• Bullet Diameter: .355 inches The .357 Mag case is a little over half an inch longer than the 9mm and the overall length slightly less than half an inch. 38 Special vs. 357 Magnum: two similar, but surprisingly different cartridges. The revolver uses the same barrel which is what raises the question. Perhaps the best trait of these rounds is that a box of them is very affordable. When comparing similar bullet sizes, you’ll see that the .357 Magnum, because of the enhanced speed, also has superior energy. If it is not in the manual or you are unsure, consulting with a firearms expert will help you determine the viability of your gun to shoot the ammunition. Below, we have graphed the velocity data for all ten rounds at 25-yard intervals out to 100 yards (Graph 2). The fast velocity and lightweight bullet offer significant penetration, while the exceptionally uniform expansion creates a wide wound channel for maximum blood loss. 10rds - 50 Cal. Because it has an extended case, which means more propellant behind the bullet, the .357 Magnum in … This increase in length allows the .357 Mag to hold a greater amount of powder to launch a similar caliber bullet. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. • Bullet Weights: 115 grains standard (Ranging generally from 90 to 160 gr) But, we didn’t see any reason not to include just a short little discussion on the topic, and it might even launch us into some good talking points. We see this repeated in other products. Because the .357 Magnum has higher velocities and generally packs heavier bullets, it inevitably has greater muzzle energy, both at the muzzle and downrange. We compiled the ballistic coefficients for each round from the manufacturer and graphed them below (Graph 6). Whatever you choose, one or the other or both, with some practice and confidence, you are going to have a cartridge that is going to serve you well for years to come. If you’re talking carbines, there are a few factors that might make us lean towards the .357 Mag. And, this is mainly due to the type of guns that chamber it. It always puts us in a bitter mood when trying to compare accuracy between two cartridges. The .357 Mag’s origins begin in the early 1930’s where the police force was in desperate need of a better terminal performing handgun load. The variety of .357 Mag rounds allows the shooter to match his ammunition well with the task at hand. For a clean graphical comparison of these cartridges, we wanted to limit the number of rounds being used. The Best Concealed Carry Gun - Sometimes Bigger is Better. The information provided on this site is for educational use only. Now, for most situations people are using handguns, the trajectory makes little difference, but once you get out to the 30+ yard range, there might be some difference between two different cartridges. The chambers must be exact or some rounds won't fire or won't eject. Especially when it comes to discussing handgun rounds and self-defense. Both the speed and the mass of the bullet influence the amount of kinetic energy that a bullet carries. There are the classic lever action carbines as well as the more modern compact semi-auto sub guns that fall into the carbine category. At 25 yards, it still has 494 ft-lbs of force. It was designed by Elmer Keith, Phillip … As an added bonus, it supports breast cancer research and has a novel pink plug in the end of the projectile. It also has significantly more velocity, kinetic energy, and bullet momentum when compared to the 9mm. It is used to shoot out of ultra-compact revolvers for dedicated self defense concealed carry. You might also favor a .38 Special for times when the frame or component parts of the gun are not compatible with +P or Magnum loads, so you can shoot standard ammunition. The .357 Mag was a handgun cartridge that provided unrivaled velocity and terminal ballistic performance at the time. • Case Length: .754 inches ", https://grabagun.com/taurus-31.html?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=Daily Email, Second Media Corp., 111 Peter Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. If you’re serious about training and firearms, you are going to spend a decent amount of money no matter what caliber you shoot. We KNOW there are cops out there who use it daily and for off duty as a backup weapon or a primary concealed carry gun. (One would rarely, if ever, use a personal-defense handgun at 50 yards. It should. The most common .357 Mag bullet weights range anywhere from 120-160gr and come in designs that range from deep penetration to rapid expansion and fragmentation. A carbine has several advantages to a handgun. The average range for the ballistics of a .38 Special as stated (static ballistics) is about: 775-950 feet per second and 190-275 pound feet of energy out of the standard loads. We could find many reasons to ONLY buy a .38 Special firearm. Sniper Country is reader-supported. The .357 vs 9mm is a comparison that features two of the more popular and well known cartridges. In the simplest of terms, the ballistic coefficient is a number that is derived from an equation taking into account a variety of bullet flight specs. Come join the discussion about performance, gunsmithing, troubleshooting, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Ball Ammo. Depending on what you are shooting at and the intended effects you want, you might want a round with higher velocity, or there are situations where you might want a bit lower velocity. When compared to a handgun, the carbine offers easier handling, when you have the room, and shot alignment with being able to fire from the shoulder as well as more points of contact and a longer sight radius. Trajectory can be fairly complex, as wind speed and direction, barrel length, and bullet type all make a difference. For hunting large game, you would want more momentum to be able to push through thicker hide and bones which are denser and provide more resistance. The massive credentials the cartridge has makes it still, to this day, one of the most impressive “bang for the buck” rounds for pure ballistics performance. You’ll see the same results if you look at lead round nose ammo from American Eagle in the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. Mais un.357 Magnum est plus puissant et ne peut pas être tiré dans un revolver chambré pour.38 Special. In fact, there are still cops out there that probably carry a .38 Special as a primary duty weapon. Because it has an extended case, which means more propellant behind the bullet, the .357 Magnum in general has higher muzzle velocity. This is not usually an aspect of handgun cartridges that is examined, but we think it can be quite interesting when discussed with regards to use in carbines and semi-automatic rifles chambered for these cartridges. And depending on your personality, a quarter inch difference in bullet drop at 50 yards might be enough to swing you one way or the other. CA 36th Congressional District. L'avantage du PA par rapport à un revolver réside pour moi en 2 points importants : puissance de feu superieure de PA en termes de munitions embarquées par chaque fonctionnaire, et aussi possibilité de doubler ou tripler facilement les shots car la premiere est en DA mais les suivantes en SA. Where ballistic calculators are used we kept as many variables the same between rounds of the same cartridge. BONUS OFFER: Get your 500 Page Ammo Comparison Handbook (worth $43) for FREE right into your inbox. You can look at stats, price, and load capacity for hours, but it might not matter if you have a strong preference in handgun type. It shows significantly more kinetic energy than any other of the .357 Mag rounds as well as the 9mm rounds. GunandShooter is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Let’s take a look at the averages in velocity over several yard markers and see if these trends hold up when working with a larger sample size. We are going to take a look at the kinetic energy of a bullet, the sectional density, and the bullet momentum. If you can forgive Hornady for jumping on the bandwagon of the “pink tax” marketing campaign, this is an excellent round for many users of lightweight revolvers for concealed carry, or gasp! The most noticeable point on this graph is the 158gr .357 Mag round. While this energy does translate to felt recoil in a lot of cases, it is actually something we can attach numbers to. Risk Management. So as we look at these numbers, just remember that they are only half the story and the terminal performance of the bullet is equally important in how the bullet will react on impact. It is still able to effectively be carried as a concealed carry weapon. The more pronounced the bullet drop, the more skill it takes in adjusting the shot. With a degree in Microbiology and several years of doctoral work manipulating bacterial genes, he attempts to merge the rational and unbiased thinking of scientific research with the passions of hunting and fishing. For the 9mm Luger, our choice between these rounds is the Federal Low Recoil Hydra-Shok 135gr rounds. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. I believe that the 9mm vs. 38 Special argument is settled not by the cartridges, but rather the guns. Not with the intention of trying to imply one cartridge is better than the other but to give you an unbiased look at these two cartridges are similar and different. (You won’t find many firearms instructors recommending the high-powered .357 Magnum to a beginner.). The .38 Special is still potent enough to outdo a lot of smaller guns ballistically. Today, the .38 Special is a common cartridge for self defense and target shooting. For the latter, it gets a little tougher. Both of these cartridge types are very popular. First used by German forces, the round became popular in military circles thanks to its accompanying pistol, which allowed for higher volumes of rounds. The .357 Magnum FMJ rounds from this manufacturer are rated at a muzzle velocity of 1,280 fps. For burning some lead on the range, the .357 Mag Hornady American Gunner XTP JHP 125gr is our go-to choice. And that is talking averages. If we take a look at all of our other rounds, it is clear that the .357 Mag cartridge when fired generated a good deal more kinetic energy. The numbers are quite impressive. All of these are widely available factory loads that see a lot of use in the field.