Introduced in 1935, the .357 Magnum was the most powerful handgun cartridge of its day. Any .357 revolver can also fire .38 Special, which has much less recoil and is great for practice and for recoil-sensitive shooters.
Full-power .357 loads are loud and kick hard, especially in lightweight revolvers. In a lever-action rifle, the .357 gains velocity and becomes a capable small-deer and hog round at short range where legal.
Never fire .357 Magnum in a gun marked only for .38 Special.
Always use only the ammunition marked on your firearm’s barrel or slide, and follow the manufacturer’s guidance.