The .357 Magnum Gun Review: The Case for a Carry Revolver

Originally published January 2016. Updated February 2026.

I WAS PIG HUNTING in South Georgia. It was a wild, swampy thicket, overrun with deer, turkeys, alligators and feral hogs. Lots of hogs, the owner claimed. Yet, for three days, there was not a single pig to be seen. Then, in the moonless dark, a pack raced across the dirt road. One of them halted and stared into the Jeep’s headlights. It weighed about 100 pounds, maybe a little more.

I slid out of the passenger side, drew my .357 Ruger revolver, touched the button for the red laser dot and moved my finger to the trigger. The dot was invisible against the glistening black bristles, but the hog was less than 15 yards away, broadside. One shot. I couldn’t miss. The pig sprung across the ditch into the brush and collapsed in seconds. The .357 Magnum round put the hog down with a single shot — decisive performance from a revolver chambered in .357 Magnum — a cartridge that has been in continuous production since 1935.

But how is the .357 Magnum as a defensive round for concealed carry?

Well, it’s not Dirty Harry’s gun, but it has a very solid reputation among revolver shooters and law enforcement veterans. If it is acceptable (and, to some, the benchmark for handgun stopping power), why does it seem that it is so often overlooked in modern concealed-carry discussions? Why do writers and editors, even manufacturers and consumers, so frequently endorse other calibers — the 9mm or the .45 ACP, even the .40 S&W — for carrying a gun and so rarely mention the .357 Magnum revolver?

.357 Back in the Day: The Birth of the Magnum Revolver

The history of the .357 Magnum is well-known among handgun historians and serious shooters. In short, part-time rancher, part-time writer and full-time character Elmer Keith, of Idaho, became fed up with the ballistic limitations of the .38 Special and began hand-loading hotter and hotter rounds, often into the customary no-go safety zone for pressures. Keith, who enjoyed and promoted handgun hunting, ultimately teamed up with Phillip Sharpe and Dan Wesson to introduce the .357 Magnum in 1935.

The .357 was the first of the modern era’s magnum revolver cartridges to be offered commercially, setting the standard for what a high-velocity wheelgun could achieve.

Law enforcement officers, often armed only with the .38 Special, found themselves outgunned, as both their duty-issue guns and ammo were insufficient during the furious prohibition and motorized bandit eras.

The .357 was the first of the modern era’s magnum revolver cartridges to be offered commercially.

So Keith, Sharpe and Wesson pushed the limits of technology searching for more effective hand-held weaponry. Of course, a more powerful round required a very sturdy chamber and frame, tooling unavailable on a remote Western ranch. So when Keith maxed out his .38 Special loads, he needed real engineering and manufacturing expertise. Hence the partnership with Smith & Wesson, who eventually stretched the .357 case by about 1/8 inch. This critical dimensional change prevented the more powerful .357 Magnum rounds from being fired in conventional .38 Special revolvers, which were not designed to handle the higher propellant pressures.

The result — the .357 Magnum — could fire .38 Special rounds, because the diameter was the same; the .38 could not fire the .357, though, because of the .357’s length and significantly higher operating pressures. Otherwise, the guns were — and usually still are — identical in overall design, with the key difference being strength and chamber dimensions.

Keith eventually tired of the .357. Looking for a more powerful load with a bigger, faster bullet, he also initiated development of the .41 Magnum and .44 Magnum. Even so, the .357 retained its reputation as a balanced blend of velocity, penetration and shootability — rugged enough for field use, tame enough for regular range training.

The .357 Magnum as a Defensive Round for Concealed Carry

Is the .357 good or even reasonable for concealed carry in today’s world of polymer-framed semi-automatics and high-capacity pistols?

Even though Keith looked for bigger, heavier, faster rounds, one of his primary interests was big game hunting with his handgun. A perfectly executed shot at close range with a heavy .357 Magnum bullet is sufficient to kill an elk or bear. But how often in the wilds are you able to make that perfect shot without a scope, a rest and a long, calming breath? Never.

For a hunting handgun, the .357 is suitable for small and modestly sized game — javelina or feral hogs, most whitetails and perhaps nutria tunneling through dikes along the Mississippi. For a 250-pound rutting buck in Minnesota or one of the over-fed, 400-pound cut boars on a Texas game ranch, the .357 is insufficient. For game of that size, a step up to a .44 Magnum or even the .500 S&W Magnum is required.

This discussion leads inevitably to the suburban defensive scenario. It is not altogether unlike hunting the deep woods and spotting a trophy deer. You are going to experience buck fever — an adrenaline rush with tunnel vision, a shaking or otherwise occupied hand and all of the related symptoms of excitement and fear. Anything can happen, and often does, in a defensive encounter.

Figure the average criminal assailant at 200 pounds. Both an assailant and a defender have adrenaline rushing into the bloodstream, perhaps a little more for the defender, since the assailant may be a career criminal or pumped full of illegal chemicals and/or alcohol. In that moment, ballistics tables become secondary to placement, penetration and the ability to deliver follow-up shots under stress.

Selected Handgun Cartridge Velocity and Ballistics

Based on the numbers in the table below, Keith, Sharpe and Wesson definitely achieved their goal of improving on the basic .38 Special. The .357 Magnum loads are much faster and more than double the energy transfer of a bullet from a .38 Special at typical handgun engagement distances.

Cartridge	Bullet Weight (grains)	Muzzle Velocity (fps)	Muzzle Energy (ft-lbs)
.22 LR	37 / 40	1,085 / 1,060	97 / 100
.32 H&R Magnum	85 / 95	1,120 / 1,020	237 / 219
.38 Special	110 / 125 / 158	1,010 / 900 / 800	249 / 225 / 199
9mm Luger	115 / 124 / 147	1,155 / 1,110 / 975	341 / 333 / 310
.357 Magnum	125 / 140 / 158	1,500 / 1,250 / 1,250	624 / 486 / 548
.357 SIG	124 / 147	1,350 / 1,225	502 / 490
.40 S&W	155 / 165 / 180	1,180 / 1,175 / 903	479 / 506 / 361
.44 Rem. Magnum	180 / 200 / 225 / 240 / 300	1,550 / 1,500 / 1,410 / 1,350 / 1,150	960 / 999 / 993 / 971 / 881
.45 Automatic	185 / 200 / 230	970 / 856 / 818	386 / 366 / 369

Data sourced from original USCCA^® ballistics table, Selected Handgun Cartridge Table, as published. Values are approximate and load-dependent.

The problem is that figures such as those tabulated only tell a fraction of the story. What does it take to stop an assault? There are three general reasons an assailant will stop: blood loss, a hit to the central nervous system or the aggressor’s personal determination. Thus, a shot to the chest from a .22 Short could possibly deter continued aggression, depending on circumstances.

There are three general reasons an assailant will stop: blood loss, a hit to the central nervous system or the aggressor’s personal determination.

In addition, such details as shot placement and even one’s surroundings play major factors in determining the best self-defense round. In the deep gloom of a lonely parking garage, it might take several hits from a .45 ACP to drop a carjacker, but on a busy street corner downtown, one loud bang from a .38 Special might be sufficient to send a nervous purse-snatcher running. But, of course, the problem is that you do not get a do-over. You will never know until you see the assailant’s blood or backside.

Caliber, Recoil and Carrying a Gun: What Chambered Rounds Really Matter

It is common for women or men with slender builds to think about carrying smaller calibers, often a .32. A smaller personal defense weapon, they argue, is easier to fit into a purse and maneuver with their smallish hands. They complain about recoil and thus look for small, lightly framed handguns that have less kick or blast, which tend to frighten inexperienced shooters.

Unfortunately, small handguns often deliver limited self-defense performance while producing disproportionately sharp recoil when compared to larger, heavier firearms. One would have to be a battle-trained expert to defend against a determined attack using a handgun chambered in a small round.

Law enforcement relies heavily on 9mm ammo today, and modern duty loads have improved significantly over the decades. Sworn police officers, who carry any time they are on duty, are responsible for their stray shots, and bullets that hit — or miss — a criminal but then do not stop are a huge liability. And so a relatively moderate-energy round like the 9mm has, for years, proven acceptable for duty use when paired with training and accountability.

The average citizen and holder of a concealed carry permit, however, will likely never be required to draw and use his or her firearm — or will they? If you need to defend yourself and your family just once in a lifetime, would you rather do that with a .32 or a .44? Would you rather rely on something hitting with 200-plus foot-pounds or something delivering four times that energy?

Perhaps the best possible gun for self-defense inside the home is a properly fitting 12-gauge shotgun, with the shortest barrel length allowed by law, loaded with double-ought buckshot or slugs. The Winchester PDX1 Defender 12-gauge, for example, in a common 2 3/4-inch load offers muzzle velocity typical of 1-ounce slugs — around 1,600 feet per second — generating roughly 2,500 foot-pounds of energy. By contrast, a 150-grain .30-06 factory load has a velocity of approximately 2,900 feet per second and delivers around 2,800 foot-pounds. Hit an assailant almost anywhere on the body, except perhaps the toe or finger, and he is going to know it.

A shotgun for home defense is excellent, and even 20- and 28-gauge shotguns deliver energy at levels at or exceeding the .44 Magnum.

For daily concealed carry, however, a shotgun is not feasible, unless you live in grizzly bear country or have a ranch on the border with Mexico.

Why .357 Mag? The Case for a Short Barrel Carry Revolver

With many common defensive .357 loads exceeding 500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, this author believes the .357 Magnum is the smallest, most effective solution for a self-defense firearm in a revolver platform. The round is tame enough for regular range use, and the ability to fire .38 Special loads — including loads from Hornady and other manufacturers — affords the shooter lower operating costs, lower recoil, softer report and less muzzle flash during training. A lightweight revolver chambered in .357 Magnum can carry all day without fatigue, and the same gun handles both mild .38 Special loads and full-power .357 Magnum rounds without modification. This makes the .357 Magnum accessible to novice shooters while still offering substantial ballistic capability downrange.

Today, we not only have .357 Magnum revolvers but also semi-automatic platforms chambered in related rounds, offering greater ammunition capacity. In 1994, the .357 SIG was designed to duplicate the performance of 125-grain .357 Magnum loads fired from revolvers with 4-inch barrels in a round suitable for semi-automatics.

.357 Mag Revolvers: Ruger, Taurus, S&W 686 and More

Consider the following as a tale of two — or three — guns that are typical of today’s choices in .357 Magnum for defensive carry and range use.

Smith & Wesson Model 627

Smith & Wesson’s Model 627 is a stainless .357 Magnum revolver that can also fire .38 Special; 2.625‑inch barrel variants weigh about 2.35 pounds and measure roughly 7.6 inches overall. This short-barrel model features a 1.7-inch wide cylinder and an adjustable rear sight — including an option to replace the front sight for shooters who prefer a tritium front sight for low-light use. The overall length is 7.625 inches, and it fires either single- or double-action. With a wood grip, stainless frame and swing-out cylinder cut for moon clips — so the shooter can use moon clips for faster reloads — it weighs 2.35 pounds. The 686 Plus is a closely related 7-shot option that many IWB and holster carry shooters consider alongside the 627 for its snag-free profile and crisp single-action trigger pull. MSRP on these blued and stainless variants varies by retailer; current pricing may differ from original publication.

Desert Eagle Mark XIX in .357

Magnum Research introduced a gas-operated, rotating-bolt, semi-automatic .357 Magnum in 1982. Later, they came out with autoloaders in .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .50 Action Express — the idea being that the shooter could use a basic frame and switch between calibers with minimal effort or additional parts. Their nine-round Desert Eagle Mark XIX in .357 has a 6-inch barrel and is 10.75 inches in overall length: 6.25 high and 1.25 wide. With a single-action trigger, it comes with a full Weaver-style accessory rail and integral muzzle brake. This 4-pound, 9-ounce gun has an MSRP of approximately $1,710 (pricing may vary).

Chiappa Rhino

The odd look of Chiappa’s Rhino comes from placing the barrel at the bottom of the frame rather than at the top and building with a slab-sided hexagonal cylinder. The Rhino moves the axis of the bore down lower, in line with the shooter’s hand, not over it, which complicates the inner mechanism and reduces muzzle rise. The six-shot Rhino .357 Magnum comes in various barrel lengths. In chrome or matte-black, the lightweight polymer frame version can be purchased with a 2-, 4-, 5- or 6-inch barrel. The 2-inch Rhino 200DS weighs about 1.5 pounds with a rubber backstrap grip; 3-inch variants run around 1.7 pounds, still making either an easy carry all day as a concealed-carry option. With the 6-inch barrel, the gun weighs 2 pounds, 1 ounce, with an MSRP of about $980 (pricing may vary).

There are thousands of handguns available today, from compact semi-automatics to large-frame revolvers, and surely one or two of them will suit your personal requirements. The .357 Magnum, however, should not be overlooked in the rush to larger bullets or higher capacity — it remains both suitable for and effective as a concealed carry revolver.

Frequently Asked Questions About the .357 Mag

Is a .357 More Powerful Than a 9mm?

Yes. Many common .357 Magnum defensive loads exceed 500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. Based on published manufacturer ballistics data, standard 9mm duty loads typically run between roughly 330 and 400 foot-pounds from a full-size pistol. Beyond the raw energy gap, the .357 also offers the ability to fire .38 Special loads for training — providing lower recoil and reduced cost — while reserving full .357 Magnum loads for defensive use.

Will a .357 Stop a Grizzly Bear?

A perfectly executed shot at close range with a heavy .357 Magnum bullet is sufficient to kill an elk or bear. The practical problem is getting that perfect shot in the field without a scope, a rest and a long, calming breath — which almost never happens. For large, dangerous game requiring reliable stopping power, a step up to a .44 Magnum or .500 S&W Magnum is the more appropriate choice.

Which Is Stronger, .44 Mag or .357?

The .44 Magnum. Elmer Keith himself eventually tired of the .357 and pushed for the development of the .41 Magnum and .44 Magnum specifically because he wanted a bigger, faster bullet with more energy downrange. Common .44 Magnum defensive loads produce 900 to 1,100 foot-pounds of muzzle energy — roughly double what most .357 Magnum loads deliver. For heavy game where the .357 is insufficient, the .44 Magnum is the round this article points to by name.

Is a .357 More Powerful Than a .45?

By energy figures, yes. Many common .357 Magnum defensive loads exceed 500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. Standard .45 ACP loads typically produce 350 to 400 foot-pounds from a full-size pistol. The .45 ACP delivers a larger diameter bullet — .452 inches versus .357 inches — and at handgun engagement distances, shot placement matters as much as raw energy. In that moment, ballistics tables become secondary to placement, penetration and the ability to deliver follow-up shots under stress.