Ok , so your carrying your 5 shot .357 mag snubbie, and a Large heavy weight thug is ready to do some damage to you. You draw, aim and fire on this criminal imbicile. what .357 mag (only .357) do you want launching at em? what is your best FACTORY load for one stop shot's? particulary in short barrelled weapons. I understand this type of thread may have been exhausted but Im more concerned with stopping power here than say recoil, flash or follow up shot arguments.
ultimate manstopping .357
- Thread starter Pezo
- Start date
Ok just realized there is a similar but not exactly the same thread going on at "best .357 mag defense load" sorry for the similiarities but my thread is more aimed at raw stopping power for 2 legged assaliants coming from a pocket snubbie only and not oh I like these rounds cause recoil is light or noise isnt severe etc.
CarbineCaleb
New member
If he's obese, I'd say the Federal Castcore load - it's a hardcast lead bluntnose bullet, 180gr @1250fps. Works on deer and black bear... would work on a big and fat guy too.
juliet charley
New member
No such round exists.
If you are shooting him with a full power .357 personal protection round, I would not worry about reaching lard butt's important organs. I would worry about over penetration with a heavy cast load though. You would not want to ruin Suzy homemaker's day would you? I don't think blubber would slow down a fast moving, heavy cast bullet that much. Maybe Rosie O'donnell can volunteer for this test. 
I'm sure the box-o-truth guys would love to have her.
I'm sure the box-o-truth guys would love to have her.CarbineCaleb
New member
Well, somewhere on the net is the tale of a policeman who got into a roadside battle for his life with a fat guy. Policeman is lying on his back and hits the fat guy 5 times in center of mass witha .357 Magnum - none penetrated vitals. Of course, the angle was unfavorable, not straight on, and the guy was fat... but there was insufficient penetration alright. Bad guy winds up killing the officer with a small caliber round that misses the officer's vest and cuts a major artery.
The hardcast round won't even expand, penetrates far better than hollowpoint/soft lead round.
The hardcast round won't even expand, penetrates far better than hollowpoint/soft lead round.
Garand Guy
New member
I've carried Federal 158 gr. Hydra-Shok on a few occasions. My personal preference leans toward Winchester 145gr. Silver HP. (If you can't find them at the local gun shop, check Midwayusa.com)They have an aluminum jacket and are supposed to have near 100% weight retention. Be warned though, they do pack a wollop from a snibbie.
Hornady also makes some very good ammo. Check out their 140-158 gr selection. I would use them, but my hand loads are Hornady. (CCW lisence holders know the risk of loading the same bullets that they use for personal defense.)
Good luck.
Hornady also makes some very good ammo. Check out their 140-158 gr selection. I would use them, but my hand loads are Hornady. (CCW lisence holders know the risk of loading the same bullets that they use for personal defense.)
Good luck.
The Body Bagger
New member
used to like the 145gr Win Silver Tips now going with the 180gr Win Partition Gold.
75thRangerRegiment
New member
Head shots with a .357 ( if you're quick enough) will stop anything, anytime! and thats a fact i put to the test in Panama in Dec. '89' ( Legally of course). .357's were not a part of our TOE but us officers were given alot of leeway on our sidearm choices as long as we supplied our ammo.
thank you for response's and opinions. what brought this up was I was watching an episode of "cops" and the police officer said he had a shootout with a suspect. the suspect shot and missed. the officer shot and hit but didnt know it because the bullet didnt faze the badguy at all. I would know enough to "empty" the revo into assailant until assailant drops but having ammo with good or bettter odds of a one shot drop would be to an advantage. I also beleive realistically in a civillan self defense situation firing ranges would be well within 10' probably more likely at bad breath distance. ( though I know not always, still more likely) I would prefer to have a round that leaned to the side of more blast and knockdown than follow up shot and comfortable to the shooter aka more accurate. I picture in a more realistic self defense shooting one may be more focused on keeping assailant from grabbing gun away (close by assalant in personal space,not at normal range shooting distance) before potential victom fires than keeping target on assailant from a distance that would actually require any sort of aiming at all. sort of knife distance.
I don't carry a .357 snubbie, but for lots of foot-pounds I shoot my 6" Colt Trooper MKIII with Black Hills 125gr hollow points. 1500fps out of the test barrel. Probably lots of muzzle flash out of a snubbie, but less recoil. Minimizes over-penetration. Only if you were going up against a really BFF (big fat guy ) could I see any advantage to a heavier bullet. I think a heavier bullet would be better for a less powerful caliber (I carry 158gr SWCHPs in my .38 snubbie), but I've always believed for personal defense the 125gr .357 is the "sweet spot".
Lou
) could I see any advantage to a heavier bullet. I think a heavier bullet would be better for a less powerful caliber (I carry 158gr SWCHPs in my .38 snubbie), but I've always believed for personal defense the 125gr .357 is the "sweet spot".Lou
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In my 3 inch and under .357's I carry the Remington 158 GR Lead Semiwadcutters. I've heard of more stories where the round didn't go deep to stop him than stories where a round went through somebody and hit an innocent....Bad guys are getting bigger-fatter and more buffed by the day. If the only shot I can get at him has to go through his bicep before it gets into his chest, I want more than 12-14 inches of penetration. The Semiwadcutter was the original .357 load, dropped quite a few bad guys and game.
Having said all that, from 125 GR on up, hollowpoint or not, I think it would certainly tingle a might if ya got hit with it.
Having said all that, from 125 GR on up, hollowpoint or not, I think it would certainly tingle a might if ya got hit with it.
BerettaCougar
New member
K first off, the "one shot stop" crap is funny.
And "stopping" power out of a handgun? RIGHT!!
Shot placement..that's it.. most important part of self defense with a pistol, and any other small arm. YES EVEN WITH A .45/.44 MAGNUM/.50/SHOTGUN!! if your shot is out of the "killzones" (Head/heart) the BG might bleed to death but thats after he plugged you up or stabbed you!.
Just get some good defense loads, and practice your draw (for quicker responses) and aim. Take a class or two... I took a few classes and I am FAAAR from being a pro but hey I am more confident in myself now.
And even if you hit the "kill zone" you have to penetrate the skull or clothes maybe even BPV.... so follow up shots are important. three shots in the same area is always better than one (practice your rapid fire!!)
And "stopping" power out of a handgun? RIGHT!!
Shot placement..that's it.. most important part of self defense with a pistol, and any other small arm. YES EVEN WITH A .45/.44 MAGNUM/.50/SHOTGUN!! if your shot is out of the "killzones" (Head/heart) the BG might bleed to death but thats after he plugged you up or stabbed you!.
Just get some good defense loads, and practice your draw (for quicker responses) and aim. Take a class or two... I took a few classes and I am FAAAR from being a pro but hey I am more confident in myself now.
And even if you hit the "kill zone" you have to penetrate the skull or clothes maybe even BPV.... so follow up shots are important. three shots in the same area is always better than one (practice your rapid fire!!)
berettacougar. I respectively disagree. though handguns can be unpredictable on one shots stops. I've seen that it can happen. It may wey in on shot placement if anything other than luck. but a .357 mag hollow point within 10' is gonna do it if anything else. those first few shots are critical. make the rounds count. To add to the statement that one shot stops with a handgun are laughable it could happen even with a .22. I dont think that consistantly taking shot's at the badguy to be any better of a strategy either. aka. Miami shootout of 1986. proof enough bullet effectiveness and shot placement may perhaps be moreof a deciding factor than rounds fired .hmmmmm. just my humble opinion.
In a .357 snubbie I`d probably be using 125gr. GoldDots and rely on good shot placement (hopefully) for the rest. Strictly adhering to the topic though I`d much prefer a .357 AMP Auto Mag firing a 158gr.JSP at 1700fps. Once used by Lee Jurras to cleanly drop a large Alaskan Moose I don`t think a "Large heavy weight thug" would present much of a problem. Oops,this is the revolver forum. Make that a DW .357 Maximum with the same bullet at 1600fps. would work too. Marcus
Oops,this is the revolver forum. Make that a DW .357 Maximum with the same bullet at 1600fps. would work too. Marcus100W_Warlock
New member
Federal American Eagle 158gr JSP
I have these in my CCW snubby.
Lots of power...not a slauch by any imagination.
they will outdo the 357sig and put the hurt on most 40S&W loads I have used.
(which are usually only 155 or 165gr anyhow)
LOTS of muzzle flash...so if you don't hit him with the bullet, the flame thrower effect will turn him into ash for sweeping up later.
Remember, a hit with a 32 is alot more useful than a miss with a 500S&W.
I have these in my CCW snubby.
Lots of power...not a slauch by any imagination.
they will outdo the 357sig and put the hurt on most 40S&W loads I have used.
(which are usually only 155 or 165gr anyhow)
LOTS of muzzle flash...so if you don't hit him with the bullet, the flame thrower effect will turn him into ash for sweeping up later.
Remember, a hit with a 32 is alot more useful than a miss with a 500S&W.