What's your .357 Magnum Carry Ammo?

[Ghost Dog]

Figured many missed this .357 HST Data (along with .327 HST, Modern 147 HST, and 9mm Punch data too)
Here you go. Official. Organic.
You will have to decipher
.327 HST listed on top
.357 HST on bottom
Included some recent 9mm because figured this is all of interest to those on here.

HST Magnum Revolver

327 Federal

357 Magnum



Bullet

104gr HSP HP

154gr HST HP



Test Barrel Velocity

1525

1340

4" Barrel

Gun Avg Velocity

1450

1250

Bare Gel Penetration

11.7"

15.5"

Bare Gel Expansion

0.683"

.648"

Heavy Cloth Penetration

12.7"

16"

Heavy Cloth Expansion

0.609

0.587"

Snub nose

Gun Avg Velocity

1225

1080

Bare Gel Penetration

12.2"

14.8"

Bare Gel Expansion

0.681"

0.657"

Heavy Cloth Penetration

14.5"

16"

Heavy Cloth Expansion

0.546"

0.565"



124gr Punch 9mm (Shot from G43)

Heavy Clothing 13.4 pen, 0.614 exp

Bare Gel 13.1 pen, exp 0.634



Current 147gr HST 9mm (Shot from Glock 47)

Heavy Clothing 14.6 pen, 0.605 exp

Bare Gel 13.5 pen, 0.691 exp

[JTMcC]

About 80% of our .357 rounds are loaded as fast as we can drive them, if for no other reason than because it's fun.

And about 100% of them are either a hard cast SWC or an XTP, both at 158 or so. That's because I have big boxes full of those, if I ever use them up I'll probably try some heavier cast bullets but I'm pretty sold on 158 gr. XTP's. Maybe try the Barnes XPB, maybe not.

In .44 mag (that I shoot a lot more of now than .357) I'm pretty content with middle of the road velocities.
We grew up shooting Dad's .357's and he didn't scrimp on the powder charge , when we were little rugrats he loaded some light loads for us or used .38 Specials.

All of the .357's I shoot are full size steel guns, we don't shoot them thru carbines. I'm frequently around larger dangerous animals and have no concern for what people term "overpenetration".

[Glock17JHP]

Figured many missed this .357 HST Data (along with .327 HST, Modern 147 HST, and 9mm Punch data too)
Here you go. Official. Organic.
You will have to decipher
.327 HST listed on top
.357 HST on bottom
Included some recent 9mm because figured this is all of interest to those on here.

HST Magnum Revolver

327 Federal

357 Magnum



Bullet

104gr HSP HP

154gr HST HP



Test Barrel Velocity

1525

1340

4" Barrel

Gun Avg Velocity

1450

1250

Bare Gel Penetration

11.7"

15.5"

Bare Gel Expansion

0.683"

.648"

Heavy Cloth Penetration

12.7"

16"

Heavy Cloth Expansion

0.609

0.587"

Snub nose

Gun Avg Velocity

1225

1080

Bare Gel Penetration

12.2"

14.8"

Bare Gel Expansion

0.681"

0.657"

Heavy Cloth Penetration

14.5"

16"

Heavy Cloth Expansion

0.546"

0.565"



124gr Punch 9mm (Shot from G43)

Heavy Clothing 13.4 pen, 0.614 exp

Bare Gel 13.1 pen, exp 0.634



Current 147gr HST 9mm (Shot from Glock 47)

Heavy Clothing 14.6 pen, 0.605 exp

Bare Gel 13.5 pen, 0.691 exp

Comparing your data to my data...

Federal .357 Magnum 154 grain HST (your data) vs Winchester .357 Magnum 145 grain Silvertip (my data)

Federal HST (your data)
Bare Gelatin 15.5" Pen / .65" Exp
Heavy Cloth 16.0" Pen / .59" Exp

Winchester Silvertip (my data)
Bare Gelatin 15.3" Pen / .55" Exp
Heavy Cloth 16.4" Pen / .58" Exp

---------------------------------------

Federal 9mm 147 grain HST

Federal HST (your data)
Bare Gelatin 13.5" Pen / .69" Exp
Heavy Cloth 14.6" Pen / .60" Exp

Federal HST (my data)
Bare Gelatin 12.0" Pen / .85" Exp
Heavy Cloth 12.5" Pen / .69" Exp

[Joe Mac]

Federal 9mm 147 grain HST

Federal HST (your data)
Bare Gelatin 13.5" Pen / .69" Exp
Heavy Cloth 14.6" Pen / .60" Exp

Federal HST (my data)
Bare Gelatin 12.0" Pen / .85" Exp
Heavy Cloth 12.5" Pen / .69" Exp

This looks like the expected difference between the current 147 HST (redesigned for more penetration and less expansion) and the older one.

[Glock17JHP]

This looks like the expected difference between the current 147 HST (redesigned for more penetration and less expansion) and the older one.

Do you know when that change was made? My data is from this year...

[Joe Mac]

Do you know when that change was made? My data is from this year...

Hmm, interesting -- how old was the lot you tested? The change was several years ago. If you search for "new 147 HST" there are a few threads on it here, with pics of the pulled bullets, old vs. new.

[Glock17JHP]

Hmm, interesting -- how old was the lot you tested? The change was several years ago. If you search for "new 147 HST" there are a few threads on it here, with pics of the pulled bullets, old vs. new.

Purchased less than a year ago...

[Glock17JHP]

My ammo has the blue primer seal, I think I may have been looking at older data than I thought I was looking at ???

[Glock17JHP]

I was looking at old testing data...
I got the 9mm HST ammunition out that was used in my testing and the unfired sample has no visible primer sealant. Also, the fired/expanded bullet is fully expanded to the degree that the petals opened up all the way down to the base of the bullet. And, I can look between the petals of the fired/expanded bullet and see a single cannelure.
I have the newer version that has the blue sealant, but haven't tested those yet...
(embarrassing)

[Ghost Dog]

Current data I gave vs old Vista le data?
You can belive the data I gave

Or tested yourself Organic 4 layer?
On cell now so not easy to compare

And I'll have to look up Winchesters data on the 145 silvertip

HST and punch
New stuff blue...older stuff I have I think was either clear or red not positive without being home to look.