[werewolf]

I tried some of BB's .38spl 158gr SWCHP +P out of my SP 101. They claim an honest 1000 fps (muzzle) for that weight in .38 spl and I can believe them! Its a stout round, feeling (in my Ruger) like a medium power .357 round, like the Golden Sabre.

Well, being a sucker for punishment, I decided to try them again, ordering this time their .357 JHP version, in 158 gr. They claim 1475 fps at the muzzle so I think I'm going to shoot this out of my 4" bbl 686+

. I expect this round to be a handful but controllable in a full size .357 like the Smith.

Anybody else carry this brand of ammo for SD? Its pricey, but it seems to deliver and after a couple of boxes of familiarizing yourself with it you seem pretty good to go in a revolver. What I also recall is that its pretty low flash stuff, making a night confrontation a bit more survivable.

Of course that was with their .38 spl ammo - their .357 stuff might be a tad more noticeable.

 

[erich]

It's what I carry when I hike with a .357 - the 158-gr .357 JHCs.

Their velocity claims are accurate. And they're really not all that terrible to shoot - I've fired the abovementioned load out of a J-frame 3" with no problems.

 

[Guest]

I believe a better heavy-hitting round--perhaps the best--is Winchester/Combined Technology Partition Gold 180 gr. This round chronos 1075 fps (4" bbl) and penetrates 18+ inches in gelatin with expansion close ot 0.60" and retains weight extremely well (come on, it's a Partition!). Although it's a handful in a snub, a ported S&W J-frame (steel) or an SP101 is adequate to handle this round and it's got the moxie to be carried on the trail as well as the street.

 

[darkenfast]

Doubletap Ammo seems to have a nice selection of .357 loads out, and their prices are a lot lower. I have no personal experience with them, but I think I would give them a try if I were looking for a hot .357 load. They've just added a 180 hard-cast.

BTW, I would love to see what their 9mm 124gr does out of a Hi-Power!

 

[werewolf]

Hmmm......just checked out Doubletap's website and it was pretty interesting. 357 Magnum 158 Gold Dot (50) load offered for under $ 24/50 which is a pretty good deal, beeter than BB and on par with Winchester Silvertip prices. They claim at least 1400 fps out of a 4" bbl, so with a Gold Dot bullet it must be a pretty potent round.

I've always like the heavier (ie 145 - 158 gr) .38spl-,357 rounds and they shoot close to point of aim in either my SP 101 or my 686+