9mm vs. 357 in short barrel guns

Mr. Perfect

About 2 years ago, the Military Arms Channel did a vid comparing 9mm and 38 spl. and 357 mag. The conclusion being if you're running a 2 or 2.5 in bbl, you may as well be shooting 9mm +P.  The test is validated by the Ballistics by the Inch research done years back. http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/calibers.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YTOV4dYLQE

I extracted some of the relevant 9mm and 357 data from the BBTI website

BobJudy

Thanks for the post. It looks like 3" is the minimum to see any benefit for the 357. I have also noticed a lot more muzzle flash in a 2" with 357 compared to a 9. Bob

savage170

That is why I went with the 9mm LCR instead of the 357 for a pocket gun

select-fire

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/   However Revolvers use the whole barrel length whereas the automatic includes the round length as part of the barrel.

Mr. Perfect

select-fire said:

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/   However Revolvers use the whole barrel length whereas the automatic includes the round length as part of the barrel.

What do you mean "however"?  Clearly you didn't watch the vid.

select-fire

Clearly I didn't need to watch the video. I knew the information a very very long time ago.

Butchdog2

According to various manufactures, and I have talked directly with the factory techs,  firearms with barrels less that 4 inches long have no benefit in using +P or magnum loads. Bullet is long gone before powder has a chance to work it's magic.

The flash bang is for looks only.

Mr. Perfect

Butchdog2 said:

According to various manufactures, and I have talked directly with the factory techs,  firearms with barrels less that 4 inches long have no benefit in using +P or magnum loads. Bullet is long gone before powder has a chance to work it's magic.

The flash bang is for looks only.

The difference may be fairly negligible, but it's not no benefit.

serf

That's why you don't carry with a 2 inch barrel. 9mm luger is semi auto cartridge and 357 magnum is a revolver cartridge at conception. I think 3.5" is the best  length for conceal carry.  A 357 Sig from a 3.5" barrel of a compact handgun roughly equals the performance of a 9mm +P+ with a 4 inch barrel.

                                   serf

Butchdog2

I bet the ole wrist can tell the difference in the 357 Sig and a 9mm +P

Mr. Perfect

Butchdog2 said:

I bet the ole wrist can tell the difference in the 357 Sig and a 9mm +P

Also covered fairly extensively in the vid.

Smitty500mag

Newton's third law states that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. Idiots have been trying to prove him wrong for centuries. 

serf

Butchdog2 said:

I bet the ole wrist can tell the difference in the 357 Sig and a 9mm +P

  That's +P+. I say  a .357 SIG will be the better round if you can aim it correctly and handle the recoil. But the government is taking all  it's armed agencies and sticking them with 9mm Luger period.

                    serf

     The 9mm is a 35,000 psi, +P is 38,500 psi and +P+ is 40,000 psi. The 357 SIG is a 40,000 psi. Bullets of the same weight will approximate the same velocities in SIG and +P+. The difference is gun construction, all 9mm's will not handle +P+.

      

gesshots

"I came here for an argument !" 

c.shimer

I use the Winchester 110 grain jhp in my .357 mag 2 inch S&W does the job. Not a fan of 9mm. .45 acp for winter 230 ball.

Warbirds

Man- I have been looking hard at that chrono.

good video.

bpost

The MAIN issue ignored in the video is bullet diameter.  The 9MM runs .355 diameter bullets, the .357Mag runs .358 diameter bullets, therefore the .357 mag is BETTER!    Secondarily, the .357 Mag is a MAGNUM, that makes it even more better than the 9MM!  Q.E.D.  (where is the green font?)

Henry0Reilly

Shot placement & comfort level trump ballistics every time.