Texas SOT

.357 or .44

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  • DCortez

    TGT Addict
    Jan 28, 2009
    6,597
    21
    Houston, Cy-Fair
    I had been eyeballing a GP100 for a while, but, wanted to hear some opinions. May change my wishlist from .357 mag to .44 mag


    Thinking 4" but maybe 6", trench sites, stainless, Ruger or S&W.


    Uses? Hell, who really cares
    ARJ Defense ad
     

    MadMo44Mag

    TGT Addict
    Jan 23, 2009
    3,053
    21
    Ft.Worth
    Anything above a 44mag is real money to shoot. LOL!
    Been loading the 44 for many years and has proved to be very fun, versatile and fairly cheap to shot.
    Just one of those all around fun big bore rounds that can be loaded in so many ways to get what you want.
     

    navyguy

    TGT Addict
    Emeritus - "Texas Proud"
    Oct 22, 2008
    2,986
    31
    DFW Keller
    What you going to do with it? If it's shoot bad guys, .357 is going to do the job. Just fun with a big bang, .44 for sure. And for course .44 that takes care of bad guys toot-sweat.
     

    DCortez

    TGT Addict
    Jan 28, 2009
    6,597
    21
    Houston, Cy-Fair
    Some of the down sides of both has been ammo. Before last week, I couldn't tell you the last time I had seen any .357 mag. Before yesterday, I couldn't tell you the last time I saw any .44 mag. I like em both and would have given the edge to the .357 since I could shoot the easier to find .38 sp ammo.


    So ... I was out yesterday, and between stops, I found another M92 lever action in .44 mag and 500 rounds of ammo. Well, I figured it was a sign from The Shooting Gods. Long story short, I got home in time to quick clean the rifle, get the kids ready, head over to Hot Wells and fired off 150 or so rounds.

    Now, I'm wondering... which revolver do I really want. Not that you can go wrong with either...
     

    dbgun

    TGT Addict
    TGT Supporter
    Lifetime Member
    Mar 17, 2008
    3,589
    96
    Houston, TX.
    I had been eyeballing a GP100 for a while,

    I'd go with a Ruger GP100, SS 4" bl. in .357mag. I've been wanting one for a while, just don't have the funds yet.
     

    TxGunsmith

    New Member
    Jun 6, 2009
    8
    1
    Houston
    I have both but if i didn't i'd go with the .357mag. With the .357 you can of course shoot .38 special and with the 44mag you can aslo shoot 44 special. There are a lot more variations of .38 special then there is of .44 special in factory loads.
    As for the person mentioning the S&W 500, I went with the .460 S&W because you can shoot 45 long colt, 454 casull and 460.
     

    Texshooter

    New Member
    Apr 5, 2008
    44
    1
    Houston, TX
    I would start with a .357. Later you can pick up a .44.

    The only way to shoot magnums cheap these days is to reload, you should look into that.

    Tex
     

    Burt Gummer

    Active Member
    May 18, 2009
    644
    21
    Williamson County
    GP100 is a good hunk of metal,I would go with it.

    It can do some good work and the amount of loads out there are outstanding!

    Every good collection should include a good .357 Magnum.
     

    texas_teacher

    Well-Known
    Feb 14, 2009
    2,114
    21
    South Korea
    GP100 is a good hunk of metal,I would go with it.

    It can do some good work and the amount of loads out there are outstanding!

    Every good collection should include a good .357 Magnum.

    another vote for the .357 ... and I like Burt Gummer's stick-in and the end stating that a collection needs a "good" oh so true... you're not going to do much but leave it around if all it is to you is a hunk of metal that's not fun...
     

    MadMo44Mag

    TGT Addict
    Jan 23, 2009
    3,053
    21
    Ft.Worth
    DC I have owned both for years.
    My 5 screw Ruger SA is a nail driver and the sweetest trigger pull you have ever seen. But the fact is both my 357 spend more time in the safe than anywhere else.
    On the other hand my 44 mag see lots of time at the range and use to see lots of time hunting.
    IMO the 44 has more uses.
    Down loaded with a 180 JHP at 1150 fps it shoots like the 357 with a larger bullet cross section and weight.
    After much powder testing over the 20+ years of loading and some help from the folks at Alliant Powders I can load light 44 within penny's of the 357mag.
    If I recall you are not a hand loader (if I wrong I'm sorry) but once you start down the magnum pistol path it becomes a necessity to curb costs.
    You can't up-load a 357 to 44 ballistics but you can down load a 44 to the 357 ballistics - well kinda, you always have a heavier bullet and larger cross section.
     
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