357 mag 125gr question

I remember reading that feeding your gun a steady diet of 125grn 357mags was not good for the gun. Is this just internet myth or is this really an issue? The gun in question in a 6 inch gp100.

That was with the S&W Model 19's (AKA the Combat Magnum). The first few iterations, the forcing cone was cut level on the bottom to make room for the crane. A steady diet of 125 gr at high velocity had a tendency to crack the forcing cone at the bottom where it was thinner. Using a slower, heavier bullet solved that problem. Yours should be fine in the GP100.

I don't think you can fire enough hot 125gr loads to hurt a GP100. Impossible.

I was told the top strap would flame cut with a steady diet of 125 gn ammo.
I was also told the 357 mag was designed to shoot 158 grn bullets.
So I only shoot 158 grn bullets.

The 125 grain JHP loads were developed for LE use in the 70's and had a very good 1 shot stop record, ie, when shot, bad guys were either dead or begged not to be shot again. Of course, the M19 and 66 reigned supreme in the LE field at the time( I carried either or both). As it turned out, neither were strong enough for a steady diet of magnum loads, particularly the 125. That's why S&W introduced the L frame revolvers in the early 80's. Also most LE training was conducted with 38 wadcutters or 158 swc's and the K frames were only carried with magnums. I once attended a week long FBI course and all we shot were magnum rounds(158 gr Remington) by the hundreds. At the time I was using a 6" M66 as a duty gun. I don't believe one could shoot enough 357's through a GP-100 to hurt it, as your hand or wallet would say stop before the gun was damaged. Just my thoughts! Bob! 8)

As to gas cutting of the top strap, this has been bantered around for the past couple of decades. I experienced this phenomenon many years ago with my old Flat Top Blackhawk, of 1958 vintage. At the time I attributed it to the use of Unique powder. Later an expert told me it was from using the HV 125 gr. JHP bullets, which, at that time, I had never used.

Later some one else published a report that it was particle abrasion that was causing the cut, and he suggested a remedy of simply marking the area with a No. 2 lead pencil as a lubricant to halt that grooving.

I've done nothing in the way of preventative measures, the gun stands at over 18,000 rounds fired with no further evidence of cutting. Its now a general opinion I believe that it happens, goes just so deep, and never progresses any further.

I no longer worry about it.

Bob Wright

Its now a general opinion I believe that it happens, goes just so deep, and never progresses any further.

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I've read this about the 357 Max. The flame cutting only goes so deep and then stops. Which really makes sense. To go deeper would require more and more energy.

I agree with Bob and Bob W frames will stand 357 mags but a steady diet will accelerate their wear. The max pressure for the 357 factory ammo has been reduced some over the years and now is max at 35K pressure. There are several small light weight 357 revolvers and they are painful enough to shoot that you will limit you use of full power loads . A GP100 and a S&W L frame were made to beef up the frame where contatnt use of full power 357 loads will only get them dirty , not harm them.

When rangerbob mentioned the data collected on ammo performance, it brought back memories of those articles. Evan Marshall and Ed Sanow I believe wrote them and kept up with the data. The Federal 357 Magnum 125 JHP, I seem to remember, was #1. I shot quite a few of those and have some flame cutting on the topstrap of my 4" 686 to prove it. As mentioned earlier by another, it only went so deep and stopped. I still have a couple old red boxes of that ammo in my ammo storage and still have that 686. Time passes....

Bob is right on the gas cutting.

rangerbob said:

The 125 grain JHP loads were developed for LE use in the 70's and had a very good 1 shot stop record, ie, when shot, bad guys were either dead or begged not to be shot again. Of course, the M19 and 66 reigned supreme in the LE field at the time( I carried either or both). As it turned out, neither were strong enough for a steady diet of magnum loads, particularly the 125. That's why S&W introduced the L frame revolvers in the early 80's. Also most LE training was conducted with 38 wadcutters or 158 swc's and the K frames were only carried with magnums. I once attended a week long FBI course and all we shot were magnum rounds(158 gr Remington) by the hundreds. At the time I was using a 6" M66 as a duty gun. I don't believe one could shoot enough 357's through a GP-100 to hurt it, as your hand or wallet would say stop before the gun was damaged. Just my thoughts! Bob! 8)

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I never bothered with K or L frames, But I have a Model 28 from the early sixties that has been shooting 125's with no problems for almost 60 years.

I also believe Bob is right on the cutting only going so far......

scubadad.

Ruger's are over built on purpose.

Traded in a stainless steel 6'' Python for a new 6'' GP100 decades ago,cause it couldn't handle aggressive hand loads.Innards were delicate.


The GP100 EATS 125-158 GRAINS LIKE CANDY.

What yer sweating is history from the K-framed SMITH AND WESSON models 19 blued ,and 66 stainless...A much smaller gun.

Ass kicking cop guns when they came out, but they mostly trained with .38 specials,
because those guns were not designed for constant magnum rounds.
.38 specials can be fired in 357 magnum safely,because they are lower pressured.


I also own a 6''GP100 with a 6'' barrel(stainless steel)...the bulk/weight of that gun
reduces felt recoil alot ,and 6'' of barrel length allows full burn of powder,increasing both bullet speed and accuracy.

Full power125 grain jacketed hollow points are considered THE ROUND for self defense.


recumbent,
What .357 do you own?
Mean,no offense...but 158 grain rounds ......are more for hunting than defense.
Good enough for white tail deer ,within 50 yards...but if using yer .357 for protection...
A 158 grain bullet expands less and tends to over penetrate an attacker.
Which means less chance of stopping him,yet odds are great bullet will go through him and hit an ''innocent'' behind him.


Guys,
I own a few handguns 22,9mm,40SW, 2-357's (one a SP101 snubnose/OUCH),
two .44 magnums.and a .223 that hits targets at 200+yards.
Don't be impressed.
Other members on this site dwarfs both my collection and skills.

That said.....
I do know .357 magnums [bought my first one 1981] and you both seem to be new to them.

JMHO of course...but If I could only keep one of my handguns.....
No brainer , my GP100-.357 magnum.

Bullet weights from 110-200 grains that I would trust...although I prefer 125 minimum.

This round covers-----targets from 25 to 100 yards .
Hunt from squirrels to deer,varmints,and pests.

As far as target shooting at the range, my GP100 at 50 yards never disappointed...
AFTER TRYING different ammo to see what it preferred.
[NOTE] Used 125 grain jacketed hollow points , not grain 158 which prolly would have grouped tighter,but consider this a target/defense gun .

THE ONLY Ruger handgun that I remember having issues with burning gases cutting in the top strap was a single action firing the .357 maximum...
An interesting round.....heavy bullets that traveled faster than .357 magnums,so hit with power of a 44 magnum,but with a flatter trajectory.

Too long a post,becoming a book.

If i have read the literature correctly, I don't believe it is the 125g bullet causing the problem.
It's the extra powder required to get the lighter bullet up to the same speed as a 158g bullet.

Bullets don't generate much heat; powder on the other hand is like a blast furnace.
That top strap cutting is from powder burns.

Prescut