I'm looking for the most lethal load I can put in my .357 for home defense that won't make me go deaf?

Question

The 158 grain wadcutters I'm using now are too damn loud.
If you've tried fragmentation loads, talk to me.

Answer 1

In this day and age of lawsuits you must use a factory self defense load for what you want. You can't use wadcutters because they are target rounds. You also can't use hand loads because the jury will think you are a merchant of death if you kill a home intruder. Most of the major ammo companies make very dependable self defense loads. If you do have to defend yourself in your home, then you really won't even hear the weapon . Your auditory nerve will shut off unless you have had training on how to pay attention to your situation.

Answer 2

The best load for a .357 magnum for defense is the 125 gr. hollow point. Used for years by many police departments it has the best record of one shot stops. As for the noise, wear hearing protection when you practice. If you need it to defend your home the last thing on your mind will be how loud it is. I shoot a S&W 686 with a 4" bbl. and often wear ear plugs under ear muffs when I shoot because of the noise. It works great to cut the noise.

Answer 3

I have always believed that a .357 fired into the floor of your home while an intruder was on the premises would send them sprinting out of there. By the time that person has confronted you and/or your family it's too late to utilize your "defense" weapon.

So to me, sound is a good thing. Operate the action on a pump shotgun or fire a round into the floor from almost any weapon and you have accomplished your goal.

In the meantime, always use ear protection when on the range.

Answer 4

38 Specials are pretty tame compared to the .357 full loads. I use .38 Special +P 125gr JHP. Some like the 38 Special wad cutters. That's one nice thing about the 357; being able to use 38 Special and 38 Special +P.

Answer 5

That would be the wrong thing to do unless you think you might be invaded by Grizzlies or Elephants. Just about any standard round would be more than enough from a .357. Too powerful with cause too much overkill. Think about frangibles that will break up on imact and not penetrate like a hollow point or soft nose. .357 is probably too powerful for close combat anyhow.

Answer 6

Try the glaser safety slugs, they're designed NOT to over penetrate, altho they're still loud, they may not be as loud as a typical fmj or jhp magnum round, besides, the least of your worries will be your hearing should you actually have to shoot an intruder.

Answer 7

Idiot, if you have to shoot, it's because the intruder is about to kill you or someone of your family. At a time like that, which is more important, your hearing or their lives (or your own)?
And a magnum load is not necessary - it'll fire standard .38 special rounds, so use them. If you roll your own, calculate the powder charge that'll give you a muzzle velocity of around 600 feet per second. That'll give you adequate lethality without blowing your eardrums out. And oh yeah - take the cotton-pickin' gun to the range once a week and fire a good twenty practice rounds.

Answer 8

Why don't you get a shotgun for home defense. This could prevent you from killing an innocent by stander somewhere in the neighborhood.

Answer 9

Any load you buy will be lethal and firing a weapon in the home will affect your hearing. Weigh the pros and cons of firing or not firing in that situation.

Answer 10

Tube Dude nailed it.