Is a 357 Magnum worth it?

Time and data have also unquestionably revealed that when compared to these auto-pistol cartridges, the . 357 Magnum does a better job at stopping bad guys. Depending on which study you give credence to, its considered to be somewhere between 5 percent and 15 percent more effective.

Is 357 Magnum still relevant?

357 is pretty much the pinnacle of useful revolver cartridges. The semi auto pistol now dominates the self defense, military, and law enforcement market, but there is still no substitute for a . 357's versatility. It has been with us 75 years and will be with us for probably at least another 75 years.

Is a 357 Magnum more powerful handgun?

357 Magnum is considerably more powerful than its parent round the . 38 Special. A . 38 Special full metal jacket round will hit with the force of 189 pounds of pressure per square foot at a subsonic muzzle velocity of 810 feet per second.

Is a 357 more powerful than a 9mm?

The 357 Magnum round loaded with a 125-grain projectile reaches almost 1,500 feet per second and strikes targets with 585 foot-pounds of energy. Needless to say, ballistically, it outperforms the 9mm. The 357 Magnum also has no problems reaching the FBI standards and even exceeding them.

What is a 357 Magnum good for?

The . 357 Magnum is renowned as an accurate cartridge. So much so it is popular with silhouette shooters who reach out to 100 yards, or more, to knock down small steel targets. It is more than accurate enough for close-quarters battle and hunting at reasonable ranges.

What is the best all around handgun caliber?

The . 357 Magnum, 10mm and . 357 Sig rounds are better fits, as all three are capable (and proven) in both roles.

What is the effective range of a .357 Magnum revolver?

At rifle velocities the cartridge performs very well out to 75 yards, its performance becomes more modest between 75 and 125 yards. Like the . 44 Magnum, the . 357 can be sighted to shoot comfortably out to 125 yards.

What's the difference between 357 Magnum and 38 Special?

Modern 357 Magnum ammo is designed to fire a 158-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,235 FPS and a target thumping 535 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. Compare that to the 38 Special, which fires the same bullet weight at 755 FPS and has a muzzle energy of 200 ft-lbs, which is less than a 45 ACP.

Is a 357 Magnum more powerful than a 38 Special?

Today, Winchester's 357 Magnum Silvertip round launches a 145-grain bullet at 1290 FPS with 536 ft. -lbs. of energy. That's more than double the muzzle energy of the 38 Special.

What does Magnum mean in guns?

A magnum cartridge is a firearm cartridge with a larger case size than, or derived from, a similar cartridge of the same projectile (bullet) caliber and case shoulder shape. The term derives from the .357 Magnum, the original cartridge with this designation.

Does Glock make a 357 Magnum?

The high-performance GLOCK 31 is characterized by a high muzzle velocity, ideal for long shooting distances. This 357 SIG pistol is the optimum solution for those looking for these attributes in a reliable, yet lightweight, pistol with a large magazine capacity.

What is the most powerful handgun?

The Smith & Wesson Model 500 has held its rank as the world's most powerful handgun since it was first introduced in 2003.

Is a snub nose 357 worth it?

The heavy bull barrels common to that class of pistol helps get back on target faster and tame muzzle flip, and the larger grips make for an easier impact on the hand. A snub . 357 is going to kick. Not only will this make full-house loads unpleasant to shoot, follow-up shots will take far longer than with a .

Do all 357 revolvers shoot 38?

No; . 357 Magnum was specifically designed so it cannot be fired from handguns chambered in . 38 Special, but you can shoot . 38 Special in a gun chambered in .

What bullets can you shoot out of a 357 Magnum?

357 Magnum can safely and readily shoot the following rounds: . 38 Short Colt, . 38 Long Colt, . 38 Special, .

What is the difference between a .357 Magnum and a .44 Magnum?

357 Mag is a much smaller diameter bullet than its . 44 Mag counterpart. While the case and overall length are similar, the . 44 Mag is much wider and voluminous cartridge that can hold more powder and withstand a higher amount of pressure when the powder is ignited.

How many bullets are in a 357 Magnum revolver?

357 Magnum has a magazine capacity of nine rounds. It has also become popular as a "dual use" cartridge in short, light rifles like the American Old West lever-actions. In a rifle, the bullet will exit the barrel at about 1,800 feet per second (550 m/s), making it far more versatile than the .

Are 9mm and 357 the same?

357, . 380 auto and 9mm ammunition are all the same caliber. (Caliber is the size of the projectile, or bullet.) The different names are for marketing reasons or because of where the cartridge was developed.

Is 9mm or 38 Special more powerful?

Standard pressure . 38 Special only produces 264 foot-pounds of force (147-grain bullet at 900 feet per second out of a 4-inch barrel), while standard pressure 9mm can produce 365 foot-pounds of force (124-grain bullet at 1,150 feet per second). This is 38.25% more energy at the muzzle in favor of the 9mm.

How much does a 357 drop at 100 yards?

The . 357 Sig lost 20% of its velocity — something like 2-300 feet per second between the muzzle and 100 yards.

Can you hunt with a 357 revolver?

357 Mag. is reliably lethal on deer as long as your hunting strategy is realistic, as I will explain. The . 357, in this image the Smith & Wesson Model 686, has plenty of knockdown power within 50 yards to take down deer and possibly further if you're confident with your abilities.

What is the most powerful 357 Magnum load?

The 357 Magnum is available with bullets weighing between 110 grains and 180 grains. The full house 125 GRN JHP is regarded as the best carry round in that caliber for self defense.

What handgun is used by Navy Seals?

Naval Special Warfare Command made the decision to add the Glock 19 to the available inventory of the SEAL Teams a little over a year ago. They will slowly begin to phase out the Sig Sauer P226 and replace those with the Glock 19 platform.

What is the most popular handgun caliber in the United States?

It's no surprise that the 9mm round dominates the top spot as the most popular handgun caliber. Developed in the early 1900s by Austrian designer Georg Luger, the 9mm cartridge is the most widely used round in the handgun realm.