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The Daily Insight

Is a 44 Magnum More powerful than a 357 magnum?

Author

James Olson

Updated on March 27, 2026

As for bullet energy, the 357 comes out at 566 ft-lbs while the 44 creates 832 & 904 ft-lbs. This indicates what we already knew: The 44 magnum is much more powerful than the 357 magnum. Despite firing its bullet faster, the 357 simply cannot compete with the 44 in terms of energy.

Also know, which is better 44 Magnum or 357?

357 has two times more velocity and three times more muzzle energy. The . 357 has a kick, but it is much more manageable than that of the . 44 Mag.

Also Know, why is a 357 magnum so powerful? The 357 Magnum was designed on the 38 Special case, but made longer for the purpose of holding more powder. More powder, makes it more powerful. The only difference between the two cartridges is length. The 357 Magnum is slightly longer.

Similarly, you may ask, what has more stopping power 45 or 357 Magnum?

45 ACP cartridge, all else being equal, a . 45 ACP pistol will be a (marginally) more powerful tool than a . 357 Magnum revolver in the vast majority of cases where the individual power of the cartridge is not an issue (vs. large animals, for example).

Is a .44 Magnum powerful?

44 Magnum laid claim to being the most powerful handgun in the world, its standard load produced about 900 ft. -lb. of muzzle energy. Several new loads have since eclipsed that, but the handgun most commonly used by big game hunters is the .

Related Question Answers

Will a 357 kill a grizzly bear?

Will a 357 magnum kill a grizzly bear? Not in any reliable way. There is no pistol that can dependably kill big game. Pistols are prohibited from big game hunting in all states of the US.

Is 44 magnum ammo expensive?

Because of its popularity, ammo availability has never been an issue. For a hunting round, it isn't too expensive, typically costing only $49 per box of 50, or $0.98 per round. Since the . 44 Magnum is a revolver cartridge, there are a ton of revolver options on the market for this round.

Can you kill a grizzly bear with a 44 Magnum?

Bears, including grizzlies, have been killed with 22 long rifles. The 44 magnum is almost unspeakably more powerful than the 22 rimfire, so of course it will kill a bear.

Is a 44 magnum good for self defense?

If you can hit with it, it's a good self-defense round. 44 Magnum isn't a good round; it's actually one of the greats when used for handgun hunting, protection in the outdoors, and can definitely work in a self-defense capacity. However, a . 44 Magnum will not make the best carry gun for most people.

Is .357 Magnum good for self defense?

357 Magnum really isn't good for self defense, and especially home defense, because it is very flashy, has a lot of recoil, and a LOT of noise indoors at night.

How far can a 357 Magnum shoot accurately?

a target wadcutter will keyhole a bit past 50 yards. most xtp bullets are good out past 400 yards (i know the 140 grain xtp is accurate at a quarter mile out of a 357 magnum vaquero). wide nose lbt style lead bullets are not as stable as long nose lbt bullets at longer distances in the 45 long colt cartridge.

What is the best 44 Magnum pistol?

Double Action
  • Smith and Wesson Model 629.
  • Smith and Wesson Model 69.
  • Ruger Redhawk/Super Redhawk.
  • Taurus Model 44SS.
  • Taurus Raging Bull.
  • Taurus Tracker 44.

What can a 44 magnum kill?

Bears, including grizzlies, have been killed with 22 long rifles. The 44 magnum is almost unspeakably more powerful than the 22 rimfire, so of course it will kill a bear.

What is the deadliest handgun?

The Kel-Tec PMR-30 is a rarity among handguns on the market today: a pistol with a magazine holding more than seventeen rounds.

Does a .357 have stopping power?

The . 357 Magnum has the justly-earned reputation of being the king of combat handgun rounds with regard to “stopping power” due to the massive levels of kinetic energy it can generate.

What caliber has the most stopping power?

380 ACP (9mm Short, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz) This is first caliber that is considered decent in stopping power. The three best out of four . 380 JHP rounds have better stopping power than ANY bullet fired out of a two inch barrel .

What can I shoot out of a .357 Magnum?

357 Magnum can safely and readily shoot the following rounds: . 38 Short Colt, . 38 Long Colt, . 38 Special, .

Will a .45 knock someone down?

A . 45 ACP will knock a man down typically with one shot. There's a reason it's called a man stopper. His initial momentum may carry him forward a couple of steps, but he's going down.

Is a 357 A good carry gun?

Though Some Are Better Suited Than Others. Part of the whole "caliber wars" thing is a number of malcontents that insist that only concealed carry . 357 Magnum pistols (or larger caliber) are acceptable. Puny auto rounds like the 9mm Parabellum (aka 9mm Luger, or just 9mm), .

What has more stopping power 9mm or 357 Magnum?

357 Magnum vs 9mm because it's more powerful, which must mean it's more effective. 357 Magnum doesn't yield one-shot stops with regularity in the real world, but does deliver a powerful hit when put on target.

What makes a gun a Magnum?

A magnum cartridge is a firearms cartridge with a larger case size than, or derived from, a similar cartridge of the same bullet caliber and case shoulder shape. A magnum firearm is one using such a magnum cartridge. For example: List of rifle cartridges.

What is the best caliber for self defense?

My Top 5 Self-Defense Calibers My top 5 calibers for self-defense are 380, 12 gauge, 9mm, 40 cal, and 357 mag.

Is the 357 Magnum obsolete?

No way is it obsolete! The Revolver is just as relevant as it was 80 years ago. Semi-Automatics and even High Capacity Semi-Automatics are nothing new. Six For Sure and the powerful .

What damage can a .357 magnum do?

357 indoors without ear protection would most certainly do damage to one's hearing which could be permanent. The muzzle flash is very bright in the dark and could cause temporary vision impairment. Controllability is a concern with the . 357 Magnum.

What's the difference between a 357 and a 357 magnum?

357 SIG: These two calibers sound similar and while the performance can be about the same, they have very different uses. 357 magnum is a classic revolver round, while the other is a modern semiautomatic cartridge. Understanding the differences can make you a better gun owner and user.

What is the best barrel length for a 357 magnum?

8 3/8 inches

Is a 45 more powerful than a 44 Magnum?

The short answer is, the . 45 Long Colt is the bigger bullet, but the . 44 Magnum is the more powerful cartridge: The .

Can cops carry 44 Magnum?

44 Magnum might be permitted. These days, it's rare to see any revolver in police use, and a . 44 Magnum would be a pretty big piece of hardware to carry around. When the Dirty Harry movies were made in the 1970s and 1980s, revolvers were commonplace in police holsters, and more than a few allowed .

Why is a 44 Magnum so powerful?

The caliber is so powerful because it uses 3 to 4 times the gunpowder used in a 45ACP; while the projectile size remains approximately the same. This more than doubles the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy of the bullet. Because despite what anyone tells you, size Does matter. 44 Mag is the third from the right.

Does a 44 Magnum rifle kick?

44 mag out of a Marlin 1894 has more pop than you might expect (heck, it's a 6.5 pound gun), but it's still nowhere near slugs or 3" turkey loads from a shotgun. . 44 special has almost no recoil out of the same rifle.

How far will a 44 mag shoot accurately?

100 yards

What is a 44 Magnum rifle good for?

Many lever-action and autoloading rifles have been chambered in . 44 Mag., most notably the Ruger Model 44 carbine, a sweet-handling, compact and potent woods rifle, perfect for whitetail deer and black bear where shots are close.

Why are magnums so powerful?

The caliber is so powerful because it uses 3 to 4 times the gunpowder used in a 45ACP; while the projectile size remains approximately the same. This more than doubles the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy of the bullet. It's a big bullet with a lot of powder behind it (for a pistol).

Does 22 Magnum have stopping power?

22 WMR does not have the stopping power of a . 357, it does have velocity. Back to this later, many gun experts will test out these cartridges against gel. Its simply a ballistic test medium which is thought to offer the same resistance to a bullet as would muscle tissue.

What is the strongest handgun in the world?

44-cal. Magnum revolver—"the most powerful handgun in the world." It was a crown S&W wore proudly, albeit briefly. The rising popularity of handgun hunting for big game (spurred largely by the .