Recoil

[Aftrshck]

...snip... Who's got a gun I can shoot that will likely make me say, "Yikes, no thanks, I'm done!"?...snip...

Mac...come up to Bill's and shoot the 44mag in scandium frame...that should cause you to say Yikes....it is not a fun gun at all....let me know how it works for ya....I will be there wed-fri...talk to ya soon....


~Aftrshck

[jac714]

I plan on buying the IR kit and rechargable battery pack as soon as the budget allows.

The chrono was a gift so I have nothing to complain about.

[DieselDood]

I wanna come play with the "big boys."

I might do OK. When I usually shoot, I end up going through 5-700 rounds of .45 at a time with no issues at all.

Now...I realize a .45 is a far cry from what we are talking about here...but I feel up to the task!

[JoeH]

I have a theory that you don't gain much over a .38 +p with a .357 mag in a short barrel, I plan on getting a volunteer with a .357 j-frame and shoot both .357 and .38 out of it over a chrono and see what is gained.

I would think the slower magnum powders used in the ,357 don't have time to build up the additional pressure. It should be an interesting experiment.

Looking at the Speer web site, their data backs your theory. You only gain a little with .357 Mag out of a 2" barrel.

135 gr hp bullet, shot from a 2"barrel -
.38 Spc +P at muzzle = 860 fps/222 ft lbs energy
.357 Mag at muzzle = 990 fps/294 ft lbs energy

Does 72 foot pounds of energy make an appreciable difference?

Adding two inches to the barrel allows the Mag to show its stuff.

125 gr hp bullet, shot from a 4" barrel -
.38 Spc +P at muzzle = 945 fps/248 ft lbs energy
.357 Mag at muzzle = 1450 fps/584 ft lbs energy

Back to the subject of recoil. In buying a snubbie I went with a steel frame .357 (S&W 640). I like the versatility of shooting 357 or 38. I also use the gun with new self-defense shooters. It's nice to have a heavier gun shooting .38s for the newbie.

[westhope]

Here is some data I ran from my 642

Federal 158 gr. Jacketed Hollow Point Hydra Shok (5 rds.)

Vel. (fps) 848.4 sd 27.8 PowerFactor 134.0 Energy (ft-lbs) 252.5

Vel. High 878.0 Vel. Low 819.0 Vel. Extreme Spread 59.0

I haven't ran the 135 Speer Gold Dots to verify the published data yet.

I also want to run some of the "FBI" loads (Rem 158 gr. LSWCHP) to see how they compare.

[Seismic Sam]

...snip... Who's got a gun I can shoot that will likely make me say, "Yikes, no thanks, I'm done!"?...snip...

Mac...come up to Bill's and shoot the 44mag in scandium frame...that should cause you to say Yikes....it is not a fun gun at all....let me know how it works for ya....I will be there wed-fri...talk to ya soon....

~Aftrshck

You got that right. The guys in the Wolf's Den in Hugo have a range in the basement to "play in", and they have a lot of fun with the Smith 500. They shot one round with the Scandium 44 mag and handed the gun back. There's probably not much difference to shooting that gun and using it as a hammer on your hand directly.

[macphisto]

...snip... Who's got a gun I can shoot that will likely make me say, "Yikes, no thanks, I'm done!"?...snip...

Mac...come up to Bill's and shoot the 44mag in scandium frame...that should cause you to say Yikes....it is not a fun gun at all....let me know how it works for ya....I will be there wed-fri...talk to ya soon....

~Aftrshck

You got that right. The guys in the Wolf's Den in Hugo have a range in the basement to "play in", and they have a lot of fun with the Smith 500. They shot one round with the Scandium 44 mag and handed the gun back. There's probably not much difference to shooting that gun and using it as a hammer on your hand directly.

I've been there several times and had no idea. I'll have to ask about it next time.

[someone1980]

Who's got a gun I can shoot that will likely make me say, "Yikes, no thanks, I'm done!"?

Don't have one, but I have yet to find someone who will put more than one cylinder of full power .357 through an alloy snubbie.

Not the most powerful round by far, but the horsepower to weight ratio is right up there....

I have put 4 through mine a couple times. Just can't manage to squeeze the 5th off. My hand tends to not be all that functional for the next 2-3 days. Even after 15-20 .38s it just isn't fun any more. What I think I am going to start doing to get practice with it, is every time I go to the range, just put 5 .38s down range. On the plus side it is so light I have it just about every where with me, and most of the time forget that it is there.

Back in the day I had a lightweight 3" 1911. We were doing speed rocks at a local class. That thing messed up my wrist. Just too much snap. After 150 normally fired rounds my wrist and elbow would be sore. But the pistol was lighter then my holster.

[justaguy]

I think the scandium alloy’s get a bad rap. If you pick one up for the first time I agree it’s not nice. I can shoot mine enough at the range to hit a man size target. Am I a range hero with it no, but what do you expect from a less than 2in. barrel, and cut out sites? When I have new people shoot it they are afraid it is going to fly out of there hand. The recoil is pretty much strait back into the web not up and out of grip. I have had 5-6 (none were magnum shooters) people shoot mine with .357, and all of them have shot all 5, some more. They all agree it has some recoil, but not snap out of your hand recoil. I could do 15-20 158gr. and be ok. The Speer Short Barrel rounds lessen the recoil some. Would I want to go put 50 rounds down range with it? No, but would I would want to carry it in my pocket for 50 hours and that is what it is made for. I bought it for the purpose it was made for and would not live without it. I do think S&W could put better grips on them. Having the back strap against the web of your hand inst the best idea. Try shooting one with after market or CT grips and it is better. I have had my M&P340 for 7-8 months. In that time I can’t think of a time I have been without it.

[Aftrshck]

I think the scandium alloy’s get a bad rap. If you pick one up for the first time I agree it’s not nice. I can shoot mine enough at the range to hit a man size target. Am I a range hero with it no, but what do you expect from a less than 2in. barrel, and cut out sites? When I have new people shoot it they are afraid it is going to fly out of there hand. The recoil is pretty much strait back into the web not up and out of grip. I have had 5-6 (none were magnum shooters) people shoot mine with .357, and all of them have shot all 5, some more. They all agree it has some recoil, but not snap out of your hand recoil. I could do 15-20 158gr. and be ok. The Speer Short Barrel rounds lessen the recoil some. Would I want to go put 50 rounds down range with it? No, but would I would want to carry it in my pocket for 50 hours and that is what it is made for. I bought it for the purpose it was made for and would not live without it. I do think S&W could put better grips on them. Having the back strap against the web of your hand inst the best idea. Try shooting one with after market or CT grips and it is better. I have had my M&P340 for 7-8 months. In that time I can’t think of a time I have been without it.

but imagine a 44 mag in scandium...

~Aftrshck

[goalie]

Am I a range hero with it no, but what do you expect from a less than 2in. barrel, and cut out sites?

Head-shots with 100% hits at 10 yards, just like with my 638. It is something I personally cannot do with the super-duper lightweight J-frames and real ammo, which is why I don't carry one.

That said, I have seen people shoot the hell out of those suckers. If I could do it, I would carry one, no question about that.

[Seismic Sam]

This is still the ultimate in pain:

http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1652&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=10

[someone1980]

Am I a range hero with it no, but what do you expect from a less than 2in. barrel, and cut out sites?

Head-shots with 100% hits at 10 yards, just like with my 638. It is something I personally cannot do with the super-duper lightweight J-frames and real ammo, which is why I don't carry one.

That said, I have seen people shoot the hell out of those suckers. If I could do it, I would carry one, no question about that.

I carry mine as a close contact pistol. I know I would be able to do much with it past 5 yards.

[justaguy]

I would give an alloy .44mag. a try. One of those derringers I would have to see it done first, and maybe not even after that. How does a S&W 340 compare to the recoil of a .475 or .500? I know everyone is different and the gun weights are not close.

[someone1980]

I would give an alloy .44mag. a try. One of those derringers I would have to see it done first, and maybe not even after that. How does a S&W 340 compare to the recoil of a .475 or .500? I know everyone is different and the gun weights are not close.

I have not shot a .475 or .500. I watched a guy shoot a .500 S&W at Bill's and the pistol was coming up well above his head with a lot of bend in his arm. Pretty big guy too. It sounded like a cannon going off from outside the bay while others were shooting rifles. Everyone in the bay stopped to watch.

My 340pd rises about 4-6 in, and no one stops to watch.

Go check out the muzzle energy from both, then divide by the weight of the pistol.

Other then that you are just going to have to go out and try them.