--- title: "The Best .357 Ammo for Hunting, Target Practice, and Self Defense" description: "We round up the best .357 ammo to determine the top loads for hunting, self-defense, practice, and snub-nosed revolvers." date: "2023-05-08" modified: "2023-05-08" authors: - name: "Michael Dickerson" link: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/authors/michael-dickerson/" url: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/best-357-ammo/" categories: - "Ammo" - "Guns" - "Handgun Ammo" - "Rifle Ammo" tags: - "Evergreen" - "Gear Reviews" --- # The Best .357 Ammo for Hunting, Target Practice, and Self Defense ![buffalo bore]() *Buffalo Bore makes excellent bullets for bear defense. Michael Dickerson* Following its introduction in 1935, there was a long period of time when .357 Magnum ruled over the other handgun cartridges. The .357 earned an impressive reputation for “one-shot stops” when used by police officers. Sportsmen used it to take virtually every species of North American game animal, including moose and grizzlies, plus other big critters across the world. The king of handgun cartridges was dethroned in the 1950s with the arrival of the .44 Magnum, which was followed by a succession of increasingly powerful handgun cartridges, including some which produce a level of recoil that many shooters do not well tolerate. However, a diverse offering of the best .357 ammo keeps this cartridge relevant and useful today. With guns of reasonable weight, most shooters can handle the .357’s recoil. The cartridge is also highly versatile. With the right loads, it performs well for hunting and self-defense. You’ll likely be able to trigger follow-up shots more quickly with a .357 Mag. than you can with more potent cartridges, and you can also shoot milder .38 Special loads in guns chambered for .357 Mag. (but not vice versa). A few specialized semi-auto pistols, such as the Coonan and Desert Eagle, have been chambered in .357 Mag. There are a variety of lever-action rifles chambered in .357 for deer hunting in high-wall cartridge states—the round is even more capable for hunting purposes in those lever guns. There are even .357 Mag. rounds loaded with birdshot for killing snakes and pests. So here’s my list for the best .357 ammo for a variety of applications: - **Best for Hunting:** [Federal HammerDown 170 Grain]() - **Best for Backcountry Defense:** [Buffalo Bore Heavy Outdoorsman 180 Grain]() - **Best for Self-Defense:** [Speer Gold Dot Personal Protection 125 Grain]() - **Best for Practice:** [Federal American Eagle 158 Grain JSP]() - **Best for Snub-Nosed Revolvers:** [Winchester Defender 125 Grain]() ## Things to Consider Before Buying the Best .357 Ammo ### Application and Availability Whether you’re buying ammunition for practice, hunting, or self-defense, it’s important to match your ammo to the task at hand. You shouldn’t use cheap practice ammo on the hunt of a lifetime, and it would be unwise to carry a self-defense load with a light, rapidly expanding bullet in [grizzly country](). Fortunately, there are plenty of .357 Mag. loads to choose from. Availability is another matter. Demand for ammunition remains high and supplies remain tight. Some of the loads on this list are in limited supply or out of stock, so it may take some persistence to find the load you’re looking for. ### Cost The best .357 ammo isn’t cheap, but let’s get one thing straight: It’s a genuinely bad idea to try to save a few dollars on ammo that you may be betting your life on. The best self-defense ammo costs about $1.40 to $2.25 per round, while good hunting ammo will cost between $1.15 to $1.70 per round. I’m a firm believer in practicing with the same ammo you’re going to use for hunting and self-defense, but that can quickly become cost prohibitive. It’s a good idea to at least practice with bullets of the same weight that you intend to use in a hunting or self-defense scenario. Our top practice ammo selections cost $1.00 (or a bit less) per round. You can find even cheaper ammo, but my practice ammo list notably excludes rounds with all-lead bullets because I loathe spending my time scrubbing lead build-up from barrels. ## Best .357 Ammo for Hunting: Reviews & Recommendations ### [Federal HammerDown .357 Magnum 170 Grain]() HammerDown .357 Mag. load is designed to function flawlessly in lever-action rifles and deliver superior terminal performance. Federal partnered with Henry Repeating Arms to design HammerDown ammunition for lever-action rifles and those who like to hunt with them. This nickel-plated, modified, and chamfered case allows easy and reliable feeding from side-gate and tubular feeding systems. Federal designed the round’s heavy-for-caliber, 170-grain bonded bullet to deliver good terminal performance when launched at higher velocities in lever guns. While Federal accomplished that goal, the round performs surprisingly well in handguns, too. If you’re looking for one .357 Mag. hunting cartridge to feed your revolver as well as your lever-action rifle, HammerDown is an excellent option. ### [Hornady FTX LEVERevolution 140 Grain]() Hornady’s LEVERevolution ammo was a game changer. Designed specifically for use in lever-action rifles, it allowed shooters to use pointed, ballistically efficient FTX bullets which have a flexible elastomer tip that can safely rest against the primer of another bullet stacked in a tubular magazine. The bullet’s design results in a flatter trajectory and extended range over traditional .357 Mag. ammo thanks to its relatively high ballistic coefficient and use of a slower-burning powder to maximize velocity out of lever-action barrels. **Read Next**: [Best Lever Action Rifles]() ### [Barnes Pioneer 180 Grain JHP]() Barnes Ammunition is famous for its monolithic, all-copper bullets, but the firm went a bit old-school with its Pioneer .357 Mag. load. This load uses a heavy-for-caliber, jacketed lead core Barnes Original JHP Bullet. Designed to cycle smoothly in lever-action guns, the round has plenty of power to take deer and hogs cleanly within reasonable ranges. If you prefer an all-copper bullet, Barnes also loads a .357 Mag. Pioneer load with a 140-grain XPB bullet. ### More .357 Ammo for Hunting - [Federal Fusion 158-grain]() - [Hornady 130-grain MonoFlex Handgun Hunter]() - [Winchester Super X 158-grain JHP]() - [Remington High Terminal Performance 158 grain]() ## Best .357 Ammo for Backcountry Defense: Reviews & Recommendations ### [Buffalo Bore Heavy .357 Mag Outdoorsman 180 Grain]() My number one pick for backcountry defense is Buffalo Bore’s Heavy .357 Mag. load, which employs a hard cast lead bullet that has proven effective on the biggest North American animals like moose and grizzlies. Effective defense against large, hairy critters that are trying to kill you is all about penetration (and shot placement). This load delivers unparalleled straight-line penetration with its flat nose, hard cast lead bullet. Sure, there are more potent options for bear country than the .357 Mag, like the .44 Mag. And nowadays, many experienced backcountry hunters say a [10mm semi-auto is a better choice for bear defense]() because of their ability to put more rounds down range, faster. **Read Next:** [Best Bear Defense Handguns]() But ultimately, choosing how much gun you want to pack for bear defense comes down to personal preference. If you doubt the effectiveness of Buffalo Bore’s hard cast bullets, consider the experience of long-time Alaska guide Phil Shoemaker. He stopped and killed a brown bear in 2016 when it charged his fishing clients. He did so using Buffalo Bore hard cast bullets in a 9 mm semi-auto, which is not at the top of anyone’s list of effective bear stoppers. ### [Doubletap 200 Grain Hardcast Solid]() Doubletap’s 200-grain Hardcast Solid delivers very good penetration with a hard cast bullet at an affordable price. Priced affordably compared to other cartridges in this category, the Doubletap 200-grain Hardcast Solid penetrated more than 33 inches in gelatin testing. The bullet has a wide, 80 percent meplat, or flat nose, for maximum tissue disruption, and has proven effective on elk and black bears weighing up to 500 pounds. ### [Federal 180 Grain Swift A-Frame]() Launching a heavy Swift A-Frame bullet, this load delivers balanced performance with good expansion, penetration and weight retention. Federal’s 180-grain Swift A-Frame load places about 80 percent of its weight behind a partition while the front section of the bullet uses soft lead bonded to a copper jacket that’s thinned and skived at the nose. This allows the wide hollow point of the bullet to expand at a range of velocities while retaining much of its weight, and the mass of the rear portion of the bullet ensures good penetration. If you’re in areas where black bears are at the top of the food chain and you don’t need the maximum penetration of hard cast bullets, this load is a good choice. ### More .357 ammo for Backcountry Defense - [COR-BON Hunter 200-grain HC]() - [Barnes VOR-TX 140-grain XPB]() ## Best .357 Ammo for Self-Defense: Reviews & Recommendations ### [Speer Gold Dot Personal Protection 125 Grain]() Speer Gold Dot ammunition is my top choice in the self-defense category because it has a proven track record and qualities that have long made Gold Dot a gold standard in law enforcement. Revolvers haven’t been the duty gun of choice since high-capacity semi-auto pistols took over in the 1980s, but this Gold Dot .357 Mag. load remains a stellar performer. More than 3,000 law enforcement agencies worldwide rely on Gold Dot ammunition. In common law enforcement cartridges, it meets or exceeds the FBI test protocol in terms of barrier penetration with uniform expansion, good penetration, and excellent retained weight for reliable terminal performance. Reliability is ensured with the use of sealed primers. **Read Next**: [Best Revolvers for Hunters and Personal Protection]() ### [Federal Premium Personal Defense 154 Grain HST]() Federal Premium Personal Defense HST ammunition is also commonly used by law enforcement. It shines in the FBI test protocol, and has a proven record of delivering optimal performance when it counts. HST ammunition features a jacketed hollow point design that will expand reliably and not plug when passing through barriers or clothing. The round delivers great penetration and holds together well with a high retained weight. The heavier weight of this load makes it a good choice for hunting as well as self-defense. ### [Hornady Critical Duty 135 Grain FlexLock]() The Hornady Critical Duty line of ammunition meets FBI protocols and is also popular with law enforcement. The Critical Duty 135-grain FlexLock load was designed specifically to meet law enforcement needs with tough bullets that deliver good barrier penetration, expansion, and penetration. Critical Duty ammo does not use traditional jacketed hollow point bullets. Rather, it employs Hornady’s elastomer Flex Tip nose to eliminate clogging and help initiate expansion. A large jacket-to-core InterLock band ensures the bullet will hold together for good weight retention. ### More .357 Ammo for Self-Defense - [Winchester Elite Defender 125-grain]() - [Sig Sauer Elite Defense V-Crown 125-grain JHP]() - [Remington Golden Saber Defense 125 grain]() - [Hornady Critical Defense 125-grain FTX]() - [COR-BON 125-grain DPX]() - [Barnes TAC-XPD Defense Handgun 125 grain]() ## Best .357 Ammo for Practice: Reviews & Recommendations ### [Federal American Eagle 158 Grain JSP]() Federal American Eagle ammunition is produced to the same stringent requirements as Federal Premium ammunition, but at a much more affordable price. Federal’s American Eagle line is specifically made for practice and target shooting. It’s not the cheapest practice ammo out there, but it provides similar ballistics and feel as same-weight bullets in hunting or defense loads. This is a straightforward handgun load with jacketed soft point bullet, basic truncated cone, brass case, and Federal primer. ### [Hornady American Gunner 125 Grain XTP]() Priced in the practice ammunition category, the Hornady American Gunner 125-grain XTP cartridge is also capable for self-defense and hunting medium-sized game. Hornady’s American Gunner 125-grain XTP .357 Mag. load is a more affordable alternative to pricier top-of-the-line options and is more versatile than many other .357 Mag. loads commonly used for practice. The varying thickness of the drawn metal gilding jacket of the eXtreme Terminal Performance bullet results in uniform, controlled expansion. Jacket serrations help initiate expansion. ### [Winchester Super X 125 Grain WinClean]() Winchester’s Super X 125-grain WinClean load makes our list because it’s a great option for minimizing airborne lead. The WinClean load is designed primarily to eliminate airborne lead, making it a great choice for indoor shooting ranges. In addition to a lead-free and heavy metal-free primer, the bullet’s base is enclosed in brass, preventing vaporization of lead from the base. ### More .357 Ammo for Practice - [Remington UMC 125-grain Semi-Jacked SP]() - [Fiocchi 142-grain FMJTC]() - [CCI Blazer 158-grain JHP]() - [Sellier & Bellot 158-grain FMJ]() - [Sierra Sports Master 158-grain JHP]() - [Sig Sauer Elite Ball 125-grain FMJ]() ## Best .357 Ammo for Snub-Nosed Revolvers: Reviews & Recommendations ### [Winchester Elite Defender 125 Grain]() - Sealed primer - $32.81 for 20 cartridges Winchester’s Elite Defender 125-grain .357 Mag load isn’t intended for shorter barrels only, but it delivers excellent terminal ballistics out of snubbies. ThenElite Defender 125-grain load launches from 2-inch barrels considerably faster than the .357 Mag. loads designed for use in such barrels. That results in a fair amount of muzzle flash, but it also helps the jacketed hollow point bullet achieve impressive expansion with good penetration and weight retention. Winchester claims 1.5 times expansion, but I’ve seen the round do even better than that in gelatin tests. Terminal performance is, in a word, impressive. ### [Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection 135 Grain JHP]() This Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel .357 Mag. load delivers all you could ever ask for from a snub-nosed revolver. Optimized for performance from short-barreled revolvers, Speer’s Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection 135-grain JHP load delivers surprisingly good penetration and expansion from barrels as short as 2 inches while producing less recoil. ### [Remington Golden Saber Defense Compact 38 Special +P 125 Grain]() - Nickel-plated cases and sealed primers - Velocity: 895 fps - Reduced-flash powder - $35.99 for 20 cartridges This Golden Saber Defense Compact load—the only 38 Special on our list—offers good terminal performance with milder recoil. Remington’s Golden Saber Defense Compact 38 Special +P 125-grain load is engineered to produce optimal penetration and expansion from short-barrels, even after passing through heavy clothing. It does so with less recoil than full-power .357 Mag. loads. ### More .357 Ammo for Snub-Nosed Revolvers - [Buffalo Bore Tactical Low Flash Short Barrel 125 Barnes XPB]() ## FAQs ## Final Thoughts on the Best .357 Ammo In a defensive role, the .357 Mag. can be a lot easier to control than the heavier magnums, potentially enabling you to fire more shots at a time when your fine motor skills are stressed. With the right bullet and proper shot placement, there’s not much the .357 Mag. can’t do. And the fact that it remains popular seven decades after its introduction is solid testimony to the round’s versatility.