{"id":2025,"date":"2020-11-05T15:07:15","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T15:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/?p=2025"},"modified":"2020-10-07T14:58:28","modified_gmt":"2020-10-07T14:58:28","slug":"357-magnum-vs-44-magnum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/357-magnum-vs-44-magnum\/","title":{"rendered":"357 Magnum vs 44 Magnum &#8211; What&#8217;s Better for You?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>So you want to carry a revolver. Good idea. It\u2019s reliable as all get out. Revolvers have far fewer moving parts than a semi-automatic that could fail and leave you defenseless. It is easier to learn how to operate, relying on a single trigger pull to unleash its fury. A revolver\u2019s inherent solidity also means it can pack greater firepower than a comparably sized semi-auto.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, a revolver has a limited shot capacity. It typically takes longer to reload, and has a harder trigger pull too. But those shortcomings would sound pretty acceptable while you\u2019re stuck holding a jammed semi-auto as an axe head plunges in and out of your bedroom door. \u201cHere\u2019s Johnny!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There are many revolver cartridges to choose from: 38 Special, 44 Special, 454 Casull, 500 S&amp;W Magnum, 45 Long Colt, 41 Magnum \u2013 even 22 LR and 22 WMR. But since two of the most popular revolver rounds are 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum, we decided to compare those two rather than write a book comparing every conceivable revolver round to each other. It\u2019s 357 Magnum vs 44 Magnum time!<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-18\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-18\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">357 Magnum<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">44 Magnum<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Parent case<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">38 Special<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">44 S&amp;W Special<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Case type<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Rimmed, straight<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Rimmed, straight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Bullet diameter<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">.357 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">.429 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Neck diameter<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">.379 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">.457 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Base diameter<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">.379 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">.457 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Rim diameter<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">.440 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">.514 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Rim thickness<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">.060 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">.060 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Case length<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1.29 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.285 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Overall length<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1.59 in<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.61 in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Case capacity<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">26.2 gr H2O<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">37.9 gr H2O<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Maximum pressure<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">35,000 psi<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">36,000 psi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-18 from cache -->\n<p>Just a glance at the two rounds\u2019 dimensions side by side illustrates the main thing you should take away from this <em>extremely well-written article<\/em>: The 44 Mag is the more powerful round. It was once the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world, as a matter of fact, even if it only held that title briefly.<\/p>\n<p>The 44 Mag\u2019s case is nearly the same length as the 357 Mag\u2019s, but its greater diameter gives it approximately 45 percent more capacity for propellant. The 44 Mag\u2019s wider case accordingly seats a broader and heavier bullet \u2013 two factors that contribute heavily to the greater damage it can inflict.<\/p>\n<h3>Ballistics Comparison<\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_2258\" style=\"width: 1810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2258\" class=\"lazyload size-full wp-image-2258\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo.jpg\" alt=\"44 magnum ammo vs 357 magnum ammo\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1180\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%271180%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201800%201180%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%271180%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-200x131.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-400x262.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-600x393.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-768x503.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-800x524.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-1024x671.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-1200x787.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo-1536x1007.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-vs-357-magnum-ammo.jpg 1800w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2258\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">44 mag ammo on the left from Black Hills Ammunition. That&#8217;s Hornady 357 Magnum on the right.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s be clear: The 357 Mag and 44 Mag offer as great a range of ballistics as there are cartridges to choose from. Each round is available with a variety of bullet weights (357 Mag = 110 to 180 grains; 44 Mag = 180 to 300 grains), which contributes heavily to muzzle velocity. Each manufacturer can load their rounds to different chamber pressures and resultant muzzle velocities. What\u2019s more, the ballistics a round actually exhibits depends a great deal on a handgun\u2019s barrel length.<\/p>\n<p>That said, we can get some comparison of the 357 Mag and 44 Mag by putting a few representative manufacturers\u2019 rounds side by side.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-19\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-19\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">357 Mag Hornady Custom 158gr XTP<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">44 Mag Hornady Custom 240gr XTP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle velocity (fps)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1250<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1350<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1149<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1230<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1072<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1133<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">G1 ballistic coefficient<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.206<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.205<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-2.67<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-2.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-11.92<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-10.35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle energy (ft lbs)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">548<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">971<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">463<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">806<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">403<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">684<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>357 Mag Prvi Partizan 158gr SJHP<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><strong>44 Mag Prvi Partizan 240gr JHP<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle velocity (fps)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1608<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1542<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1420<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1381<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1260<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1243<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">G1 ballistic coefficient<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.164<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.184<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-1.66<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-1.78<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-17\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-7.65<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-8.14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-18\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle energy (ft lbs)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">907<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1267<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-19\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">708<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1016<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-20\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">557<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">824<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-21\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>357 Mag American Eagle 158gr JSP<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><strong>44 Mag American Eagle 240gr JHP<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-22\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle velocity (fps)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1240<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1230<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-23\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1141<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1119<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-24\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Velocity @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1066<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1038<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-25\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">G1 ballistic coefficient<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0.206<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">0.175<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-26\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-2.71<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-2.79<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-27\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Drop @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">-12.09<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">-12.51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-28\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Muzzle energy (ft lbs)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">540<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">806<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-29\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 50 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">457<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">667<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-30\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Energy @ 100 yds<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">398<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">574<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-19 from cache -->\n<p>Declaring either round the victor in terms of its velocity, trajectory, or ballistic coefficient is to overlook the fact that there is just so much variety in what either one can offer. On average the 357 Mag does deliver a slightly faster muzzle velocity.<\/p>\n<p>When accompanied by a higher ballistic coefficient contributes to less bullet drop and therefore a flatter trajectory. In general, however, neither round offers an inherently superior ballistic coefficient. Neither will give its shooter a marked accuracy advantage, either. Only training grants that perk.<\/p>\n<p>To sum it all up, comparing these two rounds\u2019 ballistic performances is useful for (A) starting arguments among gun nuts. Or, (B) padding out an article such as the one you are reading.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s most important is how these rounds compare to one another in terms of their suitability for self-defense, and that largely boils down to a discussion of stopping power and recoil.<\/p>\n<h3><em>Stopping Power &#8211; Self Defense Considerations<\/em><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_2259\" style=\"width: 1810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2259\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-2259 size-full\" title=\"357 magnum ammo and 44 magnum ammo from Hornady\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag.jpg\" alt=\"357 magnum vs 44 magnum ammo lined up on a table\" width=\"1800\" height=\"912\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27912%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201800%20912%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27912%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-200x101.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-400x203.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-600x304.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-768x389.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-800x405.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-1024x519.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-1200x608.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag-1536x778.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Self-defense-considerations-of-357-mag-vs-44-mag.jpg 1800w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2259\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">357 magnum Hornady hollow point ammo on the left and Hornady 44 magnum hollow points on the right.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Now we\u2019re talking. Unless you\u2019re comparing an unusually weak 44 Mag to an absolute monster of a 357 Mag, the 44 Mag is always going to benefit from an energy advantage. Even at 100 yards the 44 Mag\u2019s bigger, heavier bullet is going to transfer substantially more energy to its target than the 357 Mag could have at the same range.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter size-full wp-image-2261\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo.jpg\" alt=\"Ruger 357 magnum revolver with Hornady ammo\" width=\"1800\" height=\"895\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27895%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201800%20895%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27895%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-200x99.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-300x149.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-400x199.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-600x298.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-768x382.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-800x398.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-1024x509.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-1200x597.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo-1536x764.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/357-magnum-revolver-with-ammo.jpg 1800w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the thing: The 357 Mag is no <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/hothouse_flower#:~:text=hothouse%20flower%20(plural%20hothouse%20flowers,%3A%20see%20hothouse%2C%E2%80%8E%20flower.\">hot house flower<\/a>. It too is a beast, consistently capable of transferring more than 500 ft lbs of energy at close range. That\u2019s far more than the minimum typically recommended for self-defense, and it\u2019s not as though substantially <em>greater<\/em> energy is going to make your target even \u201cdeader.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/.44-mag-ammo-for-sale\">44 Magnum ammunition<\/a> also boasts superior penetration. This is the product of its bullet\u2019s heavier weight, which grants it greater momentum and \u201csectional density\u201d (basically a measure of how efficiently a projectile can penetrate its target). But again, unless you\u2019re squaring off against a bear or hunting, the differences in the two rounds\u2019 penetration depth is moot. In fact, the 44 Mag is more likely to <em>overpenetrate<\/em> a human-sized target, which is undesirable since that puts innocent bystanders at risk.<\/p>\n<h3><em>What About Recoil?<\/em><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-2257 size-full\" title=\"Recoil at a shooting range while shooting a revolver\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph.jpg\" alt=\"Shooting a revolver with a chronograph at a shooting range\" width=\"1800\" height=\"763\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27763%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201800%20763%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27763%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-200x85.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-300x127.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-400x170.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-600x254.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-768x326.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-800x339.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-1024x434.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-1200x509.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph-1536x651.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/Shooting-357-magnum-with-chronograph.jpg 1800w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Recoil is an important factor to consider. Heavier recoil doesn\u2019t just make shooting less comfortable \u2013 it also lengthens the amount of time it takes to realign your aim for a follow-up shot. Both rounds are generous in the recoil department, but the 44 Mag certainly kicks more<\/p>\n<p>Recoil is determined by four factors: bullet weight, bullet velocity, propellant charge weight, and firearm weight. Now, for our recoil comparison chart let\u2019s just assume that all 357 Mag rounds have 10 grain propellant charges and 44 Mag rounds have 15 grains. Let us also assume we\u2019re firing a 40 ounce 357 Mag <a href=\"https:\/\/ruger.com\/products\/gp100\/models.html\">Ruger GP100<\/a> and a 54 ounce 44 Magnum Redhawk. Given those data, the rounds we compared earlier would deliver the following recoil energies:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-20\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-20\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\">Recoil Energy (ft lbs)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">357 Mag Hornady Custom 158gr XTP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">7.77<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">357 Mag Prvi Partizan 158gr SJHP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">11.73<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">357 Mag American Eagle 158gr JSP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">7.67<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">44 Mag Hornady Custom 240gr XTP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">14.96<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">44 Mag Prvi Partizan 240gr JHP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">18.62<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">44 Mag American Eagle 240gr JHP<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">12.88<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-20 from cache -->\n<p>As you can see, the 44 Mag can consistently deliver twice as much kick as the 357 Mag. This is the natural byproduct of its greater energy. You must either tolerate heavier recoil or get a heavier handgun. Either of these options may dissuade you from carrying a weapon chambered for the larger round.<\/p>\n<h3><em>357 Magnum vs 44 Magnum: Price<\/em><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter size-full wp-image-2260\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo.jpg\" alt=\"A Smith &amp; Wesson 44 magnum revolver with Hornady ammunition\" width=\"1800\" height=\"993\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27993%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201800%20993%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271800%27%20height%3D%27993%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-200x110.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-300x166.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-400x221.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-600x331.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-768x424.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-800x441.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-1024x565.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-1200x662.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo-1536x847.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/ammo-club\/media\/44-magnum-revolver-with-hornady-ammo.jpg 1800w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>No groundbreaking revelation here: The smaller cartridge is also the more affordable one. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ammoforsale.com\/.357-mag-ammo-for-sale\">357 Magnum ammo<\/a> is more readily available as well, a testament to its greater popularity.<\/p>\n<h2><em>357 Mag vs. 44 Mag: Takeaway<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>And why is the 357 Mag more popular? Not because it boasts superior ballistics or accuracy, or necessarily because it is less expensive. It\u2019s because the 357 Mag lets you carry a lighter handgun. It generates less of the recoil that can make firing in self-defense more difficult, and still deals ample energy for neutralizing a human-sized threat. The 357 Mag has been on the market a little longer too. This gave firearm manufacturers more time to produce weapons chambered for it and shooters more time to fully embrace it.<\/p>\n<p>When should you prefer a 44 Mag? It\u2019s energy advantage certainly makes it more capable of taking down larger and dangerous game. Anyone traversing bear country would be well advised to choose a 44 Mag over a 357 Mag. And if you just want to deal as much damage as you can \u2013 you know, for fun \u2013 or live out your Dirty Harry fantasies, then the answer to the 357 Magnum vs 44 Magnum is the latter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So you want to carry a revolver. Good idea. It\u2019s reliable as all get out. Revolvers have far fewer moving parts [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ammo-caliber"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>357 Magnum vs 44 Magnum - What&#039;s Better for You?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A look at the 357 magnum vs 44 magnum calibers. 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