I decided a while ago that my first .357 Magnum revolver must have a barrel 5 inches or longer.
Why?
but lately I've been thinking about 8 inch S&W revolvers.
I have a 686 w/ 8-3/8" bbl - it's a "no dash" purchased new in 1984.
I also have 686's in 3" and 4" bbl. Not to mention a Python in 6"
I have shot them all extensively, so I have a good amount of experience with them.
Seeing as how I've never shot a 6 or 8 inch .357, for those that have, do you notice if one is easier to shoot than the other?
The 8" is quite heavy; and quite front heavy at that. I used to like front-heavy revolvers, but not so much these days. It's personal preference; and my personal preference has changed. I will say that the 8" can fire super hot ammo with easily manageable recoil - so there's that.
Is the extra 2 inches of barrel that much of a difference maker?
In terms of recoil? Yes. A little. The difference is definitely noticeable. But the 6" bbl handles quiet well enough (to me) even with hot ammo.
The extra 2" is another 200 ft lb (of kinetic energy).
This has not been my experience at all. I have done extensive chronograph testing with all sorts of different ammo - ranging from 38 Special target wadcutters, all the way up to full-throttle hot ammo of all bullet weights - and have concluded that the 8" bbl offers such diminishing return as to not make all that much difference. I suspect the barrel-cylinder gap bleeding off gasses comes into play with this phenomenon.
In most cases, the velocity increase between 4" (not 6", . . 4") and 8" bbls is in the order of 30 - 50 f/s - that's all. And in many cases (usually light ammo), the 8" bbl yielded a
lower velocity.
The biggest increase I ever recorded from the 8" was with Federal's 130gn Hydra-Shok ammo. The 4" yielded 1430 f/s, or 590 ft/lbs of KE. The 8" yielded 1538 f/s, or 682 ft/lbs of KE. A 92 ft/lb increase.
Speer's 158gn GDHP was more typical, for instance: 4" = 1153 f/s; 8"= 1190 f/s. 466 vs. 497 ft/lbs respectively.
Speer's 135gn GDHP SB's were 1223 f/s vs. 1215 f/s - a
reduction of 6 ft/lbs of KE with the 8".
Diminishing returns.