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.357 Auto Mag
Historical Notes:
The .357 Auto Mag is an outgrowth of the .44 Auto Mag and is based on the .44 Auto Mag case necked-down to .35-caliber. The .44 Auto Mag, in turn, is made by cutting off .30-06 or .308 Winchester case to a length of 1.298 inches and inside reaming to accept a .429-inch diameter bullet. The first Auto Mag pistols were announced in 1970 and delivered in late 1971. These were, of course, in .44-caliber. The .357 Auto Mag did not appear until 1973. One could purchase both the .357 and .44 barrel and slide assembly units to convert the pistol to handle either cartridge with a relatively easy parts change. Auto Mag ammunition was made in Mexico for a time, and by Norma in Sweden. Conversion of .44 Auto Mag cases to a smaller caliber is routine. Auto Mag semi-auto pistols are no longer in production.
General Comments:
The .357 and .44 Auto Mag pistols were made of stainless steel, had a 6½-inch barrel, an overall length of 11½ inches and weighed 3.4 pounds. In other words, these were quite large and heavy, much like the Desert Eagle pistols currently available from Magnum Research. The .357 Auto Mag pushed the 158-grain jacketed bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1600 fps, and the 110-grain bullet at over 1900 fps, when loaded to maximum performance levels. This is certainly well in excess of anything feasible from a .357 Magnum revolver. Auto Mag pistols in .357 have been used with success on everything from varmints to deer. Like many of the more powerful handgun cartridges, ballistics of the .357 Auto Mag are marginal for big game, but, like the others, it can do the job in the hands of a good shot and accomplished hunter. As a self-defense gun, the Auto Mag pistols are a bit unwieldy and overpowered. These are strictly for sporting use.
.357 AutoMag Loading Data
Bullet (grains/type) | Powder | Grains | Velocity | Energy | Source/Comments | |||||
110 JHP | Blue Dot | 19.0 | 1935 | 920 | NA | |||||
125 JHP | Blue Dot | 18.0 | 1810 | 915 | NA | |||||
140 JHP | Blue Dot | 17.0 | 1725 | 930 | NA | |||||
158 JSP | Blue Dot | 16.0 | 1500 | 795 | NA | |||||
158 JSP | H-110 | 22.0 | 1635 | 940 | NA | |||||
Dimensional Data | ||||||||||
Cartridge | Case | Bullet Dia. | Neck Dia. | Shoulder Dia. | Base Dia. | Rim Dia. | Rim Thick. | Case Length | Ctge. Length | Primer |
.357 Auto Magnum | C | .357 | .382 | .461 | .470 | .473 | .048 | 1.298 | 1.60 | LP |
Notes on handgun primers: Magnum pistol cartridges are usually loaded with Magnum pistol primers Case Type: C = Rimless Primer Type: LP = Large pistol (.210”). Unless otherwise noted, all dimensions in inches. DISCLAIMER: Any and all loading data found here is to be taken as reference material only. This site and it's entities bear no responsibility for the use by others of the data included here. WARNING: For any modern firearm, it is essential that you adhere to the loading recommendations put forth in the reloading manuals of today’s components manufacturers, as well as to the owners manual of the maker of your individual firearm. The potential for things to go wrong is exacerbated in guns long out of production, those chambering obsolete cartridges, and those using cartridges containing blackpowder or cordite. As a separate caution, you must never fire any cartridge in any gun just because it looks similar to, or has a similar designation to, the cartridge the gun is chambered for. This can be extremely dangerous. Almost is not good enough, so if you are at all uncertain about the proper cartridge, have a competent gunsmith check the bullet diameter and case dimensions and firearms chamber and headspace. | ||||||||||
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