.357 Snub revolver.....357 or .38 +P

[Servo77]

How much veolocity do you lose firing a .38 +P out of a magnum chambered revolver?

Are there any "downloaded" .357's that reduce the recoil and blast, but still produce acceptable power levels?

[Harry Callahan]

I don't understand why anyone would buy a .357 just to put .38's through it. Kind of like driving a Porsche at 30 MPH! All kidding aside I have never fired 38Special through mine(586 nickle 6" and 66 snub). I know it's more expensive but oh well.

[Gonzo_308]

I see it like this.

Buy the bigger caliber. If you only use the lower caliber what have you lost? nothing. You can choose your poison. a .38 can't grow but a .357 can step down.

[flycaster]

CCI/Speer makes a 135 gr. HP round specifically for snubs. Most folks who shoot mags out of an alloy frame snub don't seem to practice much- most have to soak thier hands afterward!;)

.357's obviously have their place, but it so important to practice a lot with one's carry gun, especially a snubbie, so .38's make more sense to me, IMO.

Chuck

[threefivesevenmag]

I would try both in your snub and see if you can handle the .357 magnum to be accurate enough to carry them confidently.

Well placed shots from either round should end most hostilities if you do your part. That said, ammo count in a snub is precious, and you don't want to load up with ammo you cannot hit with.

I can shoot 125 grain .357 in my S&W 640, but I am not as accurate as I would like to be. I can shoot 110 grain .357 HPs in it all day and am confident in that round. Try both loads and see what you like. Honestly, even in a snub, velocity is going to be lost in the .357 magnum cartridge. Not a lot, but enough to make it a bit less potent to a 4" or 6" barrel model. Federal makes some low recoild .357 rounds, but I don't find them to be much lighter than any other loads. As I said, the 110 grainers are not too heavy on the recoil compared to the 125 grainers. So if you want low recoil .357, go with the Winchester 110 load or the Federal 135 low recoil load. I know the 110 grain is "light" but I don't really care about that past a point.

The .38 +P is very, very light kicking my my 640. If I carry that I usually will put the "magic" cartridges in there...Speer Gold Dot 135 gr. +P short barrel ammo. It was designed for snub use. I have also read good things about Corbon's DPX load, but I have not tried it.

So, honestly...it's up to your confidence level. If you can handle the magnums...why not carry them? If you feel you can't, you aren't sacrificing a lot with the .38 +P loads in your gun.

Try both and see which side you like more for YOUR personal needs, not anyone else's needs. Remember, we will not be there if you actually have to defend yourself...so select the load you can handle best.

[perpster]

I can shoot 125 grain .357 in my S&W 640, but I am not as accurate as I would like to be. I can shoot 110 grain .357 HPs in it all day and am confident in that round.

Be aware of the minimum bullet weight restrictions on super lightweight snubbies like the S&W Scandium alloys. "No less than 120 grain bullets" right on the barrel. Lighter bullets may be subject to gun-jamming crimp-jump. From threefivesevenmag's 640 (-1 I presume) 110 is no problem, but they could leave you with a not-so-heavy paperweight from a lighter gun.

[Qwiks draw]

Time to play devils advocate. If follow up shots are needed the 125grain+Ps and heavier rounds like the 158gr.LSWCHP will allow quicker recovery time with acceptable stopping ability, not power. If you shoot the 357s well then go with those. Here is the however. Will you need to shoot them indoors in defense scenarios? Muzzle blast will be more distracting and possibly disorienting with the 357s. There are exceptions to this. Muzzle blast of the magnumns can pinpoint you better and maybe that won't matter.But it could. Most loads know come with flash retardent to minimize possible blinding and signature of where you are. In lowlight conditions this is imperative. So check to see what the low flash is a property of 357 or 38 persuasion. Some testing by you might be needed if the box or manufacturer doesn't indicate it. Writers like Mas Ayoob, Chuck Taylor, Mike Boyle,and Al Pickels cover this in tactical magazines or soft cover annual books from Gun Digest. SWAT magazine has had articles in the past. Might be a good time to suggest they do another. In the 2.5inch barreled revolver I have 110gr. 357s or.38 special 158gr. LSWCHPs are what I use. Others here have posted excellent rounds as well. Good luck and stay safe.

[Syntax360]

flycaster has it right with the 135gr. +P gold dots - great bullet and my personal carry load in my .357 snub.

Buffalo Bore 158gr. .38 is pretty wicked - try it out. It's like a low end .357

[Jkwas]

For me, shooting a .357 snub is like having an M-80 going off in your hand. Lot's of noise and flash. Unless you have the GI Joe Kung fu grip, you have to re-position your grip after each shot. I stick to the 38+p thank you. On a side note, when you do shoot the .357 loads at the range, everyone looks to see if a gun blew up on that lane! :eek:

[Pointer]

flycaster has it right...
CCI/Speer makes a 135 gr. Gold Dot HP
This round was especially developed for the 2" barrels...
Less unburnt powder and muzzle flash...
More velocity than most.
More effecient than the .357 from the same barrel length...
I don't understand why anyone would buy a .357 just to put .38's through it.
First, for target practice...
Second, for the heavier gun which recoils less...
Third, for the capacity to shoot the .357 when desired...
Fourth, shooting .38 light target loads is more fun.

The longer barreled, K-frame sized revolvers are more accurate, albeit more difficult to conceal... I have both and much prefer to shoot the K-frame 3", over the Bodyguard snubby.

I carry the snubby loaded with 135gr. Gold Dot HP +P and target shoot with cheap light-loads like wadcutters and ball ammo. I seldom practice with the snubby... kinda hurts my fingers! :D :D

[Jkwas]

I seldom practice with the snubby... kinda hurts my fingers!

I know what you mean. They aren't a lot of fun, although tolerable to shoot. I picked up a 3in model 10 to practice with. It's a lot easier on the hands and lot more fun to shoot. I can carry it in a pinch, but it weights too much to do so on a regular basis. For power vs concealability, it's tuff to beat a snub.

[jben]

I am one of those who do just that - I bought a Smith and Wesson model 60 3" 357 with the intention of probably never using it with 357 ammo. This is a fairly small revolver, although it is an all steel one. To me, I look at it as a super durable 38 Special. In the past, talk was always given on whether or not a certain gun could or should handle +p 38's etc. With this model 60 being a 357, there is no such concern. I use any hot 38 Special load that I want, and don't worry about it. I don't think the loss of speed with a 38 is a concern. Today there some very good 38 Special loads on the market. The nice part is, I always have the 357 option. jben

[MADISON]

You will loose between 30 and 70 feet per second for each inch you shorten the barrel.
You need to find out what barrel length THEY started with.
Did they use a REAL GUN? [30 TO 35 FEET PER SECOND.]
dID THEY USE A universeal receiver? [70 feet per second.]