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SP101 357 carry load/practice load

8K views 25 replies 23 participants last post by  Eastwoodgang4 
#1 ·
Just curious here as to what everyone that carries or uses for home defense in their 357 SP101. What loads do you normally practice with?
 
#2 ·
Practice: What ever I have loaded in 357 or 38 and feel like sending downrange.

Carry: Buffalo Bore 38 Spl LSWC-HP +P or my speedloader reload is my own equivalent that runs about 100 FPS less.
 
#3 ·
I'm NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS SUBJECT but I've read somewhere... maybe in this forum... that the SP101 was designed with 158 gr. bullets in mind... so, since that's the preferred, that's all I use. Currently loaded with 158 gr. Remington Express (NOT UMC!) SJHP's for carry. Not really a high-premium round but I feel confident with them... have proven reliable at the range. When I feel like doing some easy less-pricey shooting I use any 158 gr. FMJ
.38's. (This string feels like Deja Vu... think I've written similar elsewhere.)
 
#7 ·
For fun practice, plinking and zombie killing, .38spl 130gr FMJ/RN
When it's serious time, I use practice with the same round as I keep loaded for SD, which is a combo of:
.357 125gr SJHP / JHP
.38+p 125gr SJHP / JHP
I'm not particularly brand loyal with these two rounds, I have never had a failure with either Winchester or Remington
For pricey practice .38+p 125gr Speer Gold Dot JHP
When I get done shooting off all of the above, my next test round is the .38+p 158gr LSWC-HP - - - this round is highly recommended by many on the forum as a good dual purpose range and SD round.
I prefer .38 over .357 as I get a little more control, but at the range, .357 is an attention getter over all the 9mm rounds being popped off
 
#8 ·
158 grain .357 semi jacketed is usually what's on the shelf at the gun shop, so that's what I practice with. Fos SD I have Hornady 125 grain .357 Mag. Critical Defense - but tha's only because they didn't have any Gold Dots.

As far as home defense goes, I'm reluctant to use the .357 in a confined space due to the concussive effect of a magnum revolver - I've had some experience with this. For HD I use a full-size 9mm with +p 124 Gold Dots.
 
#11 ·
I gotta admit, I run about 15 or so .357 Remington 125gr. JHP's every so often at the range. My son calls it "loading a cylinder of what the hell was that?".

Mostly though, I shoot the cheap .38 SPL's for range time.

I carry .38 +P Critical Defense or .357 125gr. JHP's, depending on how much of my hearing I hope to lose.
 
#13 ·
Thanks Ruger fans. I'm rather surprises most of you didn't list a favorite load for your specific gun. I have about 500 remington 125 grain semi jacketed bullets that I need to load and was hoping for some real accurate launch statistics. Oh well, keep em coming, I'll keep reading.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I haven't reloaded in years, so use factory ammo exclusively.

Routine practice is with 150-158 grain lead std. .38 Special loads, 130 grain MC if that's all that I find.

Occasional use with .357's is a good idea, and the 145 grain Silvertips will do about 1200 FPS from a three-inch bbl. But hard to find. I may try Buffalo Bore's .38-44 load, although they're a bit pricey, and I'm not sure how they expand. Maybe I can find a YouTube video on them.

I load for defense with Speer's .38 Gold Dots in either 125 grain or the Short bbl. 135 grain, when I can find the latter. I also like Federal 158 grain SWC lead HP's, but they may not expand too much in an average man or coyote. For larger animals, they do get in deeper. And they expand better in tough muscle tissue, like a heart. One Dallas cop killed six men is six different incidents with Winchester lead HP's, using a S&W M-64 with four-inch bbl. That's a pretty good track record for that load. I think the Federal No. 38G round has a little softer bullet. Remington's is softer yet, more likely to expand from short barrels. I do have some of the Remington now.

My usual .357 load is the Federal Hydra-Shok 158 grain, but I usually fire it in larger .357's. Remington's medium power 125 grain .357 is probably a good thing in smaller .357's. Not as likely to loosen your dental fillings on recoil...
 
#20 ·
Sp 101 357 mag loads

Because of the current powder/primer shortage I had to load what I could find. I just got the sp101 in 357 mag for Xmas.
I worked up a really solid accurate cheap load that will kill anything that might need killing.
I load 158gr hornady lead bullets on top of 4.8 grs of Herco powder useing a small pistol primer in 38spl cases. It's plenty accurate and plenty hot for the 38 spl cases and very easy on the gun. I found while working up the load that lighter 4.2 gr loads were pretty dirty but when I got up above 4.5 grs it stopped making such a mess of things. I'm very happy with the load and really happy with the fact that I can have something to shoot in my gun and the price can't be beat. I figured out the price per round and wrote it down some place but who know where that place is. It's way less than what they go for at sportsmans if you can find them. The shelfs have been bear around her for many months until last Thursday when low and behold they had ammo on the shelfs! All they had was 38 spls and 22 LRs for a couple hours 3 boxs per coustomer.
 
#21 ·
Because of the current powder/primer shortage I had to load what I could find. I just got the sp101 in 357 mag for Xmas.
I worked up a really solid accurate cheap load that will kill anything that might need killing.
But what about .357 magnum, that's actually stout enough for a primary carry? Your SP101 is a .357. That gun, as I found out, is pretty dependent on an owner loading his own custom ammo, which can be manageable with .38 Spl +P loads in .357 cases. You ought to try it.
 
#24 ·
158gr lead hornady bullet over 4.8grs of herco. Practice and carry. Will kill anything that's needs killing. Carry and practice the same so no questions about point of impact. Eazy on me and the gun. Not good for the bad guy. Can be fired in doors without ear damage. Make that permanent ear damage. Works well for me.
 
#26 ·
Gotta love them 125 Gold Dots! I found a handful of nickel plated 357 cases at the range and loaded what i would call a hot 38+p in the nickel mag cases with the gold dots for SD (cant recall the exact load). I agree with some of the other posters that the blast from a full house 357 indoors would do some serious damage to your hearing. Otherwise just load up some berry's 125 plated for practice, no need for hot stuff with the berry's the plating can't stand up to high velocity and poi really isnt that much of an issue at SD ranges (20 feet or less). The remington 38 spl 130 fmj walmart ammo is as cheap as you'll find 38's and it is easy on the target range. enjoy that weapon, the sp 101 is a darn fine firearm!!! it'll eat whatever you feed it! Quick story about hot mag loads out of a 2.25 bbl sp 101..... At the indoor range shooting light 38's for a while with no issues and then switched over to some hot mags. The concussion from the hot 357s would reset the target holder back to the firing line and turn the overhead shooting lane light off every time one of the hot loads would go off. switched back to the 38's and no target reset! Hmmm no doubt there was a equipment malfunction at the range, but makes you wonder how the ears would hold up in a dark hallway or bedroom!!
 
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