The 357 Magnum was created by lengthening the 38 Special from 1.155 inches to 1.29 inches and using the same diameter bullets. This increased water capacity by about 2.2 grains, a significant gain when considering the fast-burning pistol powders involved. The 357 Magnum appeared in 1935, introduced in the Smith & Wesson Model 27 revolver. Early on the 38 Special’s 24-grain case capacity was wasted after the appearance of smokeless powders, eventually leading to modern +P loads, including 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi) Maximum Average Pressure (MAP) to take full advantages of the spacious case. The 357 Magnum obviously took things still further. 

Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe and Douglas B. Wesson are names that crop up in the development of the 357 Magnum, with Smith & Wesson and Winchester coordinating the project. Both the 38 Special and 357 Magnum fire .357-caliber bullets (not 9mm/.355-caliber), allowing 38 Special rounds to be shot from 357 handguns, but not vice-versa (357 Magnum rounds will typically not chamber in 38 Special cylinders, and would become

dangerous if this were possible). Like the 44 Special/44 Remington Magnum dynamic, this interchangeability allows assembling milder 38 Special rounds for target practice or inexperienced shooters, or full-powder 357 Mag loads for self-defense or hunting. As a side curiosity, the 38 in 38 Special refers to early heeled bullets that were the same diameter as the case.   

The 357 Magnum’s 35,000 psi MAP compared to the 17,000 psi MAP of standard 38 Special loads and 20,000 psi MAP of +P loads set the magnum handgun rage

into motion. It was created in response to Colt’s 38 Super, which could defeat car doors and the vests Prohibition-era gangsters used for cover during gunfights with law enforcement. The 357 Magnum was based on work done by Elmer Keith and his experimentation with maximized 38 Special loads shot from stout 38 Special revolvers built on .44-caliber frames and cylinders such as Smith & Wesson’s Heavy Duty or Outdoorsmen.  

The 357 Magnum proved well-suited to self-defense and law enforcement needs, hitting with authority but not including the overwhelming recoil of larger magnum revolver rounds to come. The relatively small bullet diameter and high velocity have made the 357 Magnum renowned for deep penetration. This has made the round popular with many big game hunters for use on deer and big game up to mature black bears. In my own case, my frequent trips to Texas to visit family and friends and belabor the state’s abundant wild hogs spawned the nexus for this project.

I have owned several 357 Magnum revolvers in the past, used as backup when I still owned black bear and cougar hounds as a New Mexico outfitter. Yet I’ve long preferred the feel of a 1911, so after discovering the 10mm Auto,

my 357s were slowly sold or traded away. More recently, I acquired a 357 Magnum revolver/lever-rifle pair once used for cowboy action shooting. As most of the hog hunting we do in Texas is in brushy habitats where ranges seldom exceed 50 yards, I couldn’t help but think how fun the pair would be in those thorny Lone Star habitats, the rifle for serious shooting, the revolver for backup scenarios and tight-cover tracking. 

The approximately 2.5-pound six-shot revolver is an American Western Arms (AWA) Model 1873 Longhorn Single-Action Revolver with a 43/4-inch barrel (1:16 twist) and iron sights. This is a classic-style revolver mimicking Colt single-action models. Florida-based AWA used former Italian Armi San Marco parts and assembled them stateside, which apparently led to inconsistent results. Luckily, I got a good one. The frame, loading gate and hammer received a color case-hardened finish; the remainder of the gun received high-polish bluing. It includes a full-length ejector rod and housing, and the grips are smooth walnut. It doesn’t seem to have been abused, the action flawless, timing precise and the trigger pleasantly crisp. Better examples have recently gone for as much as $1,250 at auction. Law suits filed by Colt eventually ended AWA’s run, and they closed their doors sometime in 2008-2009.

The test rifle is a Marlin Arms Company Model 1894C with an 18.63-inch round barrel and right-hand 1:16 rifling twist with six-groove Ballard-style rifling. The 1894C 357 Magnum chambering appeared in 1979 (reintroduced by Ruger/Marlin in 2023) and will handle 38 Special and 357 Magnum rounds. It feeds from a tubular magazine that holds up to nine rounds. This is a flat-topped/side-eject design that is drilled and tapped for scope mounts. The carbine held a Williams peep sight and fiber optic front bead when acquired, though scoring an ultra-compact Target Sports 2-6x 28mm scope prompted me to add a Weaver base and mount the optic, hoping for more consistent groups. Overall rifle length is 36 inches, and it weighs about 6 pounds. The American walnut stock includes a 133/8-inch length of pull and holds sling swivel studs. The finish is satin-blued steel.