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The .357 Magnum
The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR as it is known in unofficial metric designation, is a smokeless powder cartridge with a .357-inch bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. Wesson of firearm manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in 1934, and its use has since become widespread. This cartridge started the "Magnum era" of handgun ammunition. The .357 Magnum was collaboratively developed over a period in the early to mid-1930s by a group of individuals in a direct response to Colt's .38 Super Automatic. At the time, the .38 Super was the only American pistol cartridge capable of defeating automobile cover and the early ballistic vests that were just beginning to emerge in the post-World War I "Gangster Era". Tests at the time revealed that those vests defeated any handgun bullet traveling less than about 1,000 feet per second. Colt's .38 Super Automatic just edged over that velocity and was able to penetrate car doors and vests that bootleggers and gangsters were employing as cover.
Though .38 Special and .357 Magnum would seem to be different diameter chamberings, they are in fact identical, as at 0.357 inches they both have the same bullet diameter. The .38 Special nomenclature relates to the previous use of heeled bullets (such as the .38 Short Colt and .38 Long Colt), which were the same diameter as the case. The only external dimensional difference between .38 Special and .357 magnum is the difference in case length; this was done to prevent accidentally loading a .357 magnum cartridge in to a .38 Special revolver that is not designed for the .357 magnum's higher chamber pressure. Case volume was not a factor in the increase in case length as the .38 Special cartridge was originally a black powder cartridge, and the .357 magnum was developed using only much denser smokeless powder.
This cartridge is regarded by many as an excellent hunting, metallic silhouette and self-defense round. With proper loadings it can also be effective against large or dangerous game, such as bear and ungulates; however, many consider the larger and more powerful magnum cartridges to be more appropriate, such as the .500 S&W Magnum, .460 S&W Magnum, .50 Action Express, .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, .41 Magnum and 10mm Auto.
Comparatively, the .357 Magnum has less energy than the larger magnum revolver loadings but is smaller in diameter with high velocity allowing for excellent penetration properties. It is a fine small- and medium-game round and is sufficient to hunt deer at reasonable ranges if suitable loadings are used by a competent marksman. For further comparison, the .357 Magnum has a higher velocity at 100 yards than its parent case (.38 Special) has at the muzzle.
The .357 Magnum's effectiveness on game is similar to that of the .45 Colt, but with a much flatter trajectory due to its higher velocity. It has been used with success for self-defence, plinking, hunting, or target shooting. The original 357 load was a 158 grain bullet with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1525 fps. (Muzzle velocity was taken using a revolver with a fairly long barrel 8.75”) Most of today's loads are fairly mild when compared to the original load. Revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum have the significant advantage of also being able to chamber and fire the shorter and less-powerful .38 Special cartridge. Compared to the .357 Magnum, .38 Special is also lower in cost, recoil, noise, and muzzle flash. The ability to also fire the .38 Special makes .357 revolvers ideal for novice shooters who are not yet used to firing full-power .357 magnum loads but do not want the expense of buying a second lower-powered gun to train with.
The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR as it is known in unofficial metric designation, is a smokeless powder cartridge with a .357-inch bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. Wesson of firearm manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in 1934, and its use has since become widespread. This cartridge started the "Magnum era" of handgun ammunition. The .357 Magnum was collaboratively developed over a period in the early to mid-1930s by a group of individuals in a direct response to Colt's .38 Super Automatic. At the time, the .38 Super was the only American pistol cartridge capable of defeating automobile cover and the early ballistic vests that were just beginning to emerge in the post-World War I "Gangster Era". Tests at the time revealed that those vests defeated any handgun bullet traveling less than about 1,000 feet per second. Colt's .38 Super Automatic just edged over that velocity and was able to penetrate car doors and vests that bootleggers and gangsters were employing as cover.
Though .38 Special and .357 Magnum would seem to be different diameter chamberings, they are in fact identical, as at 0.357 inches they both have the same bullet diameter. The .38 Special nomenclature relates to the previous use of heeled bullets (such as the .38 Short Colt and .38 Long Colt), which were the same diameter as the case. The only external dimensional difference between .38 Special and .357 magnum is the difference in case length; this was done to prevent accidentally loading a .357 magnum cartridge in to a .38 Special revolver that is not designed for the .357 magnum's higher chamber pressure. Case volume was not a factor in the increase in case length as the .38 Special cartridge was originally a black powder cartridge, and the .357 magnum was developed using only much denser smokeless powder.
This cartridge is regarded by many as an excellent hunting, metallic silhouette and self-defense round. With proper loadings it can also be effective against large or dangerous game, such as bear and ungulates; however, many consider the larger and more powerful magnum cartridges to be more appropriate, such as the .500 S&W Magnum, .460 S&W Magnum, .50 Action Express, .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, .41 Magnum and 10mm Auto.
Comparatively, the .357 Magnum has less energy than the larger magnum revolver loadings but is smaller in diameter with high velocity allowing for excellent penetration properties. It is a fine small- and medium-game round and is sufficient to hunt deer at reasonable ranges if suitable loadings are used by a competent marksman. For further comparison, the .357 Magnum has a higher velocity at 100 yards than its parent case (.38 Special) has at the muzzle.
The .357 Magnum's effectiveness on game is similar to that of the .45 Colt, but with a much flatter trajectory due to its higher velocity. It has been used with success for self-defence, plinking, hunting, or target shooting. The original 357 load was a 158 grain bullet with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1525 fps. (Muzzle velocity was taken using a revolver with a fairly long barrel 8.75”) Most of today's loads are fairly mild when compared to the original load. Revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum have the significant advantage of also being able to chamber and fire the shorter and less-powerful .38 Special cartridge. Compared to the .357 Magnum, .38 Special is also lower in cost, recoil, noise, and muzzle flash. The ability to also fire the .38 Special makes .357 revolvers ideal for novice shooters who are not yet used to firing full-power .357 magnum loads but do not want the expense of buying a second lower-powered gun to train with.
