From: reid@metis.tti.com (Reid Kneeland)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: .357 vs 9mm and Revolvers vs Semi-autos  (was: 1st gun= .22? )
Date: 20 Aug 92 21:41:10 GMT
Organization: Transaction Technology Inc.

In article <9208172358.AA07947@network.ucsd.edu> mbh@sdphu1.ucsd.edu (Matt Harrington) writes:
#I recently posted a request for recommendations for my first handgun,
#and I received many helpful responses.  Just about everyone suggested  a
#.357 Magnum revolver loaded with .38s for target practice and .357
#magnums for defense.

HUH???  One of the 613 gun commandments is "Thou shalt practice with
the ammo with which thou intendest to defend thyself".  A person who
has only practiced with .38s will have a hard time shooting a .357
accurately.  I suspect that you've misunderstood, and that the advice
you got was either 1) SOME of your practice shooting can be done with
.38s, or 2) you can start out with .38s (including defense), and when
you get good with that, move up to .357.

#I have two questions:  First, if .357s and 9mm are about the same size
#in bullet diameter, what are the advantages and disadvantages of either
#round?

The biggest difference is in the velocity of the bullet.  .357s are
MUCH faster than .38s or 9MM, due to a greater quantity of powder in
the cartridge (if you've never actually done so, look at the difference
in length between a 9MM and a .357.  Some of that is deliberate, so
that .357s won't fit in .38 guns, but there's room for a LOT more
powder in there.)  Since kinetic energy varies as the SQUARE of the
velocity, the extra speed counts for a lot (I know, I just made it onto
Jeff Cooper's s**t list).

#Do .357s have more stopping power?

Yes.  I doubt you'll find anyone who'd claim that a 9MM stops better
than a .357 (famous last words?).

#Second: what are the advantages of using a revolver in .357?  I am
#looking for something that uses cheaper .38 ammo for practice.

Any .357 revolver can shoot .38 ammo.

#Do
#semi-autos use more expensive rounds than revolvers in .38?

9MM is pretty darn cheap.

#How about
#reliability and accuracy?

Conventional wisdom is this: revolvers are less likely to malfunction,
and are more tolerant of poor maintenance than semi-auto pistols, BUT a
malfunction in a pistol can usually be cleared in a few seconds.  A
malfunciton in a revolver will be much harder to fix, and may require
the attention of a gunsmith.

As for accuracy, either type is fine.  Your own shooting abilty will
be a much greater factor than the gun itself.  A .357 will kick
harder than a .38 or 9MM, and for that reason will require more
practice to shoot accurately.  In the meantime, you can use .38s
in the same gun.

#I'm leaning towards a semi-auto becuase of
#the larger round capacity.

The extra capacity is a plus, but remember: the factors which determine
the outcome of a self-defense shooting are, in DECREASING order of
importance:

1) Tactics (knowing when to shoot and when not to, how to take advantage
of cover, etc.)

2) Profficiency with the firearm (a .22 in the head beats a .44 in the
wall.)

3) The firearm.

Without training and practice, the best gun in the world is of very
limited value.

#By the way, I've been using a S&W Classic
#Hunter .357 at my local range.

If you can, borrow or rent a lot of different guns to see which ones
feel right to you.  Some ranges rent out guns fairly cheaply.

=====================================================================
Reid Kneeland
reid@ttidca.tti.com  (that's MISTER reid@ttidca.tti.com to you!)
{philabs,psivax,pyramid,quad1,rdlvax,retix,rutgers}!ttidca!reid
Transaction Technology Inc., Santa Monica, CA, USA (310) 450-9111 x2499
The opinions expressed above do not necessarily etc etc...

Never trust a man who can count to 1,023 on his fingers.