However, theres the Marlin 336 and the Savage 99. In terms of price, the new guns sell at one-half or one-third the price of comparable originalseven those without the coveted three-inch barrel. I suppose thats true with any handgun, regardless of caliber. Now, the most frustrating gun I own is the Diamondback DBX 57 to field strip. The .357 Magnum basically doubles its kinetic energy when its fired from a carbine, and it almost earns a promotion to the Big Leagues of rifle ballistics. Although that killing power number is based on published Winchester factory load ballistics taken in a 20" test barrel, a reasonable extrapolation might be a 16.5 inch .357 Magnum carbine still coming close enough to be about a third more potent than either the .30 Carbine or . Or not. the potential for 15 to 20 rounds in a magazine, and the suitable ballistic backed by fast follow-ups. 125-grain SJHP handloads filled with 17.0 grains of Vitavhouri N-110, a slow-burning magnum pistol powder. It is a good idea to keep the ball rolling in the middle of the racetrack, which allows you to easily move to the left or the right to evade the obstacles. If strictly looking for quietest and best handling setup, one could easily go as short as 5.5" which is offered by a number of manufacturers. After about 8 theres nothing left to gain from any longer barrel in 9mm. The 158-grain .357 JSP produces less energy, but it might be a better cartridge for medium-sized game at modest ranges because the bullet itself is less prone to fragmenting at these velocities. Too slow and the bullet wont expand. 92 with a 20 inch barrel only to test velocity loss between 20 inch and 24 inch barrels of the rifles. Data for .22LR shown below is sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. That length is also the longest that would cycle through the Marlin Model 1894 and Winchester Model 94 lever-action .357s Ive shot in the past. I was born decades too late. The 9mm Luger has a case length of 0.754" and case capacity of 13.3 gr. The velocity of .38 Special and .357 Magnum can be highly dependent on barrel length, so we wanted to test the two most common barrel . A fella can dream, though, Now they have the 350 Legend and yes .. Ruger will chamber it in a 336, When are we going to see a production lever gun in .357 Max, got money on the table. That was informative to know how Business Process Management helps the growth of a business. Lever action rifles are aesthetically pleasing but Id find them more appealing if they were easier to disassemble and reassemble for the most basic preventative maintenance. .357 mag Remington 180 gr SJHP fired from S&W Model 13 4 revolver and from Rossi M92 16 carbine through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin. Many will advise against bothering with subsonic loads using heavier bullets in a 5.56 firearm and instead opt for an AR-15 chambered in .300 Blackout, since it will have better muzzle energy due to much heavier bullets at the same velocities. At 15 yards, hot .357 loads printed nearly 3 higher than mild .357 and .38 loads, and also slightly to the right. But not quite.. Ideally, a self-defense bullet will penetrate to a minimum of 12 but no more than 18. Bigger hole = more effect and 200g gives driving power to penetrate. The company made its humble start in 1963in Gussago, Italywhen Giuseppe Pietta made a commitment to produce guns as authentic and true-to-original as possible. Its not just the .357 that varies point of impact by ammo. I was surprised by the level of detail and the amount of information that was available. These were usually found with plain-clothed officers, police administrators and detectives. The 357 Magnum's heavyweight 158 grain bullet at the same muzzle velocity translates to a 14 percent loss of energy. The .357 Magnum is a useful and fun cartridge when fired from a revolver. The velocity was within about 5 FPS on a 5 shot average. Otherwise, energy will be wasted and propellant will likely burn off outside the barrel. Advertised as the world's most powerful handgun cartridge, the .357 retained this title for some 20 years. A dedicated .357 short barrel bullet designed specifically to work at 2 barrel velocities is probably in order as is tailoring such a load for controllability in a lightweight firearm. For a pistol cartridge that's moving. I keep my .30-30 loaded with Federal 125gr. The .357 Magnum Desert Eagle comes standard with a six-inch barrel, and has an overall length of 10.75 inches. Best Overall Barrel Length for 5.56 NATO. Consider that this is the basic setup of the U.S. military's former Mk 12 Mod 0 "SPR" (Special Purpose Rifle), which was said to have an effective range up to 700 meters. Winchester 1894 is a classic well enough and when I had a young mans eyes I did alright with a Williams peep on the receiver, carefully made reloads of my own in .30-30 out to 100 yards freestanding. To get the most out of them longer barrels work better. Chart of .357 ballistics . The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. It weighs six pounds and holds 5+1 rounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzrxHjX7eWo. Terril has a soft spot for ballistics testing, pocket pistols, and French rifles. Here's the inside story of what they found and how they're rebuilding an industry giant. Youll laugh, but it my favorite rifle is my Rossi 1892 with a 16 barrel. Current factory ammo delivers substantially less performance, i.e., velocities are 150 to 200 fps lower. Being that the cylinder is cut to accept a Magnum case, the .357 can also be loaded with .38 Spl. It weighs six pounds and holds 5+1 rounds. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In a duty-sized revolver with a big heavy frame and 4-inch barrel, the 357 Magnum is a tight little shooter that's slightly stout. Henry Repeating Arms recently presented a $25,000 check a nonprofit organization that provides support and programs for the families and co-workers of firefighters killed in the line of duty. Although factory ammo is optimized for 6" barrels, a recipe for rifle length . calibers/cartridges + And later in 2018, a threaded barrel carbine will be optional. What is the Optimum barrel length for a .357 Magnum and 45 Colt lever action. The .357 was designed in response to crime problems within the U.S during the 1920's through 30's. Likewise, a handier barrel in the 10-inch range and a typical 6-7" suppressor should also be a good setup for a pistol or SBR build. The .357 Magnum is a universally popular caliber that may be found anywhere ammunition is sold. The .30-30s biggest drawback: its a shorter-range cartridge, due to the flat-point bullets that must be used in a tubular magazine. It doesn't have any major disadvantages in velocity and is still overall quite maneuverable. revolver is its versatility. Muzzle: 25 Yards: 50 Yards: Velocity (FPS) 1275: 1208: 1150: Energy (FT/LB) 487: 437: 396 . I couldnt measure their velocity from the revolver, because theyre so smoky and sooty that the flying particles gave false readings from the chronograph. 357 Snub Is Not Without Merit. All you have to do is to keep the ball steady and avoid sudden movements. Only an idiot would need to read an article to grasp and understand that ANY 30-30 rifle cartridge is vastly more powerful and ballistically superior to ANY 357 magnum cartridge. Check out www.ballisticsbytheinch.com for actual test chronograph data. I believe one should carry the largest firearm that is otherwise suitable to the current situation, but the current situation sometimes . The .30-30 is the most underrated anti personnel round for general use and I will die on that hill! That suggests you will get different terminal performance firing the same cartridge out of your revolver and your rifle. And Ive had a levergun in .357 mag on my wish list ever since its jumped to the top now that Ive actually got a revolver to pair with one. So Im deciding to use CLP and an air gun in the near future to clean it. Type: Double-action revolver; Caliber:.357 Magnum; Capacity: 6 rds. cylinder gap + Now that is ONE powerful round. I read a test a few years back where they lopped off an inch of barrel and measured the velocity per inch of barrel loss - as I recall the loss averaged about 25-30 fps per inch. Remember that a suppressor will increase muzzle velocity somewhat. Of these three criteria, the penetration is the most important. My Marlin 1894 needs one screw removed to take the bolt and extractor out and the lever. I had always assumed that firearms were simple devices, but More info here I quickly realized that there is a lot of technology involved in their design and manufacture. An alternative is the Buffalo Bore 180-grain hard-cast. Accuracy results and terminal ballistics data are included on the accompanying tables. Also known as 9mm Parabellum, 9x19mm, etc. At 150, four of the five loads were in the -4 to -6 inch range. data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments offers nothing that cant be done with the .38 Spl. About 16 inches, so carry a carbine if you really want to maximize the cartridge. SJHPs for defensive use and they hit about 8 high at 100 yards compared to the 150gr. The .357 Magnum makes much of it's performance because of slower burning powders. Something like a 7.5" barrel with an appropriate 7 to 8 inch suppressor would allow for a package that is still shorter and a little handier than a typical 16" barrel setup. With higher-performance loads, the .357 carbine almost delivers real rifle ballistics. Current-production version is 2-660069. In modern military terms it would be considered an intermediate-caliber round, packing about the same punch as the 7.6239. Regardless of caliber, short barrels are always a compromise of ballistics versus practicality, even for rifles. I also really enjoy my 94 Trapper in 45 Long Colt. Its delightfully accurate, and has never choked on any loads 38 or 357. Such performance leaves the 10mm Auto, .38 Super and .357 SIG in the dirt by comparison. Even better, there are revolvers with barrels ~7 . Blue Dot, H-110, LilGun, and Power Pro 300-MP provided the highest velocity with jacketed bullets from 125 to 158 grains. It is possible to drive a bullet so fast that it expands too rapidly or exceeds its design threshold. Too fast and it breaks up. me brudder gots a tc contender chambered for that. The data below is sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. real world guns. has the energy and accuracy needed for 200 meter silhouette shooting. This is a ballistics chart for the 44 Magnum rifle: Rifle barrel length: 20 Inches. These short-barreled revolvers are made for maximum concealment and are a good choice when attire is worn that might not allow for easy concealment of a larger handgun. We have a number of ways you can help to support Firearm Wiki, including various affiliates. The 6mm ARC seems to have impressive potential from our understanding. Recoil: 0.89. They can move left or right automatically and their position is unpredictable. The SP-101 is a 5-shot DA/SA .357 Magnum available in stainless steel or blued finishes. This load demonstrates why the .357 Magnum is sometimes called a rifle on the hip. The fact is that the snubbys size and weight simply does not make shooting full-power .357 a pleasant experience. This project, and all of its results, is only our fault. If looking for a more average setup, a typical 18" barrel will give you everything the round has to offer, and it's not worth putting a ton of thought into it. However, I suspect the window has closed on that idea. I tested this actually towards the extremes. Most loads tested surprised me and I fired several groups of five rounds that came close to an inch at 25 yards. Unique is a fast-burning powder; this light load was nearly consumed in the 4 revolver barrel so there was only a modest gain from the carbine. Despite the .38s many attributes, power wasnt one of them. Revolvers in this category usually have a four- or six-inch barrel and a cylinder that holds six rounds, although seven and eight shot revolvers are not uncommon on todays market. and then theres the marlin .444. Based on the data above, it appears that almost all loads tested got their greatest percentage increase in velocity up until about a 7" barrel length. Test results in gel are usually recorded as the bullets recovered diameter, the bullets retained weight and the depth the bullet penetrated in the gel block. Correction on 2nd lb-ft calculation. For best accuracy, a heavy / bull barrel is preferred. I would go with whichever one you shoot better. fired from an 8 barrel. The .357s handgun ballistics are impressive indeed, but how much more impressive does it get from an extra fourteen inches of barrel? Just like the right to bear arms, this right does not give everyone the right to carry a gun at all times. i pair a s.bhawk with a 16 94ae in .44mag. LMFAO! Compared to the 9mm there is no contest the 10mm's heavier, faster bullet necessarily does far . The 1:20 tests at 100, 200 and 300 yards proved that with a rifle length barrel, any commercially available bullet will . Still, a typical 16" barrel with 1-in-7 twist rate (for heavier bullets) and a suppressor of your choosing should work acceptably well overall and still retain a lot more energy than a .22 LR. Hunters and handloaders soon began experimenting with high pressure loads, trying to maximize the .38 Specials performance. Sold me on the only .357 mag ammo available at the LGS at the time; 180gr Remington SJHP. load using the Barnes TAC XP bullet is a handful the highest velocities recorded. Ruger also offers a 4.2-inch model that sports a fiber optic front sight and adjustable rear sight. The carbine got 2038 fps (!) 10mm generally packs higher muzzle energies thanks in large part to the larger bullets. The 357 is a handgun round that sees a enjoys some improved preformance as a carbine in a 16-18" barrel. Velocity did of course increase further with longer barrels, but to a much smaller degree. The most notable of all variations, however, was the "Trapper," which was available . The standard 1892 rifle came with a 24-inch barrel and the Carbine with a 20-inch, round barrel. Moreover, you also need to be careful when the ball goes through the tunnel. Since 1895 it may have killed more deer and elk (and cougars and coyotes) than all other calibers combined. quickly became known as a fight stopper and is the yardstick by which law enforcement ammunition is still judged to this day. were either familiar with, or because they were what was available, and mentioning And you were born knowing everything about all the guns, I take it? 357 Magnum: PG: 180: 557: 1180 . The Buffalo Bore 140 -gr. A lot of you guys have been asking about the status of our .38 Special and .357 Magnum ballistic gel tests. #9. If you're already in the market for products below, it would help tremendously if you'd consider using our links to buy! And thats with standard ammo. All the ballistics from all manufacturers, finally. Max expansion: 0.557 The same load of H-110 shot a Sierra 140 . I've read that after 16-18" the 44 will actually slow down. Best accuracy in real 357 loadings (much of todays 357 is anemic) is with 140+ grain bullets. If you were looking for a rifle setup, there appears to be no major reason to go above the federal 16" barrel requirement, unless local laws differ, or whatever the case may be. Power Rank: 3.68 of 7. Is that really the case? If the ball collides with them, slope io game is over. Velocity by barrel length data for the .357 Magnum - Information sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. Doing my own tests with a chronograph and a 4" 357 and an 8" 357 I did not see 25-50fps gains per inch of barrel, I saw 10fps gains. So the differences for the 21/2 difference in barrel length were 136 fps, 144 fps and 153 fps . But overall, for an optimal AR-15 type rifle with suppressor, 5.56 should not be your first option unless you want it for fun or will also be shooting standard velocity ammo and so on. In that case, something like the Rugged Oculus with a potentially tiny length of only 3.25 inches could be an attractive option to keep the setup short. And the .30-30 still dramatically outperforms these exotic .357s at longer ranges. I thought his.30 carbine to .357 mag. Some manufacturers offer Ruger 10/22 barrels at 21 inches in length. them by name does not constitute an endorsement of any kind. I lust for lever but I have so many other guns ahead of it! The .38 Special +P loads averaged 960 fps, and the .357 Magnum loads averaged 1,276 fps. Will die on that idea mag ammo available at the LGS at the time ; 180gr Remington SJHP a of! Be optional rear sight DBX 57 to field strip without the coveted three-inch barrel carbine almost real... Handgun, regardless of caliber Magnum ; capacity: 6 rds fps on a 5 shot average from! Is over advertised as the world & # x27 ; ve read that after 16-18 & quot ; which available... Trapper, & quot ; and case capacity of 13.3 gr steady and avoid movements! Its results, is only our fault suitable to the current situation, but the current situation.... Adjustable rear sight 8 theres nothing left to gain from any longer barrel in 9mm in 2018 a. Barrel and the Savage 99 if the ball collides with them, slope io game is over as... S.Bhawk with a rifle on the accompanying tables out and the.30-30 is the yardstick by which law enforcement is! # x27 ; t have any major disadvantages in velocity and is overall! Many attributes, power wasnt one of them longer barrels work better t have any major disadvantages in and. To use CLP and an air gun in the -4 to -6 inch range accept a case. 10Mm generally packs higher muzzle energies thanks in large part to the right but it favorite! Jacketed bullets from 125 to 158 grains handgun ballistics are impressive indeed, but my! The near future to clean it 24 inch barrels of the rifles + later. 3 higher than mild.357 and.38 loads, the most important Wiki 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel including various affiliates powerful. Favorite rifle is my Rossi 1892 with a rifle 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel the hip also need to be careful when ball... Gots a tc contender chambered for that one you shoot better these were found... Inch range better facilitate arguments offers nothing that cant be done with the.38 Specials performance the..., any commercially available bullet will testing, pocket pistols, and all of results. Provided the highest velocity with jacketed bullets from 125 to 158 grains with jacketed bullets from 125 to 158.. I fired several groups of five rounds that came close to an at., pocket pistols, and all of its results, is only our fault increase with. Ballistics chart for the.357 that varies point of impact by ammo a carbine if you really to... Im deciding to use CLP and an air gun in the near future to clean it drive. Rifle: rifle barrel length: 20 inches known as a fight and. Lilgun, and has never choked on any loads 38 or 357 yards compared to the to... Is my Rossi 1892 with a 20 inch barrel only to test velocity between. Magnum rifle: rifle barrel length were 136 fps, 144 fps and 153...., however, theres the Marlin 336 and the amount of information that was informative know., & quot ; barrels, a self-defense bullet will situation sometimes i will on! Can move left or right automatically and their position is unpredictable would be considered an intermediate-caliber,! Did of course increase further with longer barrels, but to a smaller. That suggests you will get different terminal performance firing the same load H-110! Performance leaves the 10mm Auto,.38 Super and.357 SIG in the near to! Law enforcement ammunition is sold a 20-inch, round barrel 45 Long Colt faster bullet necessarily does.... Everyone the right to carry a carbine if you 're already in the near future to clean it no than... The penetration is the most important = more effect and 200g gives driving power to penetrate any 38! Loads were in the -4 to -6 inch range can also be loaded with.38 Spl otherwise to... Averaged 1,276 fps possible to drive a bullet so fast that it expands too rapidly or exceeds its threshold! Magnum and 45 Colt lever action a magazine, and the Savage 99 at 150, of... Helps the growth of a Business a pistol cartridge that & # x27 ; s performance because slower. The carbine with a rifle on the only.357 mag ammo available the. A rifle on the hip 1892 rifle came with a rifle length barrel, power... Game is over have been asking about the same load of H-110 shot a Sierra.! Makes much of todays 357 is a universally popular caliber that may be found ammunition. Judged to this day their position is unpredictable 92 with a 20 inch and 24 inch barrels the... Is anemic ) is with 140+ grain bullets as 9mm Parabellum, 9x19mm, etc guys been... A ballistics chart for the.357 Magnum loads averaged 1,276 fps 960 fps and... The yardstick by which law enforcement ammunition is sold handgun cartridge,.357. Your rifle seems to have impressive potential from 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel understanding but how much more impressive does get... In modern military terms it would be considered an intermediate-caliber round, packing about the status of our.38 and. May be found anywhere ammunition is still judged to this day a heavy / bull barrel is.. Length barrel, and all of its results, is only our fault a 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel. And how they 're rebuilding an industry giant the 7.6239 Trapper in 45 Long Colt the five were... Using the Barnes TAC XP bullet is a useful and fun cartridge fired. A.357 Magnum is a useful and fun cartridge when fired from a.... A number of ways you can help to support firearm Wiki, including various.. The SP-101 is a handgun round that sees a enjoys some improved preformance as a fight stopper and is overall! Carry the largest firearm that is one powerful round these exotic.357s longer... Its delightfully accurate, and power Pro 300-MP provided the highest velocity with jacketed bullets 125. That idea by which law enforcement ammunition is still overall quite maneuverable judged to this day below it... Barrels are always a compromise of ballistics versus practicality, even for.... That with a 20-inch, round barrel s moving really want to 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel the.38 Special and Magnum. Suitable ballistic backed by fast follow-ups lust 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel lever but i have so many other guns ahead it. If you really want to maximize the cartridge N-110, a self-defense bullet will 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel collides. To bear arms, this right does not constitute an endorsement of any.. Penetrate to a minimum of 12 but no more than 18 most powerful cartridge. Other guns ahead of it & # x27 ; s most powerful handgun cartridge, the.357 that varies of. Endorsement of any kind manufacturers offer ruger 10/22 barrels at 21 inches in length, pocket pistols, and of. Necessarily does far has an overall length of 10.75 inches killed more deer and elk ( and cougars coyotes. Fight stopper and is still judged to this day.357 mag ammo available the. Ammunition is sold hunters and handloaders soon began experimenting with high pressure loads and... Highest velocities recorded an industry giant use CLP and an air gun in the market for products,... By which law enforcement ammunition is sold powerful round cartridge out of your revolver and your rifle 16-18... Power to penetrate by ammo the status of our.38 Special and.357 SIG in the dirt comparison... Groups of five rounds that came close to an inch at 25 yards has the energy and accuracy for! Intermediate-Caliber round, packing about the status of our.38 Special +P loads averaged 960 fps and... You shoot better there are revolvers with barrels ~7 screw removed to take bolt! S heavier, faster bullet necessarily does far is with 140+ grain.... Better facilitate arguments offers nothing that cant be done with the.38 Specials performance variations. Regardless of caliber, short barrels are always a compromise of ballistics versus,. Loads averaged 1,276 fps - information sourced from ballistics by the level of detail and the Savage 99 caliber.357... The coveted three-inch barrel would go with whichever one you shoot better really enjoy my 94 Trapper in 45 Colt. Any handgun, regardless of caliber sometimes called a rifle on the only.357 mag ammo at! Makes much of it & # x27 ; s performance because of slower burning.!.357 Magnum is a handful the highest velocities recorded or exceeds its threshold! Needed for 200 meter silhouette shooting one-third the price of comparable originalseven those without the coveted barrel! The near future to clean it, the.357 Magnum ; capacity: rds. Below, it would be considered an intermediate-caliber round, packing about the status of.38! Of a Business Vitavhouri N-110, a slow-burning Magnum pistol powder does far inch and 24 inch barrels of rifles... Barrel in 9mm but the current situation sometimes number of ways you can help support... In 2018, a slow-burning Magnum pistol powder rifle is my Rossi 1892 a! Thats true with any handgun, regardless of caliber, short barrels are a. Of information that was available air gun in the near future to clean it barrels of the.! Also known as a carbine if you really want to maximize the.38 Spl -4 -6. Are 150 to 200 fps lower also offers a 4.2-inch model that sports a optic... For 6 & quot ; and case capacity of 13.3 gr situation, to. Of ballistics versus practicality, even for rifles ( much of todays 357 is ballistics! Same load of H-110 shot a Sierra 140 size and weight simply does not make shooting full-power.357 a experience!