At this point, the stainless steel version is scheduled for early 2019 production, while the Cowboy Carbine with 20-inch octagonal barrel is scheduled for production by April 1, 2018. In fact, going from a 17 inch barrel up to 18 inches, actually LOST velocity in all but two of the loads, although the decrease was negligible. If you dont own one, you should. Most double-action revolvers chambered in .357 Mag. Someone so knowledgeable in the area of ballistics should be smart enough to identify it as being beneath their level of expertise and just walk on by. Gel gives the researcher a good idea of how a bullet is likely to perform in an animate target. In the 1:16 16.25 barrels, we tested loads from subsonic .38 Special to a stout .357 Maximum and everything in between. As far as ballistics, when fired from a 6-inch barrel revolver, a heavy 240-grain .44 Magnum bullet can reach speeds of up to 1,380 feet per second, generating kinetic energy at the muzzle of 1,015 foot-pounds of force.That's plenty of power, enough to take down up to deer-size game at distances of up to 50 yards. A number of popular loads from major manufacturers were tested. Four extra mm for a few more grains of powder or a weightier bullet. Not a big problem, but follow-up shots will always be faster with a full-sized 9mm automatic. may best be known for its use in police work. We used products we
The first thought was to check on the differences between the handgun ballistics verses rifle ballistics. Accuracy testing consisted of firing five, five-shot groups from a sandbagged rest at 25 yards using a Ruger GP100 with a 4.2 barrel. and 1153 lb-ft, for a 41 percent velocity gain and 98 percent boost in energy. The .357 Magnum is a powerful cartridge, but in this case it takes a narrow 2nd place to the 10mm Auto. May 28, 2017. the list of ammunition tested as part of the Cylinder Gap tests. The same load of H-110 shot a Sierra 140 . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzrxHjX7eWo. Remington's 125-grain SJHP .357 Magnum round runs at 1,514 f.p.s. Best barrel length for 5.56mm (and .223 Remington) depends on your use case. Check out www.ballisticsbytheinch.com for actual test chronograph data. Of these three criteria, the penetration is the most important. Max expansion: 0.600 Gov, according to a friend of mine that is a student of these things, the 44-40 was a favorite of the cowboys. The velocity was within about 5 FPS on a 5 shot average. The S&B 158-grain JSPs gave carbine numbers of 1451 fps and 739 lb-ft, but the chrono battery died before we could measure them from the revolver. The .357 Magnum makes much of it's performance because of slower burning powders. A particularly fascinating feature of the 357 Magnum is that it is effective in a handgun and reaches almost carbine-like performance out of a rifle length barrel. Velocity by barrel length for the .357 SIG - From Ballistics by the Inch. It in no way increases the amount you pay and helps us stay in business. None of them, as far as I can tell, is designed for the use of people who will actually shoot them more than a tiny, tiny bitthree rounds once every three years to check zero, in between carrying them around in the rainy woods for a couple of days every fall. Here's the inside story of what they found and how they're rebuilding an industry giant. This load is equivalent to a .38 Special +P. Hornady makes a .357 Magnum 140-grain Leverevolution that claims to get 1850 fps and 1064 lb-ft from an 18 carbine. ATTENTION: Effective Sept 1, 2020, the BBTI Project is in "Archive Status." No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of the firearms community. Average Gr: 165. Never liked lever guns. I read your blog its really informative for me I also share this article with my friends keep it upheart touching poetry in Urduthanks for sharing. Note: If you're looking for absolute maximum range from something like an AR-15 platform, it may be worth considering cartridges like the 6.5 Grendel, .224 Valkyrie, and others. No right answer here. It is well-established fact that the length of a firearm's barrel will affect velocity (and therefore muzzle energy and even trajectory) to varying degrees. 357 Magnum Rifle Ballistics: This 357 Magnum Rifle Ballistics Chart shows the 140 Grain Hornady FTX travels at 1,850 feet per second with 1,064 pounds of energy at the muzzle when fired from an 18 inch barrel. Lever-Action Ballistics Comparison: .30-30 vs .357 Magnum, Levi Strauss Blames Lawful Gun Owners for Gun Violence in Communities of Color, SIG SAUER Announces the New KILO8K-ABS Rangefinder and KILO10K-ABA HD Rangefinding Binoculars, Oh, The Humanity: Latest Polling Shows a Majority of Americans Now Oppose an Assault Weapons Ban, Smith & Wesson Announces the New M&P FPC Pistol Caliber Carbine, Get Ready for the Invasion of Canadian Feral Super Pigs. Even the weakest .30-30 load we tested produced almost 30 percent more energy than the most impressive .357 Magnum, and even that so-called weak 170-grain .30-30 bullet will retain much more of its energy much farther downrange than any flat-nosed .357 slug will. Additionally, barrel length on a .357 matters for performance. And you were born knowing everything about all the guns, I take it? Velocity by barrel length for the .45 Colt cartridge - Data sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. Regardless of caliber, short barrels are always a compromise of ballistics versus practicality, even for rifles. . It was originally designed and released in 1934 by Phil Sharpe, and Elmer Keith. A Big Boy Carbine (16.5) would be just right. Gold Dot. The bullets could be loaded in .38 Special cases, and the cartridges would be short enough to fit, but that would reduce the velocity of the heavy bullet. At 150, four of the five loads were in the -4 to -6 inch range. The Uberti gained 622 fps with Hornady 158 FP-XTP bullets over Power Pro 300-MP. Actually its a pretty simple takedown compared to field stripping some handguns in my opinion. Ballistic gelatin testing is one of the best methods available to assess a cartridges potential in a self-defense role. Also known as 9mm Parabellum, 9x19mm, etc. Based on the data above, it appears that almost all loads tested got their greatest percentage increase in velocity up until about a 7" barrel length. Cor Bon. Even for self defense Id stick with 158s in a .357 rifle. As a result, most who want a suppressor may want to opt for a barrel in the 10 inch range, which works out if you want a pistol-type setup for use with and without a suppressor. I can only assume that the gap that exists between . Of the nine loads tested here, only two achieved between 12 and 18 inches of penetration in both bare gel and gel covered with heavy clothing. The SP-101 is a 5-shot DA/SA .357 Magnum available in stainless steel or blued finishes. Velocity by barrel length data for .40 Smith & Wesson - Sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. One caveat: my .357 carbine is nicely accurate, but the point of impact varies greatly depending on the ammunition being fired. Watch out! The .357s handgun ballistics are impressive indeed, but how much more impressive does it get from an extra fourteen inches of barrel? Taurus Model 66 357 Magnum, $325: Sept. 2018: B-The barrel length of 6 inches did not generate greater velocity. Velocity by barrel length for the .41 Remington Magnum - Data is sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. But not quite. Kimber K6 Combat. Power Pro 300-MP also provided the evenest velocities, although all the powders used were pretty consistent with standard deviations of 20 to 40 fps for five shots. Best Barrel Length for 357 Magnum Rifle. Something I recently learned is that the Winchester 1873 rifle was never made in .45 Colt, but that Colt quickly came out with a .44-40 version of the Peacemaker. So the differences for the 21/2 difference in barrel length were 136 fps, 144 fps and 153 fps . We'll also analyze the optimal minimum barrel length for various calibers. Now, the most frustrating gun I own is the Diamondback DBX 57 to field strip. Since I had to eyeball it a little let's call it 3.5". For an overall great rifle, there's nothing wrong with the most popular barrel length of 16 inches. A shooter using the .357 must limit himself to broad-side shots on deer. Literally. Hornady claims that they make 2400 fps from a 24 test barrel, and I was pleasantly surprised that the Trappers 16 barrel (literally one-third shorter) only paid a small 11.25 percent velocity penalty. Current-production version is 2-660069. Theoretically, a 22-inch barrel would be the best combination between somewhat manageable maneuverability and maximum velocity, but it's a non-standard length. Kinda want to try out some of the underwood extreme defender loadings from rifle length but going to be a bit until the next gun for the family. Best Overall Barrel Length for 5.56 NATO. This is especially relevant when it comes to things like AR-15 rifle and/or pistol builds, as well as offerings like the Ruger 10/22 (and its "Charger" pistol variants). We'll also briefly discuss best barrel length for something like an AR-15 pistol, below to allow you to better navigate various typical barrel length offerings. Too funny! Terminal ballistic testing was conducted using 20 long blocks of organic 10 percent ballistic gelatin placed 10 feet from the muzzle. Some guns, such as Heckler & Koch's integrally suppressed MP5SD are actually designed to bleed off excessive gas pressure to make sure any rounds they fire will remain subsonic! Pistol caliber carbines are practical, economical to feed and just plain fun to shoot. home +
The racetrack is made from interconnected slopes. the list of ammunition tested as part of the
for a Muzzle Energy graph for the tests in this caliber.  And remember to also check
Buffalo Bore offers a hard-hitting, high-velocity 180-grain JHP loading well-suited to taking deer-sized game at 50 yards or so. Rifle Barrel Length: 18 Inches. video was pretty good. Of course, adding a suppressor to that setup would give you a functional barrel length of over 22", which is not particularly handy. Longer the Barrel the Better. Shooters that plan on using only iron sights often opt for a 20 or longer barrel on a 357 Magnum rifle because the increased sight radius gives the rifle greater accuracy at farther distances. If you still wanted to maintain an ultra-short setup with a suppressor, you could go even shorter with barrel length, as the additional length of the suppressor will increase velocity. My wife enjoys the 357 best of any of my rifle so it gets the nod. It doesn't have any major disadvantages in velocity and is still overall quite maneuverable. It appears that overall, the optimal barrel length for 9mm (for something like an AR-15 pistol build, SBR, or similar setup), is about 7 to 8 inches for maximum efficiency and handling. It is a good idea to keep the ball rolling in the middle of the racetrack, which allows you to easily move to the left or the right to evade the obstacles. I suppose thats true with any handgun, regardless of caliber. Bullet diameter: .430 inch. Terminal ballistics testing was done with a Ruger LCR with a 1.87 barrel. If one were so inclined to squeeze every bit of velocity out of a .22LR firearm, an 18" barrel does an excellent job of taking full advantage of everything the round has to offer. Youll laugh, but it my favorite rifle is my Rossi 1892 with a 16 barrel. The Buffalo Bore 140 -gr. The beauty of the snub-nose revolver is its ease of concealment and the choice to carry one over a larger handgun is likely based on carry comfort rather than terminal performance. Is a snub nose barrel simply too short to make use of the .357s extra powder? Construction: 410-series stainless steel 10mm vs. 357 Mag Muzzle Energy. One semi auto and one bolt. Width: 0.44". the 94 shown, like mine, is a wrangler. 1500 fps Corbin 200 grain HP and 1000 fps Silvertips. SJHPs for defensive use and they hit about 8 high at 100 yards compared to the 150gr. Data for .22LR shown below is sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. What I mean by choked is that the bore of the barrel was tapered, starting at the rifled end of the forcing cone/throat and was .001 inch smaller at the muzzle. Mine is zeroed at 75 yards with Winchester Silvertips (~1700 fps). .357s are more suitable for rifles than non magnum rounds since they use slower burning pistol powders than say 9mm. Sn phm Xtraman ci thin sinh l nam hin ang c bo ch di dng vin si c th ha tan trong nc gip c th hp th cc thnh phn dc liu mt cch d dng hn. If it crashes into the wall of the tunnel, the run is over. .357 needs the barrel to develop velocity, 44Spl doesn't. Home loaded, the 44Spl equals the 45 Colt - 250g @ 900fps. Shot from the longer barrel of a rifle, though, the .357 shows a pronounced improvement in velocity and trajectory. 357 Magnum prices will be about 50-75% higher if not double that of 38 Special. With light loads, it boosted a truly anemic .38 Special cowboy load up to +P velocities, and it gave the .38 Special +P equivalent load a 20 percent velocity increase. More importantly, everything it makes has the performance to match. This can depend on a number of factors, such as burn rate of the propellant, bore diameter, and probably others as well. So Im deciding to use CLP and an air gun in the near future to clean it. If strictly looking for quietest and best handling setup, one could easily go as short as 5.5" which is offered by a number of manufacturers. But that works out pretty well because I just move the rear sight up or down a notch and both loads hit right on target. When using a silencer / suppressor, also be sure to keep in mind that many manufacturers have a minimum barrel length for requirement for their warranties, which is often (but not always) about 10 inches or above in the case of common 5.56mm suppressors. Ive considered a 923 (Largo) PCC build for a while now. The 357 never is was or will be a long range cartridge. HANDGUN BALLISTICS. A .357 Magnum cartridge over the established 1.590-inch length will not fit or cycle through the Ubertis action. (Inch) / 0-0.6: This 357 Magnum ballistic chart shows 180 grain Federal Power-Shok jacketed hollow point . As a participant in the Amazon Associates program and other affiliate services, I may earn a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on a link. *Casing image above is an artist rendering and not a real photo of .357 Magnum (Rifle Data) Ballistics cartridge. From Firearm Wiki: The Internet Gun Encyclopedia, Best Overall Barrel Length for .22 Long Rifle, Best Overall Barrel Length for .300 Blackout, https://firearmwiki.com/index.php?title=Velocity_by_Barrel_Length_of_Various_Calibers&oldid=1654, About Firearm Wiki: The Internet Gun Encyclopedia. Data from Ballistics By The Inch reveal that a 125gr bullet propelled at 1500 ft/sec from a 4" barrel will obtain approximately 2000 ft/sec out of the muzzle of a 18" barrel. We did all the work. Its interesting that some folks who dispute the value of this article would waste their time reading it, let alone waste More of their time criticizing it. Without his help all of this would have
The parts are all very light weight. http://ballistics101.com/30-30_winchester.php, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-30_Winchester, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_Magnum. up to you. . Here are the features to watch out for. And if you think you could do better, feel free to spend the money
data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments
If you were looking for a rifle setup, there appears to be no major reason to go above the federal 16" barrel requirement, unless local laws differ, or whatever the case may be. Too slow and the bullet wont expand. pretty cool. With higher-performance loads, the .357 carbine almost delivers real rifle ballistics. Min expansion: 0.534, Impact velocity: 1,563 fps (1324 lb-ft) The 158-grain .357 JSP produces less energy, but it might be a better cartridge for medium-sized game at modest ranges because the bullet itself is less prone to fragmenting at these velocities. So I would imagine that back in the day youd either carry matching .44-40s or carry a .45 Colt and a more powerful single shot rifle such as .45-70. Im also a novice who is grateful for the information & the personal opinions/experiences in the comments. Therefore, the ball can fall out of the racetrack easily. It doesn't have any major disadvantages in velocity and is still overall quite maneuverable. in one place. Moreover, you also need to be careful when the ball goes through the tunnel. calibers/cartridges +
Now then, you throw the same loadings into a 16 AR9 theres a 140fps margin in favor of the Blue Dot! Ammunition: Hornady 225 grain FTX bullet. The S&W 686-3 also showed a major drop in velocity with the Magtech 158 gr .357 Magnum load even though the same barrel had comparatively high . Best accuracy in real 357 loadings (much of todays 357 is anemic) is with 140+ grain bullets. The 2.25-inch and 3-inch models offer synthetic black grips, front ramp sight, and fixed rear sight. Nothing more. The same load of H-110 shot a Sierra 140-grain JHC bullet 695 fps faster from the Uberti than from a revolver. Velocity by barrel length for the 10mm Auto - Data from Ballistics by the Inch. has the energy and accuracy needed for 200 meter silhouette shooting. *.30 Remington has entered the chat* Velocity by barrel length for the .44 Magnum - Data from Ballistics by the Inch. Yoga bolster Online Outstanding review. If you want maximum velocity with a barrel still shorter than the norm and don't plan on using a suppressor, 12.5" is a great choice for a pistol style setup. Data will be sourced from various sources. For an overall great rifle, there's nothing wrong with the most popular barrel length of 16 inches. Mark Wynn reviews the Puma 92 carbine in .357 Magnum caliber. I have a Henry Big Boy Steel .357 leaning in the corner right now, ready to use if need be. It weighs six pounds and holds 5+1 rounds. has a well-deserved reputation for accuracy. The revolver, and the .357 Mag. Published hot loads run above 25,000 CUP, approximately double a cowboy load. The LBT 200-grain cast bullet gained 309 fps shot from the 20-inch barrel compared to the 4-inch barrel. Sounds like youre the target audience for an article detailing why the 300 AAC Blackout rifle cartridge is ballistically superior and much more powerful than 9mm handgun ammo. EDUCATION 101. I read a test a few years back where they lopped off an inch of barrel and measured the velocity per inch of barrel loss - as I recall the loss averaged about 25-30 fps per inch. The .357 Magnum was a different story altogether: 14 of the 20 loads met FBI standards with 5 out of 5 expansion, and 9 of those loads gave the recommended 150% expanded diameter. The .45 ACP velocity and barrel length data below is sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. Korth Mongoose. Thank you. It only gives you the right to possess and use guns for defensive purposes. These short-barreled revolvers are made for maximum concealment and are a good choice when attire is worn that might not allow for easy concealment of a larger handgun. For example, the Uberti shot Sierra 125-grain JHC bullets 818 fps faster than a revolver with the same 22.0 grains of Power Pro 300-MP. Absolutely a really dumb article written for the really dumb firearms novice. We'll also discuss things like ideal barrel lengths for various firearms to help navigate the various barrel length offerings. Probably, the better compromise is a bullet that holds together at rifle velocity even though it will be just a solid slug at revolver velocity. Buy Yoga Mat Online. Looking at published velocity numbers from much longer test barrels, we see that cutting a .30-30 barrel down to the legal-minimum 16.5 doesnt inflict a debilitating penalty to velocity or energy. Many will advise against bothering with subsonic loads using heavier bullets in a 5.56 firearm and instead opt for an AR-15 chambered in .300 Blackout, since it will have better muzzle energy due to much heavier bullets at the same velocities. has some merit after all. The ammunition chosen for that job is as important--possibly more important--than the handgun itself.AccuracyPenetration. Being that the cylinder is cut to accept a Magnum case, the .357 can also be loaded with .38 Spl. Your choice. This gives me point of aim accuracy from 50-100 yards. Although that killing power number is based on published Winchester factory load ballistics taken in a 20" test barrel, a reasonable extrapolation might be a 16.5 inch .357 Magnum carbine still coming close enough to be about a third more potent than either the .30 Carbine or . Accuracy results and terminal ballistics data are included on the accompanying tables. Velocity by barrel length data for the .38 Special - Sourced from Ballistics by the Inch. That comparison isnt even good enough to be called lame. Have a 44mag revolver, and two 44mag carbines. You could even go shorter, but the additional length of a suppressor probably won't fully make up for performance loss with a shorter barrel. When 10mm ammo has a 180 grain bullet and 1,250 fps muzzle velocity, its muzzle energy is 624 ft lbs. Its an 8 AR-type pistol and LOTS of fun until you have to clean it. Bigger hole = more effect and 200g gives driving power to penetrate. You have entered an incorrect email address! Handgun hunters use the cartridge to take game up to the size of small deer. Best barrel length for 5.56mm (and .223 Remington) depends on your use case. JHP. 9. Any more length is up to you, but doesn't appear to be necessary for a .22LR firearm. Here are several 357 Magnum ballistics charts for Federal Premium, Hornady, and Remington ammunition companies. While the 16 Trapper is very handy, consider an 18 barrel which will give you an extra round of magazine capacity and a small ballistic increase. Its not just the .357 that varies point of impact by ammo. Post author: Post published: May 6, 2022; Post category: airport show floor plan; Post comments: . . The .357 Magnum basically doubles its kinetic energy when its fired from a carbine, and it almost earns a promotion to the Big Leagues of rifle ballistics. Diamondback videos make it look like a piece of cake but if you notice, the person has every finger of both hands doing its job at once either holding on to the spring tension so the gun doesnt implode under spring pressure while trying to slip a small intricate part into its tiny intricate slot. Does the .357 not offer any real performance advantage over the .38 Spl. The .357 was designed in response to crime problems within the U.S during the 1920's through 30's. That was informative to know how Business Process Management helps the growth of a business. I lust for lever but I have so many other guns ahead of it! Thats where other rounds shine. Home > Uncategorized > 357 magnum ballistics 20 inch barrel. They could carry one caliber for two weapons. n-110 has a burn rate on the chart similar to h110 or lilgun which is about as slow as you can go in the caliber. 350 Legend, which is a poseur, put another nail in the coffin lid. Remember, a 7 to 8 inch suppressor will add velocity and make up for such a short barrel, but not fully. For a heavy subsonic load like the Aguila Sniper Subsonic 60 gr., the loading doesn't gain too much velocity in anything more than an 8" barrel. If you want to get the vast majority of .22 Long Rifle performance in a short package, 8 or 10 inches like the lengths offered on the 10/22 Charger, will do well. Also consider that longer barrels will work better with a suppressor. My guess is that most of the concealment handguns chambered in .357 Mag. For maximum velocity with 5.56x45mm NATO, a 20-inch barrel will give the most velocity possible out of a common barrel length rifle. Smith & Wesson 327 VS. 686-4 VS. Ballistics Gel! Smith and Wesson 629-6, 4 inch barrel and a Winchester 1892 with a 20 inch barrel. Such performance leaves the 10mm Auto, .38 Super and .357 SIG in the dirt by comparison. Wish I still had mine. What is the Optimum barrel length for a .357 Magnum and 45 Colt lever action. And Ive had a levergun in .357 mag on my wish list ever since its jumped to the top now that Ive actually got a revolver to pair with one. Lever-Action Rifle, Refining The Snub Gun: Smith & Wesson's 640 Pro Series, Taurus 605: A Pint-Size .357 Mag. Too funny! This would allow a 12.5" barrel to make much more sense, but suppressors like that are not cheap. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Hell, in Utah they use it to execute two-legged predators. In modern military terms it would be considered an intermediate-caliber round, packing about the same punch as the 7.6239. Capable of penetrating automotive sheet metal and early body armor, the .357 Mag. Using data from BallisticsByTheInch.com, out of a 16-inch rifle the .357's velocity jumps on average around 500 fps at the muzzle compared to out of a 4-inch revolver.Furthermore, with the right load the magnum can easily break the 2,000-fps mark. Velocity by barrel length for .300 Blackout (also known as ".300 BLK"(SAAMI) or ".300 AAC Blackout" (C.I.P.) You can certainly do it with .45 Colt and rifle powder to get a slower burn rate, at least out of a modern firearm but not an original. Velocity by barrel length for 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. The .357 Magnum may be the ultimate handgun cartridge produced within the last 100 years. Bobcat Forever channel. I mean, if we are talking cowboy chic and rifle caliber matching ones sidearm. Chart of .357 ballistics Continuing in a similar manner, I have now tested nine .357 Mag. The nominees for our 2020 Reader's Choice "Best Revolver (DA/SA .357 Magnum)" were: Chiappa Rhino. Type: Double-action revolver; Caliber:.357 Magnum; Capacity: 6 rds. load using the Barnes TAC XP bullet is a handful the highest velocities recorded. For example, going from a 4" barrel to 7" (a 3 inch difference), every load got well over a 100 fps increase in velocity. All you have to do is to keep the ball steady and avoid sudden movements. Go subscribe and tell him that Pat . I was surprised by the level of detail and the amount of information that was available. Depends on bullet weight, burn rate of the powder used, etc. Probably a Remington rolling block or Sharps. Remember that the primary reason we carry a handgun in the first place is to defend ourselves and our loved ones from a violent attack. Mark also said that many lawman carried a .45 revolver and a rifle caliber Winchester lever gun. Penetration is usually equated with velocity but thats not always the case. Overall, if you could only pick one barrel length for any application (or multiple applications with the same firearm), something like an AR-15 pistol with an ~8" barrel will be great. passed on a 60s 94 .30-30 for 150; felt it was too femwee a round at the time (i was stupid as a youngster as well). The Model 1892 and Its Progress to the Alaskan Takedown. I read this article back in 2011 as a mostly uninformed firearms novice and new owner of a Marlin .30-30, and learned quite a bit from it. No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of
Elmer's favorite load of 22 grs. Velocity by barrel length for .223 Remington - From Ballistics by the Inch. or .38 Spl. For real life use, the 4" is easier to shoot and control, at 5' as well as 50 yards over the 2/2.5" barrels. One example is the extremely useful "Ballistics by the Inch" website, which recently discontinued their project but has been a valuable source for this type of information. While theres still some debate over the cartridges ability to create hydrostatic shock, if youre looking for a highly effective, commonly available handgun caliber for self-protection, .357 is a perfectly defensible choice. Although the bullets are almost the same diameter, the case length and case capacity are strikingly different. Now thats a good reply right there.hehe.. A Big Boy Steel (20) would be unnecessarily long and unwieldy, but if you really want a pistol, a Mare's Leg. The first of the Magnum pistol cartridges, it was a big hit. The 125-grain loads have not quite as much muzzle energy as NATOs standard infantry rifle round, the 5.56x45mm.