Does FOUR Equal THREE?

Published on December 10, 2022
Duration: 10:26

This video compares the ballistic performance of a 3-inch non-ported Smith & Wesson 686 Plus against a 4-inch ported Taurus 608, both chambered in .357 Magnum and firing Hornady American Gunner 125-grain XTP ammunition. The test involved chronographing muzzle velocities and firing rounds into ballistic gel to assess penetration, expansion, and wound channel disruption. The results showed remarkably similar performance in gel despite a notable difference in average muzzle velocity.

Quick Summary

A ballistic gel test comparing a 3-inch Smith & Wesson 686 Plus and a 4-inch ported Taurus 608 in .357 Magnum showed nearly identical performance. Despite a 63 fps velocity difference, both achieved similar penetration (20.75-21 inches) and expansion (approx. 0.42 inches) with Hornady 125gr XTP ammunition.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction and Setup
  2. 00:11.357 Magnum Test Overview
  3. 00:31Ammunition: Hornady American Gunner 125gr XTP
  4. 00:49Firearm Comparison: 3-inch vs 4-inch Ported
  5. 00:59Smith & Wesson 686 Plus (3-inch)
  6. 01:05Taurus 608 (4-inch Ported)
  7. 01:51Ballistic Gel Barrier Setup
  8. 02:06Muzzle Velocity Testing: Taurus 608
  9. 02:42Taurus 608 Average Velocity
  10. 02:54Muzzle Velocity Testing: Smith & Wesson 686 Plus
  11. 03:42Smith & Wesson 686 Plus Average Velocity
  12. 03:56Velocity Difference Analysis
  13. 04:12Ballistic Gel Test: Firing Sequence
  14. 04:18Taurus 608 Gel Shot
  15. 04:51Smith & Wesson 686 Plus Gel Shot
  16. 05:15Ballistic Gel Results: Overview
  17. 05:22Taurus 608 Gel Performance
  18. 05:44Smith & Wesson 686 Plus Gel Performance
  19. 06:15Penetration Depth Comparison
  20. 06:33Overhead Gel Shot Comparison
  21. 06:54Recovered Projectile Analysis
  22. 07:06Projectile Appearance Comparison
  23. 07:20Projectile Weight Measurements
  24. 07:47Projectile Expansion Measurements
  25. 08:08Conclusion: 4-inch vs 3-inch Performance
  26. 08:30Ammunition Quality Impact
  27. 08:51Final Thoughts on .357 Magnum Performance
  28. 09:26Viewer Engagement and Call to Action
  29. 10:13Closing Remarks and Sign Off

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the average muzzle velocity for .357 Magnum from a 3-inch and a 4-inch ported barrel?

The 4-inch ported Taurus 608 averaged 1349 feet per second, while the 3-inch non-ported Smith & Wesson 686 Plus averaged 1286 feet per second when firing Hornady American Gunner 125-grain XTP .357 Magnum ammunition.

How did the penetration depth compare between the 3-inch and 4-inch ported .357 Magnum revolvers?

In ballistic gel tests, the 4-inch ported Taurus 608 achieved 21 inches of penetration, and the 3-inch Smith & Wesson 686 Plus achieved 20.75 inches. This quarter-inch difference indicates very similar penetration capabilities.

Did the 4-inch ported barrel offer significantly better bullet expansion than the 3-inch barrel in .357 Magnum?

No, the bullet expansion was nearly identical. Projectiles from both the 4-inch Taurus 608 and the 3-inch Smith & Wesson 686 Plus expanded to approximately 0.42 inches in diameter, showing comparable performance.

What was the overall conclusion regarding the performance difference between a 3-inch and a 4-inch ported .357 Magnum barrel?

The test concluded that despite a noticeable velocity difference, the ballistic gel performance (penetration, expansion, wound channel) was nearly identical between the 3-inch non-ported and 4-inch ported .357 Magnum revolvers, suggesting the barrel length and porting had minimal practical impact in this scenario.

Related News

All News →

More Tactical & Gear Videos You Might Like

More from Tools&Targets

View all →