Those rounds will definitely take care of most 2 and 4 legged predators!Even more proof of why .357 mag has been going strong for almost 90 years.Great job Tools,keep ‘em coming!
When I swore in as a deputy sheriff we were still issued revolvers, and I 've carried both S&W and Ruger. (Colt was a little too pricey even back then for young cops.) This load reminds me of the o!d school loads I read about, and that gave the 357 Magnum it's reputation. I really appreciate this channel doing these test. The 357 is still as capable as it every was, and more so with the proper loads. Thanks again for excellent content!
Goodness no...but I wished they did. These remind me of the old loads you'd hear about guys like Keith would load. There is SO MUCH MORE potential for the .357 than companies are loading it for.
@@7-ghostbones166You're absolutely right. The .357 our grandpas carried was a completely different animal than the .357 of today. S&W petitioned SAAMI to reduce operating pressures for the .357 and the .44 magnums because they got tired of repairing smaller framed offerings in both, and SAAMI did so in the mid-90s, reducing pressure on the .357 by about 25% to the 35,000 PSI it remains today. Our grandpa's .357 ran up around 44,000, IIRC. I inherited my grandpa's loading manuals and the manuals from the late 80s have the .357 running a good 200 fps or more across the board. My grandpa had a 158 gr JSP running 1500 fps out of his Security Six. As a boy I remember the blast and flash, and thinking that was just the coolest thing, right up until he took out his 7.5 in Blackhawk and started sending 240 gr JSPs downrange at 1600 fps. It's criminal that they can neuter rounds like that and not even rename them to avoid confusion. Kids these days don't even know what real .357 and Dirty Harry's .44 Magnum is. Those rounds are supposed to be fire breathing monsters, not the caged lions we have today.
@@MTMILITIAMAN7.62 and funny enough man, it seems like the only ammo manufacturers bringing their .357 & .44 Magnum loads back to their former glory (or close to it), is a 2-way tie between Hornady and Underwood. Can't really comment on Buffalo Bore or Double Tap, as i've never tried their stuff before and the former is hard to track down.
@@DrQuagmire1 They are making it popular, but it doesn't come close to the power that the 357 mag had, Buffalo bore is superior, an attacker would be on the ground with a round in the center of mass
Buffalo Bore seems to be the underdog in any caliber they make. Every test you've done proves that this is the company load you need to be carrying, espcially when four legged hunting. Now, lets see it in 44 Magnum! I hope you get to feeling better, and can't wait for the next test.
Outstanding! I’m a big 357 fan! The one thing your not asking yourself when you touch one off...”Gee! I wonder if my hollow point is going to expand?” Thanks brother! Get better!👍🏼
Buffalo bore always performs up to full potential. But I think you’re right, I think you’ve tested some 158gr that performed as well for less $. But phenomenal results. 👍🇺🇸
I use the Buffalo bore 125gr heavy in my Taurus 605 snubby and it’s a little monster. 1400+ fps out of a 2” barrel. The recoil is borderline unmanageable lol. Revolver, aficionado said in his video he couldn’t handle it if that gives you an idea lol he was getting 1474fps out of his 605. Give it a whirl one day it’s definitely a wild ride haha. Great video as always!!
@@ToolsandTargets I call you a brother cause you have my respect and I really appreciate the excellent content you put in your videos. Hope you have great weekend as well brother tools.
The “original” 357 mag load was 158gr @ 1550. That round was made for N frame gun and that is most likely a 6” or 8 3/8” barrel. Once they started putting the round into K-Frame and Colt D frame guns, ammo manufactures wisely cooled the load down. That 1550 was a swaged lead bullet with copper gas check. It is relatively easy to get 1550 out of an N-frame gun. I have shot a LOT of those stout loads from my Smith model 28s and contender barrels. But I don’t even let that hot stuff get close to small frame guns. Another great ammo test, I really like your format with the Doppler AND optical chronographs. Thank you very much!
Back 45 years ago (give or take) the ammo velocities published in gun magazines showed a problem with the Python. Velocities from Smith & Wesson and Ruger revolvers was typically about 70 to 100 fps faster than the same ammo fired in a Python. This was probably due to the rifling and very tight bore. As I recall the barrels were .356 inches at the muzzle and the Python used gain twist rifling. It might be useful to test this ammo in a 6 inch Taurus, S&W, Ruger or other revolver. I should note here that the Python barrels were extremely accurate. Custom gunsmiths often installed them on Security-Six, and Model 19 S&Ws (called the Couger and Smython respectively).
You really had the suspense going making me concerned if you were going to get that last shot with the 6" Python. It was great to see the results of this test. These bullets hold together pretty well and go deep. From the 3" barrel the performance was amazing. All that energy, 23.5" penetration, and expanding to over .50 diameter. If I was going into the woods with just a .357 Mag revolver with a 3" barrel, this is the bullet I'd want. From the 6" barrel it still goes pretty deep and has some bonus energy, expansion, and decent fragmentation. So, it works well from both barrel lengths. It would be nice to see this bullet revisited in the future with a carbine test.
Yes! Been waiting on this one, thank you brother. I keep this on the nightstand in the 180 grain. Buffalo Bore is excellent, great customer service. Keep on rockin!
I've always bought underwood for the serious stuff, but haven't gotten any of it or the buffalo bore for the .357! Might need to start buying some buffalo soon!
@@lorenrogers9269 I actually have some hardcast Grizzly ammo as well as double tap and buffalo bore. If you're into handloading, you can load it a lot cheaper. Hard cast bullets are still relatively inexpensive.
I’d be curious now to see a test with their 180 grain with the XTP in 357 mag. I have tested it through my 6 inch but in jugs of water. It did decent in that test and has a lot of power for a 357.
Hey Tools! I dig it! I’m a Buffalo Bore fan for more than a decade now and it’s fantastic ammo! Could you run a couple of these through your lever gun in .357 and gel test them? I’m sure those 158’s would be fantastic! You da man!
When introduced in 1935, the 357 Magnum fired a 158gr semi wadcutter out of a 8'' barrel at 1500fps. Over the years the general public became aware of both heavy recoil & leading with the all lead semi wadcutter (a fairly soft lead) & the velocity from most manufacturers went down to 1250fps with a jacketed 158 gr bullet. However, there have been manufacturers who do load to 1400fps with a 158 gr bullet. I have some of these rounds & I haven’t shot them. They’d be OK in my 8 3/8'' S&W model 27 but they’re not going to be pleasant in my 3'' S&W Pro mod 60 and probably brutal in my 2'' S&W mod 60 which only weighs 20 ounces. That’s about 1/2 the weight of your S&W 686 3''
Nice speed for 158’s, definitely great performance out of both barrel lengths. BB got that loading right, don’t have any of that particular load. Thanks for the test Tools!
I just bought myself a Smith and Wesson M&P 15 sport II in 5.56/.223. Came with a CT red/green dot, and I added magpul popup iron sights. Can't wait to get it to the range!
That's a really tough projectile... almost 1500fps and only lost 6gr while flattening down near to the base.... and hitting 19" in the jello. That's a monster of a round.
Pythons have a tapered barrel that is designed to give you more accuracy (This is just what people say on lots of forums). The lockup and barrel geometry of rugers and smiths provide for higher FPSs and lower accuracy - not that you'd ever notice from behind the wheel, though.
Their 45 colt +p deer grenades are my favorite load to ahoot out of my rossi 92. Hits like a freight train and feels like shooting 12 gauge slug out of that small rifle. Really pushes that 45 colt to 44 magnum terroritory.
Great video! The ,.57 Mag caliber is the most versatile of just about all calibers, especially if you add in the .38 spec ammo. I have had a Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2" since 1965, and have shot thousands of rounds with it. I now also own a Ruger GP100 6" DA revolver. The most powerful .manufactrured .357 is from PPU, and it delivers 907 ft. lbs. (1,607 fps), supposedly out of a 6", although this may not be the exact barrel lenght since they do not say. But it is the most powerful .357 load that I have shot, which includes the Buffalo Bore rounds. I also use to reload my ammo back in the 60's and early 70's. And when I fired a 'super' load at dusk, it fired a 3' flame out the barrel! Another thing to point out is that hard cast bullets will penetrate a lot more, so you may want to try this on your next gel test. I also have an ammo/ballistics file that covers 35 handgun calibers and 25 rifle ones. The main purpose of this file is to order ammo online, and the ballistics info is needed to know what to order, as well as price, bullet type, availability, etc. There are over 3,500 entries in this file, where each entry is a link to a retail web page that sells that ammo. There is lots of other ammo info in the file as well. I originally built this file so I could buy ammo at the best price! If you or anyone is interested in getting this free file (PDF format), just click on my name here, then click on 'About', and either email me or go to ,y website and find the file (military ballistics). It is basically too wide and too long to handle on a cell phone.
If you guys would like to try this round out by reloading it, and at your own risk, it is: 158 gr. bullet, 18.6 gr of Hodgen Lil' gun powder OAL is 1.59" I believe. *I have played around with the loading by going over the 18.6 gr, I have tried it with 19 gr, I was getting a high velocity of 1509 FPS and almost 800 ft-lbs of energy out of a 4.25" Colt Python but I do not recommend prolong use or going over the 18.6 gr.*
Out of the 3" 686, the average V50 was 1229 feet per second for an average Ke50 of 530 energy foot pounds. Out of the 6" Python, the average V50 was 1345 feet per second for an average Ke50 of 634 energy foot pounds. As we know, real 10mm ammo (as defined by Colonel Jeff Cooper, the guy who designed the cartridge) needed to keep a minimum V50 of 1000 fps with a 200-grain bullet, resulting in a minimum Ke50 of at least 444 energy foot pounds. So, this .357 magnum ammo absolutely smokes minimum spec real 10mm ammo. I'm really loving the new LabRadar chronograph, Tools. It's letting me have fun with Excel.
For reference, Buffalo Bore's 9mm +P+ 124 grain gets up to 1350 fps in a 4.5" barrel (1300 fps in a 4"), for about 450 energy foot pounds. Not quite up to 10mm or 357 levels... but close enough you're really just arguing over shot placement making the real difference.
fill the power. I've owned several 357mags in my life time. over the years I traded or sold them.but its a caliber I just can't get totally away from. I recently bought two new Taurus defender 357mag revolvers and I love them. I have many calibers but felt naked with out one.papa 😊
Masaad Ayoob calls the 357 magnum the most effective manstopping handgun round Within reason that is, nobody would be feeling good after getting hit by a 460S&W
Thanks for the test, brother! That's a virtual duplicate of my 158 grain handloads; I use the XTP in that weight, and it is good whitetail/ pronghorn medicine. From a rifle they are devastating...the wife's 24" '92 runs 'em out around 400 FPS faster than the 6" revolver! Get feeling better, man...I know how frustrating every little thing can be when I'm "down with the sickness". I'm actually impressed with how well you dealt with those 6" mulligans. If that was me, things woulda' been sailing!😆
You stuck with it and got it done! Awesome rounds. I don’t expect anything less from Buffalo Bore! Get feeling better my friend. I’m not a drinker, but whenever I have a cold, I take the best medicine for it at the end of the days work. Have you a Jim and Ginger (Jim Beam and Ginger Ale) and hit the hay. Best cold medicine there is.
@@Wildwestwrangler Oh yeah! I haven’t had it with coffee. I should try it because I’m a bit of a coffeeholic. But I have done whiskey, honey and lemon juice before. My dear old grandmother swore by it and would sneak me a couple sips when I was a wee lad and had a cold. 😂
ALWAYS enjoy your videos Tools, VERY informative and validates why I carry BB in my 357. Get better my friend and 'Thanks' again for all the hard work you put in for these quality videos!
Great video. Hope you get some good weather this weekend. Y'all getting washed out over there. Im in west ky. We need some rain over here. Keep up the awesome work.
That Buffalo bore is some really good stuff I love your channel man and all of the truth that comes from you appreciate you brother keep up the good fight thanks 👍
No way you can round up those wild Buffaloes. There should be no doubt the the Buffalo Bore ammo is worth the price difference. No pretender there, that ammo manufacturer is the real deal. Very informative. Once in a while things don’t go as planned. No biggie, keep rockin Tools. Be safe. 🇺🇸🇺🇸⭐️🇺🇸🇺🇸
From what I understand those were the original 357 loads. Smith and Wesson changed the standard many years ago, so the J frame wouldn't fall apart. I wouldn't run too many of those rounds through the new Python.
@@ToolsandTargetsI can't get much that I really want locally.. I usually have to go online for my go to rounds.. I wonder why the wound channel looks so different between all the rounds out of the 6"
I got some underwood 158gr XTP loaded for 1,500fps that is probably very comparable to this. I thought 125gr at 1,450fps was hot, that’s uncle bubbas pissing hot handload hot
If I'm incorrect please correct me. I looked into 357 mag alittle bit, the info i got was that manufacturers reduced the psi down to stop the rounds from cracking smaller framed revolvers. I understand it that Buffalo Bore loads their 357 at the original psi.
Either in a good revolver or a lever action that would be great for hunting medium size game. Don't need 10mm when you've got good 357 loads & in a purtier firearm. Thanks & get better. 🙏 👍
From looking @ buffalo bore's site. There are two types of 158 grain .357 Magnum loads. One is a low recoil low flash cartridge. Then there is the hot 🔥 boy 158 grain load ❗Same thing with 125 grains☝️
Buffalo Bore makes some hot stuff with good rounds; I ran their .45-70 Government 405 grain +P in my Henry and it was one heck of a shoulder punch. Almost felt like shooting a .375 H&H lol.
Nice test. I shoot the Buffalo Bore 180 Gr. Hard Cast in a 6 inch S&W 686 Plus .357 with excellent results on wild hogs in AL. I bought 12 boxes in early 2020 right before prices went nuts. Once these are gone, may have to switch to the same load from Underwood.
That ammo in the Colt is a keeper...anybody could sleep well with that on the nightstand, even if they do shoot a little low...sorry, had to dig, not used to seeing you miss your target...
Thanks for the great video. I have a 686 with the 2.5" barrel. Hope to see a test with that length one day. Would be interesting to see how much that .5" would make.
🇦🇺😎👍Good morning Sir , happy Saturday. . I just got up , haven’t even had a stiff coffee and it’s straight into the Tools & Targets…SHOOT !?….love that Snake gun ….great velocity ….pooor jelly contraption….🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣at a guess if you were putting down an animal there would be no salvaging the meat 🥩 🤣…wow excellent results mate…yep dead ☠ is dead . .🏁 Wonderbar 🏁… You’ve got me in the mood now for the range , thankyou Sir. Catch you on the next one , hope you’re feeling better
Reminds me of the time a few years ago, me shooting a new scoped cz 22mag, across the bed of my uncle's almost new truck, him, wait DG, barrels to low, your gonna hit my truck, me, hush, I can hit a dime at 100, yards, him, don't shoot!! POW, him, YOU SHOT MY TRUCK!!
The test I've been waiting for, BB heavy out of a 3 inch. Still truckin' at almost 1250 at 50 yards. That Python gave you a fit. Dang, 780 ft/lbs out of the Python. Now that's a man stopper for sure. Thanks so much for that 3 inch test. Right now I running 158gr HTPs which performed well in your tests. Hope you get to feeling better.
@@exothermal.sprocket I have a stainless 6" Ruger GP100 & I always get very high speeds with it. My friend has a S&W 686 6" but for whatever reason it's always about 100 fps slower than the Ruger.
@@PerceptionVsReality333 That's interesting. I'm guessing it has to do with S&W bore. The original Colt Python, for example, used a tapered barrel bore that got tighter and tighter by diameter from the base of the forcing cone to to the muzzle. They did it originally for accuracy reasons, but it always made slow velocities. I don't think S&W tapers their bores but something else might be going on too.
Those rounds will definitely take care of most 2 and 4 legged predators!Even more proof of why .357 mag has been going strong for almost 90 years.Great job Tools,keep ‘em coming!
Thank you sir. 💥🧟♂️🧟♂️🧟♂️💥
You need a shooting bench.@@ToolsandTargets
When I swore in as a deputy sheriff we were still issued revolvers, and I 've carried both S&W and Ruger. (Colt was a little too pricey even back then for young cops.) This load reminds me of the o!d school loads I read about, and that gave the 357 Magnum it's reputation. I really appreciate this channel doing these test. The 357 is still as capable as it every was, and more so with the proper loads. Thanks again for excellent content!
Thank you sir. .357 mag is one of my favorite to shoot for sure.😎👍
Goodness no...but I wished they did. These remind me of the old loads you'd hear about guys like Keith would load. There is SO MUCH MORE potential for the .357 than companies are loading it for.
@@7-ghostbones166You're absolutely right. The .357 our grandpas carried was a completely different animal than the .357 of today. S&W petitioned SAAMI to reduce operating pressures for the .357 and the .44 magnums because they got tired of repairing smaller framed offerings in both, and SAAMI did so in the mid-90s, reducing pressure on the .357 by about 25% to the 35,000 PSI it remains today. Our grandpa's .357 ran up around 44,000, IIRC. I inherited my grandpa's loading manuals and the manuals from the late 80s have the .357 running a good 200 fps or more across the board. My grandpa had a 158 gr JSP running 1500 fps out of his Security Six. As a boy I remember the blast and flash, and thinking that was just the coolest thing, right up until he took out his 7.5 in Blackhawk and started sending 240 gr JSPs downrange at 1600 fps.
It's criminal that they can neuter rounds like that and not even rename them to avoid confusion. Kids these days don't even know what real .357 and Dirty Harry's .44 Magnum is. Those rounds are supposed to be fire breathing monsters, not the caged lions we have today.
@@MTMILITIAMAN7.62 and funny enough man, it seems like the only ammo manufacturers bringing their .357 & .44 Magnum loads back to their former glory (or close to it), is a 2-way tie between Hornady and Underwood. Can't really comment on Buffalo Bore or Double Tap, as i've never tried their stuff before and the former is hard to track down.
@@DrQuagmire1 They are making it popular, but it doesn't come close to the power that the 357 mag had, Buffalo bore is superior, an attacker would be on the ground with a round in the center of mass
Those are some hot loads. It really shows the power of the 357 Mag. Thanks for a great test.
Yessir. Gotta love some good hot ammo!😎👊
It aint called the manstopper for no reason 👊
Buffalo Bore rarely disappoints.
Facts
Buffalo bore & Underwood = quality, reliability, and real world specs.
For what it cost it better never disappoint.
@@patrickobrien8113 Who would’ve thought premium ammo comes at premium prices 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
And I’ve never seen the rare case
Buffalo Bore seems to be the underdog in any caliber they make. Every test you've done proves that this is the company load you need to be carrying, espcially when four legged hunting. Now, lets see it in 44 Magnum! I hope you get to feeling better, and can't wait for the next test.
Thank you sir. Got some more .44 mag stuff coming soon.😎👊
Outstanding! I’m a big 357 fan! The one thing your not asking yourself when you touch one off...”Gee! I wonder if my hollow point is going to expand?” Thanks brother! Get better!👍🏼
I don't know, i wonder some times about my lil 2.5" 686 lol
That's a fact! Thank you sir.😎👊
Buffalo bore always performs up to full potential. But I think you’re right, I think you’ve tested some 158gr that performed as well for less $. But phenomenal results. 👍🇺🇸
💥🐃💥
I use the Buffalo bore 125gr heavy in my Taurus 605 snubby and it’s a little monster. 1400+ fps out of a 2” barrel. The recoil is borderline unmanageable lol. Revolver, aficionado said in his video he couldn’t handle it if that gives you an idea lol he was getting 1474fps out of his 605. Give it a whirl one day it’s definitely a wild ride haha. Great video as always!!
Thank you sir.😎👊
That is definitely a Hornady XTP bullet.
Got to love the 357Mag it's the most versatile handgun caliber ever going from low recoil 38 Special to high pressure Magnum hunting rounds.
Love the 3 vs 6 inch tests ! you dont see alot of either barrel length getting tested so thanks for branching out tools!
Thank you sir. Thought it would be a nice change.😎👊
686 comes in a 7-inch barrel as well.
This is why you're becoming the best freedom seed testing channel on RUclips. You pushed through it and got the results brother tools.
Appreciate that, my friend! Have a great weekend.😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets I call you a brother cause you have my respect and I really appreciate the excellent content you put in your videos. Hope you have great weekend as well brother tools.
I love my S&W. 357 wheel guns, I've got a slug of em'. Good test thanks!
Thank you sir.😎👊
The “original” 357 mag load was 158gr @ 1550. That round was made for N frame gun and that is most likely a 6” or 8 3/8” barrel. Once they started putting the round into K-Frame and Colt D frame guns, ammo manufactures wisely cooled the load down. That 1550 was a swaged lead bullet with copper gas check. It is relatively easy to get 1550 out of an N-frame gun. I have shot a LOT of those stout loads from my Smith model 28s and contender barrels. But I don’t even let that hot stuff get close to small frame guns. Another great ammo test, I really like your format with the Doppler AND optical chronographs. Thank you very much!
Thank you sir. Really appreciate that!😎👊
Man that’s serious power…my 135 noslers from 6” longslide run 1500 and are wicked…
These BB loads really take off in a lever gun with 18.5 to 20 inch barrel. Over 2100 fps.
You are correct, the model 27.
I feel like the American Gunner HP rounds are hot in my 3 inch 686. Have you experienced those rounds? This is my first revolver.
I got to say 357 is the best pistol round ever.
Facts !!! And you can put it in a carbon and get 2,000 fps
It's loud though
@@jamescalhoun4588the fuks a carbon?
@@harlanmcdiarmid carbine I think (I am confused also)
First of all, it’s mostly for revolvers. Secondly, you must’ve never heard of 10mm
Back 45 years ago (give or take) the ammo velocities published in gun magazines showed a problem with the Python. Velocities from Smith & Wesson and Ruger revolvers was typically about 70 to 100 fps faster than the same ammo fired in a Python. This was probably due to the rifling and very tight bore. As I recall the barrels were .356 inches at the muzzle and the Python used gain twist rifling. It might be useful to test this ammo in a 6 inch Taurus, S&W, Ruger or other revolver. I should note here that the Python barrels were extremely accurate. Custom gunsmiths often installed them on Security-Six, and Model 19 S&Ws (called the Couger and Smython respectively).
Gun Sam _Revolver Aficionado tested same ammo out of 4,25 SW 686 and achived 1420-1430 fps. So 1490-1500 with 6" looks about right.
Interesting
That is some serious .357 right there.
Mhmm
Buffalo Bore is absolute top tier in .357 magnum. They don't get better.
You really had the suspense going making me concerned if you were going to get that last shot with the 6" Python. It was great to see the results of this test. These bullets hold together pretty well and go deep. From the 3" barrel the performance was amazing. All that energy, 23.5" penetration, and expanding to over .50 diameter. If I was going into the woods with just a .357 Mag revolver with a 3" barrel, this is the bullet I'd want. From the 6" barrel it still goes pretty deep and has some bonus energy, expansion, and decent fragmentation. So, it works well from both barrel lengths. It would be nice to see this bullet revisited in the future with a carbine test.
I'm definitely gonna order some more of it. I was starting to wonder if I'd get the 6 inch round in there myself.😂
I've shot that in my Ruger 77/357 and gotten around 2000 fps. That's pretty crazy for a 158gr 357 magnum. .
They aint playin around.😎👊
They rate this 158gr load at 2153 fps from an 18.5-inch Marlin 1894. That's only 1,627 ft-lb energy 😛
Yes! Been waiting on this one, thank you brother. I keep this on the nightstand in the 180 grain. Buffalo Bore is excellent, great customer service. Keep on rockin!
This stuff was cookin.😎👊
180 grain? You expecting Sasquatch or a black bear? hahaha
@@exothermal.sprocket up here in the hills both are possible lol
Excellent velocity testing... POWERFUL .357 Magnum! A good comparison for my 3" SP101 and my 6" 686.
Great stuff.😎👊
I've always bought underwood for the serious stuff, but haven't gotten any of it or the buffalo bore for the .357! Might need to start buying some buffalo soon!
Definitely some hot stuff.😎👊
Buffalo bore and underwood, seems to be to only companies that load their stuff to it's potential.
Double tap as well
Grizzly does a decent job in my experience.
@@lorenrogers9269 I actually have some hardcast Grizzly ammo as well as double tap and buffalo bore. If you're into handloading, you can load it a lot cheaper. Hard cast bullets are still relatively inexpensive.
there is or was a company called. minute man. they used to load their ammo very heavily.
We know you wanted more trigger time with the Colt !😂
I know I do! 😆
😆😆😆
Can't say i blame him!
I can’t blame you. I bought a 6” Python last Saturday and it’s a blast to shoot lol
I’d be curious now to see a test with their 180 grain with the XTP in 357 mag. I have tested it through my 6 inch but in jugs of water. It did decent in that test and has a lot of power for a 357.
Hmmm. Might need to make a new order.😆
And do all .357 mag buffalo bore in a carbine
Hey Tools! I dig it! I’m a Buffalo Bore fan for more than a decade now and it’s fantastic ammo! Could you run a couple of these through your lever gun in .357 and gel test them? I’m sure those 158’s would be fantastic! You da man!
When introduced in 1935, the 357 Magnum fired a 158gr semi wadcutter out of a 8'' barrel at 1500fps. Over the years the general public became aware of both heavy recoil & leading with the all lead semi wadcutter (a fairly soft lead) & the velocity from most manufacturers went down to 1250fps with a jacketed 158 gr bullet. However, there have been manufacturers who do load to 1400fps with a 158 gr bullet.
I have some of these rounds & I haven’t shot them. They’d be OK in my 8 3/8'' S&W model 27 but they’re not going to be pleasant in my 3'' S&W Pro mod 60 and probably brutal in my 2'' S&W mod 60 which only weighs 20 ounces. That’s about 1/2 the weight of your S&W 686 3''
Nice speed for 158’s, definitely great performance out of both barrel lengths. BB got that loading right, don’t have any of that particular load. Thanks for the test Tools!
Appreciate ya, brother!😎👊
I just bought myself a Smith and Wesson M&P 15 sport II in 5.56/.223. Came with a CT red/green dot, and I added magpul popup iron sights. Can't wait to get it to the range!
If you want a real nice upgraded optic, Midway USA has the gen 1 Vortex Spitfire on sale for $150, usually they're $400.
Nice 😎👊
That's a really tough projectile... almost 1500fps and only lost 6gr while flattening down near to the base.... and hitting 19" in the jello. That's a monster of a round.
Thanks!
Appreciate the heck outta that!😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets you do a great job and I appreciate the effort you put into your channel. I'm like you, picky about my ammo.
Buffalo bore with legendary Barnes bullets also known as Buffalo Barnes on their site are excellent
I admire your tenacity! Good ammo. That’s gotta be 3”L Frame not J Frame though..👍
A 686 is not a J frame although they have made some J frame 357 3 in
😎👊
Model 60 comes in 3-inch. But you're correct. L-frame is 7shot.
Pythons have a tapered barrel that is designed to give you more accuracy (This is just what people say on lots of forums). The lockup and barrel geometry of rugers and smiths provide for higher FPSs and lower accuracy - not that you'd ever notice from behind the wheel, though.
Their 45 colt +p deer grenades are my favorite load to ahoot out of my rossi 92. Hits like a freight train and feels like shooting 12 gauge slug out of that small rifle.
Really pushes that 45 colt to 44 magnum terroritory.
Great video! The ,.57 Mag caliber is the most versatile of just about all calibers, especially if you add in the .38 spec ammo. I have had a Ruger Blackhawk 6 1/2" since 1965, and have shot thousands of rounds with it. I now also own a Ruger GP100 6" DA revolver. The most powerful .manufactrured .357 is from PPU, and it delivers 907 ft. lbs. (1,607 fps), supposedly out of a 6", although this may not be the exact barrel lenght since they do not say. But it is the most powerful .357 load that I have shot, which includes the Buffalo Bore rounds. I also use to reload my ammo back in the 60's and early 70's. And when I fired a 'super' load at dusk, it fired a 3' flame out the barrel! Another thing to point out is that hard cast bullets will penetrate a lot more, so you may want to try this on your next gel test.
I also have an ammo/ballistics file that covers 35 handgun calibers and 25 rifle ones. The main purpose of this file is to order ammo online, and the ballistics info is needed to know what to order, as well as price, bullet type, availability, etc. There are over 3,500 entries in this file, where each entry is a link to a retail web page that sells that ammo. There is lots of other ammo info in the file as well. I originally built this file so I could buy ammo at the best price! If you or anyone is interested in getting this free file (PDF format), just click on my name here, then click on 'About', and either email me or go to ,y website and find the file (military ballistics). It is basically too wide and too long to handle on a cell phone.
FYI....a 686 is a L frame revolver, not a J Frame.
😎👊
Great test! Nice ‘mushroom cloud’ expansion on the six inch!! Thank you for sharing!
Hope you feel better! Stay safe!🇺🇸👍🏻
Thank you sir. Appreciate that!😎👊
If you guys would like to try this round out by reloading it, and at your own risk, it is:
158 gr. bullet,
18.6 gr of Hodgen Lil' gun powder
OAL is 1.59" I believe.
*I have played around with the loading by going over the 18.6 gr, I have tried it with 19 gr, I was getting a high velocity of 1509 FPS and almost 800 ft-lbs of energy out of a 4.25" Colt Python but I do not recommend prolong use or going over the 18.6 gr.*
Buffalo always makes good stuff, I'd definitely like to see some of that underwood 357 as well! Great test tools.
Thank you sir.😎👊
Out of the 3" 686, the average V50 was 1229 feet per second for an average Ke50 of 530 energy foot pounds.
Out of the 6" Python, the average V50 was 1345 feet per second for an average Ke50 of 634 energy foot pounds.
As we know, real 10mm ammo (as defined by Colonel Jeff Cooper, the guy who designed the cartridge) needed to keep a minimum V50 of 1000 fps with a 200-grain bullet, resulting in a minimum Ke50 of at least 444 energy foot pounds.
So, this .357 magnum ammo absolutely smokes minimum spec real 10mm ammo.
I'm really loving the new LabRadar chronograph, Tools. It's letting me have fun with Excel.
Thank you sir. Love it!😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets the bullet tip looks like a Hornady XTP one
For reference, Buffalo Bore's 9mm +P+ 124 grain gets up to 1350 fps in a 4.5" barrel (1300 fps in a 4"), for about 450 energy foot pounds. Not quite up to 10mm or 357 levels... but close enough you're really just arguing over shot placement making the real difference.
fill the power. I've owned several 357mags in my life time. over the years I traded or sold them.but its a caliber I just can't get totally away from. I recently bought two new Taurus defender 357mag revolvers and I love them. I have many calibers but felt naked with out one.papa 😊
Definitely a great round. Hard to decide if I like it or .44 mag more.
Buffalo bore currently uses xtp they used to use gold dot
Thanks for the gel test and video. Good performing rounds. The longer barrel is always a big difference in my opinion.
Thank you sir. It had these things movin!🔥😎🔥
.357 always impressive. Would not want to be on the receiving end. 9 and .45 for the 2 leggers, .357 and .44 for the 4 leggers
🔥😎👊🔥
9 for the hoods 10 for the woods
Masaad Ayoob calls the 357 magnum the most effective manstopping handgun round
Within reason that is, nobody would be feeling good after getting hit by a
460S&W
Thanks for the test, brother! That's a virtual duplicate of my 158 grain handloads; I use the XTP in that weight, and it is good whitetail/ pronghorn medicine. From a rifle they are devastating...the wife's 24" '92 runs 'em out around 400 FPS faster than the 6" revolver! Get feeling better, man...I know how frustrating every little thing can be when I'm "down with the sickness". I'm actually impressed with how well you dealt with those 6" mulligans. If that was me, things woulda' been sailing!😆
Appreciate that, my friend. I was very, very close to blasting everything in sight with the biggest thing I could get a hold of.😂😂😂
@@ToolsandTargets 😆😆😆
You stuck with it and got it done! Awesome rounds. I don’t expect anything less from Buffalo Bore! Get feeling better my friend. I’m not a drinker, but whenever I have a cold, I take the best medicine for it at the end of the days work. Have you a Jim and Ginger (Jim Beam and Ginger Ale) and hit the hay. Best cold medicine there is.
Give me coffee whiskey and honey!!! 👍
Thank you sir. Being stuck inside this week from the rain gave me time to shake it, thank goodness!😎👊
@@Wildwestwrangler Oh yeah! I haven’t had it with coffee. I should try it because I’m a bit of a coffeeholic. But I have done whiskey, honey and lemon juice before. My dear old grandmother swore by it and would sneak me a couple sips when I was a wee lad and had a cold. 😂
Very good performance from both projectiles. I would use them for self defense or hunting.
Thank You for another great video Tools
Thank you sir.😎👊
There is a big diference in revolvers ie how much gas is lost around the forcing cone ruger is a extremely tight tolerence tank of revolver
on the chart Buffalo Bore shows a 6-inch Ruger GP 100 a. Item 19D/20-125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 1707 fps (no listing for the 158gr)
Yeah, I looked at that one by mistake.😆
ALWAYS enjoy your videos Tools, VERY informative and validates why I carry BB in my 357. Get better my friend and 'Thanks' again for all the hard work you put in for these quality videos!
Great video. Hope you get some good weather this weekend. Y'all getting washed out over there. Im in west ky. We need some rain over here. Keep up the awesome work.
Thank you sir. Gonna try to get back out Sunday and get some testing done.😎👊
That Buffalo bore is some really good stuff I love your channel man and all of the truth that comes from you appreciate you brother keep up the good fight thanks 👍
I’ve carried the .357 mag for over 55 years and EDC my choice is 158 grain !
168 grain hard cast Keith SWC when I’m in Bear country !!
Another great test! Feel better man! We'll all be here for some 'Got rid of that cold and feeling all better jelly time'
Thank you sir. Appreciate ya!😎👊
I love Buffalo Bore, Grizzly, and Underwood, they usually load their stuff right.
No way you can round up those wild Buffaloes. There should be no doubt the the Buffalo Bore ammo is worth the price difference. No pretender there, that ammo manufacturer is the real deal. Very informative. Once in a while things don’t go as planned. No biggie, keep rockin Tools. Be safe. 🇺🇸🇺🇸⭐️🇺🇸🇺🇸
I have some of that 125 grain BB with my GP 100 kept in its quick open extinguisher box.
Nice. That's a spicey nugget.😎👊
From what I understand those were the original 357 loads. Smith and Wesson changed the standard many years ago, so the J frame wouldn't fall apart. I wouldn't run too many of those rounds through the new Python.
Buffalo Bore seems to have it figured out with power and expansion.
Those are some awesome 357 loads I usually use Remington HTP & Hornady critical defense in 357 mag but I want to get some of those now lol
I just wish I could get them locally.
@@ToolsandTargetsI can't get much that I really want locally.. I usually have to go online for my go to rounds.. I wonder why the wound channel looks so different between all the rounds out of the 6"
One suggestion: You could use shooting sticks for the gel test, to really steady your shot. Save on shots, gel, cost.
I thought the J frame was the smallest 5 shot .38. I know the 686 is an L frame. Good ammo and thanks for toughing it out!
Definitely hot stuff.😎
In real world testing I found the 180gr to be absolutely devistating on whitetails, little cranker rounds.
I got some underwood 158gr XTP loaded for 1,500fps that is probably very comparable to this. I thought 125gr at 1,450fps was hot, that’s uncle bubbas pissing hot handload hot
Love the hot stuff.😎👊
most versatile round out there. anything from 180 g hard cast to 125 g hollow points and then on to regular 38 sp rounds. so many choices.
Everyone loves a good ramble
😎👊
Great timing. I’ve been looking into 357 max loads all week
Spicy boys 🔥😎👊🔥
0:13 A Buffalo Bore at this level must kick like an elephant!
It's got some snap to it.😎👊
Grabbed it by the horns and stayed with it cowboy. Pulled off a great video. I really like shooting 357 full house loads.
😎👊
If I'm incorrect please correct me. I looked into 357 mag alittle bit, the info i got was that manufacturers reduced the psi down to stop the rounds from cracking smaller framed revolvers. I understand it that Buffalo Bore loads their 357 at the original psi.
I imagine that's one of the reasons used.
Either in a good revolver or a lever action that would be great for hunting medium size game. Don't need 10mm when you've got good 357 loads & in a purtier firearm. Thanks & get better. 🙏 👍
Very true. These things mean business.😎👊
I still have my 686! 6 shot- 3&1/2 barrel ( Former N.M. State Police issue) it is the most accurate revolver I own!
Another great ammo test
From looking @ buffalo bore's site. There are two types of 158 grain .357 Magnum loads. One is a low recoil low flash cartridge. Then there is the hot 🔥 boy 158 grain load ❗Same thing with 125 grains☝️
Just a suggestion. Try a sand bag behind gel just to catch round. Not worrying about deformation from impact into sand. Just a thought.
Great test. Really awesome performance out of those loads. Great work my friend.
Thank you sir. Appreciate ya!😎👊
@@ToolsandTargets Your welcome and i always look forward to your videos.👍👍👍
Really liking the look of the 158gr .357mag for deer season
Man those are some awesome rounds! It’s sad that you need to go to special Ammo companies to get the real stuff.
Aint that the truth. Seeing good hot stuff like this makes me wanna rant and rave about so much weak stuff out there even more.😆
Buffalo Bore makes some hot stuff with good rounds; I ran their .45-70 Government 405 grain +P in my Henry and it was one heck of a shoulder punch. Almost felt like shooting a .375 H&H lol.
Ooof!😆😆😆
357 magnum is my favorite round to carry. It's pretty devastating out of any length of a barrel.
That would be a great round for hunting whitetails.
💥🦌💥
Nice test. I shoot the Buffalo Bore 180 Gr. Hard Cast in a 6 inch S&W 686 Plus .357 with excellent results on wild hogs in AL. I bought 12 boxes in early 2020 right before prices went nuts. Once these are gone, may have to switch to the same load from Underwood.
😎👊
We haven't seen the sun for a few days here in N. Va. Great test, impressive stats and wound channels. Love those .357s! Thank you sir!😎
Same here. Finally cleared up today.😎👊
That ammo in the Colt is a keeper...anybody could sleep well with that on the nightstand, even if they do shoot a little low...sorry, had to dig, not used to seeing you miss your target...
I was on the edge of blasting the whole contraption with a shotgun until it went over the side of the hill!😂😂😂
Buffalo Bore loads some hot ammo. I've been using their stuff for years.
I like it.😎👍
Excellent test! 10mm be jealous!
Great White Buffalo!
Might have to put em side by side with their 10mm!😆
Thanks for the great video. I have a 686 with the 2.5" barrel. Hope to see a test with that length one day. Would be interesting to see how much that .5" would make.
Being a mountain man, 357 can your best friend and not just your best friend it’s a life saver
🇦🇺😎👍Good morning Sir , happy Saturday. . I just got up , haven’t even had a stiff coffee and it’s straight into the Tools & Targets…SHOOT !?….love that Snake gun ….great velocity ….pooor jelly contraption….🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣at a guess if you were putting down an animal there would be no salvaging the meat 🥩 🤣…wow excellent results mate…yep dead ☠ is dead . .🏁 Wonderbar 🏁… You’ve got me in the mood now for the range , thankyou Sir. Catch you on the next one , hope you’re feeling better
Thank you sir. I was about 30 seconds away from emptying every shotgun I own into that jelly contraption!😂😂😂
.357 MAG! A superb caliber.
You’re right about that!
The higher velocity caused more expansion which dumped more energy and stopped sooner. Perfect!
That’s funny, I was just shooting some of my 357 hand loads today. Definitely not hot as Buffalo Bore. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
Spice em up!😉 Thank you sir.
@@ToolsandTargets Nah, I’m not a member of the wrist breakers club. Not fun. It is impressive when you touch off a spicy boy though.
Strictly Business indeed! Love that Smith but man that 🐍is fantastic! Happy Friday brother! Good stuff
Appreciate ya, brother!😎👊
Def did not disappoint! 🇺🇸
🔥😎👊🔥
Reminds me of the time a few years ago, me shooting a new scoped cz 22mag, across the bed of my uncle's almost new truck, him, wait DG, barrels to low, your gonna hit my truck, me, hush, I can hit a dime at 100, yards, him, don't shoot!! POW, him, YOU SHOT MY TRUCK!!
🤣🤣🤣
Was you cursing when the sound went out ? Or was that coincidence? LoL. Awesome Test T&T! Id like to see a 357sig vs 357 mag test in the future.
You can't prove anything!😆😆😆
@@ToolsandTargets LoL
HOT🔥STUFF!!! Nice seeing some full house 357s perform.
🔥😎🔥
The test I've been waiting for, BB heavy out of a 3 inch. Still truckin' at almost 1250 at 50 yards. That Python gave you a fit. Dang, 780 ft/lbs out of the Python. Now that's a man stopper for sure. Thanks so much for that 3 inch test. Right now I running 158gr HTPs which performed well in your tests. Hope you get to feeling better.
Thank you sir. Started to wonder if I was gonna run out of ammo.😂
@@ToolsandTargets 😂😂😂
Alaskan tester achieved 1,000 ft-lb energy from a 180gr Buffalo Bore in 1 shot out of 6 from a 6-inch GP100.
@@exothermal.sprocket
I have a stainless 6" Ruger GP100 & I always get very high speeds with it. My friend has a S&W 686 6" but for whatever reason it's always about 100 fps slower than the Ruger.
@@PerceptionVsReality333 That's interesting. I'm guessing it has to do with S&W bore. The original Colt Python, for example, used a tapered barrel bore that got tighter and tighter by diameter from the base of the forcing cone to to the muzzle. They did it originally for accuracy reasons, but it always made slow velocities. I don't think S&W tapers their bores but something else might be going on too.
Absolutely excellent. Nice tools too.
Hunting, woods protection and self defense. Win, win.
Yessir. Big power.💥🐃💥