? for you ballistic gurus

[huntnfmly]

I'm looking at buying a ruger sp101 .357 with a 2 1/4 in. Barrel for a in the woods gun for predator protection. My question do I lose too much velocity compared to the 4in barrel to make it effective?
Thanks
Jim

[Bob33]

Is the predator a stray dog, grizzly bear, or druggie?

You could lose in the neighborhood of 150 feet per second or more with a shorter barrel. Less velocity means less energy. It is true that less energy tends to make a bullet less effective (everything else being equal) but to conclude it is “not effective” would be misleading.

[huntnfmly]

Thanks bob
  Where we hunt there's alot of black bear sign.I really like the size of the smaller barrel.I figured I could use .38 loads for home and hardcast .357 loads to carry in the woods

[bobcat]

A short barreled 357 isn't much fun to shoot, but for your purposes, you'll be carrying it a lot more than you'll be shooting it. So I think it would be fine.

[Biggerhammer]

It will do fine, plus they fit in your back pocket nicely. Had one running around in my truck for several years.

[magnanimous_j]

You'll only lose a couple hundred FPS, but you WILL lose about half your muzzle energy. You can get that gun with a 3", that's what I'd do.

[thinkingman]

Buffalo Bore makes 158gr hardcast lead in 38spl+P.
It's what I carry in my 6" SW 386.
357Mag was just too violent out of that revolver.
357Mag out of anything less than 4" is pointless.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=291%3Fballistics101.com
You won't find these in any store.
Your LGS will have to order them for you.

[b23]

My vote would be for the 3in. version as well.  It's still pretty compact with the 3in. barrel and will also give you a bit more sight radius.

If you want to go REAL big, S&W has their 500 magnum in a 2 1/2 inch version.

Good lord, those things must be brutal to shoot, with such a short barrel.

[theleo]

A good part of the time I kick around the woods with a 3" S&W model 60 with adjustable sights. It's small enough to not be a bother, large enough to tame 357's (it wears Hogue grips), and enough barrel to have a decent sight picture. If I had to choose between a 2" and a 4", I'd go with a 4" that had decent sights in a heart beat. You'll get more performance from the 4" with 357 loads and be able to hit something with it. A 2" shooting 357 loads would be about the same as 4" shooting 38 spl+P ammo, performance wise.

[Yondering]

I'm looking at buying a ruger sp101 .357 with a 2 1/4 in. Barrel for a in the woods gun for predator protection. My question do I lose too much velocity compared to the 4in barrel to make it effective?
Thanks
Jim

Performance out of that with hot 158gr loads is almost exactly the same as a little compact 40 S&W with 165gr bullets, both doing right about 1100 fps according to my chrono. That was with a 2-1/4" SP101 and a Kahr CW40.

The SP101 was noticeably louder and harder to hit things with though.

[huntnfmly]

Thanks guys sounds like I'll be going with the  longer barrel

[Bofire]

I read a study many years ago, but I caution I am old and so is my memory,  The study compared snubs to 4 inch in 38 and 357. the loss was about 68%( not a loss of 68 , 68 remaining power so 32% loss??)
 in my memory. The 4 inch was much less than the 6 inch also. over 6 inch did not make much difference.. In a 357 I think a 4 inch is about the optimum for a holster carry gun. The model 60 S&W 357 in 5 shot and 3 inch would be cool for your use. Do not forget the 180 grain hardcast bullet for big stuff.
Carl

[Bob33]

A shorter barreled gun that you have with you is quite a bit more effective than a longer barreled one you left at home.

[Biggerhammer]

For all you rocket scientist and Google freaks out there. Take a Ruger SP101 .357 loaded with Corbon's jam it in your ribs and pull the trigger. Then give me a call and ask me if it works for a carry handgun in the woods.

I'm glad the majority here aren't on my left or right!

[Chad E.]

For all you rocket scientist and Google freaks out there. Take a Ruger SP101 .357 loaded with Corbon's jam it in your ribs and pull the trigger. Then give me a call and ask me if it works for a carry handgun in the woods.

I'm glad the majority here aren't on my left or right!

Practical ballistics. ..I love it