Author Topic: .357 mag or .45 lc, only one, factory loads. (Read 1151 times)

quasne.inc · « **on:** April 25, 2011, 03:33:27 PM »

I want to start a shorty project, but can only afford one new gun at the moment. Dont have the setup for reloading right now, but have a bit of .45 lc and .357 mag, and .38 specials on hand from past guns. Oh and I want to use it for plinking, truck gun/ farm gun, varmints, deer, and any other possible use in the range of these calibers. So let me know your preferences. Thanks.

Yak Angler · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2011, 04:03:47 PM »

With a factory ammo restriction i would go .357 mag way more options available than .45Lc and much cheaper as well especially if you fire .38's through it for plinking

Old Fart · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2011, 04:08:59 PM »

I'd probaby go the 357 route simply for ammo availability/cost.
If you need more horsepower down the road you could always ream it out to 357 max also.
But nothing wrong with 45lc either, which could also be reamed out later.

J. Landry · « **Reply #3 on:** April 25, 2011, 04:29:27 PM »

357 all the way.. Affordable wins everytime

quasne.inc · « **Reply #4 on:** April 25, 2011, 05:55:41 PM »

Thats kind of the way I was leaning just with finances being what they are, plus my only centerfire handgun right now is a ruger lcr in .38 spl. and I would like to get an SP101 or Gp100 or Blackhawk some time down the road. Thanks for the advice. Just need someone to bounce ideas off of.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2011, 07:23:41 PM »

357 if you don't ever want to get into reloading. 45 Colt if you plan on getting into reloading, even if it's down the road. 45 Colt is what got me into reloading, it's a fun and easy round to reload. Reloading is cheaper than you think to get started. If you already have some 45 Colt ammo that you can save the brass from once you shoot it then you're already part way there.

yukondog · « **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2011, 07:35:23 PM »

.357 all the way.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2011, 03:18:56 AM »

357 handi is cheaper to buy & easier to find than the 45LC.

BB

revbc · « **Reply #8 on:** April 26, 2011, 04:39:47 AM »

BB, Quasne,

The Buffalo Carbine Classic in 45lc has been available at CDNN for $229, with walnut stocks and case colored SB2 receiver. I'm in agreement that the 357 is probably the most practical; however, I think the BCC is the best buy. It's retail is somewhere around $450.

petemi · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2011, 04:46:58 AM »

I have and enjoy both, but if it came down to just one, it would be the .357. Mine's reamed to maxi, and it is super versatile. It's sitting in the utility room now waiting to go out when the rain stops and do some shooting. I put new glass on it recently and I need to fine tune it.

Pete

revbc · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2011, 05:04:45 AM »

Pete,
Mine's setting in the corner by the door with a stuck bullet in the barrel. Bought a wooden dowel yesterday and thought it would just tap out with light taps, no luck yet. I really love the 357 mag/max, their usually a little cheaper with the SB1 receiver.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2011, 05:07:36 AM »

Quote from: revbc on April 26, 2011, 05:04:45 AM

Pete,
Mine's setting in the corner by the door with a stuck bullet in the barrel. Bought a wooden dowel yesterday and thought it would just tap out with light taps, no luck yet. I really love the 357 mag/max, their usually a little cheaper with the SB1 receiver.

If it doesn't work get a bigger hammer!

BTW, $229 for the 45LC would be really tempting but I have a 45ACP/45Super Handi in the works so no need for one.

BB

rdlange · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2011, 05:36:22 AM »

You answered your own question. You have a 38 and want a 357, so get the 357 handi and MAYBE ream to 357maxi as suggested.

What you want to research is how well and with what challenges the 38 and 357 shoot in a 357maxi with the longer chamber, and what you need to have and how to reload.

I have the 45 BC, but no 38s or 357s so my choice wasn't based on practicality, just opportunity. I've always been a 45 man anyway.

Hey Rev... as an engineer I recommend... well... a bigger hammer of course..!

Be well...

Jimbo47 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 26, 2011, 05:51:04 AM »

Yep!

Oil liberaly and use a bigger hammer!

gcrank1 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 26, 2011, 08:16:25 AM »

There is too much 'give' in a wooden rod unles the bullet isn't stuck too bad. If it hasn't bopped out yet you have probably hit it's limit of effectiveness.
You have enough bore dia. there to use a good size solid knock out rod, it will make a lot of difference (just use a fair amount of tape in a few spots along the length to prevent contact on the rifling).

revbc · « **Reply #15 on:** April 26, 2011, 11:05:00 AM »

Got it out! And of course with a BIGGER hammer

Thanks guys

gcrank1 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 26, 2011, 12:02:11 PM »

To the O.P.s question, I have both pistol calibers and reload, and the cost to load either with my cast bullets is about the same (cheap!). My wife has been picking up wheel weights for years on walks, too. She will hand me one and say,"here's a couple of bullets".
I have the 45-70 and could see 357 as the little bullet shooter, and go down to the 22LR after that.
The logic of factory load cost for the performance you can get in that 357Mag is pretty good.

Spanky · « **Reply #17 on:** April 26, 2011, 01:30:02 PM »

The 357. Ammo is dirt cheap at Wally World and they shoot great.
If you're on a budget it's the only way to go.
Ream it to Maxi when the funds allow and it's versatility can't be matched.

Spanky

revbc · « **Reply #18 on:** April 26, 2011, 01:35:02 PM »

The cost of ammo and power of the 357mag it a hard to beat truck gun. When reamed to maxi it's an incredible little rifle. Power, good range, low recoil.

Now the 45lc is no sloutch if you purchase +P ammo. Here's some info from cor-bon.

This is 45 Long Colt Corbon Hunter 300gr. +P Jacketed Soft Point Ammo. Corbon has given the 45 COLT cartridge hunting loads worthy of the designation: +P. These are true high performance loads with the attached +P as an additional caution. In the appropriate modern hunting pistol, There .45 COLT +P loads give near 44 Magnum performance with markedly less recoil. $30.95

I would buy the Buff Classic and send her in and get a 357 mag barrel fit to the SB2 frame. (Even though I don't have any problem with the 357 sb1 reamed to maxi, I had one.)

cwlongshot · « **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2011, 02:29:17 PM »

My first response is 357 Mag. You can shoot 38 spls all day. You get more powerful loads by simply buying 357 mags... As suggested, ream it to maxi and you have the best of all worlds...

BUT, the 45 Colt has long been my favorite handgun caliber. Sometime around 1988 I bought a Marlin in 45 Long Colt. I am a reloader and I soon discovered this thing was Thor's hammer on whitetails. Today there are a number of companies offering loads that duplicated my loads that worked so well. So you can load "cowboy" loads as plinking and Buffalo Bore or Cor Bon or a number of others for higher performance loadings. Federal used to offer a darn good defensive loading that worked very well on whitetails. IIRC it was a 225 LSWHP bullet at better than 1000FPS from a 7.5" barrel. Winchester Silver tips are another good one, but not as good as the SWC profile. Even with standard velocity loads, and using a SWC profile bullet, its a very good close range deer round. Stay away from the old 255GR pointed bullet profile for a big game hunting bullet.

BOTH will only improve once you start to reload. (Oh yea, you KNOW that your gonna do it!!

) If you ream the Magnum to Maximum. That one REALLY gets great. The maxi is a great handi caliber!
The 45 in the 20" barrel, can be safely loaded to the velocity heels of the 454 Casull from a pistol. That one has effectively been used for virtually every animal walking the earth today...

For ease of acquiring cartridges the 357 Mag wins.

SO, I say either one would fit your requirements of a good caliber.

The 45 is a better looking firearm, but with its stock its not so "friendly" with the heavy loads. Also its not friendly with scopes. You could add a strap on/lace on pad. OR you could chop it and have a grind to fit put on.
The 357 magnum, comes with a plastic stock, but in Monte Carlo so its scope friendly. The plastic stocks are pretty good and the forend is much better.
Either set is easily sold in the classifieds, to fund a set you may like better.

Good luck,
CW

Buckwheat Jack · « **Reply #20 on:** April 26, 2011, 05:22:15 PM »

;)I just bought one of those $229 BC 45LCs from CDNN. Living here, I got to skip shipping cost! It shoots great. If I could get a 357, I would. As I already have two 357 revolvers and a 357 lever gun, that would be the one if I could only have one. I haven't used factory ammo in years except in milsurp rifles.