BUFFALO BORE 357 Mag 180Gr JHP (1500FPS/ME 899 ft lbs) 20rd

Power Upgrade: Our .357 Magnum ammo delivers more power than ever before. It is safe to shoot in any all-steel .357 revolver, including J-frames, and is no harder on your firearm than standard .357 loads.

Usage Advisory: Please do not contact us to ask if this ammo is safe for your gun. If your firearm is in safe working condition for normal .357 ammo, it is safe for this load.

Lightweight Alloy Revolvers: Not recommended for ultra-light alloy revolvers due to potential crimp jump under recoil. The ammo itself will not damage these revolvers, but their minimal weight increases recoil severity.

Velocity Insights: Carbine velocities are approximately 500 fps faster than most revolvers due to the absence of a barrel/cylinder gap and longer barrel length. These loads reach peak velocity in 16-inch barrels; barrels longer than 20 inches may reduce velocity due to bullet drag.

Bullet Design: This load features the Hornady XTP bullet, chosen for its accuracy and controlled expansion. It expands to approximately .60 caliber and penetrates 18–25 inches at 1500 fps from a 6-inch revolver. It is not designed for deep straight-line penetration like our 180gr hard cast load (Item 19A).

Intended Use: This is a MAX hunting load for game up to 350 lbs. Some mass-produced guns may show sticky extraction, which is easily remedied. We prefer not to reduce the load’s power to accommodate minor chamber imperfections.

Sticky Extraction Note: MAX pressure loads can reveal flaws in chamber finish. All test guns used had smooth chambers and showed no extraction issues.

Myth Busting: Contrary to popular belief, .357 Magnum loads do not require 4–6 inch barrels to outperform .38 SPL+P loads. Real-world chronograph data proves this myth false.

Velocity Data from Real Firearms:

• 1,258 fps — S&W Model 66-4, 2.5-inch barrel

• 1,351 fps — S&W Model 65-5, 3-inch barrel

• 1,356 fps — S&W Mountain Gun, 4-inch barrel

• 1,501 fps — Ruger GP100, 6-inch barrel

• 1,840 fps — Marlin 1894, 18-inch barrel

Scandium Revolvers: We do not recommend firing this load from 12 oz scandium-cylindered revolvers due to extreme recoil. Use our Tactical .357 loads or .38 SPL loads instead.