357 mag ammo in a sp101

[44 AMP]

. Shot two rounds in a SW M60. Opened the cylinder and unloaded the remaining 3 rounds. Nobody can ever convince me BB isn’t over charged -

Are the two fired cases still in the cylinder???

If not, how did they come out? Normally? with finger pressure on the extractor rod? Or were they slightly stuck? (meaning it took more than usual pressure on the rod?) or were they STUCK?? meaning you needed a rod and a hammer to push them out???

If the fired cases extract normally, they aren't overcharged. Period. Can be, (and for you apparently is) more than you want to shoot out of a snubnose belly gun, and that's fine. But they aren't overcharged

The OP asked about the "best" ammo he can buy. All the responses jumped to the heaviest bullet at the highest speed (and arguments about if it was what its claimed to be...)

BUT, is that the BEST ammo for him???

He's not hunting (said woods carry, that's not hunting that's defensive use)
There are only two things in the woods that are dangerous enough to need shooting, animals, and people.

SO, since only hits count and only hits in the right place MATTER, is the most powerful ammo available necessarily the "best"???

He's already handicapped in the power range by using a short barrel gun. Stuffing it with the fastest heaviest bullet load, generating the most recoil possible, because the energy /penetration numbers are the most impressive MIGHT NOT BE the very best idea.

Go and get some of that Buffalo Bore stuff. SHOOT IT! Sure, its spendy but its only money and you get more of that every payday. Shoot some of the "recommended" BB heavy ammo. See what YOU can do with it. Might not be the right stuff for you.

A full power round, lighter than the BB 180s, that YOU can shoot accurately, more than once in a short time, is better for defense than a load with better numbers on paper that you can't use as well.

 

[Rob228]

Double Tap makes a pretty stout 125 grain load with a Gold Dot bullet.

 

[Capt.Mike]

OP, I'm In Buddy I love SP101's (and Contenders). I carried a Snug-nose Speed Six for 10+ years loaded with 125 gr HP's. My opinion is, BULLET PLACEMENT since we're both Contender guys, Make The First SHOT COUNT. I've seen too many people killed with a .22 LR to argue about 38/357 rounds (and for the record, IMO one of the worst calibers ever used for Self-Defense... a .25 ACP. A jealous husband killed a friend of mine with 5 rounds from a 25 Auto in a Gas Station back in the '80's.)

 

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I've never had a hard cast bullet shatter and I've shot through a lot of wood in my testing. FMJ bullets actually contain soft lead that can squish out if it yaws. Often the bottom of the bullets are open.

 

[BigBill]

Try testing bullet expansion is clean wet sand.

 

[rc]

Learn to reload. I would suggest 158 grain soft point or XTP as a general use loading. I would suggest Unique or similar powder in a short barreled revolver. H110 is all flash and bluster with little power. Most ammo is not loaded optimum for short barrels.

 

[mrt949]

I am the OP I reloaded years ago now I am looking for the easy way out .

 

[roscoe]

Buffalo Bore, DoubleTap, Underwood. All make good hot-loaded 180+ grain hardcast loads.

But do yourself a favor and put some Hogue grips before touching all that heat off. Your hand, especially your middle finger, will thank you. You can also get 158 grain hardcast .38+P loads that are less painful and still pretty potent.

 

[Sarge]

The last time I was in Alaska--12 years ago, I'm sorry to say--I picked up a 20 pack of Alaska Backpacker 200 grain cast 357 in Anchorage, for the 2 1/4" SP101 that lived in my right jacket pocket until I got on the plane to fly home.

Once home, I clocked it from that revolver. They chrono'ed 970 fps from the 2 ¼” SP101. The load's velocity didn't impress me much- until I started shooting things with it. It easily bored through a 3 inch seasoned oak limb, digging an inch groove in the trunk behind. It shot through an old mower deck, .45 hardball only dented.

 

[Webleymkv]

It was briefly mentioned, but it bears repeating that where the woods the OP will be in and what is in said woods is of utmost importance in determining the best "woods carry" ammunition. Here in Indiana, the most dangerous things I'm likely to encounter in the woods are feral or rabid dogs and people who don't take kindly to me stumbling upon their meth lab or pot farm. For me, the same ammunition that I'd carry for self-defense in town would be equally practical in the woods. Now, if you live or frequent areas where large, dangerous animals like moose, feral hogs, or bears live then a heavy bullet of the moderately-expanding or non-expanding variety would be more prudent.

However, I somewhat question the notion that the heaviest bullet at the highest velocity is necessarily the answer. A good 158 gr SWC at 1200-1300 fps will penetrate an awful lot and it won't have the vicious recoil of the hot boutique loads with 180+ gr bullets, particularly from a relatively small, light gun like the OP's SP101. It seems to me that something of more moderate power, which will still penetrate plenty, that is more pleasant to shoot and thus more conducive to regular practice would be a wiser choice. If a "normal" .357 Magnum as I've described won't get the job done, then perhaps a better idea would be to step up to a bigger, heavier gun in a larger caliber like .41 Magnum or .44 Magnum.

 

[mrt949]

Webleymky Over the years I Did Handgun Hunting With a 14" 44Mag Contender and With A 44Mag Super Blackhawk Never Shot Anything . I have a Ruger Security Six Stainless and a 4.2 SP 101 Also When the ammo gets back on the shelves .WE WILL SEE .I carry
My 2.4 SP 101 With 125 Remington HP for daily carry

 

[Mycin]

For a good-penetrating moderate load, I suggest the HSM Cowboy Action round:

https://hsmammunition.com/cowboy-action/

The .357 version uses a 158gr hardcast SWC and is rated at 1175 fps, so recoil out of the SP-101 should be more manageable than with the typical "bear load" rounds. I've shot a few hundred of these as a plinking load (they cost about $.50 per round in "normal" times at Cabelas) and I've always thought they would make a decent woods round in a pinch.