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Thread: Recommendations for .357 Mag ammo for 4" barrel

  1. #11
    Frequent DG Adventurer fatdog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lester Polfus View Post
    Speer 135 grain Gold Dot Short Barrel in both .38/.357 ("short barrel" is for less than 6")

    The 125 grain Golden Saber .
    I concur those are two good intermediate loadings, not as much recoil as the full power 125's, gel tests I have seen look acceptable, and for me much easier to shoot in a 4". I am to the point where I really only want to shoot full power 125's or loads like the Winchester Silvertip in anything except my N frames now.

    They may be in short supply today, but Target Sports frequently has the Golden Sabers at reasonable prices and downright good prices for the 500 round cases.
    Last edited by fatdog; 06-24-2020 at 02:37 PM.

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by 03RN View Post
    Yeah, i get the desire for factory ammo. I think the 145 silvertips would be the closest.

    Or the 140 barnes bullet.
    I've already decided on the AE .357 158gr JSP in my carbine for SD/travel purposes. I have the skinner peep sights all dialed in for it. I also have a great load for hunting/woods use using the 158gr FP/XTP and H-110/296 powder that shoots to the same POA/POI at 50 yards. . However neither load would be optimal in my M66. So what ever I pick for the revolver doesn't necessarily need to work for the carbine. I'll just take 2 different rounds with me.

    Actually I wonder sometimes if a Hornady factory loaded 158gr XTP might just be "OK" for both the revolver and the carbine. I know guys shoot a lot of whitetail with them every year out of leverguns.
    Last edited by 4given; 06-24-2020 at 02:48 PM.

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by fatdog View Post
    I concur those are two good intermediate loadings, not as much recoil as the full power 125's, gel tests I have seen look acceptable, and for me much easier to shoot in a 4". I am to the point where I really only want to shoot full power 125's or loads like the Winchester Silvertip in anything except my N frames now.

    They may be in short supply today, but Target Sports frequently has the Golden Sabers at reasonable prices and downright good prices for the 500 round cases.
    That's a dandy price! I'd try those if they come back in stock at that price.

  4. #14
    Modding this sack of shit BehindBlueI's's Avatar
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    I like 158gr Hydra-shoks or bonded Gold Dots in my 4" but there's plenty of good options and, as mentioned, availability is a criteria. I bought a pretty significant amount of hydra-shoks during a rebate sale not terribly long ago, so that's probably what I'll be using for awhile.

    From a fairly small sample size, Critical Duty seems to offer a *lot* of penetration from a 4". Expands just fine, but not enough to stop it inside people even with flat bone or rib strikes. If that's a concern or not likely depends on the sort of environment you anticipate using it.
    Sorta around sometimes for some of your shitty mod needs.

  5. #15
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BehindBlueI's View Post
    I like 158gr Hydra-shoks or bonded Gold Dots in my 4" but there's plenty of good options and, as mentioned, availability is a criteria. I bought a pretty significant amount of hydra-shoks during a rebate sale not terribly long ago, so that's probably what I'll be using for awhile.

    From a fairly small sample size, Critical Duty seems to offer a *lot* of penetration from a 4". Expands just fine, but not enough to stop it inside people even with flat bone or rib strikes. If that's a concern or not likely depends on the sort of environment you anticipate using it.
    There used to be some data hornady had on their site that showed the critical duty to reach 13-14 after all barriers.

    Perfectly fine for self defense.

    But ill be honest i always try to error on the side of to much penatration. I load up blacktips for my M1, 175gr interlocks for my 7mm mauser etc.

    I think that for an edc load for a handgun it would be fine but for a general purpose load for woods, road, urban Id want more penatration.

    But thats just me

  6. #16
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Totally non scientific but if the 158xtp opens up from a 2" snub it should from the 4" as well. I bet it would hold together at faster speeds too, although the hornady graph says otherwise so i dont know.

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  7. #17
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4given View Post
    Actually I wonder sometimes if a Hornady factory loaded 158gr XTP might just be "OK" for both the revolver and the carbine. I know guys shoot a lot of whitetail with them every year out of leverguns.
    Highly likely.
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  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by BehindBlueI's View Post

    From a fairly small sample size, Critical Duty seems to offer a *lot* of penetration from a 4". Expands just fine, but not enough to stop it inside people even with flat bone or rib strikes. If that's a concern or not likely depends on the sort of environment you anticipate using it.
    It seems to me that for a general purpose "highway" load the CD round might be a good choice for those very reasons. Expands to about 50 caliber, penetrates deep and is barrier blind. I wonder how it does at 25 to 50 yards?

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by OlongJohnson View Post
    Highly likely.
    You would have the advantage of being able to easily handload a duplicate round for training.

  10. #20
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Critical Duty and Critical Defense often provide better-than-most accuracy, as well.
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