is .357 mag the best defense round?

[Doog]

Ok I have been reading like a fiend and watching youtube reviews on several 5 shot small frame revolvers for a CCW defense weapon.

Most opinions think .357 snubbies are the best defense load.

I have reall been out of the firearms hobby since the late 1970's so any opinions from experienced users would be really appreciated. The more the merrier.

BTW, Merry Christmas to everyone!!

 

[SrDriver]

In my opinion the best CCW gun is one that you always have with you on your person.

One consideration is that you will carry it a lot more than shooting it.

There are several ultra light 380 and even a few 9 mm choices that are light and easy to carry. Modern 380 ammo has came a long way over the years.

If you don't mind the weight then a revolver is a choice.

Another issue is that a revolver is wider than an automatic and than can be an issue carrying it.

The Ruger 380 comes in at 12 oz loaded.

There are some good reviews of CCW weapons on YouTube.

Having any weapon that is heavy or bulky sitting at home rather than being carried does little good.

 

[Bandito440]

Specifically in a small frame revolver, .357 mag is probably the best, although over penetration and ability to control follow up shots could be a concern.

Asking about the "best" anything is going to get you a thousand different opinions, just like oil.

I like the Glock 27 in .40, although it's a bit larger. The Ruger LC9 in 9mm is a good choice too.

Are you going to carry concealed?

 

[ZeeOSix]

There is no doubt the .357 Mag is a deadly round ... so are many others these days with all the good defensive rounds and the +P loads.

The Ruger LCR 357 Mag is a good carry revolver. You can also shoot .38 Special in regular or +P loads if you want to cut down some recoil vs the .357 Mag.

The Smith & Wesson 9mm or 40 caliber Shield is a good carry semi-auto. Many like the 9mm due to less recoil and one extra round.

 

[DB_Cooper]

357 snub nosed wheel guns produce a lot of muzzle flash (it will blind you for a while at night) and recoil..I would suggest a .38 or .44 special for personal defense..if you are really looking for a wheel gun. You don't need hyper horsepower in a close combat situation, you need reliability, accuracy and repeatably..the .44 special with low velocity rounds (no +P) is a favorite and a good defensive round. A big bullet at lower velocities is a good proven man-stopper. Slower big projectiles won't go thorough multiple walls very well..a good thing.

A Merry and Peaceful Christmas to all.

 

[SuperDave456]

go to The Box O Truth . com
and read as much as possible.

Big heavy slow rounds penetrate building materials much more than light fast rounds.
However anything that will penetrate to get to vital organs that are necessary to get to in order to stop a bad guy will go through many layers of drywall.

 

[Olas]

The best round is the one you are most confident and accurate with. All the killing power in the world is wasted if you can't control it, and condlsider how quickly you can put 4 or 5 rounds into a 8-10 inch circle.
If that means a .25 then so be it - any gun will kill used properly.

 

[NateDN10]

Muzzle blast and recoil for a .357 magnum out of a snubbie is significant as well. Since with a revolver rated for .357 you can shoot .38 special as well you should practice with both and carry what you're most comfortable with.

 

[ET16]

Please don't hurt anybody.

 

[RW1]

I agree with Olas and SrDriver. The best defense weapon/round is the one you have with you and can control.

I have a S&W 66 3" that is absolutely oppressive when shooting with magnums. I would rather shoot my 629 4" than that little 3". Funny thing, I also have a Ruger LCP .380 and I think that is also obnoxious to shoot and not confident in my ability to hit with it. So it sits in the safe. My primary summer gun is the S&W Shield 9mm. Winter sees either my Kimber 1911 TLE or my P220.

Go with what you can hit fast and accurately enough with.

 

[HM12460]

As individuals we are all different. With that said, IMO, a .357 is not a great choice for the reasons stated above. I prefer a semi-automatic with considerably more capacity. This will involve a firearm with a double stack magazine. A Ruger SR9C is my first choice.

 

[Indydriver]

I think you need to focus more on capacity and less on caliber. 5 shot simply isn't enough in my view when you can easily carry 10-14 of 9mm to .40. If you're going to go to all the trouble and expense of carrying, it would be a shame to run short of rounds in an encounter.

 

[barkingspider]

Best defensive caliber is the one u can hit where u aim. A 22 LR round will kill. A snubby that can shoot both 38 spl and 357 mag is a great choice IMO. 38 spl is easier and cheaper to shoot, plus it has plenty of stopping power when u can put it in right place. Shot placement is more important than caliber when it comes to self defense.

 

[Robenstein]

If you do go with a snubby and want to shoot 357's, then get an all steel one and shoot light JHP rounds in it to tame the recoil somewhat.

The problem is that you just do not have enough barrel to really take advantage of the 357 mag. So much of the powder will be unburnt and just result in blinding muzzle flash. So you may just want to carry some 38 Special loads in it.

There are snubbies that shoot 9mm or 45acp rounds. You may want to look into those also.

Personally I would rather have a smaller semi auto in 380 or 9mm. They are slimmer and do not print as easily and have more capacity in a similar size.

 

[buckeyejake]

I think a s&w 60 is a great carry gun , had one for over 40 years . But for the last 12 or so its been my 32 Seecamp . Most new ccw holders get talk into too big of a pistol and tire of carrying it . Just remember thin and small

Jake

 

[totegoat]

I don't carry because I don't feel threatened out and about. At home, I keep a ready to go .40 just in case. A short barrel .357 while deadly at short range, looses velocity quickly downrange.

 

[spasm3]

The best caliber, is the one you can shoot best and conceal the easiest. Different for different people. .357 may be good but not if you shoot a 9mm better or vice versa.

 

[RedOakRanch]

I've shot them all and the best advice is to get the biggest gun that still meets your needs of weight, size, etc. Then shoot the biggest round that you can control easily. For most it comes to a .38 in a snub nose, .38+P for medium frame and .357 for 4" or more of barrel and a lot of steel. In semi autos you can usually shoot a 9mm pretty well in many small guns. My 11 year old son has no problem shooting a 40s&w even though many people say they are too snappy. Its all I can do to keep my LCR.357 in my hand when shooting full power .357, it's still fun but most would develop a flinch from it. The bottom line as already stated is to shoot something that you can hit the target with. .22 is much better than a .44 mag for most.

 

[suspiciousmind]

James Bond generally prefers Walther PPK .380

http://jamesbond.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_firearms

 

[CT8]

Brutal recoil and lost FPS of the bullet due to the short barrel.357 snubbies aren't worth it.