First large(er) caliber-.357 magnum or .45lc?

[Idahoser]

I'm fond of the advice that every collection needs a good medium frame .357. I got nothing against .45 Colt but, given the choice of a .357 or a .45 Colt, there ain't no contest.

It is a bit of a strange choice, those two. I'd have a lot more trouble deciding if it had been .44 Spl instead of .45 Colt. .357 would still be the first choice for an "only" gun, but I'd have to have both before long.

[Badcompany]

It was a 3 inch barrel, i could shoot it as accurate as the glock 19, which i was also shooting.

Everytime i go i rent a different 9mm. Smith and wesson m&p was nice, Sig p226 was a sweetie, but glock 19 is my fav so far so speaking from my knowledge so far, i have to agree with these posts.

Next time i'm trying .357 in a ruger sp101, 2 inch barrel, which i plan on purchasing as my first gun when i turn 21 (very soon) should i like it. I hear it kicks quite a bit more than a medium frame, but i found out saturday that recoil is not a concern of mine

[rclark]

I got nothing against .45 Colt but, given the choice of a .357 or a .45 Colt, there ain't no contest.

Your right.... A .45 Colt every time .

[22-rimfire]

My first "more powerful" caliber was the 357 mag in a Colt Python. I now shoot a Colt Trooper Mark III in that caliber and love the caliber and revolver. I recommend the same path. Your choice of the 6" GP-100 is sound. Today and if I were younger, I would make exactly the same choice, but Smiths are really nice (and more expensive).

My favorite larger bore caliber is 41 magnum in a revolver. I have both single actions and double actions in this caliber. I prefer double actions overall. The 41 mag is a big step above the 357 mag in power.

[B.N.Real]

I would recommend you rent a 357 magnum at a range and shoot it with 158 grain magnum rounds before you think of buying one.

It just has a ear crunching sound that gets really tiring to shoot even with hearing protection on.

Of the two,I'd actually recommend the 45 acp in a revolver as it is a much cheaper and readily availible round and there are way more options for shooting the 45 acp then the 45 Long Colt round.

Plus Smith makes a way cool Performance Center Model that is like buying a Grand Sport Corvette to shoot with.

Plus the 45acp revovlers use moonclips that act like the ultimate speedloader setups for revolvers.

And there is this guy that shoots one pretty fast.....hmmm what is his name......

However,the 45 LC is a legendary round and if you simply must,you simply must.

I'm not a fan of the 357 round even though I owned a great Dan Wesson revolver for several years that shot it.

[Buzzcook]

What is the felt recoil on say, a 36-40oz gun in each caliber? Any tips on how to shoot in order to manage the kick and effectively handle the gun? In general, what is it like shooting each one?

With a full sized gun the recoil of the .357 is manageable. If you're comfortable with the recoil of a .38 special out of a K frame then .357 in a larger model won't hurt you.
Recoil with the .45 Colt depends on how it's loaded. I find the standard 250gr bullet at 850fps to be pleasurable in a full sized revolver. Some of the stronger +p rounds can be a bit much.
Of the two imho the Colt is a more comfortable round to shoot.

You manage recoil in any gun by getting one that fits your hand well. A rubber grip helps for some people. The heavier the gun the less felt recoil. Learning to hold the gun properly and practicing a lot.

For me shooting either cartridge is fun out of a full sized gun. I don't like the sharp bark of the .357, but I also wear double ear protection, what ever I shoot.
Imho the .45 Colt is the most enjoyable cartridge to shoot.

[Idahoser]

There's nothing pleasant about shooting .357 magnum rounds out of any gun. The recoil is not a problem except in the little and/or lightweight guns but the noise and flash is like getting slapped in the face.
The big fat slow bullets of .44 Special (another shameless plug for my favorite), .45 Colt and .45ACP are pleasant to shoot, with 'roughly' equivalent 'power' of the smaller Magnum. In an enclosed space it could be dangerously loud. In a house, in a car, in an indoor range, I'd give a lot to have a big fat slow bullet over a small fast one.
HAVING a .357 Magnum does not mean you need to USE .357 all the time, of course, since you'll spend most of your shooting time with .38 Special. THAT is a pleasant shoot, however it's not 'preferred' to carry for self defense; use the Magnums for that.
With a .44 or .45, what you shoot for fun IS good enough for self defense.

[Creade]

My vote would be 45 colts for single actions, and 357 for double.
Its just that simple!

Now you just need to go buy one of each

[DiscoRacing]

I own two 45LC..and five .357s...tho... would you believe that I dont typically shoot any of my 357s...too small for me...Love the LC tho.

[rep1954]

One option that you might consider is one of the S&W model 325PD guns. They have made them with 2 3/4" and 4" barrels now. I believe the 2 3/4" was 26 oz. that I use to own at one time. The 45ACP will give as good if not better performance than the 45 Colt in a gun this size that is designed to shoot the cartridge. I dont know how or why I let mine go but I sure regret it now. I use to shoot +P and tactical loads in mine with no problem.

[TylerD45ACP]

If they made a S&W 3 shot .75 caliber revolver Disco would be the first to have it. LOL.

[DiscoRacing]

If they made a S&W 3 shot .75 caliber revolver Disco would be the first to have it. LOL

No Joke.

[TylerD45ACP]

I wasn't. LOL. I know you would.

[stevieboy]

Shooting .357s is like learning how to eat pizza with hot peppers on it, it's an acquired taste. But, once you get a feel for 'em, boy, are you ever hooked!

I have two "dedicated" .357s, a Smith & Wesson 28-2 6" and a 27-3 4". These guns never see .38 specials. They get fed a steady diet of 158 gr. .357s with an occasional helping of 125 gr. .357s thrown in for the fun of it.

Both of these revolvers, being massive, handle the recoil easily. My wife, who is no fan of pain, fires 158 gr. magnums from my 28 without a problem. She loves it, so much so, that I sometimes have to pry it from her hands in order to fire a group or two.

As for flash and noise, all part of the fun

Seriously, however, I would suggest rubber grips as a buffer against recoil. My 28 is presently fitted with Pachmayr finger grooves and these work especially well with magnum rounds.

[Garybock]

Hey Badcompany - 1st love your music.

I am a handgun owner for less than one year. I now have 4 .357 magnums. I would suggest your looking at the SW 686. I have a 3 inch barrel and 4 inch barrel. I shoot weekly and enjoy both. I like the flexability of shooting the 38s and 357. Good luck and enjoy

[bamaranger]

Its hard to beat a medium frame .357 as a GP, do it all handgun.

As has been pointed out, ammo widely available, and power levels across the scale, w/o having to be a reloader.

A medium frame can be relatively concealable, yet still have enough size to be shootable.

My std recommendation is a 4"bbl in something like a Smith 19 or 66, or a Ruger Sec6. Stainless steel will resist the elements, and get adjustable sights to allow zero of the different loads available.

[biohazurd]

I would chose .357 all the way. Its much easier to find ammo. Plus the ability to shoot .38s for practice and such....

[MonsterB]

My S&W 357 snubby has been like a dream so far to own and shoot

[Old John]

I have Ruger .45 Colts for fun guns. My grandkids love 'em.

[Buckeye!]

A 45 Colt is a fine round...Can be loaded mild to wild !

But the 357 mag. is the most vesitile revolver round of any...
the cartridge can be found in j frames to N frames and in single actions ..110gr. to 200gr bullets can be used...38 spl. ammo can be used also
I have 5 revolvers in 357 Mag. 5 shooter, 6 shooters , 8 shooter .
From concealed carry to hunting I also have a 16in Levergun in 357 Mag...

[458winshooter]

Of these two I would go 357.It is more readily availible than the 45 at least in my area.It is also a bit cheaper most of the time.As stated before you can shoot 38 spl in it as well.

[CarbineCaleb]

.45LC standard pressure rounds are very mild. Not so the supercharged Buffalo Bore and Double Tap +P versions - they're as punishing as .44 magnums or more.

Personally I'd get the .357. You can still shoot your .38s in it too, so have more ammo commonality.

Nothing wrong with the .45LC if you are feeling cowboy though

[Pathfinder45]

........of person that's cut out for the .45 Colt. There's not much comparable between the .357 and the .45 Colt. The .45 is a lot bigger hammer. Most shooters would be better off with a .357 or even a .44 Magnum. The folks that primarily shoot .45 Colt are kind of like a cult. They generally reload, shoot their guns a lot, maybe even cast their own bullets and use more than a few different powders. Also, they/we tinker with our guns, ream the cylinder throats and forcing cones and such. If your not hopelessly experimental don't get a .45 Colt. It's just not for everyone. It's for those of us that it's for. Someone once said that the .45 Colt is a connoisseur's cartridge. It may sound eliteist but thats how it is. Being a .45 Colt guy, I don't need or own a .357 or a .44 and maybe never will. And yet I heartily recommend either one as a better choice for most shooters. For the rest of us, the .45 Colt is the cat's meow.

[Stainz]

Others have eluded to it - I'll just start off offering it as a .38 Special cost/recoil with the .45 Colt's large bore - the .45 ACP. You can buy 250 rounds of 230gr FMJ 'ball' ammo - in brass cases - for ~$85 at WallyWorld... on a Sunday afternoon - that's $17/50 - cheaper than a lot of .38 plinkers!

The best bargain in a .45 ACP, hard to believe when you see the price, is the S&W 625JM. The 4" full-lug large frame revolver is easy to shoot and comes with some important 'extras'. It's 43 oz weight eats up much of the recoil, although some 1911 shooters claim it bounces a bit more. You can use .45 ACP plinkers - or load .45 Colt loads, if you wish, loaded in .45 ACP cases - or, if you don't like the required moonclips, load the .45 Auto Rims, which don't require moonclips. Just a thought!

Stainz

PS A nutdriver style demooning tool is <$18 (Brownells) - and Ranch Products will ship you blued steel moonclips for $35/100.

[22-rimfire]

It was a 3 inch barrel, i could shoot it as accurate as the glock 19, which i was also shooting.

I also have the 3" GP-100. I like it, but I do shoot my Glock M23 better. The GP-100 is my "house gun". Enjoy yourself. You have a lot of time to develop shooting skills and move up in power level from the 357 mag when you are ready. What you will probably find out is that you really like the 41 mag.

The 41 or 44 is about all the power I can reasonably handle for fun shooting. I hunt with a Ruger Super Redhawk in 480 ruger. Tried the 500 and liked it, but ammo is way too expensive to shoot it with any frequency. Never shot a 460 S&W. That day will come, but I am pretty content with the 480 when I want a big boomer. I see little need to go higher unless it is a revolver in 475 Linebaugh in which I can still shoot the 480 Rugers in. Neither are ***** cats to shoot.