Revolvers were cool in the days of Wild Bill Hickok and they’re still cool now.
They’re practical target guns, reliable self-defense tools, effective hunting implements, and in some cases…downright gorgeous pieces of firearms art.
But how do you pick the best ammo for your revolver?
Well, that is a question that deserves an explanation. As a competition shooter and law-enforcement officer, I’ve had my hands on revolvers quite a bit over the years.
So, let’s go over some common terminology then dive into the best .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammo for home defense, target shooting, and hunting.
Keep reading!
Table of Contents
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Things to Know
Safety Briefing
There are many kinds of ammunition for modern .357 Magnum and .38 Special revolvers. Both of these revolvers feature the same bullet diameter of .357 inches but the .357 Magnum has a slightly longer case.
Why does that matter?
Well, as long as you are using .38 Special ammo you can fire it safely in any .357 Magnum revolver.
Meaning if you have a revolver chambered in .357, you can fire both ammo types without any issues. But make sure you are not using .38-40 or .38 Short.
Don’t think that just because you can shoot .38 Special in a .357 Magnum that the reverse is true. This makes the cartridge too long for a .38 Special cylinder to close and lock most of the time.
Putting a .357 Magnum round in a .38 Special takes the firearm from handgun to hand grenade. In most cases, this is not ideal.
Alright, now let’s get to the fun stuff.
Abbreviations
You will find abbreviations on ammo boxes that combine the jacket, point, and nose type.
For example, if you see SJ and HP on the box, then you know the bullet features a Semi-Jacket and has a hollow point. Since there are many variations, it is best to learn the basic abbreviation and then apply them to each box of ammo.
- Jacket Type: A Full Metal Jacket (abbreviated FMJ) encases the sides of the softer lead core, but not the bottom. The “jacket” is a metal like copper that is harder than the enclosed lead. A Total Metal Jacket (TMJ) completely surrounds the lead core. TMJs are used with higher velocity rounds and larger amounts of powder. Semi-Jacketed Rounds (SJ) have a harder shell around the shaft of the bullet, but not the tip.
- Nose Type: Refers to the top of the projectile. Lead Round Nose (LRN) refers to a bullet that has a smooth curve at the top. The Lead Flat Nose (LFN or Cowboy Action Load) is flat all the way across the top. Lead flat nosed bullets deliver better impact than round ones.
- Hollow Point vs. Soft Point: Hollow Pointed Bullets (HP) have a tip that expands so that a larger area of injury occurs. Soft Pointed (SP) bullets have a jacket that leaves part of a soft bullet tip exposed. The tip will still expand and deform, but at a greater rate than a standard hollow point. These are the standard self-defense rounds.
Bullet Weights
As a bullet travels down the gun barrel…its speed depends on the amount of powder and weight of the projectile.
Here’s what you need to know.
Heavy Bullet Characteristics
- The heavier the bullet the slower the velocity — the speed at which it hits the ground or “bullet drop” is faster than for a light bullet.
- A heavy bullet in motion will be less affected by wind and other weather factors.
- Big, heavy bullets tend to do well in short-range defensive situations with a minimum of dangerous over-penetration (hitting someone or something behind your target).
- Heavier bullet = greater recoil
Lightweight Bullet Characteristics
- The lighter the bullet the faster it will travel. Lighter bullets have slower bullet drops, which can increase accuracy over long distances.
- Also, lighter bullets have less mass, but make up for it with increased velocity in defensive situations, but there is more danger of over-penetration
- Lighter bullet = less recoil
So, which one is better?
While there is considerable controversy over whether heavier bullets are better than light ones, in reality, different situations need different bullets.
This brings us to…
Best Training and Range Ammo
New and experienced shooters usually look for the cheapest ammo to use for practice. For beginners, it is just as important to choose ammo that has the least possible recoil.
Light recoil gives better accuracy and also reduces developing bad shooting habits. Using the wrong ammo can cause you to flinch, breathe wrong, or even close your eyes while firing.
Also, even the biggest, baddest dude at the gun range is going to get tired of shooting if the recoil is hurting his hands after a while. He just may not admit it.
Now get ready for our recommendations….
Best .357 Magnum Training Rounds
- The Sellier & Bellot 158 Grain FMJ is an excellent round. It shoots a 158-grain FMJ bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,263 fps. It is excellent for target or as a training bullet.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Tula .357 Magnum 158 Grain FMJ is a good training round. It shoots a 158-grain FMJ bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,280 fps. Shooting this round can be a little dirty though, so gun cleaning is mandatory after each shooting session. To help keep the price down this bullet uses a steel case so sometimes it might not eject easily for your revolver.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Fiocchi .357 Magnum 142 Grain FMJTC is an excellent round. It shoots a 142-grain FMJTC bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1420 fps. This bullet is easy to control and manage when fired and is an excellent training round.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Best .38 Special Training Rounds
- The Federal American Eagle .38 Special 130 Grain FMJ is a good starting point. It shoots a 130-grain FMJ bullet at a velocity of 890 fps. It is great for training or target practice. I like it because it has a low recoil and will not frighten new shooters.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Remington .38 Special 158 Grain LRN is also good training round due to its low recoil. It shoots a 158-grain bullet at a velocity of 755 fps.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Sellier & Bellot .38 Special 148 Grain WC is an excellent competition target round. It shoots a 148-grain bullet at a velocity of 699 fps. With it’s low recoil there is little to disturb the sight picture. This is a good round for new shooters.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Choosing Home Defense Ammo
In matters of self-defense, your goal is to hit the target somewhere vital in order to neutralize the threat. The ammo will need to produce a lot of energy to produce the greatest amount of tissue damage and trauma.
The bullets used for self-defense are a bit more expensive than the ones you would use for target practice.
Typically, Jacketed Hollow Points are the best choice for self-defense, just make sure you get a relatively fast round to ensure it expands properly.
The rounds I recommend most for self-defense include…
Best .357 Magnum Defensive Ammo
- The Remington HTP .357 Magnum 110 Grain SJHP is an excellent self-defense round. It shoots a 110-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,295 fps. This bullet has excellent high terminal performance, ensuring maximum effectiveness with proper shot placement
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Blazer Brass .357 Magnum 158 Grain JHP shoots a 158-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,250 fps. This bullet is heavy for a self-defense round. It has excellent high terminal performance and will get the job done.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Remington Golden Saber .357 Magnum 125 Grain JHP shoots a 125-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,220 fps. It is an excellent self-defense round that is designed to work well in longer barrel guns for maximum velocity.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Best .38 Special Defensive Rounds
- The Remington High Terminal Performance .38 Special+P 110 Grain SJHP. It shoots a 110-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 995 fps. It is a high terminal performance bullet that has the capabilities to injure or kill.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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- The Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special +P 110 Grain JHP FTX. It shoots a 110-gain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,010 fps.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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What do you think of Hornady Critical Defense? Rate it below!
Choosing .357/.38 Special Ammo for Hunting
Expanding hollow point or soft point bullets are best for hunting because these bullets expand reliably and deliver the most kinetic energy into the animal.
Never use full metal jacket bullets because they may pass through the animal without a humane kill.
You’ll also want to make sure your round is powerful enough to ensure a humane kill, so if in doubt, go for the bigger boom.
Quick Deer Hunting Revolver Ammo Tips
For hunting larger game over 100 pounds with a .357 Magnum revolver, I would use a bullet weight of at least 158 to 180 grains with a heavy powder charge.
For hunting smaller varieties of game 50 pounds and under, I have used a .38 Special revolver. I would use a bullet weight of 158 grains in a .38 Special +P cartridge.
Best .357 Magnum Hunting Rounds
- The PMC .357 Magnum 158 Grain JSP. It is an excellent deer hunting and wild boar hunting round, and can reliably and humanely take down this animals, or similarly sized animals.
- The Magtech .357 Magnum 158 Grain SJSP bullet. It shoots a 158-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,235 fps.
- The Federal American Eagle .357 Magnum 158 Grain JSP shoots a 158-grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1,240 fps. Another excellent round for whitetail-sized game.
Best .38 Special Hunting Rounds
- The Magtech 38 Special +P 125 Grain SJSP. It features a muzzle velocity of 938 fps. It is a good varmint hunting round.
- The Hornady JHP XTP .38 Special 158 Grain. It has a muzzle velocity of 800 fps. And is a good varmint hunting round that I’ve used in the past.
- The Federal LSWCHP .38 Special +P 158 Grain LSWCHP. It has a muzzle velocity of 900 fps and is a good small game or varmint round.
Conclusion
As with any caliber, you want to make sure you pick the right round for the job you need. Any of the above suggestions should help you accomplish your goals.
What’s your go-to ammo brand? Let us know in the comments below. Shopping for a revolver? Check out our list of the Best .357 Magnum Revolvers.
48 Leave a Reply
Sirs, thank you for this valuable forum. I am a senior citizen who recently took to hiking and saw a black bear in northern New England. I was hiking with a 38 S&W but realized my [38] would not be a match for a large animal if needed. In considering, as a senior, I must also be concerned with the weight of equipment while hiking. Would a 38 magnum or other be more appropriate? Thanks for any suggestion you may have. Love this site.
I am a former tactical trainer for Law Enforcement as well as over 30 Yrs in Law Enforcement as well as years of forensic experience and a former champion shooter. As such with all respect I have never, ever read one of these articles on the web that even remotely resemble truth and regality.
Amen!! I thought this article was going to be about .357 magnums!! 125 semi- jacketed hollow points at 1600 or 1700+ fps, not weak .38 Specials on par with 9mm. Millennials are swept away in marketing and a zillion online articles if they would research Into history not the present hive mind, oh the wonderful things they could learn.
This article wasn't written by a Millennial.
Great article, well written and informative. Glad to know there are so many types of ammo available. I bought a box of wad cutters at a gun show a few years ago and it worked great for target practice with my S&W 686+. Would those be more recommended for target and not training necessarily?
I hope I’m not repeating what was already addressed concerning the statement of heavy vrs light for self defense is reversed. The lighter and therefore faster bullet will expand more violently to the point of fragmentation, bullet construction being equal and arrest sooner than a heavier and slower bullet that retains it weight.
It's been my experience that a heavier bullet tends to go deeper than a lighter one. This article claims the reverse to be true. Upon entering a fluid medium, the heavier bullet will still have more energy to drill deeper than a lighter one. Imagine a car rolling down a hill versus a truck. The heavier truck would be harder to stop due to it's increased mass.
I have a quick question. I have an SP101 and looking for the best clean .357 ammo. Most important is you don't need to clean after targe practice and there is no residue and nothing gets clogged up. I'm a novice and ran into a "dirt and residue" problem at the range. Any suggestions and thank you! Please recommend either .357 or 38 special cleanest rounds.
I would suspect that short barrels (handguns) tend to have more residual powder than long barrels (rifles.) Gunpowder is designed with it's own oxidizers and burn in an expanding chamber. The barrel becomes a part of the chamber as the bullet advances, and with pistols having sort barrels, not all of the powder is burned before the bullet exits the barrel and releases the unburned, or incompletely burned, powder, and creating muzzle flash (easily seen at night.) Unless you are shooting multiple times per week, I suggest you run a few patches down and wipe it off.
PS: My wife confiscated my SP101.
There is a photo above with a caption reading "For cool photographic purposes only. Don’t candy cane your ammo loads, boys and girls." The fact is, a revolver is the one platform where you CAN mix different sorts of ammo without causing problems. A semi-auto might have a problem if you stuff its magazine with a variety of different cartridges.
The author gave that advice because different bullet weights and powder charges will have different points of impact if your point of aim is the same for all of them. It's not that you CAN'T interchange them; it's because you should pick one and stick with that one. Then practice. A lot.
Thanks for this. Back in the day, .38 Special +P 158 grain LSWCHP was the preferred round for carry in J-Frame snubnose revolvers. Because it is solid lead, I thought they had stopped making these rounds. Good to know it is still available.
In my Model 36 Chief's Special, whenever I fired more than one box of 158 gr +P HP rounds. The revolver would cease functioning. It would actually lock up on me. I wasn't able to shoot double action at all. Even with a two-handed grip in the trigger, it would not advance the cylinder I had to thoroughly clean it before it would function. I found out that the steel-framed Model 36 was not designed to use +P loads. It will chamber and fire +P rounds, but no more than 50 rounds.
This is the round I load in my.38’s. Being unjacketed lead it does require a thorough gun cleaning after a range session. But, I like the round and, if I’m not mistaken, it once was the standard FBI load.
Why do you prefer soft point for hunting but hollow point for self defense? I would think the JHP would have more knock down power for both applications.
The soft point is a solid round so it will penetrate the tough animal hide (deer) and still drive deep enough for a kill. It is soft so it will deform for maximum damage. A hollow point (self defense round) will expand and clog on animal hide and not penetrate deep enough for a clean kill.
What happened to the Speer GD mentions? The 38+P has excellent
reviews about performance , along with the Speer GD 135gr SB 357mag with less felt recoil. Both I carry both for self defense because of their proven performance. Even the 9mm 124gr +’P is carried by the NYPD as issued.
The .38 SPL +P HP is a fine round-in a model 10 4" gun. Not so in a 2" S&W Model 36. My J-frame locked up due to powder fouling and I was unable to fire double-action or cock the hammer for single action. . When we transitioned over to the S&W Model 5946 DAO, we were issued 147 gr +P 9mm ammo. I always felt that the .38SPL out of a 4' Model 10 was a better round and that the reason for going to the 9mm was only for ammo capacity of 46 rounds, as opposed to 18 rounds in the .38.
I (thru experience) believe the best .357 Magnum hunting round available is the Aguila 158gr JSP. Out of my GP100 with a 4" barrel, it clocks right along at 1500+ FPS. I calculated roughly an energy at the muzzle of 800+ ft. lbs. I am not aware of other ammo out there that matches these ballistics.
Excellently presented , and gets right to the point . I see a trend towards lighter ammunition , and I suppose it's due to advanced bullet design . The .357 magnum 125gr hollow-points have been recognized as the best round for self-defense . The thing is that its been successful but at its original design velocity of 1450 fps . I'm not certain that by dropping the velocity by 200 fps makes no difference in performance . Its "World Champion" title , I believe , is all related to Velocity . At any-rate , I'm not an expert , so I'll listen to the experts that have "been there , done that" , and this Author falls into that category . Thank you , and I'll say it again , .............Great Article !!
It is the best IF it's used in a 6" barrel revolver, such as a Colt Python, or a Manhurin M73 - both very pricey guns, but the key to maximum performance is the 6" barrel.
Good article. Very straightforward and minus all the caveats and disclaimers. Just a picky technical point though. Bullet drop is really based on the range a projectile has travelled according to it's velocity Gravity acts on all bullets the same, regardless of mass or "weight". All objects like bullets with neglible air drag coefficients, "drop" at the rate of 32 ft/sec². Again that's regardless of whether the bullet weighs 110 grain or 158gr.
Great read! Thanks for putting this together. I just bought myself a couple of Ruger Vaqueros and a Henry rifle all in .357 and was looking for good bullet info. You delivered! Thanks again!
Hello
I have a question about ammo. I am newer to shooting, I recently purchased a smith and Wesson model 627 pc with a 2.6 inch barrel (snub nose) I took it to the range and am wondering if a lower grain .357 round would be best to practice with? The gun seems to handle the various loads I ran threw it but I’d like a professionals opinion of what round works best in a snub nose for accuracy and recoil control?
Thank You
Hi Matt, Best bet for practice in a defensive mode is 38 Special 125 gr. ammo. It;s cheap and you'll need to practice a lot , throw in some full power 357 to get the feel. My EDC during the winter here in the North is a 3" barreled Ruger GP100, very simular to your 627 and I used to carry 125gr. Hornady Critical Defense ammo. Don't anymore, to much recoil and blast (I hunt with a Ruger SRH in 454 Casull so I'm not shy of recoil) and it effects follow up shots. I now carry 38 Special Critical Defense or my favorite, the Buffalo Bore short barrel low recoil 158gr. 357 load. Basically a heavy 38 Special +P+ load. It doesn't flash, has lower recoil and is more controllable. Just what you need if you need more than one shot.
Excellent article. The only other thing I would add is that to train with 357 imho you typically need a N Frame pistol because only that size pistol frame will have enough heft to absorb most of the recoil so as not to abuse your hand. Sure you can shoot 357 from a sub 30 oz pistol rated for it but you're gonna feel it and you will not want to train with 357 using that pistol. If you're lucky you'll be able to fire 18-20 rounds of 357 and then you're done.... for the day!
So imho for sub 30oz pistols train with 38 special +P or try a lightweight 357 grain and see if your hand can handle the recoil.
But if you want to train with any magnum load then do your hand a favor and get a N Frame .
So training with an L frame and 158 is I'll advised?
Heavy Bullet Characteristics
• The heavier the bullet, the slower the velocity (load dependent). The speed/velocity at which it hits the ground is SLOWER than for a light bullet. The distance it travels before hitting the ground is less than a light bullet.
Lightweight Bullet Characteristics
• The lighter the bullet, the faster it will travel (load dependent). FASTER bullets have LESS bullet drop, which can increase accuracy over long distances.
Galileo proved all objects drop at the same rate. Given the same flight time, the only difference is the distance covered before hitting the target/ground.
Sorry for making a similar comment. I must have missed yours first time through.
you do a pretty good job at explaining all this. but i was always taught that heavier bullets penetrate deeper as the mass retains speed better than lighter weight rounds. faster lighter rounds make a big hit with a shallow hole. not saying like only 2-3 inches but in the 6-9 range, while heavier rounds tend to go 12+ inches. i was also taught heavier rounds kick more as it takes more powder to get the heavy lead moving even if it not as fast as the lighter round. i know there is a point where the speed will have the lighter round having more kick but if the rounds are close in speed the heavy will have more of a kick. like here i think you had a 110gr at 1300 fps and a 158gr at 1250. the 158gr will kick harder than the 110gr same with the 125gr at 1220 and the 158 at 1250. my point is it take more power to move a heavier round than a lighter one at close to the same speeds
I agree with more penetration with heavier bullets. More energy retention.
Nice write-up Fred.
Curious what you think of the gel testing that's been done out there?
https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/pistol-ammo-357-magnum
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/
I was pretty surprised that barrel length didn't play as big of a role as I imagined it would. It looks like some of the smaller shops like Buffalo Bore are doing pretty well in those tests.
Barrel length can either make very little difference or make a huge amount of difference, it's odd. For something already a little underpower, such as .380 Auto, an extra inch on the barrel can be huge for expansion.
Buffalo Bore is well known for loading hot rounds, it's great if that's what you're looking for but be careful if it isn't!
I shot up two boxes of the Fiocchi 142gr FMJ .357 rounds this weekend. Wouldn't cycle through my lever action worth a flip. Upon closer inspection, it appears as though Fiocchi didn't crimp these rounds, not even a taper crimp.
I'm going to try some Prvi Partizan 158 gr SJSP next for inexpensive range rounds.
I bought my first revolver (GP100) and came here first. I needed this article. PewPew articles are a great place to start. Thanks team!
As a past gun dealer who also supplied the local police department and a gun owner and user since age 5 My experience has shown that the best all around bullet and weight for a .38/.357 mag is a 125 gr. SJHP which I have used in situations of dire straights at 1250 ft. per second with very good terminal performance and minimal penetration as expected was enough to do the job without over penetration.
But this is my choice for many different situations including self , or home defense, but I do not hunt with a hand gun from personal choice.
As I stated I have been a gun dealer as well as a gun owner since age 5 and I still own my .357 Ruger New Model Blackhawk, and my wife has her 6 inch Smith and Wesson Model 28 .357 mag Highway Patrolman she picked out for her self which I had sold out of my gun shop in 1979 and bought back here in Oregon in 1989 for $25.00 more than I sold it for, and I had personally done the trigger work on this revolver before I sold it,
My wife is not a big woman and shoots her Magnum with one hand and at 40 paces she puts 3 round in the size of a fifty cent piece using my hand loads which come out of a 4 inch barrel at 1650 and that is my load for my stainless steel 6 inch revolver which I carry for a possible run in with a Bear when I go hunting alone in the mountains of southern Oregon with a 158 gr. sj bullet.
So you have given a very good cross section of ammo and the expected results of each and I have to say that it was very well explained and put in to words that any beginner or experienced owner could under stand Good Job..
Thank you, I learned a lot. I’m a beginner and was sold wrong ammo for my 357 magnum handgun ( still learning). I was sold 357 jsp and It didn’t fit the handgun. I am assuming that the jsp is meant for rifle and not handgun from reading your article.. please correct me if I’m wrong. It wouldn’t fit and close. Thanks again.
Hi Heather, your handgun might just not like the profile of the JSP bullet.
Silly question, but are absolutely sure your revolver is a .357 magnum and not a .38 special or something else? Somewhere on the firearm will say what it can safely shoot.
Any .357 magnum and .38 special ammo will work in both revolvers and rifles. JSP will work in anything as long as it's the correct loading for the gun.
Ammunition is made to certain specifications, size and pressure. Firearms are made around those specifications and will safely chamber and shoot any ammo that it was specifically designed for.
Disregard what Eric Hung said.
A revolver will load any ammo it was made for. If the ammo doesn’t fit, it’s either the wrong ammo or the manufacturer of the ammo didn’t properly make the ammo.
If it is the right ammo and won’t fit a revolver then something is wrong with the ammo. Unless your revolver doesn’t work with ammo from different companies then it’s a problem with the gun; which is rare but can happen. (Always double check the markings on the gun/barrel)
Now, if we were talking about semi automatics than Eric would/could be right. But semi automatics are quite different then revolvers. Semi automatics can be picky sometimes but not revolvers when it comes to loading them.
Stick to well known, large and trusted companies that produce ammunition. Very rarely will you go wrong. You can run into problems when dealing with small companies, boutique manufacturers and handloaders.
Heather, my guess is that your difficulty lies in the difference between .357 Magnum revolver ammo and .357 Sig semi-auto pistol ammo. I'm not sure if you have a revolver or an automatic pistol, but that's a simple mistake for a new shooter or a big box store clerk to make.
Since you refer to your ".357 Magnum handgun," it sounds like you have a revolver, thus the problem ammo is probably .357 Sig.
Zippy is correct: commercially available ammunition is made to strict standards, as are quality firearms. If your gun and ammo are both labeled as being the same caliber, the ammo will fit. If it doesn't, something major is wrong. (Perhaps a simple error, but a crucial one!) Look at the bottom of your cartridges, as the correct caliber is stamped in the brass of every single round of ammunition. Match that to what's stamped on your gun--probably on the barrel of a revolver, and on the frame of a semi-auto.
Rarely, a gun manufacturer ships a gun in a box with an incorrect label. Ammo companies can possibly put ammo in a box marked for a different caliber--again, that's extremely rare, but it can happen.
I recently nearly bought a bought a box of .357 Sig by accident instead of .357 Mag and I’m not a newbie so, it can happen. I guess I was snoozin’ at the switch. I picked up the box, , saw it labeled .357, and nearly paid for it. Luckily, I have a habit of opening a box first to ensure all of the rounds are there (yes, I’ve purchased ammo before that was a round short of a full box) and the first thing I noticed was the bottleneck cartridge. WHEW, a good save as I don’t have a .357 Sig!!
Regarding Heavy Bullets, you say: "The speed at which [a heavy bullet] hits the ground or “bullet drop” is faster than for a light bullet." From a Physics point of view, bullets drop at the same rate if they are shot parallel to the ground, whether they are heavy or light. A lighter bullet may travel farther than a heavy bullet, but it drops at the same rate as heavier bullets. Also, you say that heavier bullets have greater recoil, and lighter bullets have less recoil. There is a debate on this point. Some say that heavier bullets, because they travel more slowly, have less recoil and less muzzle flip than lighter bullets, everything else being equal. I know that for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction, but when it comes to bullets, there is a combination of recoil and muzzle flip at play. There is less muzzle flip with heavier guns and slower (i.e. heavier) bullets. This is often confused with recoil. I'm not sure whether heavier bullets result in greater recoil or not. It is still unproven, so far as I know.
+1 on this point - to a point... I refer to my .454 Casull (hand cannon) with a 9.5" barrel. I chose the 24o grain for its long range accuracy, however it is a 'wow" experience to shoot. The recoil of this lighter weight round is almost intolerable and the muzzle flips up dangerously. (you cannot port the Casull pistol to negate this force, as it will generate more harmful db levels than hearing protection can protect against. This is somewhat of a unique characteristic to just .454 Casull revolvers..) When I don't need the range & accuracy at distance, I shoot 300 gr or larger round and the lesser recoil of the heaver loads is significantly lower. I think this starts to reverse as you decrease in caliber. For instance many ultra light & hyper velocity .22 caliber rounds don't even generate enough recoil to cycle the action of many semi-auto weapons.
Any thoughts on Ruger ARX ammo for self-defense?
I bought a box after reading several reviews speaking in its favor. If you have never heard of this round; its an 86gr. 357 Mag. round (ARX is made in several other calibers too, both for revolvers as well as semi-autos) which fires at a very high velocity of 1,620 fps, I believe, and employs an expanding copper-polymer matrix projectile. According to Ruger, this creates a maximum lethal hydraulic displacement in human tissue upon impact by the way the flutes in the projectile expand outward, delivering energy laterally in surrounding tissue, in addition to head-on.
Anyway, I just wanted to know if you knew anything about these rounds. They run at a pricey $25-30 for a box of 20 rounds, and so far are the only ammo on the market to bear the Ruger name.
I currently carry these daily in my S&W J-frame, and feel all-around confident that they would perform well should I god-forbid, ever need to actually count on their service.
Naturally, I do have a few natural concerns however;
A) They are a youngster on the market, having only been released around late 2016.
B) Although I get it that in the case of these rounds, weight is being traded in favor of max. velocity (copper-polymer is going to be light either way I suppose). But other than these, I've never even seen anything come close to 86gr. I just wonder if that may be too light for a .357 round?
C) Lastly, Ruger describes the rounds as having high-penetration of soft-targets, but also a shattering effect on hard surfaces. I see how this may be desirable in a self-defense situation. Penetrating deep, but also fragmenting at certain harder internals like bone, to create max. internal damage. But what I also wonder is if this also may cause an undesirable effect of shattering when passing through hard backdrops such as glass windows, if say perhaps given circumstances required such a shot?
Any thoughts from anybody would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ryan
Hi Ryan, I've shot them at range days but it wasn't at gelatin or anything. I still like to steer towards standard law enforcement rounds for self defense.
The literature that came with my j frame specifically states not to run any 357 loss under 120 grains as it will prematurely wear the cylinder. Just a thought.
Was the dog really rabid, or did you just not want to get bitten...?..a sharp kick in the jaw, if possible, turns most "rabid" dogs away...not saying you shouldn't protect yourself, but I've been bitten a couple times by dogs that were stirred up by adverse circumstances that had the dog protecting his turf, that did not need a lethal reaction..just sayin'...
Only way to know if a dog is rabid is to have it tested (head sent off to state lab). That's something required in many areas if a bite has occurred (depends on if it's vaccinated or not). If you have a concern (even if it's remote) make sure head is preserved and the authorities notified.