Hornady's LEVERevolution loads a 140gr FTX bullet to 1,440 fps with 645 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, the highest energy figure among .357 Mag loads in this weight range. The FTX bullet uses a soft polymer tip instead of an exposed lead or hollow point nose. This tip is safe to use in tubular magazines, where pointed bullets could set off the primer of the cartridge ahead of them under recoil. The nickel-plated brass case resists corrosion in the field.

The polymer tip does two things. First, it gives the bullet a more aerodynamic profile than a flat-nose or hollow point, which helps it hold velocity better at longer distances. A traditional flat-nose .357 Mag bullet sheds speed quickly past 75 yards. The FTX keeps more energy on target at 100 and 150 yards, which is where lever-action .357 Mag rifles start to struggle with standard loads. Second, the tip drives into the lead core on impact and forces expansion from the inside, producing reliable mushrooming even at the lower velocities seen at extended range.

This load was built specifically for lever-action rifles chambered in .357 Mag, like the Henry Big Boy, Marlin 1894, or Rossi R92. It turns a pistol-caliber carbine into a legitimate 150-yard deer gun. The 645 ft-lbs at the muzzle translates to enough retained energy for clean kills on whitetail out to moderate distances. Hunters who use a .357 Mag lever gun for brush hunting or as a truck gun will get meaningfully more range and terminal performance from this load than from any flat-nose or standard hollow point option.