is 125 grain ok?

[boomer92266]

i have a ruger service six 357 magnum, it has a small flame cut above the forcing cone. i was told light bullets like 110 grain causes this, i recently found several 158 grain federal soft points but got a great deal on 125 grain remington soft points. will the remington's be ok? or should i just stick with 158 or larger grain? thanks

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

I thought the 125 gr. rounds were called the "fire breathers" some individuals prefer not to run these in weapons they own.

 

[ADP3]

125 grain Jacketed .357's are going to accelerate wear of your forcing cone. Those are the rounds that led to many cracked forcing cones on S&W Model 19's and 66's. I would use them sparingly in any revolver that I wanted to last. Cast lead bullets are the way to go for high volume shooting.

Best Regards,
ADP3

 

[diyj98]

It depends upon your uses, but I want a 357 magnum for hot, fast shooting 357 magnum loads. Yes they'll accelerate wear, but everything wears out with time. Unless it was a collector's piece, I'd shoot whatever loads I wanted. I cast and loaded bullets for years, but prefer jacketed bullets for hot loads.

 

[gramps]

The 125 gr are considered the gold standard in SD (self-defense). I would use them for that application with enough range time with that ammo to be familiar with it. I used that load as an all around woods/SD load till I started reloading!
gramps

 

[boomer92266]

these are remington umc 125 grain soft points box of 50. i can get several boxes at $15 a box from a guy who has went to an auto and doesn't want them. just wanted to know if they are some of the one's that might cause flame cutting as i was told that the 110 grains were bad for that. the federal 158 grain soft points were $26 a box at my local store so i'm saving some money if the remingtons are ok. thanks

 

[s4s4u]

Nevermind

 

[Jimbo357mag]

No problem with medium charges of medium powder like Unique or Universal.

 

[gramps]

I'll buy them if you don't !
gramps

 

[wolfee]

The UMC load you are contemplating is fairly warm. For 15 clams a box I wouldn't quibble. Just buy em. If they seem too much for you, you will have no problem dumping them at a tidy profit.

 

[DonD]

Hodgdon’s reloading data shows the hottest loads for 125gr JHPs use H110/W296 (same powder). Ball powders tend to accelerate flame cutting. So, if you want hot, use heavier slugs like the 158 gr slugs and even with ball powders, the charge will be lighter and thus less abrasive. Don

 

[DA_TriggR4Ruger]

158 gr. has been my staple for years.

 

[wwb]

The 125 gr are considered the gold standard in SD (self-defense). .....

Dunno if I agree with that.... before they went with bottom feeders in 10mm (which soon got softened to the .40 S&W), the FBI, after a whole lot of testing, used 158 grain bullets. I think the 110/125 grain thing is more of a marketing ploy, trying to sell high velocity (yeah, those light bullets are FAST).

Personally, it's 180 grain bullets in the single action in the woods, and 158 grain bullets in the SP-101.

 

[LaneP]

The 125 gr are considered the gold standard in SD (self-defense). .....

Dunno if I agree with that.... before they went with bottom feeders in 10mm (which soon got softened to the .40 S&W), the FBI, after a whole lot of testing, used 158 grain bullets. I think the 110/125 grain thing is more of a marketing ploy, trying to sell high velocity (yeah, those light bullets are FAST).

Personally, it's 180 grain bullets in the single action in the woods, and 158 grain bullets in the SP-101.

The reputation of 125 grain .357 JHP bullets as being the gold standard of one-shot stopping power came from the Marshall-Sannow "one shot stop" index of cartridges used in police shootings. Though some dispute their methodology and results, the .357 Magnum 125 grain JHP at velocities upwards of 1400 fps had the reputation of stopping bad guys like a lightning bolt. I read it as being described as having the effect of a "light switch".

No doubt the combination of an expanding bullet of that weight delivered at that velocity was very effective at transferring its energy in human targets.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I recently found several 158 grain federal soft points but got a great deal on 125 grain remington soft points. will the remington's be ok?

Are we talking about loaded ammo? If the answer is yes I believe the Remington ammo might be just a little bit detrimental to the topstrap and barrel face but really you shouldn't worry about it. Most factory ammo is fine. Flame cutting isn't a big deal unless you are putting a steady diet of H-110/296 down the pipe with light bullets and even then it is self-limiting. At least that's what I have read.

 

[Bucks Owin]

99 percent of the projectiles that have travelled the bore of my M19-4 Combat Magnum have been cast lead 150-160 gr with various nose profiles at roughly 1200 fps in it's 6" length. It shoots them all very accurately and with ample lethality I'm sure....

But when it is doing nightstand duty it is stoked with full tilt 125 gr SP.....I'll go with the "lightning bolt". :wink:

 

[HadEmAll]

It's the Federal 125 grain JHPs and Remington 125 grain SJHPs that had the "lightning bolt" reputations on people, not the JSPs.

 

[greenmtnguy]

I think it is the 110 grn loads that are typically the worst as far as flame cutting goes, though the 125 grn loads can be somewhat detrimental if they are using the H110 powder. IF you are handloading and using Unique, HP-38, 2400, titegroup or Blue Dot I don't think that you'll have any issues - it is just those heavy charges with "Magnum" powders like W296/H110 and lighter bullets that really create a high temperature fireball at the B/C gap.