I understand there are several ammunition makers who currently offer 357 magnum midrange ammunition. I suspect such ammunition might be more useful to use in my S&W 640 snubnose than full power 357 ammunition. Please identify specific 357 magnum midrange by what ordering information I would need. So far, I cannot make heads or tails of things beyond "357 Magnum" and type-weight of bullet loaded.

The only way I found to get good 357 mid range 357s was to load them my self.

And use a crony it is easy to load that gets above +P38 and below full 357s.

Those light weight 357s are a bear with full house 357s.

Hydra shock has a reduced recoil line of ammo. The .357 is loaded with a 130 grain bullet. You could also try the .38 Special +P ammo. I carry the 158 grain Hydra Shok in mine. I haven't done much comparison shooting though.

I am nearly certain that the midrange ammunition I will use in my 640 will be Speer's 135-grain Gold Dot for short barrels. It is expensive to shoot, though. I have identified Hornady Critical Duty 135-grain FlexLock that may - MAY - be satisfactory practice ammunition. What I do not know and cannot determine from published specifications is whether its muzzle velocity from my 2.125-inch barrel will closely match Speer's Gold Dot. Specifications for one are taken from 4-inch test barrel, the other from 8-inch test barrel. So neither the barrels nor published velocities are comparable. People who have chronographed these rounds in the same short barrel have the information I seek.

Are the cartridges' muzzle velocities from 2-to-2.5-inch barrels nearly identical?

Naphtali There is really only one way to know what each round well do in your handgun.

Buy a chronograph I have had shorter barreled firearms out preform longer barreled ones with the same load.

Having some one else shoot a load only tells you what it does in their firearm.

With the expensive price of ammo having one could be paid for not buying few boxes you don't like.

When I bought the Glock 30SF I think I bought 6 or 7 different .45 ACP rounds to checkout in it and a 1911. With the .357 I was pretty much "trust Hydra Shok" now I would at least evaluate the ammo I have on hand the same as I did the.45.