If you like the .357 Mag., but don't like the recoil generated by heavier bullets, consider this 135-grain load from Speer. Many semi-automatic pistol cartridges would trade in their nickel-plated cases for this kind of terminal performance. This load will also perform just about identically from a shorter barreled revolver.
Load | Handgun | MV (fps) | PEN (inches) | EXP (inches) | RW (grains) |
.357 Mag. Speer 135-grain Gold Dot | Smith & Wesson Model 686 (4-inch barrel) | 1,244 | 16 | 0.53 | 135 |