a caveat to this dual-caliber feature. Like the .44 Magnum, the .357 can be sighted to shoot comfortably out to 125 yards. The .357 Magnum is a versatile cartridge with a ton of options. The thing is that its been successful but at its original design velocity of 1450 fps . Lighter bullets have less mass, but make up for it with increased velocity in defensive situations, but there is more danger of over-penetration. The round is a popular one among this crowd. I would suspect that short barrels (handguns) tend to have more residual powder than long barrels (rifles.) There is a photo above with a caption reading "For cool photographic purposes only. Even the 9mm 124gr +’P is carried by the NYPD as issued. ammunition, offers dual benefits for handgun shooting. The final product was designed in 1950, and available on the commercial market in 1955. (HP) have a tip that expands so that a larger area of injury occurs. . I (thru experience) believe the best .357 Magnum hunting round available is the Aguila 158gr JSP. End Human Trafficking. An all copper projectile retains the most weight of any projectile type, while offering excellent penetration through the bones, heavy muscle and thick hides of tough game like hogs, and other intermediate sized game. Ammunition is made to certain specifications, size and pressure. Hornady Critical Defense ammo. It is a direct measure of the effect of drag on a projectile size, weight, shape and profile, Deformation/mushrooming/expanded diameter. Bullet Style: Hi - Tek Lead Flat Nose Gas Check 21 BHN I am assuming that the jsp is meant for rifle and not handgun from reading your article.. please correct me if I’m wrong. Copyright © 2021 Pew Pew Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Both of these revolvers have the same bullet diameter of .357 inch but the .357 Magnum has a slightly longer case. JSP will work in anything as long as it's the correct loading for the gun. It will chamber and fire +P rounds, but no more than 50 rounds. TMJ’s are used with higher velocity rounds and larger amounts of powder. It also shows how much the bullet can be expected to shed, or not shed its kinetic energy as it travels through the target. I bought my first revolver (GP100) and came here first. Our favorite guns and gear that we've tested and fully recommend. Maybe I am reading it wrong, but on the Fiocchi 145 grain you state in the general stats that it “is reloadable like the other cartridges on this list…”. The introduction of .357 ammo heralded the beginning of the “Magnum Era.” The dual purpose cartridge is regarded by experts and used most often for target shooting, hunting, and self-defense. A hollow point (self defense round) will expand and clog on animal hide and not penetrate deep enough for a clean kill. Mostly, the .357 magnum is known for its prowess as a duty cartridge for law enforcement and as a potent cartridge for personal defense and home protection, where the fast projectile can penetrate deeply enough and create a large enough transfer of energy so as to immediately stop most threats. I always felt that the .38SPL out of a 4' Model 10 was a better round and that the reason for going to the 9mm was only for ammo capacity of 46 rounds, as opposed to 18 rounds in the .38. Underwood. cartridge, is no longer the choice for American police officers, but the combo is still a popular choice for hunting, sport shooting and personal defense. It shoots a 158 Grain bullet at a velocity of 755 fps. So you have given a very good cross section of ammo and the expected results of each and I have to say that it was very well explained and put in to words that any beginner or experienced owner could under stand Good Job.. POTUS? If you're lucky you'll be able to fire 18-20 rounds of 357 and then you're done.... for the day! Buffalo … This pistol ammo is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. Thanks team! (Perhaps a simple error, but a crucial one!) Good article. The value for your shooting dollar is exceptionally high and the performance has been market leading since it was introduced in the 1930’s. Hunters everywhere have used it as a secondary backup firearm on big hunts or as a primary handgun or lever gun for intermediate sized game at intermediate and shorter ranges for decades. . Muzzle Energy: 802 ft lbs. Firearms are made around those specifications and will safely chamber and shoot any ammo that it was specifically designed for. The 38+P has excellent What’s your take? Let’s go over some common terminology first before diving into the best .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammo for home defense, target shooting, and hunting. and under I have used a .38 Special revolver. With offering cheap ammo price & fast shipping services. The high velocity and high energy transfer with the penetration and modern designed projectiles (more on that later), which offer high weight retention, this is a perfect cartridge for many types of game. For instance many ultra light & hyper velocity .22 caliber rounds don't even generate enough recoil to cycle the action of many semi-auto weapons. PS: My wife confiscated my SP101. • The lighter the bullet, the faster it will travel (load dependent). If you have never heard of this round; its an 86gr. There are many kinds of ammunition for modern .357 Magnum and .38 Special revolvers. All objects like bullets with neglible air drag coefficients, "drop" at the rate of 32 ft/sec². 38 sp - Standard Pressure: Cheap, Practice, target, fun to shoot, SD? I chose the 24o grain for its long range accuracy, however it is a 'wow" experience to shoot. You will find abbreviations on ammo boxes that combine the jacket, point, and nose type. Hi Heather, your handgun might just not like the profile of the JSP bullet. While there is considerable controversy over whether heavier bullets are better than light ones, in reality, different situations need different bullets. The speed at which it hits the ground or “bullet drop” is faster than for a light bullet. Excellently presented , and gets right to the point . Match that to what's stamped on your gun--probably on the barrel of a revolver, and on the frame of a semi-auto. is a good training round. One benefit that draws shooters to 357 SIG ammo is that it packs a serious punch but has less recoil than 357 Magnum rounds so … Heavy Bullet Characteristics 357 Mag. Good to know it is still available. Any suggestions and thank you! Shooting .357 ammo deters some users from taking it to the range due to a few downsides. Thanks, Any .357 magnum and .38 special ammo will work in both revolvers and rifles. is an excellent round. Well, as long as you are using .38 Special ammo you can fire it safely in any .357 Magnum revolver. practice. 250 rounds of .357 Magnum 125 grain flat point practice/range ammo. It is a good varmint hunting round that I have used in the past. Naturally, I do have a few natural concerns however; WHEW, a good save as I don’t have a .357 Sig!! I now carry 38 Special Critical Defense or my favorite, the Buffalo Bore short barrel low recoil 158gr. Ammo companies can possibly put ammo in a box marked for a different caliber--again, that's extremely rare, but it can happen. Shooting competitions occur most often at outside ranges. It is still unproven, so far as I know. So we have put together a list of the finest .357 ammunition loads for your different needs, and it should help you narrow down a style of ammunition or a set of characteristics that you should be looking for in an ammo for your use case. Somewhere on the firearm will say what it can safely shoot. A lot. Case Type: Ducta-Bright 7a Nickel Plated Brass, Muzzle Velocity: 1700 fps It would actually lock up on me. The .44 Magnum is a large bore cart… Is it not a good ammo / grain to use . They run at a pricey $25-30 for a box of 20 rounds, and so far are the only ammo on the market to bear the Ruger name. I have an SP101 and looking for the best clean .357 ammo. Static ballistics are the numbers that are produced by the ammunition projectile in factory testing or by the standard pressures of the load in an optimum setup. It shoots a 130 Grain FMJ bullet at a velocity of 890 fps. Light recoil gives better accuracy and also reduces developing bad shooting habits. Then practice. … Safety Briefing. internal damage. In most cases, this is not ideal. Simple cartridge made to preserve the original loadings of the round. It shoots a 158 Grain FMJ bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1263 fps. If you found any image copyrighted to yours, please contact us, so we can remove it. I am not shooting at an animmal , I am shooting back at a person during a shoot out. My EDC during the winter here in the North is a 3" barreled Ruger GP100, very simular to your 627 and I used to carry 125gr. For hunting smaller varieties of game 50 lbs. It was a major shift towards performance when it came to matching the firepower on the streets against criminals and gangsters that were now starting to implement bullet proof vests and heavy steel car doors to shield themselves from police bullets. The heavier truck would be harder to stop due to it's increased mass. In most cases magnum ammunition in a small revolver is uncontrollable and unnecessarily loud. The .357 Magnum cartridge has a positive reputation for stopping power. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. In my Model 36 Chief's Special, whenever I fired more than one box of 158 gr +P HP rounds. It has been one of the premier cartridges for such use since its inception onto the market in 1934, where it was immediately used by many police agencies across the country as noted above. I tend to come down on this side…mostly. I'm not sure if you have a revolver or an automatic pistol, but that's a simple mistake for a new shooter or a big box store clerk to make. purchase helps support my work in bringing you more awesome gun and gear articles. In .45 caliber ammo, you can get grains of 165, 185, or 230. Penetration varies on different targets. It is also a great handgun or lever gun cartridge for hunting of animals in the intermediate and large size range. That’s an interesting concept though, as the .357 Magnum cartridge is a versatile cartridge capable of many duties. Unless your revolver doesn’t work with ammo from different companies then it’s a problem with the gun; which is rare but can happen. But how do you pick the best ammo for your revolver? https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/pistol-ammo-357-magnum The amount of speed that a bullet is traveling. Generally, the larger the diameter change, the better the impact on the wound channel, which would increase the devastation, and therefore the stopping power of a given projectile, within reason. No ifs, ands, or buts. Any other ammo suggestions for home defense, plinking, or hunting? Don't anymore, to much recoil and blast (I hunt with a Ruger SRH in 454 Casull so I'm not shy of recoil) and it effects follow up shots. ... Sure you can shoot 357 from a sub 30 oz pistol rated for it but you're gonna feel it and you will not want to train with 357 using that pistol. It is a good small game or varmint round. It was first designed with a 158-grain semi-jacketed soft point( flat) bullet. It isn’t that hard, man. I shot up two boxes of the Fiocchi 142gr FMJ .357 rounds this weekend. The Lead Round Nose (LRN) refers to a bullet that has a smooth curve at the top. The .357 can also be an excellent cartridge for introducing youngsters to hunting at close ranges providing rifles have suitable triggers that are not too heavy and are without creep. And stay in touch with newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns, & gear. It is a loaded field of competitors because it is one of the most popular rounds in the United States and it enjoys a very good reputation for performance that is still able to be handled adequately by most shooters. I HAVE JUST LOOKED OVER THE INFORMATION ON THE 357 AMMO. I have a question about ammo. The rounds I recommend most for self defense include…, Remington Golden Saber .357 Magnum 125 Grain JHP, Remington HTP .38 Special+P 110 Grain SJHP. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Privacy Policy and is an excellent competition target round. Optimized for use out of short barrels – and actually shows it in testing, Excellent ballistic coefficient for a bullet that does not ordinarily have good ballistic coefficiency, Polymer rubber tip that does not risk primer hits in the magazine tube, The best .357 ammo for hunting at longer ranges, Can be slightly dirtier to shoot and clean up after on your guns, Well balanced and performs extremely well. The heavier the bullet the slower the velocity. 158 grain JHP, which is the ammo that I currently use while on duty. Rarely, a gun manufacturer ships a gun in a box with an incorrect label. Even with a two-handed grip in the trigger, it would not advance the cylinder I had to thoroughly clean it before it would function. It is soft so it will deform for maximum damage. Satisfies most jurisdictional regulations for larger game hunting with the hollow point, all copper projectile and power/ballistics. I picked up the box, , saw it labeled .357, and nearly paid for it. As a bullet travels down the gun barrel…its speed depends on the amount of powder and weight of the projectile. The information provided on this site is for educational use only. It's not that you CAN'T interchange them; it's because you should pick one and stick with that one. The distance it travels before hitting the ground is less than a light bullet. B) Although I get it that in the case of these rounds, weight is being traded in favor of max. Suffice it to say, adequate penetration is important. The total amount of weight that a projectile holds.