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Thread: .357 Magnum Duty/Self-Defense Cartridge Recommendations

  1. #1
    Member JonInWA's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    Auburn, WA

    .357 Magnum Duty/Self-Defense Cartridge Recommendations

    It looks like I'll be stoking my 4" GP100 with full-house .357 magnum cartridges to meet a IDPA Match Director's challenge for June, which means I'll be concurrently using the gun for duty/carry to a significant extent.

    I'll be using Sellier & Bellot 158 gr .357 for the match to make the requisite power floor; since I'm zeroed for 158 gr, what cartridges does the p-f community recommend?

    I have Hornady Custom 158 gr XTP on hand, which is my standard .357 hunting cartridge; how would it stack up concurrently as a defensive round?

    Thoughts and recommendations appreciated-I perused the older threads using the Search function, but didn't find all that much, particularly recently, so I thought I'd initiate this thread.

    Best, Jon
    Last edited by JonInWA; 05-25-2018 at 04:07 PM.

  2. #2
    Lucky Gunner compiled some pretty useful data on terminal performance from .357 rounds out of a 4 inch gun, the Hornady XTPs all penetrated around 25 inches and expanded to .50 inches out of a 4 inch gun. If overpenetration is a concern, the Remington SJHP “only” penetrated 20 inches.

  3. #3
    Site Supporter
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    There's a dearth of current info on .357 Magnum effectiveness. For those times I carry one, I go with the Remington 158 grain SJHP based largely on the LG tests and things I've read that conclude that clear gel tends to overstate penetration.

    Maybe I'll dig out my 681 for when I go out to dinner tonight...

  4. #4
    If you can find some, I'm pretty sure the 145 grain Winchester Silvertip had a good reputation

  5. #5
    I always thought there was a lot of sound advise here - http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/can_less_be_more.htm.

  6. #6
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    Send up the @Dagga Boy signal.


    That last time I carried .357 was a long time ago and was 125gr JHP, although I may have used Silvertips.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  7. #7
    I'd probably look at the Hornady Critical Duty stuff.

    Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by BobM View Post
    If you can find some, I'm pretty sure the 145 grain Winchester Silvertip had a good reputation
    I have a S&W J-frame (scandium) in .357. I have a partial box of Winchester Silvertip...145 grain .357. Shooting 5 rounds was brutal, but I just had to give 'em a whirl. Off the bucket list. I settled on Gold Dot in .357 135 grain. Big difference between GD's and Silvertips. The GD's were actually doable, warm, but not smoking hot. Settled on Winchester Ranger (RA38B) 130 grain .38 +P for carry. More controllable with easier for follow-up shots. And recommended by the good Doc.

  9. #9
    Member Leroy Suggs's Avatar
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    May 2013
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    Jackson county, Fl.
    Federal 140 gr. Vortex with the Barnes XPB bullet.
    When I do carry my 3 in. SP-101 that's whats in it.
    Last edited by Leroy Suggs; 05-25-2018 at 11:23 PM.

  10. #10
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    4" GP?

    145 silvertips. They’ll be close to POI with 158s, IME.

    Or possibly buffalo bore’s " "FBI" " note extra set of quotes; the load may be derived from the fabled Feeb fodder, and may use a LSWCHP, but it’s knocking on the door of .357 external ballistics.

    Those are two of my favorite medium frame and up .38/.357 loads. FWIW.

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