Reloading EverythingLee PrecisionRepackboxTitan Reloading
RotoMetals2MidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad DataInline Fabrication
Wideners
Page 5 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast
Results 81 to 100 of 125

Thread: Is a .357mag needed? Why not a .38sp?

  1. #81
    Boolit Master RKJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    1,119
    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    I'm still waiting on any evidence to back up your claim.
    Here's a story for you. But, there's stories of bears being killed with 9mm and 22LR too, so take it as you wish. I did a quick web search and found quite a bit of them.

    https://bowhunting.net/2017/07/45-ca...n-bears-skull/
    Last edited by RKJ; 06-17-2021 at 03:22 PM.

  2. #82
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    East Coast
    Posts
    792
    I think for personal defense you are just fine with +p .38's. I prefer to have the cylinder length to utilize .357's if I choose, but I don't think it's all the important. Shooting full house magnums from a snubby isn't fun.

  3. #83
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    west central Illinois
    Posts
    7,699
    For social purposes, I use standard 38 special in a model 60 3inch. One of the older 38 only models.
    For woods and target, I use a 686 six inch. 38 target loads for paper and full magnums for woods. Nothing in the woods here in Illinois a 357 can't handle.
    I don't load +P38 special. I have some older 38 special revolvers that won't handle them well so I load all my 38 special cases to standard pressure.
    I don't want to put a plus pressure round in an older gun by accident.
    Other people may have different needs. This is what works for me.

  4. #84
    Boolit Master derek45's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    739






    .
    .
    .

    Here's a short documentary on the difference between 38special and 357magnum

    .


    NRA LIFE Member

    USPSA/IPSC

  5. #85
    Boolit Master wilecoyote's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Location
    venice, italy
    Posts
    632
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrounge View Post
    I don't believe deer are as tough as bears... deer don't usually take meth before kicking in your door, either.
    never truer words, but the adrenaline boosted by drugs in humans is the same adrenaline overworking in the wildlife.(other wildlife even more). if a big carnivore can react with deadly effects even if mortally wounded, a wounded and/or scared deer on the run can stomp anything, or plainly suffer uselessly, needin' bloodhounds to be tracked the next day, etc._ of course I'm not debating about gun choice, here, only 2c. about never underestimating the unforeseeable effects of adrenaline, even in Bambi & C._
    Last edited by HATCH; 06-20-2021 at 11:55 AM.
    Food is overrated. A nice rifle is way more important.
    Rob

  6. #86
    Boolit Master 358429's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Northern Virginia, where the freeway does roam.
    Posts
    743
    It is good to have options. 357 snub has the option to be a real powerhouse, the nuclear option, if you choose. Size comparision with other pistols in the pictures. That's the hookset for me, the power to weight ratio. It can be comfortably carried while chipping and splitting wood for hours, driving, walking, cc, without rubbing me wrong or bumping the handle into stuff.

    Yes I know the short barrel handicaps the terminal ballistics. That's why I like Winchester 296!

    I think there is credence to the cannon theory posted earlier.

    Imagine a defense scenario. Kinda unrealistic, just hear me out. Camping out in the woods, awakened by an aggresive bear/ very bad dog, biting you, trying to eat you, maybe aggresive because it is suffering disease. If you had the barrel pressed up against the animal and fired the gun, would that be a barrel obstruction, or would the muzzle blast fill the thoractic cavity and pop him like a balloon? My untested unproven opinion is that the expanding gasses will sort it out like stomping a tomato.


    When you shoot magnums the muzzle blast is onerous, pushes brass on the floor forward when shooting at the indoor range, bends grass at the outdoor range. Rings the bell when you hit the steel plate, imagine striking it with a ball peen hammer, as hard as you can swing it, if you are strong.

    If I ever use it without earplugs all I'll say is WHAT? DID YOU SAY? HUH?


    *drinks coffee*



    Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

  7. #87
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Terrace, B.C. Canada
    Posts
    5,245
    358429 very nice photography. How do you keep the faces of your cylinder so clean?

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  8. #88
    Boolit Master wilecoyote's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Location
    venice, italy
    Posts
    632
    to HATCH : about the editing. I got it. (I've understood, better later than never)
    thanks for having saved me an involuntary gaffe_
    Food is overrated. A nice rifle is way more important.
    Rob

  9. #89
    Boolit Master
    Scrounge's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    OKC Metro
    Posts
    1,433
    Quote Originally Posted by wilecoyote View Post
    never truer words, but the adrenaline boosted by drugs in humans is the same adrenaline overworking in the wildlife.(other wildlife even more). if a big carnivore can react with deadly effects even if mortally wounded, a wounded and/or scared deer on the run can stomp anything, or plainly suffer uselessly, needin' bloodhounds to be tracked the next day, etc._ of course I'm not debating about gun choice, here, only 2c. about never underestimating the unforeseeable effects of adrenaline, even in Bambi & C._
    Never said Bambi was safe. Even a rabbit will purely tear you up if you corner and scare them. Talking defensive use of force, I'd use a .22LR if that's all I've got handy, but prefer much larger & faster bullets or boolits. There is a difference between being cornered, and cornering something or someone else. And in being cornered, the only way out is through or over the critter cornering you. All-out attack is more likely to save you than a measured whap on the nose. It MAY work... Blowing a big freaking hole through the middle of whatever has you cornered WILL work. Had an honorary uncle when I was a kid, guy taught me to shoot as much as my dad did. Also happened to be a cop. Took on a kid hopped up on angel dust, and even with two good hits from the .38 Special that cops carried back then, the kid wrecked Uncle Archie's back before he went down. Might have happened with .357mag, too, but less likely.

  10. #90
    Boolit Master 358429's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Northern Virginia, where the freeway does roam.
    Posts
    743
    Thank you Bob. About the cylinder face, Surely you jest! When function is impeded by carbon deposits, as will be shortly, I remove the cylinder, sometimes the sideplate, and thoroughly clean using brass chore boy and 0000 steel wool soaked with synthetic transmission oil, degrease, then lubricate/preserve with mobile 1 engine oil.
    After doing that work they look cleaner than when I bought it.
    If your hands are not getting black from carbon during shooting practice you are not practicing enough!

    Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

  11. #91
    Boolit Master
    Scrounge's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    OKC Metro
    Posts
    1,433
    Quote Originally Posted by FISH4BUGS View Post
    Doesn't anyone think shot placement is the more important point?
    Shot placement is ALWAYS more important. But. Poke someone in the heart with an ice pick, and they will very probably die from it it, but you just might get that ice pick back as a suppository before they die. Tiny holes take longer to bleed out from. Make big holes. It's faster!

    Bill

  12. #92
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Terrace, B.C. Canada
    Posts
    5,245
    358429 All in fun. I seldom bother with cleaning them. If I shoot a lot of 38spl in my GP-100/686 I just drop in a few hot .357 rounds and that pretty much cleans up any concerns. Besides those cylinder faces are only clean until the next 6 rds go down range.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  13. #93
    Boolit Master wilecoyote's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Location
    venice, italy
    Posts
    632
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrounge View Post
    Never said Bambi was safe. Even a rabbit will purely tear you up if you corner and scare them. Talking defensive use of force, I'd use a .22LR if that's all I've got handy, but prefer much larger & faster bullets or boolits. There is a difference between being cornered, and cornering something or someone else. And in being cornered, the only way out is through or over the critter cornering you. All-out attack is more likely to save you than a measured whap on the nose. It MAY work... Blowing a big freaking hole through the middle of whatever has you cornered WILL work. Had an honorary uncle when I was a kid, guy taught me to shoot as much as my dad did. Also happened to be a cop. Took on a kid hopped up on angel dust, and even with two good hits from the .38 Special that cops carried back then, the kid wrecked Uncle Archie's back before he went down. Might have happened with .357mag, too, but less likely.
    Thank you for expressing a shared opinion that it would have been difficult for me to fully express both for the language and for direct experience. the same goes for your post after this_
    Food is overrated. A nice rifle is way more important.
    Rob

  14. #94
    Boolit Buddy Low Budget Shooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Texahoma
    Posts
    464
    I have ended up using snubs in .357 rather than .38 because I can load light .357 loads to make essentially 38 Special +P+

  15. #95
    Boolit Master



    ddixie884's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Avery, Texas
    Posts
    1,309
    With everything being said a .38spl is a very nice and useful thing. A .357 is a very different animal and if you really need one, the only .38spl that will fill it's shoes is the old Elmer Keith 38-44 load. Most .38s don't work for that...........
    JMHO-YMMV
    dd884
    gary@2texastrucks.com
    Gary D. Peek

  16. #96
    Boolit Master
    Scrounge's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    OKC Metro
    Posts
    1,433
    Quote Originally Posted by wilecoyote View Post
    Thank you for expressing a shared opinion that it would have been difficult for me to fully express both for the language and for direct experience. the same goes for your post after this_
    I understand that .32 caliber pistols were (and probably still are) quite popular in Europe. With a quality handgun and lots of practice, a .32 is probably quite adequate for most situations where you'd need to defend yourself with a firearm. And it may get you killed in the wrong circumstances. For folks who are lightly built, and not capable of absorbing recoil and getting back on target fast, it may still be all they can use. You have to make your own decisions, and you will have to live (or die) with the results. But that's always been true anyway. All you can really do is the best you can do.

    I fired my first .32acp pistol about a year and a half ago. One of my acquaintances had a Baby Colt in .32acp, and was willing to let me shoot his as he was shooting my .45acp Tisas Zig M 1911. It was a sweet little gun, and quite easy to hit the target with. And that SHOULD be all it takes. Discounting thick skulls and drug-fueled rages, anyway. I don't know about where you live, but my neighborhood is not unlikely to have at least the drug-fueled rages. Bears aren't very common in my town. Druggies are, unfortunately. Your Mileage May Vary! A lot, since things are probably a bit different there.

    Bill

  17. #97
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    South Western NC
    Posts
    3,820
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrounge View Post
    With a quality handgun and lots of practice, a .32 is probably quite adequate for most situations where you'd need to defend yourself with a firearm. And it may get you killed in the wrong circumstances.
    Defense caliber is a personal choice; we make our choice and live or die with it.

    Few of us will ever need a defensive handgun of any caliber so for them anything at all is more than enough. But, for those few people who will need one and have one that's too small for the job at hand it's unlikely they'll ever need one again.

    For me and my family, I declare that a .357 is the minimum choice for serious social work; after all, it's only a 9mm on steroids.

  18. #98
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    32
    With a lever action rifle, I want the magnum all day everyday. with my pistol, i hear you loud and clear!

  19. #99
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    32
    this is kinda my logic. Any .357 can do anything a .38 can, why not have all options open?

  20. #100
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    west central Illinois
    Posts
    7,699
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.skrimps View Post
    this is kinda my logic. Any .357 can do anything a .38 can, why not have all options open?
    Your options are limited by which cartridge you have in the chamber at the moment. You still must make a decision about which cartridge to load into the gun beforehand.

Page 5 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check