Head-to-Head: 38 vs 357 For Self Defense
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
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I recently compared .45 ACP and 10mm. Today I’m pitting .357 Magnum and .38 Special + P against one another! We've done a ton of work with .38 & .357; these cartridges are no doubt versatile and practical, but how do they stack up against each other for self defense?
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My father was issued a .38 revolver in WWII in the Navy, when he left they gave him the weapon, he taught all us kids how to shoot with that pistol.
Wow! Taht's cool. You still have it I hope?
PISTOL IS NOT A REVOLVER, YOU DIDN'T LEARN MUCH.
TECHNICALLY BUT WHO CARES
@@tom-c1j2p Don't be stupid. The word "pistol" has been around longer than either revolvers or semi-autos. It means "handgun."
All revolvers are pistols but not all pistols are revolvers.
I retired in ‘97 following a 30 year LE career & we’d heard our .38 revolvers were inadequate. I was forced into an on duty shooting w/my issued .38 three times and it did the job. Twice was w/an issued four inch and once w/a Colt DS snub that I had to reload under fire before it was over. In retirement my EDC is a J Frame S&W.
The J frames are a classic choice, and still a good one.
Great info Guy.
Most all guns have their place, but a good wheelgun in 357 Mag is hard to beat.
YES
@@tom-c1j2pCarried a .357 for many years under my suit coat. Never felt outgunned!
@@tom-c1j2pRuger SP101 current 357
Yeah Buddy Dennis - Gettin' old, so used Rossi .357 Mag w/6" barrel for deer hunting, shot five bucks in a row, 3 were running, and none of them ever took another step! I'm 75 now, so do my hunting in Walmart meat case!! Now Mr. Rossi just hangs out in nightstand should we get that midnight visitor!! I really doubt if used .38 SPL or .357 Mag in any grainage, that it would make any difference!!!
Many Army pilots were issued .38 specials with 4” barrels in Vietnam in the late ‘60’s.
My favorite open carry gun.
It’s what my naval aviator carried on his two wwii tours, and in Korea too. Colt.
I really enjoyed your article. I started my law enforcement career with the Houston Police Dept in October of 1964. My pistol of choice was a Smith & Wesson Model 19 with a 4-inch barrel. The cost back then was $97.00. Shortly after that I got into hand loading and casting my own bullets. As you stated in your article, the soft lead factory ammo was a nightmare. I used the Ray Thompson designed semi-wadcutter with a gas check. This bullet and a Lewis Lead remover solved my leading problems. Over the years, I fired thousands of rounds in that gun, and it did develop the problems you described. I didn't have any receiver cutting but my cylinder started allowing the cases to swell and ejection became a problem. The recoil shield where the firing pin comes thru the frame enlarged allowing the primer to crater into it and would lock the gun up. About that time, I was promoted to Detective, so I acquired the 2.5-inch model 19. I had a friend who worked for S&W, and he helped me with returning the other gun to the factor for repairs. This time period was before Smith & Wesson was sold for the first time. The cylinder was replaced at no charge (Metal Fatigue), the recoil Sheild was replaced. and I had them install a six-inch barrel with a gold bead front sight. Things then were a little cheaper, the total cost was $37.00. I still have it. Another fact that became true in your article was Law Enforcment's transition from revolvers to semi-auto's. I learned the reason when I tried to reload my revolver at night running down a railroad track. The next day at work I had a Smith & Wesson Model 5906.
Thanks for the great reply! Love the Model 19, only carried it for a few weeks as a detective, then back to my 1911 45 for the rest of my career. My Model 19 is getting a little worn and battered. A local gunsmith tuned it up about 10 or 12 years ago, but... It likely needs attention again. I actually got the 3" 5-shot Model 60 a couple of years ago as a replacement, and do a lot of my 357 shooting with it now.
BTW - I really like those 6" Model 19's and that gold bead front sight is great!
I bought my 4" Model 19 new around 1980 and the first thing I did was get an action job done and have a smooth narrow trigger installed. It was as slick as a hot knife through butter, but recoil was stiff, therefore I installed a set of Pachmayr rubber grips. A few years back I found some gorgeous nicely checkered wood finger grooved grips that surprisingly fit my hand like a glove. I have always babied it so it still runs great. Naturally my daughter fell in love with the revolver, so I bought her an old Model 19 in good shape (no flame cutting, forcing cone issues, or binding) and it's her daily carry around our land.
@@Paladin1873 - excellent!
@@Paladin1873 'I've always liked the K-frame 357 Magnums. I later picked up (2) Model 64-1 Smith & Wesson pistols. The 64 was a stainless HEAVY BARREL 38 special. Smith made a small number of them in .357 Magnum which led to the Model 65.
I inherited my dad’s S&W model 19 a few years ago. He got it in the early 70’s and it’s had a lot of use but it still shoots like it just came from the factory. It’s one of my favorite guns to handload for. You really can’t beat the classics.
I’m a police officer and a handloader. I carry a .357 magnum j-frame as a backup loaded with the Hornady 125 grain ftx load. My off-duty carry is a 66-8 combat magnum 2.75”. I load a near-max charge of unique behind a 125 grain XTP. Unique is efficient in the short barrel. It’s very flashy but easy to control. I personally know several police officers who still carry j-frame “5 shooters” as backup guns.
Worth adding here that in my testing of the Barnes all copper loads that both the 125 grain and the 140 grain loads perform stunningly well.
Good to know. I've used Barnes bullets quite a bit from my rifles, but not from my handguns, yet. Usually I've seen both excellent accuracy and great results on game.
@@guyminer3168 These two loads in the 357 are easily my favorite 357 magnum loadings.
@@brianmoore1164 - good to know! Thanks! Barnes bullets punch above their weight for sure.
Glad to see you mention the .41 Magnum when talking about H110. 👍🏻
The first magnum I fired was a 41 mag and no matter how hot the loads it was just so nice and easy on my wrist. Course it was a magnum sized SSA. I "think" it was a Blackhawk, but could be something else. I like my S&W model 10. I've never had a smoother D.A.. It might be heavier than my Beretta 92s, but man she's like glass. I got all my pistols used and they were all European police side arms. The k frame was taken care of the worst and the Beretta was new, never been issued. The star had seen better days, but she does her job with no complaints.
The K frame is what I open carry, the star for concealed and the Beretta when I'm in the woods. I prefer the S&W for open carry cause I don't shoot her with hot loads because I want the bullet to stay in a bad guy and not hit some bystander. A lot of folks say that's stupid, but do you want to get shot in the chest with a 125 grain softnose semi-custom jacketed bullet? I don't either, but my main reason is she's the most accurate pistol I own. She's magic! I can line the sights up all wonky at 75 and I'm still ringing a six inch gong. That makes her a winner in my book.
My kids giving me a colt 1903 hammerless in 380 that I can't wait to get a hold of the colt company for her info. I think she's might not be a range Queen, but who knows.
I carry my j frame 642 every day all day . Grew up shooting revolvers and always liked them better than semi's
You and me both. I love my 642. Program compliance all the way. I like revolvers and semis though. A semi under the pillow makes me sleep better.
With good shot placement, the corpse doesn't know (or care) the difference between 38 Special and 357. In the case of a marginal hit, the 357 has a bit of an advantage due to the typically better bullet expansion at 357 velocity.
The .357 magnum, in spite of being out of service since the 1980's stands as the king of one shot stops. With the "Re wondering of the wonder nine", The .357 magnum will maintain this position for quite some time. "Wonder Niners 2.0" Insist on mag dumping. So much so that whenever one does stop a fight with 1-3 shots, the "Neo wonder Niners" Declare such which shootings as bad shootings due to failure to mag dump.
The .357 SIG was designed to replicate the .357 magnums ballistics in a rimless auto pistol cartridge. It was well on its way to carrying on its revolver counterpart as the King of one shot stops. From an attempted mass shooting at a Church in Texas to several cases of LEO's ending the fray with a single well placed shot only to have law enforcement abandon it
I'm working with an elderly widow friend of the family who does not want to rack a slide or worry about any fiddlebits to disengage so a revolver was her only choice. I really want to have words with the gun store owner who sold her a S&W 642! Nice little 5 shot but as you know snubbies are not exactly recommended for new shooters. Because its a DAO, we had our work cut out for us-it has the crimson-trace grips but she was hauling on that trigger like trying to bring a full bucket up from the well! Because that pistol is so light I started her out with a 110 grain handload and a medium charge of Accurate #5 and taught her to pull the trigger half way through then re-aquire the dot before pulling through. That and the light bullets has helped alot. Her nightstand pistol is a 4 inch 686 her late husband bought on a police trade in and that was simple. Put a 15 pound hammer spring in and she shoots DA pretty well. I cooked up some 158 grain loads using 2400 and she hits well with it. Watermelons make for nice reactive targets!
Bless you for doing that. I've done the same thing for other folks - helped them learn to use their revolvers. Any chance you could get her to trade that 642 for an easier to shoot revolver?
@@guyminer3168 Well, now that she is hitting the target I might have trouble wrestling the 642 away from her. I am trying to talk her into a S&W 36 which will give her the option of single or double action but so far my efforts have earned me a skrunched up face! She does use the argument that an exposed hammer might snag on something which is hard to argue with.
One tip for the 642 -- and most other S&W snubs -- is to watch part dealers or order (from the factory, or any barrel maker) a 3" barrel, preferably bull or underlug profile, and install that. It becomes a totally different wee beastie, without becoming difficult to conceal.
@@davidgoodnow269 - I do treasure my 3" full underlug 357 magnum Model 60 J-frame. Much easier to shoot than the short barreled ultra light versions.
@@davidgoodnow269 If I had been consulted before the purchase I would have recommended a full lug 3 inch 5 shot because I know they are easier to handle, especially for new shooters.
I don't know if you have experienced it-especially with a female shooter, but I ran into the "It can't be me-it must be the gun" syndrome.
First example-I trained my wife on my tuned 1911 with softball hand loads and she is getting to be a fair shot with it. Without my knowledge she is proud of purchasing a Colt Officer Model and somehow it's the gun's fault that it's a much heavier recoiling pistol with factory ammo and she can't hit with it! I dump the little stinger tail grip safety and hand fit a high rise beaver tail to save her hand, polish the sear and hammer surfaces to get a creep free 4 pound clean pull weight and a flat bottomed slide stop to slightly delay the slides action with the goal of making it easier for it to pick up the next round in the magazine. Happy wife-happy life so they say!
Second example-Teach a lady I was dating on my tuned 1911 at the range. She gets pretty good with it. Goes out behind my back and buys a Browning Hi-Power because the idiot behind the counter tells her the HP is "a much better pistol than the 1911". He is believed over me-even after she can't group nearly as nicely with it as she does with my 1911 and I tell her that reason is the trigger/magazine safety setup. Some might remove the mag safety and I hear it works well to tame the problem, but I will not remove a safety feature on any pistol if it is going to be carried. I dumped the girl instead!
Model 60 ~2" barrel. Practice with generic .38 spl, carry Either Winchester of Harnady +p usually have two speed loaders for a total of 15 rounds.
What’s great about a revolver is you can load it and put it in a night stand for years and years. There’s no magazine spring under tension. And it’s gonna fire when you need it to. No failures to feed or extract.
Obviously you should train with your gun, but you have a more reliable and less fussy option for long term storage.
38 spl, 125 gr +P....favorite load. Have to try some of the new loads.
Thank you for showing the model 19 2.5. I carried it for over ten years and still have it and if the SHTF it will be my back up. One of the best pistols I own as a LEO instructor.
Hi.
My edc for the past 24 years has been a charter arms 38special undercover that i inherited from my great grandfather the day before my 21st bday..it was his back up duty weapon for right at 30years.
I use 158gr jhp and 158gr lswc.
Ive had to use it 5 times on 4 legged criters and once on a truck full of the 2 legged kind.
Worked extremely well for both! Lol😂
The animals all died as fast as possible and never saw the truck again,but i thonk they got the point!
Stay armed and stay safe!
Thanks for the video.
💯💯💯☮️
Havent carried my SW model 19 for some time. Encouraged by your video I will carry it today. Thank you for your video and greetings from Germany.
Thank you!
One great thing among many about making a revolver your primary carry gun, is it makes you a one gun user. Many Semi-autos owners seem to be replacing their carry guns every few years, because companies are always releasing new models that their advertising always touts as better. The gock 19, the springfeild xds, the p365, are all considered passe by now, but If you own a modern carry revolver, you have the gun, it is what it is, and it's up to you practice, and no add ons or features are going to substitute practice. The ammo is more expensive, but if you reload, then it's not an issue.
I believe a revolver has saved me some 💰.
I have a Lyman 4 bullet mold, 75 grain, that I started my youngest daughter with! I loaded it with cci pistol primers and 2 grains of Bullseye. Shooting it in my old S&W Model 19 with a 2 1/2" bbl. That was a good setup for a 7 year old! By the time she was 8 I wouldn't want her shooting at me!!
She always enjoyed hunting and fishing!
Cool. I never loaded anything that light in a 38 or 357, but I'll bet it really tamed down the recoil. Have shot a LOT of 148 gr wadcutters through my 357's over the years. Mild and accurate. Your load must have been a great way to introduce a youngster to safe and accurate shooting.
I taught my Granddaughter to shoot with a 4" Model 19 because she was having trouble operating a slide. Problem solved!
@@RTmadnesstoo - excellent. Similar situation with my wife. She enjoys shooting the revolver, but not most semi-automatics.
@@guyminer3168 She has it dialed in now. It starts with the .38Spl 148g LWC (like shooting a hot .22lr) then heavier loads in 158g LFP. Next are .38Spl Plated 158g FP before going up to .357Mag with the Plated bullets then the hot 158g XTPs. Once in a while she'll get out the speed loader with the CorBons so she knows what to expect if she's carrying --or showing the Boys how to shoot.
It's great that we have a whole range of loads depending on what we feel like shooting but with the same gun and they are easy to identify. The first two loads punch pretty hole in paper targets.
The Joys of Reloading!
@@RTmadnesstoo - you two seem to be doing great! Yes, the 357 mag revolver is a wonderful thing to have, and as a handloader you can take it through a wide range of loads. Excellent! :)
"I once knew a Guy." haha. Great video. I love my 357, 38 ish.. in several varieties. The belt gets a S&W 642 recently. Blessings to the team. Don't let the boss hide in the office all day.
My father was a San Diego City police officer from the late 1940s until the late 1960s. He once relayed a story to me about .38s vs. .357s. Police officers by SDPD regulation had a 38 S&W as their side arms. So, one officer was in the process of talking to a suspect (in the field) and was about to arrest them, when they pulled out a razor and sliced his face and chest, then turned a started to run. The officer pulled out his .38 hard ball loaded revolver and fired and hit the runner. The bullet didn't phase the suspect, nor did the other 3 that hit him. So the officer had to run down the suspect, tackle them and cuff them. After returning to work when he healed, he then carried a S&W 357 . He had at the station loaded his pistol with .38 cal bullets for inspection. Then when in the field the .357s went in. No suspect was going to not feel the hits from then on. He wasn't the only one after that either.
I carry a Colt King Cobra with Hornady critical defense. Also carry a SW 432UC, Taurus 327, SW model 30 in 32, 642, and a python for when I’m out in the wilderness.
Love the effort your guys put into your videos! Always time well spent for us 😊
Thank you. The video guys do great work.
In 1981 I qualified as a police recruit in Atlanta And won the class marksman trophy with a S&W Mod 10 bull barrel .38 spec. 5 years later hired away by Fulton co who issued the S&W mod 65 stainless .357. Still have the Mod 65...love both!
Those old bull-barrel Model 10's were impressive! I was surprised about how easy it was to hit with one.
Like the insights, I got a 686 -3 6in,st. I'm running the Hornady xpf125 357m. I bring it out mostly in the wintertime. Where I can cover up with a coat, I live in Southeast Arizona, and when I walk in the mountains.
Model 686-4 had this for about 20 years and love anything 158.
Nice to see this presentation for revolvers. But don't sell cast lead projectiles short.
Cast lead has its place, in other people firearms. I’d rather spend my time shooting then cleaning the lead out of my barrels.
@@jaydunbar7538those swaged soft lead bullets were a chore to clean.
@@jaydunbar7538 Cast or swaged is OK for light loads but that's all for me! I'm like you, scrubbing lead is for somebody else.
Really enjoy my 5 shot S&W 638 with CT Laser grip, shooting and reloading 110gr XTP’s and shocked at how accurate that little sucker is when using as single action. Also shooting a Ruger GP100 4” for this I have been getting some super hot loads out of the H110 as well throwing some 158gr XTP’s. Had a 686 distinguished combat model years ago owned at one time by motorcycle cop who crashed and the cylinder was not exactly aligned with barrel and would shave a bit of lead when fired and that little bit of splatter got old, but what a sweet action on a wheel gun. Andy Cannon “Cannons Guns” did the smooth and tune job on that back in his day double action was nice stop then bang!
Thank you for showing the 357 J. Frame mod 60 loaded with 38 +p when going fishing .
I really like that 3" 357 J frame! It's often my hiking companion, goes fishing with me a lot as well.
Still love my wheel guns... model 19-3 6" and Ruger SP-101 with the "tame the beast" package from Wegand. Thanks Guy, fantastic stuff right there 👍
Out of curiosity, what's your favorite load/bullet for your 19-3?
I have some Monarch (Federal?) 158 grain JHP's that seem to be useful and accurate.
@StringedCheese 2.7gr of Bullseye, topped off with a 148gr HBWC... 38 Sp. The target I have as my avatar was the SP-101 with that load at 25 ft... and I believe it was rapid fire string...
@@SharpShooterCO - it's really hard to beat a good 148 gr HBWC and 2.7 grains of Bullseye for accuracy. That load taught me a lot, many years ago.
@guyminer3168 And it continues to teach... it is outstanding when you do your part, and humbling when you fail. 🤣
Fireballs from self-defense firearms are a big mistake. Having half burned powder with slow or mid burning powders is blinding at night.
Yes! That's one of several reasons why I use premium factory ammo in my carry guns. Some of the better ammunition uses low-flash powders that may not be available for handloaders. That H-110 fireball is really incredible in low light or at night.
I hardly believe that any bad guy can remain standing after a good torso hit with a 357 mag full power load ( 125 grain at 1500 fps or 158 grain at 1350 fps) inside 20 yards..... 6 rounds are plenty with you know how to shoot...
I'm pretty sure any bad guy would be heading for the door even after being shot with a .22, I know I would. Not that I'm a terrible shot, but I have many handguns from which to choose from, and I can pretty much guaranty that I can dump an entire mag from my Browning Buckmark in a pretty small area, even at a slightly longer distance, than with pretty much any other handgun I own. Should I practice more? Probably, but in the real world, most folks don't. The cost of even cheep target ammo is insane. The cost of one pound of powder has tripled from $25 to $75.
Of course a .22 is not what I personally keep in my night stand (40 S&W), but I'm not opposed to someone doing it.
Underwood has some really hot 357 Mag XTP loads available. Bought some to try with my 6”586 but haven’t gotten around to getting out and trying them yet. They’re 158gr rated at 1,500fps/790ft lbs energy and 125gr rated at 1,700fps/802ft lbs energy. They ought to be a blast! Literally! 💥
What if there are 7 bad guys?
@@karmaisreal261 after you take the first one down i bet that all others will run
As a Marine Security Guard on embassy duty back in the mid 1980s, we carried the Rugers and S&W model 10 revolvers in .38 Special. We also carried.357 magnum revolvers when we traveled to and from the embassy. I bet my life to those pistols and have always had a fondness for them through the years. I still carry a S&W 442 for concealed carry now. You are right about getting to the range and practicing with them in order to shoot them well. We did a lot of fam fire while on MSG duty, because it is a perishable skill for sure. I have just recently put together the powder and dies to reload them, so this video is really helpful. I bought a S&W model 10 for nostalgic reasons. Thanks for doing this video with all the reloading data. It has been hard to find any You Tube videos with people willing to share solid data out there and I am glad I found yours. Well done!😊
Thanks!
Thank you for your service. What country(s)/embassy(s) were you at ?
I have both 38spl+p revolver and a couple 357s. 38 was the first pistol i started shooting at 10yrs old.
110 and 125 xtps for my 38 loads and 140 flex tips my favorite in my 357s also with 140 xtps too. A 38 is what I carried in the military by choice.
Have the m17 too.
Great video
I own a GP101, SP101 and Marlin 1894 lever action. I wouldn’t trade my 38/357s for anything. SP101 for hiking, GP101 for mountain trekking and the lever action for everything else.
I use a home cast 150 grain hollow point sitting on top of a max charge of Blue Dot in my Ruger Blackhawk 357 for deer hunting. The combo works quite nicely and I’ve taken 6 or 7 deer over the years with it. Most shots are 30 yards and in but I have stretched it out to 70 yards a time or two!
Excellent!
Love my wheelguns. I put over a thousand rounds through two different 357 magnums in the last two weeks. 200 rounds of it was 38spl with the rest being 357 magnum. 80% of the shooting being double action.
Outstanding!
Practice makes perfect.
I need to practice DA more often.
@RTmadnesstoo I am a big believer in practicing both!! If you need your revolver up close and in a hurry then DA is your friend. If you need range and ultimate precision then SA is the way to go. It became popular to tell people that they should only shoot double action which I think is ridiculous. Your wheelguns have both capabilities. Learn and use them both.
@@brianmoore1164 - I'm good with that. Exactly what I do! Heck, I even have some single action revolvers that I must cock each time.
The S&W Model 3 was a single action. The double action Smith pictured was a “Frontier” model. I believe they came out in 1881.
Yup. You are correct.
.357 requires a 6 inch barrel to develop the ballistics it is known for. Shooting .357 in a 2 inch barrel spits a lot of powder that is unburned or burning out of the barrel.
Published load data for the 357 relies on a 10" barrel.
If you reload you can use powders that burn completely in a snub nose. I see some factory ammo now that claim to be made for short barrels.
@@RTmadnesstoo Take two or three types to the range at night, and check how big the muzzle flash is. The less flash, the more complete the burning. Good to know what your night time signature is anyway.
The last revolver my dad carried in a career from 1964 to 1989 was a S&W Model 19-3 with a 4 inch barrel. I remember shooting wade cutters through it in competition in the time frame 1981-83. He has passed away and I have it now. It has a little holster wear and has picked up a few small rust spots. I know a gunsmith who can take those out. Not ever for sale at any price. When I bought my own revolver I got a Rugger GP-100 from the second year of production with a 6 inch barrel. As I got older I found I had issues with recoil from full power loads. So I put a Houge mono-pod grip on and it became fun to shoot again.
I love to reload 38 special and 357 mag. I can reload 9mm but they aren’t as reliable. I reload 90 grain 38 special for my daughter because she is recoil sensitive and her Lady Smith is super light.
I am old enough to have been trained on model 13s, but then immediately transitioned to semi-autos. After years of carrying semis concealed, I switched back to a revolver because of the S&W 340PD. It's so light, you can carry under ANY clothing, but the recoil is wicked with full magnums. I trust it to function every time, even shoved right into an attacker. In the 38spl+P it is totally manageable. I carry a couple speed loaders in my pocket with no need for pouches.
38+P is a wonderful choice in those ultra-light compact revolvers. And you know what you're doing if you shove that revolver barrel into an attacker... :) Not good with most semi-autos, but revolver works great.
Love my S&W 686. I mostly use 38 special with 3.6 grains of bullseye behind a Berry’s 158 FMJFP. Makes for nice plinking. Thanks again for sharing your wisdom Guy. Semper Fi brother
Amazing, thank you, very helpful as far as home defense. Please continue to make wonderful content for the beginner audience.
Thanks!
I have a S&W Model 60 2". It will handle .38 Spcl +P, but I carry 38 Spcl wadcutters. The 148gr flat nose wadcutter comes out of the muzzle at ~710fps. In ballistic gel, it doesn't expand but it does get 14-16" penetration and the flat nose does a lot more tissue damage along the way than a roundnose or flatnose cone. I haven't found a JHP that reliably expands AND penetrates at least 12". I seem to get expansion or penetration but not both.
My favourite home defense gun is the 4" S&W 15 ( K-38 Combat Masterpiece) with wad cutter commercial load. I've trigger honed and light spring installed. It has stainless steel full under lug. The front sight is bright orange, with Hogue pistol grip. When I had CCW permit, I carried Sig Sauer P 225 with extra magazine. I chose this pistol because of its light weight, and flat profile. Personally, I prefer the S&W 15. I had training similar to PPC, but now rely on muaythai training, and urban awareness.
I love the .357 Magnum / ,38 Special. I have a 4" S&W Model 28, 6" Colt King Cobra, 6" Taurus Tracker Titanium (ported) 2" S&W Model 340PD ( tough when shooting .357 Mag, but not too bad with 125gr. +P .38 Spcl.). My wife's CCW is a Taurus LW 2 ,38 Special. My brother keeps our granddad's old Model 60. [Whoops, they fell out out of the boat over the Maranias Trenchthat ] I have very good results with Bullseye powder and 158gr. SWC lead bullets my dad, brother & I cast over 20 years ago. Unique powder with jacketed bullets.
I have revolvers for the reasons you sighted sir. I also love the looks.
Just picked up a S&W Carry Comp 3”. We will see how the comp tames the mag recoil
I probably handloaded a zillion .38 and .357 rounds over past 5 decades. One .38 round I didn't see mentioned was the .38 +P+. Federal made this ammo for LE use only decades ago. I still have a few and it's in my S&W MP360.
Ya, hard to find verifiable load data for it, so I didn't include it. At that point we're knocking at the door of today's 357 magnum loads anyway.
Like Guy, my Ruger GP100 6" is my primary woods walk gun. I'm in black bear country and feel I could get better shot placement with a .357 over a 44 magnum. Carry ammo is Underwood 180 grain lead flat nose at 1400 fps. At the range I shoot hand loaded 158 grain, primarily 38's and occasionally .357 to keep skills sharp.
My grandfather would make wax bullets for his revolvers so us kids could practice in the alley behind his house in the north end of Kansas city, many years ago, to this day outta all the auto loaders I own I often more than not carry a model 15-3 combat masterpiece or a 36 chiefs special, I keep his registered magnum in my safe.
Great video ! Lots of interesting information , I appreciate your time and hard work !
Fairly basic info but so well organized and presented. Thx.
Fantastic video. Been self-debating about hand loading. I think you made your point. Just traded in a 9mm that I loved for a 357 that I also love and carry without any issues. I wanted more power to compensate for less capacity. I got the 2.25 sp101 and very happy with it. Liked and subscribed. 👍
I just got all the gear for hand loading. It should be fun.
Great insights. Thank you for all your research & testing.
Thanks!
For some special applications you don’t want to be ejecting brass with partial prints and DNA.
For a beginner, no safety, no complications, just point and shoot.
I carry a CZ75 (9mm) on a daily basis. But...at home, within reach of where I sit watching TV, is a Taurus 605 loaded with 110 grain 357 magnum loads. It's been sitting in its hiding place for 10+ years. But, I have absolutely no doubt that it will work .
That's the confidence a good revolver can provide.
More revolver videos, please
THE BEST COMBO out there 38+p Federal HST Micro (Hollow Point Wad Cutter) from a Kimber K6s
Interesting! We get some Federal ammo time to time. I'll see if we can check out that combo!
@@guyminer3168 Semper Fi Guy -- I think you will like it.
Awesome video and thanks for sharing, I enjoy the way you do your videos,
Go to love that Mod 19.
Thanks. It's getting pretty well-worn and I believe it needs a rebuild beyond what I can do personally. I do like that revolver though.
I’ve always been more a a big bore fan, but have gained an appreciation for the .357 magnum.
My favorite bullet is the 158-160 grain Lyman 358156. It’s very accurate and 1200-1250 fps from a 6” is a basically a mid-range load. It’s also great in Special brass, crimped in the lower groove for the 1050-1100 fps.38/44 or +P+ loads.
You are a gentleman of culture, I see.
I've gotten lazy when it comes to cleaning and those hot loads and cast bullets aren't fun to clean up after. If I'm loading hot stuff it will be Jacketed!
@@RTmadnesstoo I actually find that full power loads containing gas checked bullets are cleaner shooting than milder loads.
@@876mpr I've only got one gas check bullet mold and I guess I haven't really given it a workout.
@@RTmadnesstoo They’re a little more work, but I think they’re worth it. They allow a little softer alloy for more weight in the bullet and a little expansion.
My girlfriend wanted to take a defensive pistol course and get her CCL and asked what gun she should get for the course? I sold her a slightly customized Taurus 85 stainless snubby and gave her a few boxes of lightly loaded ammo. When her instructor looked at the gun he smiled and said 'I won't have to worry about you...thanks'! She was a little puzzled but happy that he approved of the gun...then found out what he meant when all the other women had constant malfunctions he had to clear during their range time. Of course they all had Glocks or other semi-auto's and not a single one of them could make it through a range session without having a problem....while my girlfriend just banged away with her snubby making good hits.
A 38+P LSWCHP out of a snubby will do the job if you place it in the right place...no need to abuse yourself with anything more violent and if you think you need more 'power' or 'ammo capacity'....you need more range time to be able to make hits that count. Center Mass isn't where you shoot a deer and isn't where you should aim when defending yourself either. Aim for the spine and all will be fine.....words of wisdom. :)
Indeed. If I'm carrying my 357 in an urban environment, it's normally stuffed with stout 38 loads.
Never bought .357 Mag, however I shot thousands' of of reloads with range lead cast bullets
I'm using a 357 Magnum 5 1/4 inch barrel Ruger Vaquero super 6 cowboy action the last frame that was a tank before they changed it to the clone Colt frame look alike... And I love concealing it...
I have several carry options, but more and more I am going with my Ruger SP-101 3” .357 as my main all-purpose EDC.
3” may not be ideal but it makes a big difference over 2”, while still being compact enough for pocket carry. There is the obvious downside of capacity, but with good marksmanship one shouldn’t need very many rounds of .357 Magnum. And yes I get to the range regularly and yes I practice with full-power .357 Magnum ammo; my SP-101 has never fired a .38 Special round.
I go with 158 grain Federal HydraShok for home defense and 135 grain Hornady Critical Duty FTX for bopping around town.
I like the rock solid reliability of a revolver, and my philosophy is the fewer rounds in the air you need to get the job done, the better.
I seem to recall that back in the 70s/80s when a lot of cops and Highway Patrol carried .357 revolvers, you didn’t hear about them having to fire dozens of rounds to stop a bad guy. If the cops had to draw, it was over quickly. That’s the way it should be.
I'm growing quite fond of my little 3" stainless steel S&W Model 60. I believe it's going to replace the 2.5" Model 19 eventually.
I only have budget revolvers, my first being a Taurus 605 Poly Defender .357 magnum. I carry it loaded with Hornady .38 special 110 grain Critical Defense rounds however because the recoil on that air-weight snubbie is very punishing with .357 magnum. The Hornady FTX rounds also perform pretty decently in .38 Special. With any .38 or .38+P the Taurus 605 poly is very pleasant to shoot thanks to its nice rubber grip and it conceals extremely well being a 5 shot revolver. I use an Azula IWB leather holster for it. It also is a very cool looking "sci-fi" futuristic design especially in tan color. So aesthetically I really love that revolver and genuinely enjoy shooting it. Not super accurate, but "accurate enough" for close range center mass hits out to 15 yards.
Now....I also have a Taurus 627 Tracker .357 Magnum revolver with a 6.5" ported barrel. THAT revolver is an absolute dream to shoot .357 magnum rounds through. Accuracy is incredible and when using cheaper .38 Special rounds, accuracy is still incredible but it feels like shooting a .22LR revolver with barely any recoil. So fantastic for target shooting. However I also use it for hiking in a chest rig and I use it for home defense sometimes with it loaded with Federal .357 magnum hydrashock (I think 130 grain if I remember correctly). In addition I plan on using it for feral hog hunting in the near future as a companion to my Rossi 92 .357 magnum lever gun.
Overall, its fast to get sights on target, has minimal muzzle rise thanks to the ported barrel, and just gives me a sense of confidence with its weight and power. I'm a very good shooter with that in double-action mode thanks to its great trigger that I put on par with many S&W revolver triggers. Oh...and.... it's a SEVEN shot revolver.
Aside from those I have a cheapy Rock Island Armory .38 special revolver which I enjoyed for a bit until it started having timing issues. Nice looking, very accurate, and inexpensive revolver based on the old Colt Detective design, but not reliable in my experience.
Finally I have a Taurus Judge Poly Defender in .45LC/.410 gauge. People either love it or or hate it. I love mine especially after putting full-sized Pachmeyr grips on mine. With the full size grips, it's very comfortable to shoot 000 buckshot .410 loads. I use Hornady Critical Defense Triple Threat .410 loads and Winchester 000 four pellet buckshot loads typically. The 7 yard spread is not bad on the Hornady rounds (about 4") but with a lot of spread (around 8") on the Winchester rounds which I actually like for a pillow revolver. In that role, if someone kicks down my bedroom door, being half asleep, I want maximum chances of at least one pellet hitting the target. Penetration in ballistics gel on both are adequate. So it's just puts down a lot of lead downrange in an emergency. But it's a niche gun only for very close range defense. It's also too bulky to conceal carry even with the little two finger grip it comes with. But it is tremendously fun to blast at the range and reasonably accurate when using .45LC rounds.
Taurus Makes Good Budget Pistols My First Gun Was a Taurus Millennium Pro 40 Caliber I Had Zero issues With it Besides One of The Magazines That Came With it Only Wanting To Hold 9 Rounds instead of 10 Rounds it Was intended To The Magazine Seemed Defective Not Bad For $300 Dollars
@@ChrisPBacon198 I also have one a Taurus G2C semi-auto in 9mm (which began as part of the PT-111 Millennium series that became the G series). It so far has performed flawlessly.
Excellent video! Thanks...
The 38/44 eventually became the 357 magnum.... to prevent the 38/44 from accidentally being fired in a standard 38 Special.
Great video! Thanks for posting it.
Pilots sometimes were issued wheel guns because it is something they can still use with one hand disabled. They can of course carry a 1911 with a round in the chamber. I think the reason the 38 spl were so popular with the police because of the minimal chance of over penetration. But a handicap when you have to shoot through a car. I still think a wheel gun is a relic of the last century, but it is a lot better than no gun. I like the 357 but there are few semi auto options, the 357 SIG is not as popular animal.
Just recently did some loading for the 357 Sig, with impressive results. You're right though, ammo and components for that one have become more difficult to find.
Why not test 38super vs 9mm for self defense against hogs, black bears, super coyotes( the ones that breed with farm dogs to wolf size) or criminals??
We've got some more 9mm stuff on the way.
I've always been a .45 man, I shoot a 5.5" barreled Blackhawk in .45 Colt, have a std. 1911 GI style, I have a 3" snub .45 Colt 5-shot revolver by Charter Arms, I have a Rossi Brawler most recently in .45 Colt/.410, and a .45 Colt Henry Lever-X and an H&R Buffalo Carbine .45 Colt which I used on deer for several seasons. With the expense increasing though for .45 bulllets and difficulties finding large pistol primers until just recently, I'd decided to get into a small primer case. I recently bought a Taurus 692 .357/9mm convertible Revolver which is a ported 3" barrel and I'm really loving it. I also bought a Rossi Triple Black .357 Magnum lever gun to go with it. Both can obviously shoot .38's and my wife has a .38 special "Pink Lady" Charter Arms which was her first pistol and it's concealed in easy reach where she works and watches TV from home. I do intend to get one more .357 and that's the Rossi RM6 I believe with the 6" barrel. Still up in the air on that though. Nice information. Lil' Gun performs a bit better in some of my loads and Unique and Bullseye are no slouches either on the powder side. Lil' Gun actually beats H110 by about 50-100 fps in some cases and it's not sensitive to low charges. One thing that you have to watch with H110 is putting less than a 90% or so charge as it can have pressure spike issues.
We have seen about a 400 fps gain by using a lever action 357 rifle vs a revolver. Makes the 357 even more impressive!
@@guyminer3168 Definitely! In my 3" ported .357, my 125 gr. .357 load is doing 1249 fps with Alliant Bullseye out of the pistol and out of the rifle it's 1868 fps. Quite a bit more velocity, to the point of possibly going past the 125 gr. HP's ability to hold together. Haven't had tons of testing on objects/game, but hope to do more testing with it this summer. ;) I'm using Bullseye, because with the short barrel, I still get full burn before the porting, so I'm not snorting fireballs. ;)
@@MrTacklebury Bullseye is a great 'all around' powder and I'll always have that or Unique on the shelf.
Thanks for pointing out the problems of reduced loads with H110 (or 296). New reloaders can get in trouble fast by not following loads EXACTLY with those powders!
This was a very relaxing and educational video. I really would like to get into reloading. Slowly learning and trying to figure out what I need. Would be reloading 5.56, 9mm and .45. I have TONS of what I assume is once fired brass, I know my brass is once fired but I also get all the range brass. Just need the rest of the components.
We've got some basic reloading videos that should help you get started when you're ready.
I am rather fond of Specials whether 38 or 44 and not necessarily the +Blast types.
As a retired law enforcement officer, I'm very fond of revolvers. I went through the academy with a model 10 and carried it on duty up until the transition to semi-autos. I've been reloading since the 80s. Probably not as often as you. Unfortunately today finding the kind powder you want is not the case. I used to use the old standbys Bullseye for 38spcl and 2400 for the 357. However lately I've been purchasing 231 and 296. What is your view on those Winchester powders. I shoot mostly swaged lead bullets in the 38 special and Hornady XTP bullets in the 357 mag.
231 and 296 have both worked very well for me. The 231 might not burn quite as clean as Bullseye for you, but should produce similar velocity and accuracy. 296 is great for the powerful 357 magnum loads.
Thanks so much! I still carry my Ruger Speed six .357 magnum! 1985
Guy I have owned a 357 Ruger Security Six with 6 inch barrel 40 years. I am getting ready to reload 357 and 38 for the first time. I have Winchester 296 Powder from loading 44 Magnums and have been happy with that. Plan on using the same powder for 357. For 38 I was going to use Winchester Auto Comp and Winchester 231 Powders. I use Starline Bras and CCI or Federal Primers. What do you think of that component combination with Hornady bullets? By the way, I really enjoy your revolver videos. Between being a retired LEO and reloader, you really know your stuff when it comes to revolvers. Thank you for the content!
Thanks! Love the 296 for the 357 magnum - it's supposed to be the same thing as H110. Look hard at the data though. Both powders have a very tight "window" of charge weights. I haven't used Auto Comp yet, but Win 231 has done well for me with the 38 Special and 45 ACP. For inexpensive practice bullets consider Berry's plated bullets, we've done a few articles on them for practice. Much less expensive and can be quite accurate.
.357 Magnum still remains the number one stopper of all time. The reason I stopped carrying it though is because firing it indoors effectively eliminates one of your senses, that being your hearing. It is louder but far than any other handgun out there.
It is Very Loud indeed! I can just see myself saying "Hold on Mr Bad Guy, I need to get my ear protection in place. Okay, now we can proceed..." ;)
I prefer the Hornady 135 grain critical duty 357 Magnum hollow point. Just a little bigger than the ones you were using😮
Good choice!
Clint Eastwood said it best with his 357Mag “do you feel lucky”
He had a 44 magnum not 357
🇺🇸
Great Content Guy!
4” 686 with Jerry’s Miculek wood speed grips. But mag loads tells me I’m not build like Jerry.
In watching how and what you said the 125 gr 357 mag can do, almost looked as if you saw results first hand results…..
I’ve had several friends who were involved in shootings while on duty.
After receiving in-depth counseling after his shooting, one fellow officer, would only say about the event was, “It was just his day to die.”
Jesus is King. Remember Honor and Thank Him as we reflect on Him coming back for us from the dead and making a way for those who accept Him.
Guy, thanks again for all your military and law enforcement service. Gavintube is a real good channel, but you make it even better. Lord bless and strengthen you.
38+p+ for the 2" edc and .357mag for the 4" home gun
Guy and UR Team,
You have been my mentor and a huge source of education as I started my journey reloading a few years ago.
I have very little experience in the revolver world. However with the influence of your recent videos I am now the proud owner of a 686-6.
My early research continues to talk about “flame cutting” and how it’s more common with hot loads at high velocities. Much like your max charge h110 and 125gr bullet here.
I am learning the revolver ropes here, is this a real problem, what’s your take? Is this just another small issue blown out of proportion due to the internet?
Modern steels ae tougher and modern powders burn cooler but thousands of rounds are bound to show some wear.
I've loaded everything over the years from cast bullets, shot shells and even sabots at one time but I've pretty much settled to those beautiful Hornady 158g JHPs. I now set up and load 1,000 at a time and that lasts me a while.
Just an interesting note: I sat up late loading 1,000 the night before the Trade Center came down so I kind of slept through it.
I've always had a .357 of some kind around. The S&W Model 66 was the second revolver I bought but I've always wanted a Lever Action Rifle of some kind. Maybe a Single Action Revolver to go with it and play Cowboy!
686 4" with 38 spl+p Remington green and white box 125 gr.semi jktd hollow point as my go to. When in bear country load with Buffalo bore 180 hard cast heavy outdoorsman
Buffalo bore 125 gr. .357 packs a punch. PPU ammo is loaded pretty hot.
I use lead free hand loads for hiking, penetrators by Lehigh Defense
the 38/44 High Speed does a lot better then common 38+P. Original Period correct (1930s vintage) ammo in period correct guns with 158 grn LRN will do 1193 out pf a 6/5" Outdoorsman, 1131 out of a 5" Heavy Duty, 1069 out of a 4" Heavy Duty. That is an average of 12 shots from about 5 m using and Oehler 35P. This ammo was probably not kept under perfect conditions but darn close. So the 38/44 High Speed, AKA 38/44 Smith and Wesson Special or 38-44 Special is not the same as a 38 +P round today.
From the engineering point of view, both these calibers make little sense today and would benefit greatly from a serious redesign. The only field, where the .357 Mag still shines is long barreled revolvers for defense against medium sized animals.
The most serious issue - the black powder pedigree of the .38 Special made its case ridiculously long. The length is even comparable with the barrel in some EDC revolvers. Shortening the case (with a serious redesign of the cylinder) in such a gun would improve the performance by adding some precious "runway" within the same external envelope. This is why the 9x19 LCR is so popular. I bet pushing the same concept even more, into moon-clipped .380 ACP, would provide performance comparable to .38 Spl at a significantly reduced recoil and report.
The .357 Mag with its even longer case brings this issue to a new level in a compact EDC. This is why the performance of this round in a 2.5" barrel is in the league of 9x19, yet there is a lot of extra recoil and report from all the unburnt powder and high pressure gas.
It is no accident, that moon-clipped 9x19 largely replaced the old revolver cartridges in both competition (USPSA Revolver, 8-shot models) and EDC (9x19 Ruger LCR). Plus the terrible performance (poor ballistics accompanied by a lot of recoil and report) of .38 Spl snubbies made many people migrate to semi-autos.
The only way out of this would be to shorten the cases while thickening the brass case wall. The latter would prevent chambering of the new rounds into old revolvers, yet the bullets could stay the same.
Taurus has a small Ultra-Lite .380 revolver. It has a shorter cylinder, not a retreaded longer .38spl cylinder. If one wanted, a person could put lots of extra Titegroup in their cases to push a 95gn plated hollow point to 1060 out of it’s 1.75” barrel. Just sayin. Sounds dangerous, but….ya know….
@@blackhawk7r221 A longer cylinder is not all bad - there is more space for the extractor and a significant part of the "runway" is not impeded by the cylinder gap.
A 95gn bullet can be reloaded in a 9x19 case as well, without worries about the pressure if we wanted to run it .38 Spl ++ hot with Titegroup.
Did you find a publisher for the book you just wrote in the comments😅
@@edljnehan2811 He’s right, though. Sucks that a .357 mag case has to be three times longer than necessary for safety against the ignorant.
@@blackhawk7r221 I was just joking with him. Do you know when I measure my 357 Magnum round a Hornady 135 grain against a regular 38 Caliber hollow point it's hard to see any size difference.. I mean the 357 is about a hair taller when you put them side to side and that's about it.
The 38 Special came about because the US military wanted a hotter 38 round over the 38 Colt. During the Philippine American war US Marines were finding out that the 38 Colt revolvers didn't have enough stopping power against Philippine forces fighting them in close quarters guerilla suprise attacks. Even the new Krag rifles were having trouble mostly due to these Philippine guerrillas being high on drugs and able to withstand multiple hits. Back then black powder was used but the 38 Special quickly was loaded with smokeless powder and had a heavy 158 grain lead bullet. Still the US Army wanted more and eventually got the 45 ACP 230 grain FMJ in 1911 pistols.
I read (long ago so some of my facts may be questionable) that the native Pilipino Warriors would prepare for battle the night before by wrapping themselves in wet animal hides then dance around the bonfire, singing and drinking --and imbibing other concoctions --until it was time to charge the enemy. The hides would dry out and become very effective armor, especially when they used Water Buffalo hides. A lightly loaded .38 Colt bullet didn't have a chance! The old Campaigners were calling for their retired .45 Colt Peacemakers to be shipped over and I think some were.
I carry a 3 in charter arms pro V, with Barami hip grip and grip adapter I don't recall the name of. carried IWB appendix with a leather sleeve I made with a tether to drop free when drawn for sweat protection and comfort. I can carry it tucked in any outfit I wear with a belt. less than 30 oz as a carry system it's great as an edc. if I don't have to tuck, I stick a safariland comp 2 in a safariland spring clip speedloader holder IWB next to the revolver so there's only one bulge in my belt and it's very hard to detect all that. I always have a pair of zeta6 k-pak's stored nesting with each other in my pocket for a total load out of 18 rounds without the speed loader and 24 with it. I can load 1, 2, or 3 rounds at a time with zeta 6 if I only took a few shots and just want to top up, or dump the cylinder and load 6 more quick if needed with the comp II. I pretty much exclusively use handloaded 125 gr xtp's although I also load cast bullets for plinking and use the lee 200 gr when I'm visiting family in Alaska and we go hiking. only other thing I'll mention about this set up is, this revolver checks all my boxes for carry weight, capacity and barrel length, at half the cost of other options, but it hasn't been the most robust system for me, it's been back to CA once for timing issues (from the factory) and is about to go back again due to a bent transfer bar that sometimes interferes with cylinder opening. CA has good customer service and they will take care of you for no cost. but I don't like how long it takes to wait for my CC gun to come back and I have to find alternatives to carry while my gun is in the shop. just so you know what my 4 main criteria are for selecting a carry revolver are weight between 25 and 30 oz (too light and it's painful to fire, too heavy and it's uncomfortable to carry), 6 shot (I'm carrying it on a belt, so I don't need the thinness of a 5 shot and any more becomes difficult to find good speed loaders for) 3-4 inch barrel to get good velocity out of the heavier loads but not too hard to carry IWB and be in .357 magnum because it's easier to stockpile components for a bunch of guns in .357 than to have to stockpile a bunch of cartridges for a bunch of different chamberings.
What can you shoot the best? I love my Combat Magnum but shoot my Combat Masterpiece with handloads the most. Most accurate handgun I own.
Im😢still kicking myself for sell a colt trooper 3 nickle plated 8 in 357mag it eat everything it was loaded with. I gave it a nickname of the beast.
110 GR. SIE JHC maximum loads with Accurate Nitro NF 100 should work for even .357, as well as .38 Special +P
I may need to try that powder someday!
This was a very good article/video on two great cartridges and weapons. Honest and professional all the way. Really enjoyed it. 👍
As an eight old boy in 1958, my great uncle introduced me to handguns and reloading. His weapon was an 1882 Colt SAA in 45 Colt. He loaded 40gr of 2f black powder with an Ideal 310 tong tool. He was a retired peace officer and part time bounty hunter from the mid 1890 up to 1930. And that old Colt was a handful as a kid! My father, and his younger brother, were both peace officers as well. Dad was a Colt DA revolver guy, and his brother was a S&W revolver type. By age 10 I had a Colt Police Positive Special in 38Spl, made in 1921. Loaded my own with a Lyman 310, but with Unique powder. I grew up with revolver toting lawmen. After some years in the Rangers, where I carried a 1911A1 in 45 Auto, I too, became a peace officer. My weapon was a S&W Mod 28 4" 357mag. That weapon kept me on the winning side in three shootings during my career. Its still with me, and not for sale.
I've always cast, and loaded my own since 1960, only using factory ammo issued by the PD. Must have over 75 bullet moulds, with at least 20 of them for 38Spl/357mag alone. Many are old discontinued. Now I'm teaching my nephew to cast and load. As 51, he's been shooting for a while, but getting a late start on loading. Yet he's a fast learner. When I kick the bucket, he's getting all my stuff.
You won't find any plastic wonder 9mm contraptions here. The only autoloaders here are 1911A1s in 45 Auto. 45 Colt SAAs, Colt and S&W DA revolvers in 357mag and 38Spl. Yup, I kinda like real guns.😉
Thanks for the story. I've got a question, where do you get your lead to cast and what alloy do you use? I used to add Tin to wheel weights but that's no good anymore.
@@RTmadnesstoo In the past six decades, my sources for bullet metals were from a number of various types. Plumbing suppliers, auto tire shops, metal salvage yards, medical equipment repair contractors, printing shops, and commercial metals sales.
I'd mixed 70% lead and 30% linotype for standard pistols. 60 - 40 for low end magnums. And 50-50 for heavy magnums.
Rifle bullets with a gascheck almost pure linotype for high velocities.
Today, its much different. Printing shops are digital printing, and typesetting is a thing of the past. Plumbing has all but gone to PVC and purple glue. Medical equipment repair no longer install X-ray machines due to MRI and CAT scan, leaving little excess lead plates to be removed. And wheelweights are turning to zinc more and more. To the point they're now an unreliable source. I haven't used wheelweights in 15 years. You get zinc in your lead alloy and you're screwed! Takes ages to clean all the traces of zinc from your pot.
Where to start? Remodeling contractors often strip lead roof sheeting and lead plumbing pipes to install the popular regulated products. They often sell their lead to metal scrap yards. Older print shops do find piles of linotype sometimes stashed in a corner of the shop. That too is sold for scrap. Starting to see a pattern? And there's always places like Rotometals that sell a variety of blended alloys. If you go to local gun ranges, they might, and that's a big might, let you mine the backstops, but don't hold your breath.
Start with a metal scrap yard. If no luck, a foundry like Rotometals . Good hunting! 👍
I'm fortunate enough to live in the country and have my own ranges. One rifle, and one pistol. I mine my berms and recast from what I dig up...
@@anangryranger Yeah, that's where I'm at, buying alloy. The days of scrap are over, I guess.
@@RTmadnesstoo Yes sir, the days of scrap being easy pickings are, for the most part, over. Recently, one of my nephews bought 75 pounds of flat lead sheeting at metal scrap yard for $30. It was a might filthy, but pure lead. And I found 20 pounds of excellent linotype at another scrap yard two months ago, but they were real proud of it. Cost me $2 a pound, but it was clean and boxed.
So its out there, but you gotta hunt if its scrap. But don't expect many bargains. Those days are gone.
With the dozens of semi autos of almost all calibers....I am still intrigued by the Sig .357.....Only issued to US Air Marshals after 911 because there was already an open Fed govt purchase order. Yeah, that's how old I am....
The forgotten round.
I love my Glock in 357 Sig.
I purchased the long slide 40 cal Glock and bought a match 357Sig and a match 9mm barrel for it.
I use mostly the 357 Sig barrel with 40 brass resized to 357 Sig(94% yeald on resising brass). I use a max load of Unique powder and Berries 125 grain 357 sig bullets.
This load costs me just slightly more to reload than 9 mm and shoots mutc flatter at 50 + yards.
With this load, I can imprint the face of the bullet on AR500 steel at 30 yards, and the gun has a more manageable recoil than a 10mm with equivalent gun weight and power.
I purchased the 357Sig caliber to have a semiautomatic pistol that could shoot as flat and accurate as my match grade 357 revolver with a 6 inch barrel. It is almost as accurate as the revolver and my only other pistol that is more accurate is my tuned Browning buckmark 22Lr but the 22 has horrible drop at longer range.
I recommend purchasing a 357 Sig pistol only if you reload, because the manufacturered amo is expensive.
My favorite calibers for pistol is: 9mm Lugar +p+, 357 Sig, 45 ACP (for low velocity big hole), 22Lr for practice and 38+p/357 mag for long range accuracy when I don't have a rifle with me.
Stay tuned! The 357 Sig is a sweet cartridge and we've got something coming up on it, soon... :)