GD 124+p out of 3.1" barrel =1121fps
GS 125 .357 out of 2 1/8" barrel = 1140fps
These are avgs out of PF9 & Taurus 651. The GD runs 1200fps out of 4" FNP9 and GS avgs 1210fps out of 3" M13. Don't have 4" .357 to compare. They do seem mighty close?
I have read about those very same ballistics. I used to keep a Ruger SP101 3" for home defense loaded with GS 125 .357 magnum hollow points. Now, I keep a Glock 19 (Ramrod really influenced me with his glowing reports on his G19) loaded with GS 124 9mm +P at about the same velocity.
I now have 15 + 1 rounds versus 5 rounds for the revolver. I also have night sights and a tactical light on the rail of the G19 for night time visitors.
Yep. I carried 5 shot 357 with the GS load due to recoil, muzzle blast and arthritis and looked down my nose at 9mms until I got some 9s and a chronograph. Now instead of 24 oz 651 w/5 shots, it's 24 oz FNP9M w/16 rds.:smile:
A lot of ammo makers download the .357 when they load it with premium bullets. I know it helps with recoil on smaller revolvers but it takes away from what the .357 should be, at least to me. I carried a 3" Md. 66 in the past. Currently a G19 with 124 +P GDs. The 9mm gets darn close with hot loads in an easy to carry, easy to shoot package.
That's what the .357 should be! Closest I could guess in 9mm would be Double Tap's 115 gr. Gold Dot load. It's rated at 1415 fps & 511 ft. lbs. from a G17.
I, as an engineer, I always look at the numbers, but they don't tell the whole story. They're more like a guide. Golden Sabers have always had decent recoil and low muzzle flash compared with other SD loads.
A quick look at Speer's site shows their Gold Dot .357 Mag 125 gr. (what's in the 6" GP100 about a foot from my left hand as I type this) to have 1450 fps muzzle vel. and 584 ft.-lbf. muzzle energy out of a 4" test barrel. Quite a bit more than Remington's .357 1220 fps, 413 ft.-lbf. load, also tested from a 4" barrel. Maybe Remington uses a slower-burning powder, which would benefit more someone who keeps a 6" .357 Mag on the nightstand.
18 rounds of 124gr +P HST's in my G3. And they stay in a pie plate at 10 yards.
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