Recommendations for .357 Mag ammo for 4" barrel

Some of you who have been following my progress with my Marlin 1894 .357 load testing and action job might recall, I am putting together a package of tools to take with the wife and I as we travel after retirement. The goal is to have gear that is legal and "less threatening" looking in some of "those" states that are less 2A friendly. California in particular. I have settled on revolvers and a lever guns in 38 Special /.357 Mag.

I'm looking for a load for my 4" M66 for when I will take it on the road traveling as my "car pistol". I'm thinking something that a highway patrolman might need if they were still using revolvers. Accurate, flat shooting, barrier blind and etc.

Again I don't see much .357 mag 4" barrel credible testing online so I thought I would see what you all like, use, recommend and etc.

Thanks!

Barnes 125 grain TACX

Hornady 135 grain Critical Duty

Speer 135 grain Gold Dot Short Barrel in both .38/.357 ("short barrel" is for less than 6")

The 125 grain Golden Saber loading gives good performance, but I think it is less effective through barriers.

I’m pretty sure there’s a thread here somewhere on this. As I recall the 145 grain Winchester Silvertip load was well regarded.

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Originally Posted by BobM

I’m pretty sure there’s a thread here somewhere on this. As I recall the 145 grain Winchester Silvertip load was well regarded.

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I did a search and came up empty

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Originally Posted by Lester Polfus

Barnes 125 grain TACX

Hornady 135 grain Critical Duty

Speer 135 grain Gold Dot Short Barrel in both .38/.357 ("short barrel" is for less than 6")

The 125 grain Golden Saber loading gives good performance, but I think it is less effective through barriers.

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A quick search shows this ammo (practically all .357 ammo) in short supply. I am currently using the Speer 135 gr short barrel 38 +P in this revolver for it's current role as the "upstairs" pistol and it shoots well.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....or-4-quot-guns

Since i started that thread i pretty much stuck with 125gr golden sabers untill i got some 140gr XTPs recently that I loaded over 9gr unique. Data has that load at 1250fps from a 4" revolver and 1500fps from a rifle.

It expands very well from my 2.75" m66 and my 20" m92 where it still holds together. I know unique isnt optimal for carbine use but if i was using 2400 i dont think it would hold together as well up close.
Attachment 56294

Jsps going 1900-2000 are fine since they wont break up at that speed.

I bought a box of silvertips yesterday. My buddy works at the shop so i got it at his price. Ill test them out next time I go shoot. Im moving next week soi might have hime buy a bunch for me. I know targetsports had them recently. I think winchester does them seasonally so they are not a reliable source.

Id be ok going back to golden sabers but i doubt theyd hold together from a carbine.

The 125gr barnes or the 135gr critical duty would be my next 2 picks. Gold dots or xtps would be good too. I think the 125s might explode from a rifle and the 158s might not always open up from the 4".

I'd also be perfectly fine with 158gr or 170gr swc over 13.5gr 2400 for everything

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Originally Posted by 03RN

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....or-4-quot-guns

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Thanks for looking that up!

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Originally Posted by 03RN

Since i started that thread i pretty much stuck with 125gr golden sabers untill i got some 140gr XTPs recently that I loaded over 9gr unique. Data has that load at 1250fps from a 4" revolver and 1500fps from a rifle.

It expands very well from my 2.75" m66 and my 20" m92 where it still holds together. I know unique isnt optimal for carbine use but if i was using 2400 i dont think it would hold together as well up close.
Attachment 56294

Jsps going 1900-2000 are fine since they wont break up at that speed.

I bought a box of silvertips yesterday. My buddy works at the shop so i got it at his price. Ill test them out next time I go shoot. Im moving next week soi might have hime buy a bunch for me. I know targetsports had them recently. I think winchester does them seasonally so they are not a reliable source.

Id be ok going back to golden sabers but i doubt theyd hold together from a carbine.

The 125gr barnes or the 135gr critical duty would be my next 2 picks. Gold dots or xtps would be good too. I think the 125s might explode from a rifle and the 158s might not always open up from the 4".

I'd also be perfectly fine with 158gr or 170gr swc over 13.5gr 2400 for everything

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thanks for the suggestions.

I have some 140 XTP's and would love to work up a load that would work well in my levergun and my M66 for defense purposes but I would rather use factory ammo for defense as recommended. If it was just for my use here in Idaho I don't think it would matter too much but for travel, factory rounds seem like a good idea. I have checked around the net and on the Hornady website and it looks like they no longer offer a 140 XTP loading so I cant go that route either.

Yeah, i get the desire for factory ammo. I think the 145 silvertips would be the closest.

Or the 140 barnes bullet.