For personal defense from two leg predators, and if "the worst I'm likely to come across is a wild dog or coyote", I agree with you regarding 357 Magnum. For anything larger, I would set minimum:Is the 44 better on paper? Sure maybe, but the 357 has alot going for it too. The 357 magnum is my favorite caliber and heres why. First and foremost availability and versatility, I rarely ever see 44 magnum ammo on the shelf and I don't think I've ever seen a box of 44 special on the shelf. I can almost always find 357 mag and in the rare event I can't I can always find 38 special.
Second, I can literally do everything with a 357 magnum with the right loads. Target and plinking with standard 38, defense with 38+p and 357, animal defense and hunting with the right loads in 357. Look at tests of Buffalo Bores hardcast loads in 357 and 44 mag, the 180 grain 357 isn't too far off from the 44. I'd have no issue using the 180 grain 357 if I were in grizzly country. Fortunately im not in grizzly country, the worst I'm likely to come across is a wild dog or coyote and a 158 grain hardcast 357 will definitely do the job. In the rare event of a black bear attack I would have faith in the same load.
So is the 44 "better"? Well it depends on your definition of better. Sure it's a little bit bigger and a little more powerful, but ammo is not as easy to find and while you can use it for defense it's certainly overkill, you could plink with it but it would certainly be expensive. If you reload that would take away some of the cost but not everyone reloads.
In my opinion, for all the reasons stated above, the 357 is the better option. Short of taking out an elephant, which I doubt I'll ever do, the 357 just makes more sense. If I ever decide to go hunting in Africa or something sure I'd like a 44 or maybe something even bigger, but for any situation I'll ever come across in the US the 357 will do the job. Other than a very dangerous game situation the 44 doesn't do anything that the 357 doesn't do. Polar bears have been taken with the 357.
Also, there would be no 44 magnum without the development of the 357 magnum.
Nuff said.
Or a 3" k frame S&W Model 65 or 13 357. There's a reason the FBI used them. In my neck of the woods it's not four legged predators that concern me.Nice revolver but I am not about to try and carry a N frame regardless of barrel length concealed. Now a dainty .357 in a 3” Colt King Cobra for example, I will comfortably conceal that all day long.
Ain't that the truth ! The two legged trash are unpredictable.In my neck of the woods it's not four legged predators that concern me.
I agree except I'd change the last sentence to got little use for 357 mag.357 Magnum, Jack of all trades, Master of none. It's bark is worst than it's bite.
Moonclips rule but 357 mag sucks on moonclips. Too long and skinny.
I use 38 Special far more often than 357 Magnum. If I think I need 357 mag levels of powder I will grab my 10mm revolver or step up to my 44 mag.
Got no use for 357 mag.
At 180 grains, Buffalo Bore claims 1400fps and 783 ft.lbs for the .357, 1500/899 for the .44. That is an increase of 7 and 14 percent.Look at tests of Buffalo Bores hardcast loads in 357 and 44 mag, the 180 grain 357 isn't too far off from the 44. Sure it's a little bit bigger and a little more powerful...
I wasn't referring to energy numbers, I'm talking about tests of actual performance. The 357 went just as far as the 44 in ballistic gel going through the same barrier. I'll try to find the video I'm talking about.At 180 grains, Buffalo Bore claims 1400fps and 783 ft.lbs for the .357, 1500/899 for the .44. That is an increase of 7 and 14 percent.
If you step up to a 305gr at 1325/1189, that is 52 percent more energy coming from a bullet that is 20 percent larger.
I am a big fan of .357 but it is nowhere near the size or power of a .44 magnum. Or a .45 Colt blackhawk load.
The 180gr .357 is comparable to a 260gr .44 and will penetrate similarly. That's a heavy bullet for the .357 but just over standard weight for the .44 and they go up nearly 100gr from there. The 355gr .44 at 1250fps will nearly double up on the 180gr .357 for penetration. The .44 also doesn't have to expand to be effective, while the .357 is heavily dependent on bullet expansion to be effective. Sorry but there is a vast chasm between the two.I wasn't referring to energy numbers, I'm talking about tests of actual performance. The 357 went just as far as the 44 in ballistic gel going through the same barrier. I'll try to find the video I'm talking about.
It's kind of like the FBI going back to 9mm, the 40 is bigger and better on paper but the performance is similar. With a hardcast load the main thing we're looking for is penetration, if the 357 goes just as far and I'm able to control it better my chances of hitting something vital increase.
I like the 44 and I'm not saying it doesn't have it's place but the 357 is definitely more versatile and availability is much better.
Considering I'm in the lower 48, I just feel I'm better served with the 357. Im not saying the 44 is useless I just feel the 357 is the better option for me personally. If I were in Alaska I might have a completely different opinion on the matter. In any case the 357 is far from "dainty" and one has to acknowledge that if the 357 hadn't been developed the 44 probably wouldn't have been developed either.
Will "L" work?Cough . . . #K-Frame.
The greatest achievement of the volume use of big
bore magnums is the destruction of hand nerves,
wrists, forearms and elbows.
Those who are wise stick to 9mm and .38 Special,
leaving the heavy duty tasks to the occasional
use of a rifle.
Now if the use of the big bore blasters is confined to
a cylinder or maybe two perhaps once each month or
six months, the dubious achievement may be avoided.
I agree as I am proof of this statement. What’s funny is I had a few older gents tell me I should be careful years ago. I laughed. I was bullet proof.The greatest achievement of the volume use of big
bore magnums is the destruction of hand nerves,
wrists, forearms and elbows.
Oof. . . that kind of stung. . .Who needs 357 Dainty? When one has 44? Why would anyone bother with a tiny and dainty round like 357?
The greatest achievement of the volume use of big
bore magnums is the destruction of hand nerves,
wrists, forearms and elbows.
Those who are wise stick to 9mm and .38 Special,
leaving the heavy duty tasks to the occasional
use of a rifle.
Now if the use of the big bore blasters is confined to
a cylinder or maybe two perhaps once each month or
six months, the dubious achievement may be avoided.
Yep, Add me to the list of "deaf as a post" aged shooters with two thumbs up (if I could get my arthritic, frozen in place thumb joints to work!)I agree as I am proof of this statement. What’s funny is I had a few older gents tell me I should be careful years ago. I laughed. I was bullet proof.