I have a .357 mag wheelgun; for home protection I keep it loaded with 158 grain hollowpoints; yet it seems that load would be excessive for CCW, I am thinking of bystanders, etc.
Would it be better to load with, say, 38 special hollow points (which I have) for up close and personal confrontations?
The bottom line is, how much of those three factors can you handle, and accurately shoot in a high-stress situation?
I can load up my 357 snubbie with full-power 357's, but the blast, flash, and recoil are all brutal. I'd rather load 38 +P for self-defense and save the 357's for fun time at the range, not nearly as powerful, but much more controllable.
Let's say you confront an assailant at night. After you touch off the first shot, if he's not immobilized, are you now deaf and blind due to the muzzle blast and flash, not to mention how long does it take you to get back on target, due to the recoil? Mine will raise my arms toward the sky with full-power 357's, whereas 38 +P's are more like a 9mm pistol in recoil. The muzzle flips right back online, doesn't lift my arms.
Even Dirty Harry, in one of those movies, said he usually loaded "light Specials". Much more controllable, and about as powerful as a .45 Auto, a proven man-stopper.
The actual round isn’t all that important if you can’t hit with it. My loads are Federal Hydra-Shoks for my .45 Auto but I know I can hit with the second shot on a fast moving target.
What you will have to do is find the most powerful round you can handle and hit. Hits are the only thing that counts. Someone mentioned the small distance between combatants but remember, if you can’t miss, neither can the other guy. That means your hits have to stop the guy “RIGHT NOW”. You no longer have a large center of mass target. You have a relatively small triangular target to hit and hit well. It may take the rest of your ammo and if you can’t handle the recoil of a second shot, that eliminates your chances.
Try standard .38’s and then move up to a quality defense load like Corbons, Federal Hydra-Shoks or Speer Gold Dots and learn to hit with that second shot.
You are getting a lot of good advice and just a tiny bit of bad.
I personally prefer autos, specifically the 1911 and Browining Hi-Power tho Glocks, Sigs, etc. just might be even better.
Whoever is telling you a .357 mag is not a good choice is misleading you.
A reliable .22, .32 or .380 is good, but a 9mm. .40, .45, 38 special, .357 and so on are better.
It has been repeated over and over again but it should be repeated again. Placement is more important than power, a lot more important, but power is still good.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_power_chart.htm
Handgun Cartridge Power Chart - Condensed Version
By Chuck Hawks
That's a nice weapon. I keep a S&W 357 at home, loaded and hidden, but very convenient for me to grab if needed. I just keep it loaded with 38s.
Don't go auto unless you don't mind the possibility that you might one day pull the trigger and get nothing. One thing about a good revolver is you KNOW the pin is going to strike the round. I pack a nice little Seecamp 32 auto (VERY reliable and loaded with Silvertips, of course) for everyday carrying in the jeans pocket, but for more nervous situations, I'll take the revolver every time. It's a matter of having complete confidence, and that counts.
FRegards,
LH
Beginners should start with NRA Certified trainingI would recommend training
from an NRA Certified Instructor inRefuse to be a victim
NRA training for women
Basic pistol
Personal protection in the home
and the newly released
Personal protection outside the home
NRA Gun Safety Rules
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot
Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use
I use .38 Special +P in my snub nose S&W wheel gun. .357 loads rattle your teeth at the gun range.
For safety with ammunition always matchthe caliber stamped on the barrel with
the caliber on the box of cartridges
with the caliber on the head-stamp
of the cartridge.For you own safety ignore advice given
by those who are not trained and certified
as firearms instructors
If people were to follow these
NRA safety rules they would eliminate "accidents":
Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction
Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot
Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use
My preference is aHornady Critical Defense round.
http://www.hornady.com/store/Critical-Defense-newammo
Later.