The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR as it is known in unofficial metric designation, is a
smokeless powder
Finnish smokeless powderSmokeless powder is a type of propellant used in firearms and artillery that produces less smoke and less fouling when fired compared to gunpowder ("black powder"). The combustion products are mainly gaseous, compared to a ...
cartridge
Cartridge may refer to:
Objects
* Cartridge (firearms), a type of modern ammunition
* ROM cartridge, a removable component in an electronic device
* Cartridge (respirator), a type of filter used in respirators
Other uses
* Cartridge (surname), a ...
with a bullet diameter. It was created by
Elmer Keith
Elmer Merrifield Keith (March 8, 1899 – February 12, 1984) was an American rancher, firearms enthusiast, and author. Keith was instrumental in the development of the first magnum revolver cartridge, the .357 Magnum, as well as the later .44 M ...
, Phillip B. Sharpe,
and Douglas B. Wesson
of
firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
manufacturers
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (S&W) is an American firearm manufacturer headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States.
Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the "Smith & Wesson Revolver Company" in 1856 ...
and
Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
.
The .357 Magnum cartridge is notable for its highly effective terminal ballistics.
The .357 Magnum cartridge is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier
.38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & ...
cartridge. It was introduced in 1935, and its use has since become widespread. This cartridge began the "
Magnum era" of handgun ammunition.
The "Magnum era" began with the
.375 H&H rifle cartridge, spreading to handguns with the .357 Magnum.
Design
![357 Magnum 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/357_Magnum_01.jpg)
The .357 Magnum was collaboratively developed over a period in the early to mid-1930s by a group of individuals in a direct response to Colt's
.38 Super Automatic. At the time, the .38 Super was the only American pistol cartridge capable of defeating automobile cover and the early
ballistic vest
A bulletproof vest, also known as a ballistic vest or a bullet-resistant vest, is an item of body armor that helps absorb the impact and reduce or stop penetration to the torso from firearm-fired projectiles and fragmentation from explosions. ...
s that were just beginning to emerge in the
Interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...
. Tests at the time revealed that those vests defeated any handgun bullet traveling less than about . Colt's .38 Super Automatic just edged over that velocity and was able to penetrate car doors and vests that
bootleggers
Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to:
* Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially
* Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence:
** Moonshine, or illicitly made ...
and
gangsters
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
were employing as cover.
Though
.38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & ...
and .357 Magnum would seem to be different diameter chamberings, they are in fact identical; as at , they both have the same bullet diameter. The .38 Special nomenclature relates to the previous use of
heeled bullet
A heeled bullet is a specific design of bullet where the internal diameter of the barrel is often, but not always, the same diameter as the cartridge case, and the bullet has a step at the rear to allow it to fit inside the case. Heeled bullets mos ...
s (such as the
.38 Short Colt
The .38 Short Colt, also known as .38 SC, was a heeled bullet cartridge intended for metallic cartridge conversions of the cap and ball Colt 1851 Navy Revolver from the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 ...
and
.38 Long Colt
The .38 Long Colt, also known as .38 LC, is a black powder cartridge introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1875. In 1892, it was adopted as a standard military pistol cartridge by the United States Army for the Colt M1892 revolver. The ...
), which were the same diameter as the case. The only external dimensional difference between .38 Special and .357 magnum is the difference in case length; this was done to prevent accidentally loading a .357 magnum cartridge in to a .38 Special revolver that is not designed for the .357 magnum's higher chamber pressure. Case volume was not a factor in the increase in case length as the .38 Special cartridge was originally a black powder cartridge, and the .357 magnum was developed using only much denser smokeless powder.
Much credit for the .357's early development is given to hunter and experimenter
Elmer Keith
Elmer Merrifield Keith (March 8, 1899 – February 12, 1984) was an American rancher, firearms enthusiast, and author. Keith was instrumental in the development of the first magnum revolver cartridge, the .357 Magnum, as well as the later .44 M ...
. Keith's early work in loading the .38 Special to increasingly higher-pressure levels was made possible by the availability of heavy, target-shooting-oriented
revolver
A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...
s like the
Smith & Wesson .38-44 "Heavy Duty" and "Outdoorsman", .38-caliber revolvers built on .44-caliber frames. The .38-44 HV load used the .38-Special cartridge loaded to a much higher velocity than standard .38-Special ammunition. The .38-44 revolvers were made by using a
.44 Special
The .44 Smith & Wesson Special, also commonly known as .44 S&W Special, .44 Special, .44 Spl, .44 Spc, (pronounced "forty-four special"), or 10.9x29mmR is a smokeless powder center fire metallic revolver cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1 ...
size gun with the barrel bored to accept .357-caliber bullets (the true bullet diameter of the .38 Special) and the cylinder bored to accept cartridges (where the name “38 Special” originated). Since the frame, cylinder, and barrel were much stronger than the standard .38 Special components, it was capable of withstanding much higher pressures. The .38-44 HV round, while no longer available, was in most cases the equal of the later .357 Magnum, which works at more than double the pressure of standard .38 Special. The .357 Magnum addresses the safety issues which earlier cartridges had by lengthening the cartridge by approximately , preventing the high-pressure .357 cartridge from chambering (fitting) in a firearm designed for the shorter, lower-pressure .38 Special. Elmer Keith also contributed the
Keith-style bullet, which increased the mass of bullet located outside the cartridge case, while leaving more room inside the case for powder. The Keith bullet also employed a large, flat
meplat
The meplat (from the French word "''méplat''" meaning "flat surface of a cylinder") is the technical term for the flat or open tip on the nose of a bullet. The shape of the meplat is important in determining how the bullet moves through the air. ...
, thus enabling rapid energy transfer for greater wounding properties. At the same time, this bullet design does not deform like a hollow point, and as a result achieves greater penetration. These characteristics of the Keith bullet make it very suitable for hunting applications as well as for target shooting.
To reassert itself as the leading law-enforcement armament provider, Smith & Wesson developed the .357 Magnum, with Douglas B. Wesson (grandson of co-founder
Daniel B. Wesson
Daniel Baird Wesson (May 18, 1825 – August 4, 1906) was an American inventor and firearms designer. He helped develop several influential firearm designs over the course of his life; he and Horace Smith were the co-founders of two companies n ...
)
leading the effort within Smith & Wesson, along with considerable technical assistance from Phillip B. Sharpe, a member of the technical division staff of the
National Rifle Association of America
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while cont ...
. The new round was developed from Smith & Wesson's existing .38 Special round. It used a different powder load, and ultimately the case was extended by . The case extension was more a matter of safety than of necessity. Because the .38 Special and the early experimental .357 Magnum cartridges loaded by Keith were identical in physical attributes, it was possible to load an experimental .357 Magnum cartridge into a .38 Special revolver, with potentially disastrous results. Smith & Wesson's solution, of extending the case slightly, made it impossible to chamber the magnum-power round in a gun not designed for the additional pressure.
However, although both .38 Special and .357 Magnum will chamber in
Colt New Army revolvers in .38 Long Colt, due to the straight-walled chambers, this creates dangerous pressure levels, up to three times what the New Army is designed to withstand.
The choice of bullet for the .357 Magnum cartridge varied during its development. During the development at Smith & Wesson, the original Keith bullet was modified slightly, to the form of the Sharpe bullet, which itself was based upon the Keith bullet, but which had 5/6 of the bearing surface of the Keith bullet, Keith bullets typically being made oversized and sized down. Winchester, however, upon experimenting further during the cartridge development, modified the Sharpe-bullet shape slightly, while keeping the Sharpe contour of the bullet. The final choice of bullet was hence based upon the earlier Keith and Sharpe bullets, while additionally having slight differences from both.
Dimensions
.357 Magnum maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in .html" ;"title="millimeters (mm)
">millimeters (mm)
The .357 Magnum has 1.66
milliliter
The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3). ...
(26.2
grain
A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...
) cartridge case capacity.
The cartridge
headspace
Headspace may refer to:
*Headspace (company), an online healthcare company specializing in meditation
*Headspace (organisation), an Australian non-profit organization for youth mental health
*Headspace or ullage, the unfilled space in a container
...
s on the rim of the case. The common
rifling
In firearms, rifling is machining helical grooves into the internal (bore) surface of a gun's barrel for the purpose of exerting torque and thus imparting a spin to a projectile around its longitudinal axis during shooting to stabilize the pro ...
twist rate
In firearms, rifling is machining helical grooves into the internal (bore) surface of a gun's barrel for the purpose of exerting torque and thus imparting a spin to a projectile around its longitudinal axis during shooting to stabilize the pro ...
for this cartridge is 476 mm (1 in 18.74 in), six grooves, ø lands = 8.79 mm, ø grooves = 9.02 mm, land width = 2.69 mm and the
primer type is small pistol magnum.
According to the
C.I.P. rulings, the .357 Magnum cartridge case can handle up to P
max piezo pressure. In C.I.P.-regulated countries every pistol cartridge combination has to be
proofed at 130% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers. This means that .357 Magnum chambered arms in C.I.P.-regulated countries are currently proof tested at PE piezo pressure.
Performance
![IMI Magnum Desert eagle black](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/IMI_Magnum_Desert_eagle_black.jpg)
This cartridge is regarded by many as an excellent
hunting
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
,
metallic silhouette
Metallic silhouette shooting is a group of target shooting disciplines that involves shooting at steel targets representing game animals at varying distances, seeking to knock the metal target over. Metallic silhouette is shot with large bore ri ...
, and
self-defense
Self-defense (self-defence primarily in Commonwealth English) is a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in ...
round. With proper loadings it can also be effective against large or dangerous
game
A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...
, such as
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...
and
ungulate
Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Ungulata which primarily consists of large mammals with hooves. These include odd-toed ungulates such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs; and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, cam ...
s; however, many consider the larger and more powerful
magnum cartridge
A magnum cartridge is a firearm cartridge with a larger case size than, or derived from, a similar cartridge of the same projectile (bullet) caliber and case shoulder shape. The term derives from the .357 Magnum, the original cartridge with this d ...
s to be more appropriate, such as the
.41 Magnum
The .41 Remington Magnum, also known as .41 Magnum or 10.4×33mmR (as it is known in unofficial metric designation), is a center fire firearms cartridge primarily developed for use in large-frame revolvers, introduced in 1964 by the Remington A ...
,
.44 Magnum .454 Casull
The .454 Casull () is a firearm cartridge, developed as a wildcat cartridge in 1958 by Dick Casull, Duane Marsh and Jack Fullmer. It was announced in November 1959 by ''Guns & Ammo'' magazine. The design is a lengthened and structurally improve ...
,
.460 S&W Magnum,
.480 Ruger
The .480 Ruger (12.1×33mmR) is a large, high-power revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Ruger and Hornady. It was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and when introduced, was the largest-diameter production revolver cartridge, at ...
, and
.500 S&W Magnum. Comparatively, the .357 Magnum has less energy than the larger magnum revolver loadings but is smaller in diameter with high velocity allowing for excellent penetration properties. It is a fine small- and medium-game round and is sufficient to hunt
deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
at reasonable ranges if suitable loadings are used by a competent marksman. For further comparison, the .357 Magnum has a higher velocity at than its parent case (.38 Special) has at the muzzle. The .357 Magnum's effectiveness on game is similar to that of the
.45 Colt
The .45 Colt (11.43×33mmR), is a rimmed, straight-walled, handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It was originally a black-powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1 ...
, but with a much flatter trajectory due to its higher velocity. It has been used with success for self-defence,
plinking
Plinking refers to informal target shooting done for pleasure, typically at non-standard targets such as tin cans, logs, bottles, or any other homemade or naturally occurring target.
Practice
In contrast to shooting done at established targe ...
, hunting, or target shooting.
["The Versatile .357 Magnum" by Chuck Hawks (subscription required)](_blank)
/ref>
The original 357 load was a 158 grain bullet with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1525 fps. (Muzzle velocity was taken using a revolver with a fairly long barrel of 8.75”) Most of today's loads are fairly mild when compared to the original load.
Revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum have the significant advantage of also being able to chamber and fire the shorter and less-powerful .38 Special cartridge. Compared to the .357 Magnum, .38 Special is also lower in cost, recoil
Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force requ ...
, noise, and muzzle flash
Muzzle flash is the light — both visible and infrared — created by a muzzle blast, which is caused by the sudden release and expansion of high-temperature, high-pressure gases from the muzzle of a firearm during shooting. Both the blast an ...
. The ability to also fire the .38 Special makes .357 revolvers ideal for novice shooters who are not yet used to firing full-power .357 magnum loads but do not want the expense of buying a second lower-powered gun to train with. However, .38 Special ammunition should not generally be used with any .357 magnum ''semiautomatic'' handgun or rifle, since such firearms require the larger recoil produced by firing a .357 Magnum round to cycle properly.
It has also become popular as a "dual-use" cartridge in short, light rifles like the American Old West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
lever-action
The toggle-link action used in the iconic Winchester Model 1873 rifle, one of the most famous lever-action firearms
Lever-action is a type of action for repeating firearms that uses a manually operated cocking handle located around the trigger g ...
s. In a rifle, the bullet will exit the barrel at about ,.357 magnum results
Ballistics By The Inch making it far more versatile than the
.30 Carbine
The .30 Carbine (7.62×33mm) is a rimless carbine/rifle cartridge used in the M1 carbine introduced in the 1940s. It is a light rifle round designed to be fired from the M1 carbine's 18-inch (458 mm) barrel.
History
Shortly before World W ...
or the
.32-20 Winchester
The .32-20 Winchester, also known as .32 WCF (Winchester center fire), was the first small-game lever-action cartridge that
Winchester produced. . In the 1930s it was found to be very effective against steel car doors and ballistic vests, and metal-penetrating rounds were once popular in the United States among
highway patrol
A highway patrol, or state patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is prima ...
and other police organizations. The .357 magnum revolver has been largely replaced by modern, high-capacity
semi-automatic pistol
A semi-automatic pistol is a type of repeating single-chamber handgun ( pistol) that automatically cycles its action to insert the subsequent cartridge into the chamber (self-loading), but requires manual actuation of the trigger to actuall ...
s for police use, but it is still very popular for backup gun use and among outdoorsmen,
security guard
A security guard (also known as a security inspector, security officer, or protective agent) is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets (property, people, equipment, money, etc.) from a variety ...
s, and civilians for hunting, metallic silhouette, target shooting, and self-defense. The
9mm Winchester Magnum
The 9mm Winchester Magnum, which is also known as the 9×29mm, is a centerfire handgun cartridge developed by Winchester in the late 1970s. The cartridge was developed to duplicate the performance of the .357 S&W Magnum in an auto-pistol cartr ...
, which is also known as the 9×29mm, was developed to duplicate the performance of the .357 Magnum in a semi-automatic pistol,
as was the
.357 SIG
The .357 SIG (designated as the 357 Sig by the SAAMI and 357 SIG by the C.I.P. or 9×22mm in unofficial metric notation) is a bottlenecked rimless centerfire handgun cartridge developed by the Swiss- German firearms manufacturer SIG Sauer, ...
cartridge.
Some common performance parameters are shown in the table below for several .357 Magnum loads. Bullet weights ranging from are common. The jacketed hollow point loads are popular for self-defence, whereas the heavier loads are commonly used for hunting. Loads are available with energies typically from 400 and 800 foot-pounds force (542 and 1,085 joules) and can be selected for various applications based on desired use and risk assessments.
''Key:
''Expansion'' – expanded bullet diameter (ballistic gelatin) ''Penetration'' – penetration depth (ballistic gelatin)
''PC'' – permanent cavity volume (ballistic gelatin, FBI method) ''TSC'' – temporary stretch cavity volume (ballistic gelatin)
Comparison
![Colt 357](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Colt_357.JPG)
In terms of accuracy, the .357 Magnum has at least the same potential for precision shooting as the benchmark .38 Special
wadcutter
A wadcutter is a special-purpose flat-fronted bullet specifically designed for shooting paper targets, usually at close range and at subsonic velocities typically under approximately 900 ft/s (274 m/s). Wadcutters have also found favor ...
round—indeed, a good .357 Magnum revolver will shoot .38 Special wadcutter ammunition with good results. It is this accuracy and power, and the versatility of also being capable of using less-expensive, milder .38 Special ammunition, that makes a .357 Magnum revolver an excellent gun for many different disciplines, from precision shooting to long-range falling-plate events. It is an excellent round for those considering
handloading ammunition, as it is economical and consistently performs well.
The .357 Magnum was developed from the earlier .38 Special. This was possible because the .38 Special was introduced in 1898 and originally designed to use
black powder
Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Th ...
, which requires two-to-five times as much powder by volume to produce the same velocity with the same bullet as does the much more efficient
smokeless powder
Finnish smokeless powderSmokeless powder is a type of propellant used in firearms and artillery that produces less smoke and less fouling when fired compared to gunpowder ("black powder"). The combustion products are mainly gaseous, compared to a ...
. Thus, the
.38 Special
The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special (not to be confused with .38 S&W), .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, (pronounced "thirty-eight special"), or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & ...
has a relatively large case capacity, and for lower pressures ( P
max piezo pressure). The
9×19mm Parabellum
The 9×19mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger or simply 9mm) is a rimless, tapered firearms cartridge.
Originally designed by Austrian firearm designer Georg Luger in 1901, it is widely considered the most popular handgun a ...
was introduced in 1902 and was originally designed to use smokeless powder, and for higher pressures ( P
max piezo pressure).
It therefore produces considerably more energy than the .38, despite its case having less than half the powder capacity. Many .38 Special loads use the same powders, in similar charge weights, but because the case is so much larger, light-target loads with fast-burning powders may only fill the case perhaps 1/8 full. Filling the case with slower-burning powders produces much more power, but also much more pressure; far too much pressure for older, smaller-frame revolvers chambered in .38 Special. It was to accommodate these high-pressure, high-power loads that the longer .357 Magnum, together with the stronger revolvers designed to handle it, were developed.
The
.357 SIG
The .357 SIG (designated as the 357 Sig by the SAAMI and 357 SIG by the C.I.P. or 9×22mm in unofficial metric notation) is a bottlenecked rimless centerfire handgun cartridge developed by the Swiss- German firearms manufacturer SIG Sauer, ...
was developed in 1994 was named "357" to highlight its intended purpose: to duplicate the performance of .357 Magnum loads fired from revolvers, in a cartridge designed to be used in a semi-automatic pistol.
Synonyms
*.357 Mag
*.357 S&W Magnum
*9×33mmR (Europe)
See also
*
.357 Remington Maximum
The .357 Maximum, formally known as the .357 Remington Maximum or the .357 Max, is a super magnum handgun cartridge originally developed by Elgin Gates as the wildcat .357 SuperMag. The .357 Maximum was introduced into commercial production as ...
*
.357 SuperMag
*
Coonan Arms
*
Table of handgun and rifle cartridges
This is a table of selected pistol/ submachine gun and rifle/machine gun cartridges by common name. Data values are the highest found for the cartridge, and might not occur in the same load (e.g. the highest muzzle energy might not be in the sa ...
References
Notes
External links
".357 Magnum Stopping Power" Handloads.com".357 Magnum is a ‘do it all’ cartridge for hunting and self-defense"by Boyko Nikolov at BulgarianMilitary.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:357 Magnum
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1934
Magnum pistol cartridges
Pistol and rifle cartridges
Rimmed cartridges
Smith & Wesson cartridges
Winchester Repeating Arms Company cartridges