The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

kojak · July 26, 2005, 02:03 AM

.357 special doesn't have much recoil, in fact it has the least recoil of all handgun cartridges if measured against energy.

You can achieve the same energy by pushing a heavy bullet at low speeds or a light bullet at higher speeds. Speed goes plain into the recoil equation but at the power of 2 into the energy equation.

Let's compare a typical .38 special +P vs. .357 magnum

The .357 magnum has 36% more bullet velocity. 36% more recoil. But it has 85% more energy out of 4" barrels. Perhaps I should note that factors like powder burn rate and duration of acceleration do matter, too. Just compare 12 gauge vs. .30-06, shotgun recoil is very different from rifle recoil.

I am not a fan of the .357 magnum. The very very bad thing is muzzle flash even out of 6" barrels blinding you in low light conditions. While I own .38 special guns the caliber is a little on the weak side. So my preferred handgun caliber would be a cartridge between .38 special +P and .357 magnum (and no, with 9mm this is not the case, 9mm out of revolvers is *weaker* than .38 special +P).

The very high speeds .357 offers are the reson for being the best self defense round. Higher speed equals more penetration, more expansion. .357 is #1 leaving .45 acp and .40 s&w in the dust.

July 26, 2005, 02:03 AM	#7
kojak Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Posts: 98	.357 special doesn't have much recoil, in fact it has the least recoil of all handgun cartridges if measured against energy. You can achieve the same energy by pushing a heavy bullet at low speeds or a light bullet at higher speeds. Speed goes plain into the recoil equation but at the power of 2 into the energy equation. Let's compare a typical .38 special +P vs. .357 magnum The .357 magnum has 36% more bullet velocity. 36% more recoil. But it has 85% more energy out of 4" barrels. Perhaps I should note that factors like powder burn rate and duration of acceleration do matter, too. Just compare 12 gauge vs. .30-06, shotgun recoil is very different from rifle recoil. I am not a fan of the .357 magnum. The very very bad thing is muzzle flash even out of 6" barrels blinding you in low light conditions. While I own .38 special guns the caliber is a little on the weak side. So my preferred handgun caliber would be a cartridge between .38 special +P and .357 magnum (and no, with 9mm this is not the case, 9mm out of revolvers is weaker than .38 special +P). The very high speeds .357 offers are the reson for being the best self defense round. Higher speed equals more penetration, more expansion. .357 is #1 leaving .45 acp and .40 s&w in the dust.