.357 snubbie

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PhillipP

New member
Quick question for a new guy

How accurate can a .357 snubbie be. I'm talking mainly about the S&W 649 or S&W 60.

could you consistantly hit the center of a target at 15 yards. or even 25 yards. What kind of spread do people who shoot these get.

thanks for your help
 
Tight groupings at 15 yards -- 45 feet -- would be difficult, but you should be able to keep it somewhat on target from my experience. 75 yards -- 225 feet -- I have no idea. Haven't tried to shoot at that distance.

At 15 feet a snubby can shoot very tight groupings and a good shooter can hit the center reliably. I can hit it most of the time.
 
They are actually as accurate as the longer barreled versions. The ability of the shooter to shoot it that accurately is where the difficulty comes in.
A good shot can consistantly get center hits at 15 and 25 yards. It requires a good concentration on your basics and a lot of practice. Unfortunately a lot of shooters not only can't do it, but won't even try.
 
.357 snubbie accuracy

IF you can hit what you aim at with a 4 or 6 inch barrel and have CONSENTRATION then you should be able to hit just as well with a 2 or 3 inch barrel.
 
Most of the time the accuracy depends on what lies between the trigger and ground. Don't give up if you get poor groups- a 357 snub ain't easy.
 
depends on the ammo

My snub is finnicky about ammo. The most accurate for me is wwb 38 spl 130gn fmj. accurate to about 40ft. The most accurate sd ammo I've tried so far is PMC 125gn starfire in 38spl.plus p. 357 loads are accurate, but brutal in a snub, so I don't use them. I've used some ammo that won't even hit the paper at 20ft! Experimentation is the best way. Last time I went to the range with 8 different types, used one target per type, and marked the performance of each based upon recoil, accuracy, and smoke. :cool:
 
"They are actually as accurate as the longer barreled versions. The ability of the shooter to shoot it that accurately is where the difficulty comes in.'
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Majik is absolutely right. It is more difficult to shoot snubbies than full-sized revolvers with accuracy, due to sight radius, but the firearms are essentially as accurate. I recently watched American Shooter (I may have the program’s mane wrong, but it’s Outdoor Life’s firearms program) where Jerry Miculek hit an approximately five-inch diameter balloon at 100 or 200 yards with a .357 round fired from a sbubbie. VERY few of us have that level of proficiency, but it demonstrates that the firearm has that degree of inherent accuracy.
 
.357 Accurate

I just got a couple of older Police Service Six snubbies in .357 and at 10 yards I can make the bullet holes touch. I can keep all bullets in a handprint at 25 yards on a standard police couse if I shoot slowly. I can usually shoot more accurately with handguns than the average guy can but it gives you an idea.
 
Snubby Accuracy?

Short barrel hand guns are not inherently more, or less, accurate then their longer barreled compatriots. However, short barreled guns are harder to master because of their shorter sight radius. But, if a shooter is willing to practice, practice, and practice some more he/she can become quite competent with one. As to group size and different distances? I cannot really answer that definitively but my groups are pretty reasonable out to 15 yards. Beyond that I just don't shoot/practice much with my "snubbies: :)
 
With my Taurus 605 and loaded with Magnum rounds, I can put all 5 shots on a paper plate at 50 feet. Then I say ouch, shake my wrist for a bit, and go back to my bigger guns. :)
 
My 640-1 is DAO (of course) but that gun can flat out shoot. If I was at a public range and wanted to win some "pocket change" from the nimrods, I would pull it out. I have a steel plate in my pasture that is about 15" wide. My Dad didn't think I could hit it at 25 yards. I laughed and did it easily. Then I kept saying "how about from here" and backing up. I was finally sitting against a tree just over 100 yards away and clearly hitting the plate every time. Dad rolled his eyes and stomped off. I think he thought it was some kind of trick or something. I would have tried further but I wouldn't have been able to see it in that direction!

Smooth trigger that is easy to stage. Sharp, square sights. Wonderful gun.

Gregg
 
Very accurate

I own a 340PD, 12 oz, 1 7/8 " barrell .357 mag. With frequent practice I shoot 3" groups, double action, off hand at 10yds with both Corbon 125 gr and Speer 125 gr gold dot. From a rest I get 3.5" groups at 25 yds with Speer Gold Dot. Once again, lot's of practice
 
Prairieghost is definitley not exaggerating.

I also own a S&W 340Sc .357mag and it is more accurate than what its intended purpose, shooting at Bad Breath Smelling Range to Conversation Range, requires. Corbon 125gr HP chronos at 1250fps which is over 400 ftlbs of BG day ruining energy. Every snubbie I have ever owned is capable of consistantly hitting a man-sized target at 100 yards.


"In a world devoid of semiautomatics, a properly set-up Webley is the ultimate full-size self-defense handgun."
 
could you consistantly hit the center of a target at 15 yards. or even 25 yards. What kind of spread do people who shoot these get.
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My Model 60 has the potential to be a very accurate revolver. Alas I cannot live up to it's potential though. I have seen people shoot 1 inch groups with my M60 at 15 yards. My groups are more like three inches. I attribute this to the sight radius.

However.......... If you are shooting a snubbie at 25, or even 15 yards, I submit that you are not using the gun as designed. At those distances, I would conserve ammo, seek cover, and lie in ambush. A LEO may be forced to use the snubbie at those ranges, but for a civilian, there are other options. The Model 60, as well as other quality snubs, is a supreme close quarters handgun. Close quarters being ten feet or less. It was never designed to be a target gun. It's a fighting handgun, not a paper puncher.
 
I purchased a Smith M60 last month (My first Snub Revolver). At 25 FEET I group 6" DA and 1" SA. More than accurate for my purpose

Out to 25 Yards I can "Pieplate" single action but DA is rather poor. I consider myself an experienced (but not expert) shooter. I know the "fault" lies with me but is greatly contributed to trigger pull.

Useing deadweights SA is 4.25lbs and DA is 13.5 I am having a hard time keeping the weapon from pulling right (strong side). I've tried useing more/less finger with negligable results. I need to put lost more ammo downrange before I even consider a trigger job.
 
I used both the model 60 and Detective Special (the double action really impressed me on this gun) last weekend at the range. I did great with both. Yes, I was up close but it's a great teaching tool for developing accuracy and I hit the bull's eye more than once. Bear in mind, most snubbys are for close range so you won't get the same accuracy as you would with a pistol but you can with practice.
 
My model 649 shoots at point of aim with 125gr .357 Magnum JHPs (WWB) at 15 yards. Slightly high or low at shorter or longer ranges - not more than about 3/4" (unmeasured). The same projectile in a .38 Special prints a little lower.

Most accurate .38 Special out of my 649 is the Federal HydraShok 129gr JHP. Prints within 1/2" of where I aim at just about any distance from 10 yards to 25 yards. I jus' dunno how dey duz it. :confused:

If I want tack-driving accuracy, the W-W Super-X 158gr JHP .357 will make a cloverleaf pattern at 25 yards if I fire SA and do my part. For "combat" shooting at 25 yards, best group I managed was 3.5" - respectable I think, given a 23oz gun! Of course I have to readjust my grip after each shot, too. (Then rest my wrist for a minute or two).

For carry, I like the 125gr W-W Silvertip +P rounds.

M649Biz3.jpg
 
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