Author Topic: .357 or .44 mag. help me decide (Read 2007 times)

ratgunner · « **on:** May 30, 2009, 08:59:14 AM »

Ed's site has one each in 12" for my 'tender. I'm having trouble deciding wich one to get.I dont reload either of them and want it for deer ,plinking and varmints.I have lots of ammo for both.I'm thinking the .357 would be hopping along pretty good out of a 12" contender ?So .44mag. or .357mag. wich one ?

45-70.gov · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2009, 09:12:47 AM »

44......unless you ONLY have a 357 revolver as a companion gun

like the 44 better but have my little 357 pocket gun with me at all times..and extra ammo

i carry 357
i hunt with 44

hunterspistol · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2009, 11:20:45 AM »

Here's my take on it: The 44 is a great hunting caliber but, the stock grips can dish out some punishment with factory ammo, unless you have the rubber or Pachymayers. The 357 is good to 100 meters, just not as deeply penetrating as the 44. The report on the 357 is sharp, hurts my ears.

To be decisive, I'd want a 44 with muzzle brake, 14", myself.

ratgunner · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2009, 01:55:09 PM »

I agree the .357 is harder on the ears.I am conserned about recoil with the .44 though. Never shot one in a 'tender.The biggest T/C I have shot a 7-30 Waters and it was fine.I've had .454 Casulls and .44's and .45's.Only the .454 was kinda harsh.But those were revolvers.

ratgunner · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2009, 02:11:22 PM »

I found a good deal on a .375 Win. How would it compare to a .44 ? I guess you could say I'm looking for a deer barrel,but dont want to reload for it right away.Any suggestions ?

hunterspistol · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2009, 07:44:14 AM »

Deer cartridge that you don't reload for, 30-30, 7-30 Waters(there's factory for it), and the 6.8 Remington. The 6.8 Remington is the new low recoil Special Purpose Cartridge made for the military and just like the 41 Mag, they turned it down. That 6.8 SPC has no reloading data for it yet, it came out in 2002. I find the 357 a bit much for repeated shooting, get tired of the muzzle climb. Some of the guys are using the 41 Mag but, reloading for it. It's supposed to be a low recoil law enforcment round, ended up a good 100 yard magnum. If you bring your choice up to 14", you'll have more selection.

I haven't shot or even seen a 375 Win so, I can't say if it's light or heavy on recoil. Might be tough, I just don't know.

bangbang47 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2009, 10:26:34 AM »

My take on only the deer perspective and shots possibly ranging up to 100 yards, I would opp for 44 mag. Why? Because the weight, hole diameter and momentum will cover all the variables. Such as , lets say were in thick cover and its hot, you have just spotted a buck and an 8 pointer at that , he registers in your brain at roughly 80 yards. You squeeze that trigger cause you really want this one. The buck has dropped like a hot rock and when you have threaded your way though thick brush and have reached your kill, you find that the shot hit a few inches to right of your aim and busted through it's right shoulder and heavy bone and still zipped out the other side with a sizeable exit wound. All the unseen variables covered. Would a 357 do that?

ratgunner · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2009, 10:38:41 AM »

Hmmm,this is getting interesting.

So a low recoil,low noise and must be readily available ammo[not reloading].I like the balance of a 12" bbl. but 14" isnt completly out of the question.Okay the .44 wins over the .357.Now how does it[.44] fair against some of the others ? So many choices with a Contender,makes it difficult to choose.

Lone Star · « **Reply #8 on:** May 31, 2009, 11:29:56 AM »

Quote

That 6.8 SPC has no reloading data for it yet, it came out in 2002.

Oh really? Where did you hear that one? The fact is that Speer, Accurate and Hodgdon all have reloading data for the cartridge. I don't have the current Hornady manual yet but since they sell loaded ammo for the 6.8 I'm sure they list loading data too. There was a problem with factory 6.8 ammo and the Contender due to the odd chambering dimensions used by T/C. I plan on a custom 6.8 barrel for my Contender.

To the OP - if you don't intend to reload it really doesn't matter between the .357 and the .44, both have a plethora of good loads available. Forget what you've heard about the .357 in a revolver. A good 180-grain bullet will easily break the shoulder bones of most deer when launched out of a 12" Contender. There is no comparison between a .357 revolver and a 12" T/C with hunting loads. Expect around 400 fps higher velocity out of the T/C versus a 6" revolver. With the 180-grain bullet that's an additional 800 fpe. Nothing to sneeze at....

Of course the .44 is great too, and the choice is yours. Just don't sell the .357 short by listening to the naysayers who haven't killed a single head of game with a .357 Magnum T/C using appropriate ammo, yet somehow seem to know all about it.

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hunterspistol · « **Reply #9 on:** May 31, 2009, 11:53:32 AM »

Excuse me, there's no CAST BULLET data for the 6.8 yet.

ratgunner · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2009, 02:40:25 PM »

Lonestar,hows the noise of a .357 Contender ? I'm thinking with no cylinder gap and longer barrel it may be quieter than a revolver. And 400 fps gains would be about 1500fps for aa 180 factory load ? And about 1600-1700fps. for 158grn. loads.

That would make it a whole new animal. About the same as a .357 MAXIMUM in a revolver.Cheaper to shoot too.
Keep the info. comming guys,this is helping.Thanks.

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2009, 02:17:55 AM »

I'm for the .357! With the 180's out of that 12" barrel you're not far behind those of us with 10" Max's and that's plently adequate for deer. for the plinking and varmits the .357 already had the edge anyway. AND...., down the road that 12" bull barrel sure could be rechambered into one fine shootin' Max.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt

Opps! Plum missed the part about the deal on the .375Winnie....another fine choice. I refer to mine as my little 45-70. Bullet selection is somewhat limited but OK. Plan on getting into cast with mine anyway. Recoil is very manageable(mine is a 14" barrel). Still like that .357 idea though.

Lone Star · « **Reply #12 on:** June 01, 2009, 03:19:00 AM »

Quote

Lonestar,hows the noise of a .357 Contender ?

It isn't quiet if that's what you're asking. The muzzle pressure is still pretty high since it isn't bled off by the cylinder gap - muzzle pressure and gas volume contribute to making the bulk of the sound. I can't tell the difference between a hot .357 and a hot .44 Mag noise-wise, both make a pretty good bang.

Quote

Excuse me, there's no CAST BULLET data for the 6.8 yet.

Sorry HP, I don't know of any pressure-tested cast data. There is a little anecdotal cast load data posted on various 6.8 forums but most I've seen is for rifles. You'd be better off starting from scratch. I don't have the latest Lyman manual, perhaps someone who does can check.

.

Bullseye · « **Reply #13 on:** June 01, 2009, 06:36:55 AM »

I would go 44 mag between your first two choices. I just plain do not like the 357 because it seems like a lot of muzzle flash and blast for what it is, that is just a personal preference.

My favorite deer round is the 375 Win. My 14" 375 barrel kicks about the same as my 10" 44 mag. It is not the round you want though if you are not going to reload.

securitysix · « **Reply #14 on:** June 01, 2009, 12:18:23 PM »

The most unpleasant recoil I've ever experienced from a handgun was a 10" .44 Mag fired from a Contender. Second is a 10" .30-30 Win. from a Contender, and that was more "brisk" than "unpleasant".

I don't know how big your deer are, but the .357 Mag will give you plenty of versatility. Load 158 gr. or 180 grain JHPs or JSPs for deer and be sure of your shots. Load 110 or 125 gr. JHPs for varmints (coyote and smaller). Load any weight of any type of bullet you like for plinking, or even shoot .38 Specials.

If you have larger deer and need a tougher bullet to take them, the .44 Mag is a better choice. Load it with 240 grain JHPs or JSPs for deer (and be sure of your shots anyway). 180 grain or 200 grain bullets for varmints, but don't expect to get much in the way of hides. You can shoot .44 Specials for plinking if you want, but they're not as easy to find as full power .44 Mags (they're out there, don't get me wrong, just not all over like the mag ammo or the .38/.357 ammo).

Either one is going to be loud, and a brake is only going to make them louder. I'm not a fan of brakes, myself and try to avoid them. As far as the people complaining about muzzle blast and flash from the .357 Mag, it depends on your load. First of all, anything worthy of the title of "magnum" is going to have a lot of blast to it. As far as flash, it depends on your loads. I don't really notice a lot of flash from my 158 grain JHP loads pushed by 2400, but if you stuff the case full of W296 or H110 and start shooting 110 or 125 gr. JHPs, you'll get a very impressive fireball (which can be fun in its own right, IMO). You can get the same results with .44 Mag if you're inclined. Lots of slow burning powder under light bullets will result in a lot of flash.

Lone Star · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2009, 12:28:26 PM »

Quote

My 14" 375 barrel kicks about the same as my 10" 44 mag. It is not the round you want though if you are not going to reload.

On the contrary, factory .375 ammo is great for hunting, chronographing 2057 fps for the 200-grain factory load in a 14" barrel. Bob Milek even wrote several articles extolling it's virtues over other, more popular Contender chamberings. His final words in one 1992 article:

"However, if I were a hunter who used nothing but factory loaded ammunition, or I were just getting into the handgun hunting game and buying a first pistol for big-game hunting, then I do believe my choice would be the .375 Winchester."

Hard to fault the words of the man who did more to popularize the Contender for hunting than anyone else. The only faults with the .375 vs .44 with factory ammo would be availability and cost.

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mcwoodduck · « **Reply #16 on:** June 01, 2009, 12:42:50 PM »

Flip a coin.
Heads get the 44
Tails flip again.

Actually for what you want the 44 would be a better hunting gun and the 44 specials would be every bit as quiet as a 38 special.
you may have a quiet edge with the 38 S&W rounds out of a 357 mag and a 14" barrel for quiet.
For a cost savings the 357 has cheaper factory ammo and will not twist your wrist off.
I have a 14" 44 mag that the 1000 FPS hot specials that are a joy to shoot in the S&W M 29 with a 6" tube actually has a little bit of a kick with the longer tube and hits quite a bit harder.
I know I was not a lot of help. But either way you will be happy and then end up with the other one.

DEACONLLB · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2009, 01:17:12 PM »

Get both. buy an extra frame and grips and then you are all set, no changing barrels, just load and shoot. You can use 38 specials in the 357 for plinking and 44 sw for plinking in 44 mag barrel. more than likely down the road you will have both any way

:)They are habit forming any way if you have not already found out

Deaconllb
Owner of 12

Huntz · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2009, 04:08:41 PM »

Get the 357 and bore it out to 357 Max.Personally I like my 35 Rem.You can use pistol bullets in it for small game and rifle for big stuff.

Bullseye · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2009, 02:38:52 AM »

Lone Star

You are reading a lot into my post and assuming that I meant the 375 factory rounds are not good for hunting. I meant exactly what you said at the end of your post. The 375 is expensive and hard to find in factory rounds. The one place I checked (Grafs) did have them in stock but they were $39.99 for a 20 round box.

I have had trouble over the years finding 375 brass in stock. I currently have 500 pieces of new brass stashed in a corner that should last me the rest of my lifetime.

blhof · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2009, 03:23:46 AM »

The most bang for the buck is the 357 and it's adequate for most deer and I've taken several pigs with mine and they dropped where shot from a variety of distances; 20yds to 150yds.

Zcarp2 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 02, 2009, 07:00:31 AM »

For recreational use, I'd go with the 357. Easier on lead, powder and the wrist. The 8" Octagonal 44 Mag was one of the few guns that I shot, that made me stop for the rest of the day. I was shooting the same loads out of revolvers without a problem. The TC just plain hurt.

If you want a 44, get it.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #22 on:** June 02, 2009, 09:02:27 AM »

If you are talking 357 max. then go 357 . If you are talking 357 mag. then go 44mag. IMHO

Lone Star · « **Reply #23 on:** June 02, 2009, 03:21:27 PM »

Sorry BE, but you were talking only about performance throughout your post. I assumed you were still on topic, instead of moving on to economics....bet I wasn't the only one who thought so, including the OP.

.

DEACONLLB · « **Reply #24 on:** June 03, 2009, 06:15:24 AM »

Question for Huntz
what pistol bullets are you using in your 35 remington? are you saying that you shoot pistol ammo in your 35 rem. or are you saying you reload 35 rem cases with pistol bullets?

Deaconllb

Incitatus · « **Reply #25 on:** June 09, 2009, 01:01:59 PM »

Quote from: DEACONLLB on June 01, 2009, 01:17:12 PM

Get both. buy an extra frame and grips and then you are all set, no changing barrels, just load and shoot. You can use 38 specials in the 357 for plinking and 44 sw for plinking in 44 mag barrel. more than likely down the road you will have both any way :)They are habit forming any way if you have not already found out

Deaconllb
Owner of 12

I was reading this thread waiting for someone to state the obvious.

I started out thinking that 3 barrels covered everything. I now have 5. I've owned my Contender for about a month and a half.

Can you spell a d d i c t i o n?

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:45:03 AM »

"Need" does not fit into the equation at any point....It's the "want to" that gets ya!

DEACONLLB · « **Reply #27 on:** June 10, 2009, 03:44:10 AM »

Every time I go to a gun show there is always one there wanting me to take it and give it a good home

Last one was a 35 Rem with a super 14 micro brake barrel and a nice scope and packmeir grips,price was to cheap to pass up and I realy felt bad for the fellow, but only for a few minutes

any way he was the one who priced it, I need to stay out of gun shows.

Deaconllb

ratgunner · « **Reply #28 on:** June 18, 2009, 06:00:44 AM »

Well heres an update.I'm getting an MGM 13" barrel in 6.8 SPC.The next one will be a .17 HMR.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #29 on:** June 19, 2009, 08:34:46 AM »

6.8 and 17Hmr. Wow that is splitting the difference between the 357 and 44 mag.
You will be back to the same question later and will end up with both.
Good luck.