Best round for GP100 .357 Magnum

[heavyshooter]

Many of you will recall that my wife laid claim to my Ruger SP101 so I went out and picked up a GP100 yesterday. I will be using this gun for trail hikes and I am looking for a good round. I am wonder who makes a good 158gr. .357 Magnum round that is accurate from the GP100. I am also wondering where I can get the best price for it on line.

Thanks in advance
Heavy

 

[ArchAngelCD]

There are so many good rounds out there today it's very hard to say which will fire accurately in YOUR revolver. For use as a trail gun you will probably be best off with a heavy Hard Cast bullet. DoubleTap, Buffalo Bore, CarBon, Federal and Remington all make heavy Hard Cast rounds which are accurate too. Which is most accurate in your revolver is a question only you can answer.

I reload my own and use a 180gr hard cast bullet from Cast Performance. If you don't reload you can get the same bullet in loaded ammo from Grizzly Cartridges. This is a great round with good velocity and the bullet had a generous meplat. (both are really the same company) Since your GP100 is heavy and well made it will handle this ammo easily.

 

[C-grunt]

Out hiking I would get a hard cas solid like Archangel said. It will have the penetration needed against large angry animals and the large meplat will still do well in self defense against the angry two legged animals.

 

[gwnorth]

Remington makes a nice 158gr semi-jacketed softpoint. I've shot it from my 6" GP100 with good accuracy at 25yds. It's pricey though (like $35-$40 per box of 50).

 

[19-3Ben]

I carry THESE. Awesome specs, great price, nicely made, and fantastic customer service. I sent the company an e-mail at 10:15 at night. I had a reply from the owner himself by 11:00.

 

[H2O MAN]

Slight hijack...

Is their one round that would perform very well in a 6" GP100 as well as a 16" Winchester Trapper?

Thanks

 

[kolob10]

Best price

Try Natchez shooting supply for best price. They have monthly specials.

 

[19-3Ben]

Is their one round that would perform very well in a 6" GP100 as well as a 16" Winchester Trapper?

The one I linked to above.

 

[H2O MAN]

Quote:
Is their one round that would perform very well in a 6" GP100 as well as a 16" Winchester Trapper?

19-3Ben

The one I linked to above.

Thanks!

 

[Water-Man]

H2O Man...I like the Buffalo Bore Ammo 158gr.

 

[19-3Ben]

BB is also an excellent recommendation, and comparable to the DT that I put out there. I just prefer DT because it has very similar performance and costs between 1/2 and 2/3 the price of BB.

 

[foghornl]

What else might be wandering about in the areas where you trail/hike?

Not quite the same, but the most accurate load I have found for my .357 Blackhawk and Vaquero is the 158-Gr Speer Gold Dot

 

[Chris Plitt]

@heavyshooter

I have a 4" GP100 Stainless, I run the .38 +P SWCHP, the old FBI load. If it was good enough for the FBI, then its good enough for me... and BTW, the only reason its not still in use is because of replacement by automatics! Its accurate, it doesn't bite as hard as the .357 but it still does a wonderful job.

 

[wnycollector]

I agree with 19-3Ben, DT makes excellent quality, VERY REASONABLY priced SD ammo. I have nothing but good things to say about their ammo and customer service!

Also, Heavyshooter I feel your pain! I am fighting a loosing battle with my wife for my 2.75" Ruger Security Six!

 

[Quoheleth]

I understand the siren cry of the high-end ammo, but I gotta tell you, my GP100 (6") and SP101 (3") both ***LOVE*** CCI Blazer aluminum. The only downfall is that it can't be reloaded. It's a moderate magnum load, spooky accurate, a 158gr Speer HP bullet, and relatively cheap so you can shoot it to practice and carry.

My favorite reloadable, budget-minded ammo is Academy's Monarch 158 gr. I think it's a little hotter than CCI Blazer, brass reloadable case, and still in hollowpoint.

I buy both of them over Winchester Win-Clean or WWB.

Both are in the $20/box range.

Q

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Don't forget about Georgia Arms canned heat. Good ammo, good price.

 

[BigBlock]

I don't think there is such thing as a "bad" round for the GP100. Mine likes $20/box American Eagle (Federal) 158 JSP.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Come on people, he asked about "woods carry" ammo. I like DoubleTap a lot as well as Speer, Remington, Federal and Winchester but those are all hollow point bullets made to stop a man, not a animal. The JSP ammo isn't a bad idea but a hard cast is just a little better.

My first post is valid and I appreciate C-grunt's post verifying what I said. I strongly feel a hard cast bullet with a large meplat is what should be carried in the woods. All the other suggestions are good rounds but not for that job. Now These DoubleTap rounds are a whole different story because they use a 180gr Hard Cast bullet.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

FYI: Georgia Arms has a load that uses a 158 speer gold dot hollow point. Perfectly adequate slug for woods carry.

Yes a 180 hardcast will go deeper out of a pistol barrel, but there are 2 things that have me reccomending a 158.

1. More controllable recoil if a fast second shot is needed.
2. Gun is most likely sighted for a 158 load.


That gold dot slug specifically can be driven VERY fast without blowup or seperation. It will hold together through bone and tough muscle just fine.

 

[wnycollector]

Since the OP lives in CO and they do have lots of critters with teeth out there...I would probably lean twords the 180 hardcast as well.

 

[heavyshooter]

ArchAngelCD is addressing the very concern that I had in mind. I want something that will be a one shot stopper for Cougars and Coyotes. It is my guess that whatever works on them will work on two legged predators as well.

 

[Matt-J2]

A hit with a hardcast 158gr SWC is better than a miss with a 180gr.



So just make sure to sight in(yay adjustable sights!) with the 180gr and make sure you hit well with it.

 

[goon]

You got real bears in your area?
By real, I mean anything bigger than your average black bear.

If not, I'd say the 158 grain JSP would be a decently balanced choice.
If you do or if the blackies get a little on the large side in your area, go with something hard cast.


FWIW, there isn't any such thing as a 100% reliable one-shot-stop ammunition.
Yeah, some are better than others and are pretty good in this respect, but anything you shoot once you should expect to have to shoot again, especially a predator.

 

[BigBlock]

If you want a real one shot stopper for woods carry, you need a .44 Magnum.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have a feeling the posts telling you a round with 158gr JHP bullet is more controllable than a round using a 180gr LSWC bullet in a 4" GP100 have never shot a 180gr round in a heavy 4" .357 Magnum. I have shot everything from a 110gr bullet to a 200gr bullet from a .357 Magnum and I can tell you there is very little, if any difference in recoil between a 158gr JHP and 180gr hard cast round. The major difference comes from how hot the rounds are. I could easily load a 180gr bullet in a .357 Magnum case and make it feel like a .38 Special.

Since we are all talking about fairly hot ammo like that made by DoubleTap, Buffalo Bore and Grizzly it's all going to have a good amount of recoil, that's why we practice. If you're scared to shoot the round you should be using to protect yourself, don't carry the gun.

heavyshooter,
I'm glad you found my suggestions interesting. I hope I was helpful.
BTW, I recommended Grizzly ammo because I've used it and it's accurate. Other Hard Cast .357 Magnum rounds like those made by DoubleTap, Buffalo Bore, CarBon and others will probably do just as well. I would stay away from Hard Cast .357 Magnum rounds made by Remington, Speer and Federal because they are underpowered.