Finest .357 Magnum Ammo: Full Purchaser’s Information [2023] | The Global Today

ONE OF THE ALL-TIME CLASSIC CARRY CARTRIDGES, .357 MAGNUM STILL GETS THE JOB DONE

The venerable .357 Magnum is among the most beloved and long-serving rounds on the market, as effectively appropriately. This mighty magnum packs a punch and is comparatively reasonably priced, plus, there are about one million totally different choices for off-the-shelf-ammo and simply as many firearms to shoot it out of. 

And it’s simply plain enjoyable to shoot.

As we speak we’re going to look particularly on the ammo a part of the equation and go over a few of the explanation why this spherical has remained so standard within the ninety or so years because it entered the market, after which we’ll take a detailed have a look at all one of the best ammo choices which can be on the market proper now.

Let’s dive proper in.

WHY .357 MAGNUM?

The recognition of the .357 Magnum has quite a bit to do with the utility and recognition of revolvers within the mid-Twentieth Century. From about 1920-1980, the usual service weapon of most US police departments was a .38 Particular revolver. 

That is vital as a result of .357 Magnum got here out of a need to extend the ability and penetration of S&W’s .38 Particular cartridge and Colt’s .38 Tremendous. The primary impetus was that legislation enforcement needed a cartridge that would penetrate the doorways of cars and different skinny covers. 

Legendary cartridge designer Elmer Kieth and the oldsters at S&W figured they wouldn’t repair what wasn’t damaged, and we ended up with primarily an extended .38 Particular spherical with a much bigger powder cost and strain ranking, and that was that. 

That is nice as a result of the bullets are the identical, and you’ll fireplace these .38 Particular rounds out of a .357 revolver, which made the .357 Magnum an especially enticing caliber.

Vital Reminder

Whereas you should utilize .38 Particular rounds in a .357 Magnum however don’t use .357 rounds in a .38 Particular. At finest, it received’t match, and at worst, you’ll want to exchange your gun or some fingers afterward.

As of late, .357 Magnum could be outclassed a bit when it comes to stopping energy (I’m you, pistol calibers that begin with “.4”), however it hasn’t been fully left within the mud. It’s nonetheless very a lot alive and kicking, and boy are we glad. This cartridge positively nonetheless has its makes use of.

What makes use of? I’m glad you requested.

.357 Magnum Use As we speak

It’s nonetheless one of the crucial standard revolver cartridges for protection in opposition to two-legged threats, for one factor. The power to comfortably fireplace .38 Particular and .357 Magnum out of the identical gun is a big profit, and makes these weapons very versatile.

It’s straightforward to coach with a less expensive .38 Particular after which load .357 defensive ammo (which we’ll get to in only a second) for carry. 

It’s additionally a well-liked possibility for revolver hunters, although once more, the .44 and up crowd actually takes the cake there more often than not.

BEST .357 MAGNUM AMMO FOR DEFENSE

Hornady Essential Protection 125gr FTX

Hornady is an previous favourite on this planet of ammunition as a result of they make good high quality ammo at costs that received’t break the financial institution, and Hornady is not any exception.

The place Critical Defense does stand out is the corporate’s patented FTX bullets. These are smooth level bullets, that means that they’ve a hole level form however with a smooth insert into the hole. This helps stop clogging when the bullet tears by means of garments and different supplies, whereas additionally serving to with dependable, constant bullet growth. 

And it does all of this with fairly mild recoil. 

It’s additionally specifically designed to carry out notably effectively with quick barrels, although it wouldn’t carry out badly with an extended barrel both.

Speer Gold Dot Brief Barrel 135gr JHP

Speer Gold Dot is one other favourite of mine for defensive ammo, and should you don’t need to take my phrase for it, it’s additionally a quite common alternative amongst legislation enforcement organizations. 

Just like the Hornady, it’s designed particularly for brief barrels, as you’d in all probability guessed, and with them, the spherical supplies you with a fairly good steadiness of growth and penetration. 

They’re not particularly highly effective (particularly by Magnum requirements), simply sufficient to be efficient, however that does imply much less recoil, so Gold Dot is sweet for brand new shooters or shooters with weaker palms. When you have the energy for it, it might be price going with one thing with a bit extra oomph.

Federal Ammunition 158gr American Eagle .357 Magnum JHP

Federal’s American Eagle line is one other good possibility for balancing high quality ammunition with an affordable worth level. American Eagle is “Ole Dependable” in our home, and one of many rounds we flip to when we now have some testing to do, and we don’t need to break the financial institution.

This explicit spherical is a good alternative for budget-minded protection because it’s lots highly effective, good high quality, and naturally, it’s nonetheless .357 Magnum, so it’s at all times going to depart an enormous gap in no matter you set it into. 

I like that there’s an excellent, multi-use hollowpoint on the market, with comparatively low recoil (comparatively, for a magnum handgun) that doesn’t break the financial institution, and that is the go-to .357 ammo for common use in our home.

Tula .357 Magnum 158gr FMJ

Tula is typically a very affordable ammo, and that’s the case right here too. Talking of circumstances, this IS steel-cased ammo, however with non-corrosive primer and powder so there are not any points apart from perhaps having to smack your ejector rod a bit more durable than regular. 

Past that, this can be a nice possibility for folk who don’t reload and who simply need one thing that’s economical for goal capturing for enjoyable on the vary, or simply blasting cans off a berm or fencepost on the Again 40 someplace.

When you’re of the “purchase it low cost and stack it deep” mindset relating to .357 ammo, that is our high decide as a result of it’s about as reasonably priced as you’ll be able to go earlier than high quality begins to grow to be an issue. Frankly, for this ammo to carry out in addition to it does at this worth is a shock, however there it’s.

Fiocchi 142gr FMJ-TC 

Fiocchi is my go-to for range ammo. They’ve been round since 1876 and in that point, this Italian firm has actually perfected their craft. Fiocchi ammo at all times fires like a dream, with manageable recoil and really constant efficiency. 

This boxer-primed ammo is nice for coaching or simply capturing to kill time, plus the brass is corrosion-resistant. It’s even reloadable! And the value received’t drain your pockets, even should you’re spending all day on the vary.

What’s to not love?

Federal American Eagle .357 Magnum 158gr JSP

This primary searching spherical is one other Federal American Eagle pick and as such, it’s similar to the American Eagle decide underneath our defensive ammo suggestions, even right down to the grain weight. 

The primary distinction between this one and our defensive decide is that this one has a jacketed smooth level bullet, that means that the jacket doesn’t fully enclose the bullet, as an alternative leaving it open on the entrance. Nevertheless, it doesn’t have that hole within the entrance like a hole level does. 

This permits it to broaden greater than a FMJ bullet whereas protecting the quicker, flatter flight trajectory that makes FMJs so helpful. Nevertheless, they nonetheless don’t broaden as a lot as a hole level, so that they’re one thing of a contented medium between the 2, making them a wonderful possibility for searching. 

Apart from that, this American Eagle JSP spherical is very like the American Eagle hole level. They each function manageable recoil (once more, by magnum requirements) and are very reasonably priced.

Magtech .357 Magnum 158gr SJSP

Lastly, we now have my private favourite for revolver searching with a .357 Magnum, the Magtech 158gr SJSP.

That is one other one that may actually be a searching or defensive spherical, relying in your wants, and that makes it an amazing one to maintain in inventory in our e-book. Magtech is a good producer and among the best high-end choices on the market for .357. 

The SJSP stands for semi-jacketed smooth level, which is designed to broaden rapidly on influence with a smooth goal whereas nonetheless staying collectively sufficient to get by means of thick clothes, fur, and lighter bones. 

They’re additionally not that costly in comparison with some home higher-end ammo choices, which makes this an amazing possibility for protection or searching use should you’re on a little bit of a finances, or simply don’t need to shell out $2+ a spherical for the actually expensive stuff. 

LOOSE ROUNDS

.357 Magnum is a good cartridge with loads of historical past and a lot of nice off-the-shelf ammo choices on the market so that you can select from. 

From easy and reasonably priced vary ammo, to high-powered and high-quality hollowpoints and strong slugs for self-defense and searching, you actually do have an enormous quantity of nice ammo at your fingertips whether or not you’re procuring in-store, or on-line. 

And what a pleasure that’s. There’s nothing worse than being out of ammo or not with the ability to discover good ammo in your meant function. Luckily, so long as you’ve bought the money, you’ve bought some nice .357 choices obtainable to you. 

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