# Whats the most ft lb I can get from .357mag



## NITROEXPRESS (Mar 21, 2008)

All the English police will grant me is a .357mag, what is the most ft lb I can get with a hard cast bullet so I can carry it as backup while hunting in the wildeness. As Iam going to be carrying it all over I dont want a massive barrel ( I was thinking of going for a 327PD - 4" Scandium Alloy Frame Smith & Wesson revolver.

Looked at Corbon 200gr hard cast heads / factory rounds but any advice is welcomed!


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

I'd go with the heaviest and hottest hollow point I could find. When I was in to shooting my 357 I was loading for self defense and had my own reload formula of a 125 grain HP sitting on Winchester 296 powder. For big critters you would need something heavier like I said. You'd need good penetration and good expansion. This would be a good starting point if the pistol can handle it and you're up to the recoil!http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=926010.
or
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=152705
Shot placement will be very important with any dangerous animal. You could blow a bears heart up and he'll still have enough energy left to kill you. A lot of guides use pump shot guns in bear country. The first round is medium shot to blind and bloody the nose of the bear and the rest are slugs to kill him. That's for up close and personal encounters. I guess the idea is that the nose of a bear is very sensitive and a hit to the nose will turn the bear.


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

Nitroexpress,
I wonder which predators you may encounter in england.

Here in Italy, very few, the bipeds being the most dangerous. The very few wolves and bears will fly away coming across a man. Maybe a few feral dogs.

Here in Italy hollow points are forbidden, maybe that's why Nitroexpress explicitly mentions hard casts bullets, probably he can't even use FMJ's.


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

mccoy said:


> Nitroexpress,
> I wonder which predators you may encounter in england.
> 
> Here in Italy, very few, the bipeds being the most dangerous. The very few wolves and bears will fly away coming across a man. Maybe a few feral dogs.
> ...


The rest of the story.....He is planning hunting trips to Alaska and Africa my friend. How goes your affair with your new pistol? Groups getting tighter yet?


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

the maximum from remington, speer, and winchester is 583 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle 
that is a 125grain jhp going at going 1450 feet per second

for a hard cast bullet check the reloading data from hodgdon.com
later...
i just checked their web site and they have no cast bullets for the 357 suggestions - guess you would end up leading the barrell

i checked the winchester catalog and the lead is for 38 spl +p
they have a 158 grain lead semi wadcutter hp for 278 foot pounds of muzzle energy


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## NITROEXPRESS (Mar 21, 2008)

mccoy said:


> Here in Italy hollow points are forbidden, maybe that's why Nitroexpress explicitly mentions hard casts bullets, probably he can't even use FMJ's.


The main reason I have been allowed a pistol in England under exemption is for the purpose of humanely dispatching wounded deer I shoot with a rifle. I can then take it along to which ever country I go hunting ( as long as that country permits it ) and use it for other reasons. I can use expanding ammo if needed; in fact it is the law to use it when shooting animals in the U.K.

Thanks everyone for the advice!


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Buffalobore advertises some pretty hot stuff.

I have never used any of their product so can not speak to validity of numbers, safety of loads etc.

I would only try this hot stuff in a STRONG action such as Ruger makes.

Also verify it is for revolvers and not intended for Rifle only.

http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#357

180 gr. LFN-GC (1400 fps ME 783 ft. lbs.)

Good luck and carry some aspirin with you for the aftermath.

I will not put it in my GP100 FWIW.

:smt1099


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

gmaske said:


> How goes your affair with your new pistol? Groups getting tighter yet?


gmaske,
I'm trying to cure my flinching habit and can say I'm making some progress.

Groupings are getting more reasonable, I'm realizing shooting, like many other things, is a process which takes perseverance and patience. Like someone other said, I may consider myself beyond the beginner's stage after about one year and 10 to 15 thousand rounds fired.

As I see it now, I tend to agree, next january I'll take e retrospective view. I'm gearing up to produce rounds now, I've ordered a Dillon SL 650 so I'll be able to reload quickly and have range sessions even twice a week.

I wouldn't have believed possible to shoot so many rounds. Reloading makes it possible !


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

NITROEXPRESS said:


> The main reason I have been allowed a pistol in England under exemption is for the purpose of humanely dispatching wounded deer I shoot with a rifle. I can then take it along to which ever country I go hunting ( as long as that country permits it ) and use it for other reasons. I can use expanding ammo if needed; in fact it is the law to use it when shooting animals in the U.K.
> 
> Thanks everyone for the advice!


Nitro, I wonder what are those 'other reasons' :mrgreen:

Here in Italy hunting with handguns is illegal, for whatever motives. Under the new European regulations though you might carry your weapon and shoot at ranges.

I suggest you study the matter carefully, in some states, like mine, police are pretty strict about gun laws.


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

mccoy said:


> gmaske,
> I'm trying to cure my flinching habit and can say I'm making some progress.
> 
> Groupings are getting more reasonable, I'm realizing shooting, like many other things, is a process which takes perseverance and patience. Like someone other said, I may consider myself beyond the beginner's stage after about one year and 10 to 15 thousand rounds fired.
> ...


Flinching sucks! I still fight it. I'm looking at putting a .22 slide on my 1911 so I can spend more time and less money working on my form. I can get twice the fun out of the same gun. Big Bangs and little pops.


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

I tried a coupla times a S&W revolver in .22 LR, on a 'J' frame, it was more fun than I had expected!!


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

mccoy said:


> I tried a coupla times a S&W revolver in .22 LR, on a 'J' frame, it was more fun than I had expected!!


22's can be a real blast for sure! This kit I'm interested in just replaces the slide and magazine so it only takes a minute or two to switch back and forth.
I found that when I finally started loading up 38 Special wad cutters with light target loads instead of full house magnum loads for my 357, things improved dramatically as far as my groups were concerned. I'd shoot a bunch of the lightly loaded stuff and work on form and then pop off a few 357's till things started to fall apart (Flinching). I'd then go back to the light loads again.


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