# Lcr 357



## JLazyH (Jul 1, 2011)

I made my deal and got a new LCR 357 mag. I fired 20 rounds of the Blazer Brass 357 mag 158 GR. JHP. Didn't have any 38s and holy crap the 357s rock your world! (OUCH) I am going to pick up some self protection ammo now but 38+P. What should I be looking for? Heavy GR, Light GR or? The little LCR will shoot anything but I want the most bang for the buck. I know there is a lot of it that won't burn up all the powder in these short barrels, not that it makes a lot of difference to the "bad guy" so what do you recomend in the 38+p loads?


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## TedDeBearFrmHell (Jul 1, 2011)

.357 mag in a light weight gun is for masochists only ..... not only is it painfull to shoot but the recoil makes it more difficult to reacquire the target for the followup shot. 

imo, a heavy weight +p is the way to go.


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

I have shot the LCR and a .38 +p is plenty in that bad boy!

RCG


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## Packard (Aug 24, 2010)

From my experience lighter bullets have less recoil. In .357 Magnum, Federal's 125gr. JHP is considered by many to be the premier .357 manstopper.

I believe the 158 gr. is preferred for .38 +P. Chuck Hawkes has an article on this. Google his name.

Shooting gloves will go a long way towards saving your hands.

See: GripSwell Ergonomic Shooting Gloves $55.00 + shipping directly from Gripswell.

I've used fingerless weight lifting gloves and they seem to work well. They are much cheaper. I've not tried the Gripswell gloves. But they are reportedly very good.

Once you have your point of aim settled, I found that shooting 10 rounds per week was enough to keep me sharp. With the Hogue grips and gloves I don't think you will have much problem with your hands.

Of course when the situation arrives that requires you use the weapon you won't be wearing any gloves. But with adrenillin flowing you won't feel a thing while shooting and a few days later the bruising on you hands will go away.

The only time I had a real problem with recoil was with a snubbie in .44 Magnum. The wooden grips slammmed so hard against the bone at the base of my thumb that I got a bone bruise. It took about 4 months for that pain to go away.


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## charger5579 (Nov 6, 2010)

i want the lcr 38 bad!! almost bought one at a gun show a few weeks ago, but due to some wear on it i passed. 329 was the price but it looked to had been used farely rough.


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## Packard (Aug 24, 2010)

charger5579 said:


> i want the lcr 38 bad!! almost bought one at a gun show a few weeks ago, but due to some wear on it i passed. 329 was the price but it looked to had been used farely rough.


I don't think anyone knows what the life span will be on resin framed revolvers. They have smaller sections with greater stresses than a semi-auto. So I think it was a good idea to pass up on the used LCR.

A few years from now we will have a better idea of the lifespan for the resin framed revolvers. We might discover that they are "consumable" weapons--bought, shot, worn out, then scrapped. Time will tell.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Packard said:


> From my experience lighter bullets have less recoil...


Sorry, *Packard*, but this is a silly statement. There's more to the equation than merely the weight of the bullet.

• Given the same bullet weight, the load producing the higher velocity will recoil more.
• Given the same velocity, the load with the heavier bullet will recoil more.

Frequently, non-Plus-P loads firing heavier bullets will be arranged to produce lower velocities, resulting in a recoil impulse of longer duration. This comes across to the shooter as a "softer," more easily controlled recoil impulse.
Think, for instance, of self-defense loads for the .38 Special: 125-grain-bullet loads produce higher velocities and result in an uncomfortable recoil "jab," while 158-grain-bullet loads produce lower velocities and deliver a much more easily controlled, soft-feeling "push."

Since there is an upside limit to the combination of bullet weight and exit velocity that a given pistol can handle, it is normally the heavier-bullet load, at a much slower velocity, which recoils less-or at least seems to.


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## charger5579 (Nov 6, 2010)

i agree, i have often wondered about the gun. I am very interested in one though and if the right deal comes along on a new one im going to test the waters with it.


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## Packard (Aug 24, 2010)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Sorry, *Packard*, but this is a silly statement. There's more to the equation than merely the weight of the bullet.
> 
> • Given the same bullet weight, the load producing the higher velocity will recoil more.
> • Given the same velocity, the load with the heavier bullet will recoil more.
> ...


Assuming that you load to the same pressures and use the same or similar powder, the lighter bullet will have less recoil.

When I had my old .38 Airweight Centennial I switched from .125 grain to .158 grain from the same manufacturer (S & W manufactured NyClads). The 158 grain had noticeably more recoil, it had dramatically more recoil. I invite any airweight owners to make a similar comparison (same manufacturer, .125 gr. vs. .158 grain).

Federal, not long ago, came out with the .327 Magnum in three bullet weights. They marketed the lightest (.85 grain hydrashock) as their light recoil loading.

See: Recoil

_...All else being equal, specifically the same gunpowder and charge weight, lighter bullets produce less recoil_...

See: http://www.chuckhawks.com/rem_managed_recoil.htm

_...[Lighter recoil] is achieved in two ways: 1) a lighter bullet, and 2) a lighter powder charge for reduced velocity..._


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Packard said:


> "...All else being equal, specifically the same gunpowder and charge weight, lighter bullets produce less recoil..."
> See: Remington Managed-Recoil Cartridges


I thought that I had already written that.
To wit:
• Given the same bullet weight, the load producing the higher velocity will recoil more.
• Given the same velocity, the load with the heavier bullet will recoil more.


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## Packard (Aug 24, 2010)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I thought that I had already written that.
> To wit:
> • Given the same bullet weight, the load producing the higher velocity will recoil more.
> • Given the same velocity, the load with the heavier bullet will recoil more.


But you know that is not how manufacturers load bullets. They load to the SAAMI allowed pressure (except for reduced coil loads).

My contention is that if two bullets are loaded to the same SAAMI pressure levels, the light projectile will yield a lower recoil--even if the resulting ft/lbs is higher with the lighter round.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

*Packard*, the problem is that the equation used to derive inertia, and therefore recoil impulse, involves bullet mass and velocity, not chamber pressure.
It's therefore easier to handle velocity as an attribute, rather than to try to derive velocity from chamber-pressure figures.

Other than that, you are correct.


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## chup (Nov 28, 2011)

I have well over 500 rounds of 125g. 357 JHP ammo through my LCR 357. I like shooting this Gun. I like shooting 357 Snubs. The LCR has become my favorite to carry and shoot. The Tamer Grip makes it painless for me. I have no problems with follow up shots or accuracy. You just have to put a lot of time into shooting 357 Snubs to get used to them. If you have comfortable grips that absorb the recoil half the battle is over. Know just practice.


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