About .357 Magnum
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to talk about
.357 Magnum. The cartridge has persisted in common use for nearly a century and is still employed by various end users. Our goal today is to provide a brief overview of the
.357 Magnum while delving into traits, features, use cases, and more. Without further ado, let’s talk about
.357 Magnum.
What is .357 Magnum?
The
.357 Magnum is the result of a collaboration between Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Douglas B. Wesson, and Smith & Wesson. Design for the cartridge began in 1934 with production starting one year later in 1935. The cartridge’s parent case is the
.38 Special and was developed in response to the .38 Super cartridge introduced by Colt. The
.357 Magnum was developed to provide improved terminal ballistics than the
.38 Special with an emphasis on penetrating cover like as vests and steel car doors.
When compared to the
.38 Special, the
.357 Magnum cartridge features higher velocities, increased pressures, and flatter trajectories. These traits allow for a greater accuracy potential and increase the effective range of the cartridge. Recoil-wise, the cartridge exhibits a sharp, stout recoil impulse which is a far cry from the impulse yielded by the
.38 Special. While stout, the recoil impulse of the
.357 Magnum is eclipsed by that of the
.44 Magnum and larger magnum calibers.
The
.357 Magnum’s high velocity nature and increased powder charge make this cartridge an effective magnum handgun round. These traits aid the
.357 Magnum in producing solid and effective hits on target and improve the cartridge’s overall terminal ballistics. The improved terminal ballistics of the cartridge make the
.357 Magnum well-suited for defensive applications, duty, and hunting. The magnum nature of this cartridge makes it appropriate for many use cases, making it incredibly versatile.
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Other Names for .357 Magnum
This cartridge is referred to and known by many names. Most commonly, people will simply refer to the cartridge as
.357 Magnum, a naming convention present on many
ammo boxes and firearms. This designation is often abbreviated as
.357 Mag. A longer designation for the cartridge comes in the form of
.357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, a name reflective of Smith & Wesson’s development of the cartridge. This longer designation is abbreviated as
.357 S&W Magnum. This cartridge should not be confused with the .357 Maximum or
.357 Sig as they are unique rounds and are incompatible.
Relationship with .38 Special
The
.357 Magnum and
.38 Special cartridges share a relationship similar to that of the .44 Magnum and .44 Special. Firearms chambered in
.357 Magnum accommodate both
.357 Magnum ammo and
.38 Special ammunition. These firearms are designed to handle the hotter pressures of the
.357 Magnum and can easily withstand both rounds. Firearms chambered in
.38 Special accept
.38 Special ammunition and cannot accommodate
.357 Magnum ammunition. This is due to the higher pressure of the
.357 Magnum and the fact that it is physically too long to index with
.38 Special chambers and cylinders. At the end of the day, a degree of potential interchangeability exists between the
.357 Magnum and
.38 Special.
Service Use
After its introduction, the
.357 Magnum saw widespread service use by both military and law enforcement personnel. The cartridge was notably employed various professional end users ranging from MACV-SOG personnel to standard beat cops. In American use, the round was mainly used by law enforcement personnel and federal agencies. Even as newer, higher capacity offerings in
9mm Luger and
.45 ACP were adopted, the
.357 Magnum continued to see use. Additionally, many end users continued to employ
.357 Magnum revolvers as potent backup guns.
How Available is .357 Magnum Ammunition?
At this point in time, one will find that many manufacturers produce
.357 Magnum ammunition. These
ammo companies hail from multiple countries and produce a variety of loadings. These loadings range from standard full metal jacket (FMJ) loadings to specialized JHP loadings for self-defense.
.357 Magnum ammo offerings of this type are produced by
PMC,
Magtech,
Sellier & Bellot,
Aguila, and
Black Hills to name a few. Additionally,
Hornady produces a LEVERevolution loading for this caliber, optimal for use in lever action rifles.
.357 Magnum ammo is by no means exotic and can generally be found at most places where
ammunition is sold.
Ammo for
.38 Special and
9mm Luger may be more common, but
.357 Magnum ammo is not hard to find. If one elects to
shop for ammo online, they can browse a wider selection of
ammunition. When you
buy ammo online, you are not limited by what is locally in stock or on shelves, granting shooters more options. All in all, one will be able to get
.357 Magnum ammunition in a variety of forms if they truly want to, whether in individual boxes or
bulk ammo quantities.
How Available are Firearms Chambered in .357 Magnum?
The firearms market currently offers a wide range of support for the
.357 Magnum cartridge. Firearm offerings will typically be found in the form of revolvers and rifles. Revolvers in
.357 Magnum are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. Everything from single action, Western style revolvers to large frame double action revolvers can be had in
.357 Magnum. While not as common as revolvers, there are semi-automatic handguns in
.357 Magnum such as certain Desert Eagle models. Rifles are typically available in the form of lever action rifles. Companies such as Colt, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Henry are among the manufacturers of these types of firearms.
One will also be able to find old production and vintage
.357 Magnum chambered firearms. These are generally found in the form of revolvers from companies such as Smith & Wesson and Colt. These revolvers range from service revolvers to old production commercial offerings. Revolvers of this type are available in a variety of models, variations, and styles, making them quite collectable. Some of these older, out of print offerings hold their value well and may demand a premium. All in all, one will be able to find a firearm in
.357 Magnum if that is what they are after.
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What is .357 Magnum Used For?
The
.357 Magnum has been employed in many roles since its introduction. Of course, the cartridge is well-suited for plinking and target shooting. The cartridges high velocities and flat trajectories combined with its high accuracy potential make the
.357 Magnum well-suited for this role. As mentioned above, the round has a history as a service cartridge and still sees limited use in this role today. The
.357 Magnum is also suitable for self-defense and concealed carry purposes.
The cartridge is often employed by both handgun and rifle hunters in the pursuit of a variety of game. Notably, the cartridge is capable of ethically dispatching a wide range of small and medium game, particularly being favored for deer hunting. The effectiveness of the
.357 Magnum is increased when used in a rifle, allowing for impactful and accurate shot placement. As with any type of hunting, one should utilize appropriate
ammunition, firearms, equipment, and practices. By doing so, one can ensure an optimal and ethical hunt.
Conclusion
At the end of the day,
.357 Magnum continues to be a popular cartridge nearly a century after its introduction. The cartridge is still employed by shooters of all types for practical, recreational, and collecting purposes to name a few. If you are looking to buy
.357 Magnum ammo, we here at True Shot Ammo carry a wide range of loadings. Our inventory of
ammo for sale covers range loadings, defensive loadings, and more, allowing shooters of various types to find what they need. Regardless of whether you are wanting to buy
.357 Magnum ammunition or something else we stock, we here at True Shot Ammo have got you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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