.357 Magnum. Does it deserve its reputation?

[WillBrink]

I think this would come down to the same argument of 9 vs 45. Big, heavy and slow(er) vs smaller, lighter and faster. Or 556 vs ??

I wouldn't want to be down to one trigger pull before I had to perform an action to make another shot with any of those. In that respect, those are all equal to me.

I don't have a chronograph but using T2C's numbers .....puts the 357 somewhere in the 30 carbine range in ft/lbs.

7.62x33 110gr ball 18in barrel @ 2000fps and just under 1000 ft/lbs of energy
Vs
9x33 (357) various weight and barrel length (16-24in) will get about 1000ft/lbs of energy.
Now when you look at 556 the ft/lbs of energy isn't that much more. It can be because of so many variables like weight and barrel length but a typical 193 is something like 1400ft/lbs out of a 20in barrel. Meanwhile with the 357 from an 18in barrel using Remington 125-grain JHPs gets 2038 fps and 1153 lb-ft (online info). 9+1

I wouldn't trade any semi auto for a lever in a SD situation, this should be obvious. But knowing that I'm getting ballistics close to 556 in only 2in more of barrel length and often close to double the bullet weight. I wouldn't feel underguned.

If I had to yank a lever or run a bolt to take another shot of 5.56, I'd feel very under gunned. The value of 5.56 is the ability to put accurate multiple shots on target with a light easy to use package, and to me, of no real value otherwise. I'm not a hunter so I only tend to think in those terms, but if it it's one shot then yank levels or run bolts, I'm not feeling 5.56, nor .357. It's also possible I'm just a big pu$$y.

Granted there's something to be said about confidence in a larger(er) caliber. In the same SD situation....if my front door were to be kicked in....300gr 45-70 with around 3500ft/lbs of energy. Put that where the center of the door would have been and I don't think too many two legged critters are going to brush it off

Hence the popularity of the 12g... *

* PS, I don't own one myself and due to factors above, do own an AR in 223/5.56.

[T2C]

I realize sectional density is different but 125gr 357 @ 2,125fps is very close to 123gr 7.62x39 @ 2400fps

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

Then I'll gather data for 125g JSP loads when there won't be precipitation falling on the chronograph.

[ABNAK]

Not a big big lever action guy myself, but I could see owning a semi auto carbine in .357 a great all around ranch rifle kinda thing that does not scream scary black evil rifle.

Unfortunately no such animal exists to my knowledge, but it'd be a hoot for sure!

I also have one of these (but mine is a new production one, not an original): https://www.gunsamerica.com/97080412...-06-Calibe.htm Now that has a "little" more oomph to it.

I would NEVER choose a lever action over a semi, unless you're talking long-range "sniper" type accuracy. I am thinking ahead to the Communist Central Committee about to take the reigns of power in D.C. in about 3 weeks. If their BS agenda makes me into a created criminal then being the law-abiding citizen that I am I will have to "sell" (cough-cough) my good stuff but will still need something to defend home and hearth. God forbid you'd ever have to blast a burglar, but if you did the weapon you did it with would need to be kosher. That is where a handy little .357 lever gun would be nice, a complement to the .357 wheelgun I'd have in the bedroom.

[WillBrink]

Unfortunately no such animal exists to my knowledge, but it'd be a hoot for sure!

I also have one of these (but mine is a new production one, not an original): https://www.gunsamerica.com/97080412...-06-Calibe.htm Now that has a "little" more oomph to it.

I would NEVER choose a lever action over a semi, unless you're talking long-range "sniper" type accuracy. I am thinking ahead to the Communist Central Committee about to take the reigns of power in D.C. in about 3 weeks. If their BS agenda makes me into a created criminal then being the law-abiding citizen that I am I will have to "sell" (cough-cough) my good stuff but will still need something to defend home and hearth. God forbid you'd ever have to blast a burglar, but if you did the weapon you did it with would need to be kosher. That is where a handy little .357 lever gun would be nice, a complement to the .357 wheelgun I'd have in the bedroom.

I don't claim to be any SD/HD expert, but under those conditions, I'm gonna choose a 12g to compliment the .357 wheel gun. Even Biden approves of shotguns...

[ABNAK]

I don't claim to be any SD/HD expert, but under those conditions, I'm gonna choose a 12g to compliment the .357 wheel gun. Even Biden approves of shotguns..."Buy a shotgun" [song]

I live out in the sticks on 22 acres so the need for more accurate fire exceeding shotguns distances could arise. Personally for HD a handgun is GTG for me. My first line of "grab-it" weapon for the house is a pistol.

[ABNAK]

I think this would come down to the same argument of 9 vs 45. Big, heavy and slow(er) vs smaller, lighter and faster. Or 556 vs ??

I don't have a chronograph but using T2C's numbers .....puts the 357 somewhere in the 30 carbine range in ft/lbs.

7.62x33 110gr ball 18in barrel @ 2000fps and just under 1000 ft/lbs of energy
Vs
9x33 (357) various weight and barrel length (16-24in) will get about 1000ft/lbs of energy.
Now when you look at 556 the ft/lbs of energy isn't that much more. It can be because of so many variables like weight and barrel length but a typical 193 is something like 1400ft/lbs out of a 20in barrel. Meanwhile with the 357 from an 18in barrel using Remington 125-grain JHPs gets 2038 fps and 1153 lb-ft (online info). 9+1


I wouldn't trade any semi auto for a lever in a SD situation, this should be obvious. But knowing that I'm getting ballistics close to 556 in only 2in more of barrel length and often close to double the bullet weight. I wouldn't feel underguned. Granted there's something to be said about confidence in a larger(er) caliber. In the same SD situation....if my front door were to be kicked in....300gr 45-70 with around 3500ft/lbs of energy. Put that where the center of the door would have been and I don't think too many two legged critters are going to brush it off

Actually the .357 exceeds the ft/lbs of .30 Carbine rather easily when fired from a 16"+ barrel:

.30 Carbine 110gr bullet at 1900fps = 882ft/lbs

.357 158gr bullet at 1800fps = 1137ft/lbs

Downrange velocity loss will favor the .30 Carbine, but at the muzzle they aren't very close.

[WillBrink]

I live out in the sticks on 22 acres so the need for more accurate fire exceeding shotguns distances could arise. Personally for HD a handgun is GTG for me. My first line of "grab-it" weapon for the house is a pistol.

Ditto for me.

[Disciple]

Unfortunately no such animal exists to my knowledge, but it'd be a hoot for sure!

It doesn't have the heritage but there is the .350 Legend.

[WillBrink]

It doesn't have the heritage but there is the .350 Legend.

Sounds expensive. I don't care about heritage, but what's readily available, cost effective, and does it's job.

I stick to legacy rnds for that reason myself. No interest in niche bullets, even if it has an edge on my choices.

Changing topics, I'm fascinated by that new Wilson HMR rnd, but I'd never buy a gun chambered in it.

[ABNAK]

Sounds expensive. I don't care about heritage, but what's readily available, cost effective, and does it's job.

I stick to legacy rnds for that reason myself. No interest in niche bullets, even if it has an edge on my choices.

Changing topics, I'm fascinated by that new Wilson HMR rnd, but I'd never buy a gun chambered in it.

And that, Will, is the salient point. I decided to up my bare-bones .357 stash here recently. As far as 5.56 and 9mm I'm doing pretty well (although not by some standards here!). When I looked for .357 I found two things: A) it's almost non-existent, and B) it's expensive as hell if you can find it. Spent a little over over $300 for 300rds, and 200 of them were FMJ "practice" ammo. Yeah, it's a sign of the times to be sure, but damn.