Author Topic: H&R 357 Magnum/38 special (Read 5511 times)

tsalam · « **on:** May 07, 2011, 06:41:50 PM »

I'm kinda interested in the 357 and was wondering if it also shoots 38 special. Does anyone know?
Thanks.

sckaterbrain · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2011, 06:58:11 PM »

Yes, it will shoot both 357mag and 38special. Some here at the GBO ream it to 357max then it shoots 357max, 357mag and 38specials. Good luck on your choice. Hope that helps.
Robert

briannmilewis · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2011, 07:00:24 PM »

Does not only shoot them, they shoot well, even when rechambered to 357 Max.

tsalam · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2011, 07:03:48 PM »

I was pretty sure it does but wanted to consult the experts first:) Thanks guys.

Spanky · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2011, 07:38:39 PM »

I shoot mostly 38's in my Maxi. I load 'em with lead bullets and use it for small game and plinking. I was worried about accuracy with the 38's after I reamed it but it shoots better than it did before.

Take our advice and buy one... you'll thank us later.

Spanky

petemi · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2011, 11:19:25 PM »

Plus one on all the above. My 16.5 inch .357 Maxi on a BC Carbine stock set is my "go to" rifle for just about anything. It is fun to shoot and deadly accurate in all three calibers. Don't hesitate, do it.

Pete

yukondog · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2011, 03:15:16 AM »

Not only will it shoot 38,357 and 357 maxi, it will also shoot the 360 DW.

Lon371 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2011, 03:27:14 AM »

You will have a hard time find anyone not happy with their .357 Handi. They are a great gun. Do your self a favor and buy one.

Lonny

bikerbeans · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2011, 06:19:36 AM »

In every crowd there is one problem child and it is my 357 Maxi. Mine hates 38s & 357s, handloads as I haven't tried factory ammo. Lead or jacketed it don't like them. It does great with jacketed in the 357 Maxi and is showing promise with 200 grain Lead GCs. It's probably my handloads with the shorter cartridges, but I ain't buy factory ammo to find out because "paw ain't gonna like it if I git store bought"

BB

petemi · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2011, 08:33:10 AM »

Tom, the correct words are "Store Boughten"

Pete

murphdog · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2011, 11:52:29 AM »

Spanky,
When you say you use 38's for small game, do you mean edible game like squirrels and rabbits? I've been trying for some time to load my 44mag down for squirrels, but have troubles with poor accuracy (too slow?) or damaging too much meat. I've been contemplating 357 for some time now, and your answer might push me over the edge. By the way, weren't you once a 44mag man? Or am I confusing you with someone else?
Duane

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2011, 01:14:08 PM »

I have reamed my 357 to 357 Max. I regularly use 38 Specials with full wadcutters (Hornady) for backyard "pests". I started with 2.6 grains of Bullseye, but bumped it up to 3.0 grains. It was accurate enough to bump off chipmunks at 20 yards with out a miss. I was not getting clean kills on bigger game, like woodchucks so I bumped up the powder to 3.0 grains. Now I get clean kills at 30 yards or so with woodchucks and skunks, as long as I put them into the chest cavity. It was dark and I was having a hard time seeing a skunk. All I could see was the white stripes on his back. I hit him a little too far back (he had swapped ends, and I did not notice). He went about 20 yards, but not before he sprayed the backyard real good. It smelled for three days, then we had a thunderstorm and faded it enough to at least go out into the yard again. I have since mounted a strong LED flashlight to it for those night shots. With 3.0 grains of Bullseye, it is still accurate enough to hit chipmunks and I get about 900 fps out of my 22" barrel.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

briannmilewis · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2011, 04:20:36 PM »

Quote from: tsalam on May 07, 2011, 07:03:48 PM

I was pretty sure it does but wanted to consult the experts first:) Thanks guys.

Beware the expert...X is an unknown quantity, and a spurt is a drip under pressure.

We do appreciate the sentiment though!

bikerbeans · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2011, 05:24:38 PM »

Quote from: murphdog on May 09, 2011, 11:52:29 AM

Spanky,
When you say you use 38's for small game, do you mean edible game like squirrels and rabbits? I've been trying for some time to load my 44mag down for squirrels, but have troubles with poor accuracy (too slow?) or damaging too much meat. I've been contemplating 357 for some time now, and your answer might push me over the edge. By the way, weren't you once a 44mag man? Or am I confusing you with someone else?
Duane

Duane,

I used my 357 Maxi to take out fox squirrels last summer and it worked fine. 4x scope, 180 grain HPs, gun zeroed @ 25 yards and just put the x-hairs on the rib cage or head and you have a dead squirrel. It would work just fine with a lighter bullet but the 180s were all I could fine. Does limit you to shooting them on the ground or againist the tree trunk so you don't launch a bullet into someones house.

Velocity is around 1800 fps, 20 grains of H110, fed SP Mag primer, rem case, OAL just off the rifling. No pellets to remove and the leg meat is untouched.

BB

Buckwheat Jack · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2011, 06:18:20 PM »

Be old fashioned and show off marksmanship. Bark those squirrels. Hit the tree under the little critter and stun, if not out right kill, him.

Spanky · « **Reply #15 on:** May 09, 2011, 07:15:53 PM »

Quote from: murphdog on May 09, 2011, 11:52:29 AM

Spanky,
When you say you use 38's for small game, do you mean edible game like squirrels and rabbits? I've been trying for some time to load my 44mag down for squirrels, but have troubles with poor accuracy (too slow?) or damaging too much meat. I've been contemplating 357 for some time now, and your answer might push me over the edge. By the way, weren't you once a 44mag man? Or am I confusing you with someone else?
Duane

I've shot lots of gray squirrels with 158gr. lead bullets. Full wadcutters and round nosed bullets. I shoot 'em in the ribs or the head like BB does. It actually does alot less damage to the critter than a 22 mag. I've had a 44 mag for a long time and that's what I used for my buck last year. I don't post about it on the H&R forums because it's a CVA Scout.

I've shot squirrels with the 44 too, I use 200gr. lead round nosed 44 specials and shoot 'em in the head or ribs.

Spanky

gcrank1 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2011, 03:57:12 AM »

Make round ball loads for the 44, they work great on small game.

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2011, 10:13:15 AM »

The .357 Magnum is one of the most useful and yet under appreciated rounds out there. As a handgun round it has become over looked in the shadow of the newer larger bore magnums. In my early handgunning days I had no clue it was under powered or less than needed. Even after getting a S&W M29 .44 magnum I still used my S&W M19s and M66s regularly.

In a rifle you can push 158 grain bullets as fast as the .30-30 pushes 150s. You can cast a bunch more bullets for it with the same amount of alloy as compared to the larger bores also. Errybody should own at least one .357 mag rifle. Mine is a Rossi M92 lever gun. Errybody should own at least one .357 Mag handgun and I've got that covered in spades all of them made by S&W.

murphdog · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2011, 12:06:25 PM »

Thanks for the info spanky and BB. Local gunshop's got a used 357, and I'm being tempted. Have to figure out how to justify it to the wife.
Duane

nova71 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2011, 12:15:00 PM »

I agree with Bill, if I could only have one caliber it would be 357. I have it well covered, I have a Marlin 1894C a Handi reamed out to Max, and three revolvers made by the wayward son of the Wesson clan... Dan. my biggest problem is deciding which one to take when I go shootin'

petemi · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2011, 01:00:50 PM »

I think my Handi Shorty .357 Maxi is my favorite and my 6.5 inch stainless Blackhawk .357 is her companion. They can handle anything from squirrels to bear. Both are loaded and ready to go on a rack on my side of the bed. My five dog alarm system will let me know if I have an intruder. Patty's side of the bed wears a .270, two .44s and and a .22 magnum.

There is nothing like a 5 dog system......the only trouble is they go off on wolves and coyotes too. Which translates to almost every night.

Pete

jlwilliams · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2011, 01:47:26 PM »

The mere mention of the 357 Handi brings us running to our keyboards. When we see it in the subject line, we jump, we read, and we comment favorably. Might just as well ask how we like the 45-70 in the Handi. (we like it a lot, too)

What does that tell you? Says good things.

If you are thinking of getting a Handi as a companion to your wheel gun, you are on the right track.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2011, 01:51:13 PM »

Ive been 'waiting' for one to show up at a local gunshow for nigh on ten years here; nobody is selling, that tells me something.

v8r · « **Reply #23 on:** May 12, 2011, 03:10:08 AM »

My .357 is probably the most accurate rifle I own. I mostly shoot .38+ 125 grain out of mine, and it is superbly accurate. Recoil is nonexistent , and it is easy to shoot. At 50 yards it will consistently stack bullets on a 2" target,it dosen't matter how many shots you take. I have shot many a turtle out of the pond with it.

petemi · « **Reply #24 on:** May 12, 2011, 05:58:35 AM »

I haven't found any ammo mine didn't like. Hand loads from .38 to maxi, store bought factory stuff, special order maxi and gun show bulk .38s and .357s. The little sucker just wants to shoot. I put new glass on it a little while ago, bore sighted it and got it on paper. Now it's time to fine tune it. It is grouping great with anything I feed it.

Pete

dannyfro · « **Reply #25 on:** December 20, 2011, 07:21:05 PM »

If you all had to pick between the 357 Mag and the 44 Mag what would be your choice? I am leaning towards the 357 for the simple fact its cheaper to load and all I want it for is plinking anyway but have been encouraged that a 44 mag would be more useful all around and a lot more lethal...What do you guys think? Thanks for your thoughts.

Dan

nova71 · « **Reply #26 on:** December 20, 2011, 09:51:11 PM »

I think it is just personal preference , as for me I have both and I lean towards the 357 because I have both pistol and rifle in that caliber. Plinking is great with both and any critter I come across is just as dead with a 357 as with a 44 and it is a little cheaper to reload. I say don't pick... get both

Swampman · « **Reply #27 on:** December 20, 2011, 11:52:45 PM »

Quote from: dannyfro on December 20, 2011, 07:21:05 PM

If you all had to pick between the 357 Mag and the 44 Mag what would be your choice? I am leaning towards the 357 for the simple fact its cheaper to load and all I want it for is plinking anyway but have been encouraged that a 44 mag would be more useful all around and a lot more lethal...What do you guys think? Thanks for your thoughts.

Dan

Buy the .357 and later on send it in for a shotgun barrel and a .44 barrel.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #28 on:** December 21, 2011, 02:24:07 AM »

Quote from: dannyfro on December 20, 2011, 07:21:05 PM

If you all had to pick between the 357 Mag and the 44 Mag what would be your choice? I am leaning towards the 357 for the simple fact its cheaper to load and all I want it for is plinking anyway but have been encouraged that a 44 mag would be more useful all around and a lot more lethal...What do you guys think? Thanks for your thoughts.

Dan

I never caught the 44 fever. It's a good caliber I cannot say a single bad thing about it. It's more powerful than the 357. lethality wise I guess it's got a bit more. From a rifle, and within the same ranges they are really close. The 44 offers more room for error in a hunting round. If not hunting the 357 winns hands down. Cheaper to shoot. Cheaper to load for. Less recoil. Shoots a widely avaluble lighter bullet. (Yes the 44 will shoot specials too but find a dealer that regularly stocks them on the shelf!)

You don't mention reloading, but where you to re chamber the Mag to a Max. You would still have everything I stated above plus an additional caliber that was expressly built to unseat the big 44's grip on shooting steel. It's the 357 Maximum and handloaded in a carbine it's a awesome thing. Again really only needed if knocking steel OR big game.

For my $$ the 357 would be my choice!

CW

Jimbo47 · « **Reply #29 on:** December 21, 2011, 02:48:12 AM »

If not already, you will soon find out that these Handi's make you do some really stupid things, like selling off a barrel or two of a really sweet shooter, and that I did a while back to fund another project, and unfortunately for me one was my .357 Maxi, but I still kick myself for that one, and I have a target mounted inside the gunsafe door with one slightly enlarged hole that reminds me of my error in judgement every time I open the door.

My next Handi will again be a .357 Mag.