.357 concealed carry

woodguru..I knew exactly why there were so many posts without asking which .357. I've been around the block a few times too but I feel that we owe it to the OP, especially a newbie, to be more precise in our answers/advice. If you want to be more vague in your responses well, what can I say.;)
 
I was just funnin with you more than anything else, I worked on keeping away from sounding mean. :D

You should have heard some of the conversations I had calling gunstores trying to find all the available Norma .357 Auto Mag cartridges on the San Francisco peninsula in the late 70's/early 80's. One guy 25 miles away from me in mountain veiw assured me he had over ten boxes of "the magnum rounds" I was looking for. That was after asking repeatedly ".357 Auto Mag, right?" All I ever found was four boxes of .44 Auto Mag and one box of .357 Auto Mag.
 
I carry an SP-101 Ruger 3" bbl. Usually loaded with Hornady 125gr. Critical Defense .38 +p's. Or a S&W model 638 (same) or Springfield Armory 3" 1911w/ the 'ol 230 Gr. Ball. But, to answer the question ..Yes, a .357 MAGNUM is a VERY viable choice for carry.
 
Eagledax......you said you may want to add a 40 or 357 into the mix.
well why not add both?

i have a M&P 357 sig compact i use for daily carry. the 357 sig is alittle high priced so to combat that im ordering a 40 cal. barrel from Midway Usa for i think $70. that way i can use either 357 or 40 in the same gun.

the 357sig(auto) and 40s&w use almost the same case(357 the case is thicker to with stand the powder load) but the length is the same. so the magazine is the same for 357 or 40 all you need is a new barrel and you can choose to carry it either way you wish.

send me any guestions you have by private message since i have both calibers in the M&P
 
I guess, I really never answered the WHY or WHY NOT question...Why? My SP-101 Ruger is Stainless, Relativley light, feels good in my hand, fairly accurate, easy to get follow-up shots and easy to conceal.
 
Carried a model 65 smith for a year and half. Stainless J-frame 357mag. Really like it, comfortable, controllable, and very accurate. I like it!!!:D
 
I'd love to have a snub SW model 19/66 if they still made them. I used to carry a snubbie M19 as a duty weapon when I was on embassy duty during my stint in the Marines. Alas, quality, used one seem to be through the roof these days.
 
Greetings.

If you don't already have a .357, you really need to get with the program. My first gun was a Ruger Security-Six -- one that had been tested by a gun writer by the name of Claire Reese, in Utah.

Over the years, the two guns I think should be in everyone's collection is a good .357 and a Ruger Mark II .22LR auto. I have a friend who's a federal agent, and he told me that virtually everyone in his office, if limited to one gun, would go with the Mark II.

For carrying, the .357 is astoundingly good. When first introduced to the Highway Patrol, it was an instant success. It was a round that could penetrate cars, trucks and tires. Coming up to the rear of a test car, they blew the tire out using a slightly heavier bullet than is used today. But most people carry the 125gr JHP -- and though I've heard people complain of the flash and blast, I haven't experienced that. In this month's Guns & Ammo, the reviewer of the new Chiappas Rhino said basically the same thing. Whenever I travel cross country, I carry a loaded .357 in the car.

In all honesty, you're good to go with your .45; however, the .357 has more stopping power and much better penetration. Years ago, when the "teflon bullet" scare was being bandied about by an irresponsible media, gun writer and cop Massad Ayoob was concerned that the media would find out that the 125gr JHP would penetrate many bullet resistant vests. Fortunately it didn't, and today's vest will stop it. But the round's reputation as perhaps the ultimate handgun manstopper, combined with its excellent penetration, makes it a real winner. And the guns take some very potent .38 loads as well.

Besides, you really ought to have a decent .357 while they're still available. They're fun to shoot and make great house guns.

Just my take.


RugerSecurity-SixDuo_RB.jpg


Ruger Security-Six. No longer in production, you can still find
them used. The S&W 66 also is a winner.

.
 
I stand corrected, thanks. All this time I thought it was a J frame. I guess now that I know it is a K frame, I'll have to shoot better?:o
 
Why don't more folks carry .357 Mag?

Because revolvers are ..... well, round. Round does not ride well IWB. Concealed means concealed, and it is difficult to conceal anything in .357 larger than a j-frame, and it is difficult and downright painfull to shoot very much .357 mag out of a j-frame sized gun.


The first rule (of a gunfight, or any fight, for that matter) is to have a gun. After that, be able to put your bullets where they will stop the other guy from killing you. A j-framed gun is not the easiest platform to satisfy either requirement. There are better answers to the problem. YMMV.
 
I have the S&W 640 and love the feel of this solid, stainless steel concealed hammer handgun. Using a pocket holster it is relatively easy to conceal and gives you some real firepower. But I will admit that firing 357mag is no fun at all. I keep mine loaded with 38+p hollow point Hornadys which are a self-defense round. I've often been surprised at how rarely this model gun is mentioned on this and even on S&W forums, but it might be the high cost. Another concern with this gun is that the newer ones come with the internal lock, an unacceptable (to me) risky feature on a gun that you want to trust your life to. I found a gunsmith (after several tries) who agreed to remove the lock and now I feel 100% confidence in this gun. If the 38+p can't do the job, and if 5 rounds are not enough, then I am in trouble.
 
Welcome to TFL! As of earlier this week, I now use my 4" Ruger GP-100 .357 for off-duty carry. Nothing wrong with the P-90 .45 I had been using all these years; I just miss the revolver. Also, I use a Ruger SP-101 .357 as my BUG. In the unlikely event either should fail to fire, there's no "tap-rack-assess" drill to go through..just pull the trigger again. As an added plus, when I'm at our department range, you should see the looks on the faces of the rookies when I touch off that first round! :D
 
my only CCW gun is a S&W 640 with a crimson trace 305 laser grip.

Its been a good gun. It was my first center fire hand gun.

I don't think I am a big tuff guy at all but the recoil is not that bad unless you are shooting heavy rounds. I carry and shoot 125 grain SJHP and the recoil is not that bad. I doubt I could easily shoot it all day but a box or two is not a big deal.

One time I had a few left over round of 180 grain buffalo bore 357 magnums that I took deer hunting with my marlin and decided to shoot it out of my 640... that was painful.
 
I dont carry my 357mag every day but have carried my Ruger Security Six 4" in a shoulder holster without issue.
 
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