6 inch or 8 inch .357?

If the only real advantage for an 8 inch barrel is hunting and putting a scope on it, that's really not the use I'd be using it for. The whole reason I would be interested in the 8 inch over the 6 inch is less recoil, longer sight radius, and higher velocities... which may not actually be higher due to barrel/cylinder gap or will be nominally higher and not worth the extra length and price over a GP100.
 
An 8" .357 is too much of a good thing, IMO. I have .357s with 3", 4", 5" and 6". All can be holstered and cover hunting deer to shooting targets with .38spl wc.
 
The whole reason I would be interested in the 8 inch over the 6 inch is less recoil, longer sight radius, and higher velocities
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I actually find my full lug 6" 686 more pleasant shooting full magnum loads than the longer barrel 27. The longer sight radius of the 8 3/8" is great for target shooting. As to velocity my older Hornady manual listed a 8 3/8 " 27 for their 357 testing and it turned in some impressive velocities but a 6" 357 is still pretty formidable.
 
I carried a 7 1/2" revolver for forty years, but it was a .22. My .357 is a 6 1/2" Blackhawk, hardly ever used anymore. Carried a Single Seven in 7 1/2" for a couple years until this last May, when I got another one in 4 5/8". Like it so much I even put really nice grips on it, show it off all the time. I very much agree with your SP101 .327idea. I just LOVE that round (Federal factory 100gr JSP 1600fps from a 4 5/8" barrel, 2241fps from a 20" Marlin rifle. Very efficient round, sips powder). My next one is gonna be the S7 with birdshead grip, 3 3/4" barrel, and a Doc Holliday shoulder holster. But then, I'm a single action guy at heart. Right now there are some Smith .327s on Gunbroker, the three inchers. Ooooooooooooooooooooo
 
If longer barrels raise velocity they RAISE the momentum impulse available for recoil. This showed up graphically with the 5" vs 3" model 60 S&W's I owned. That impulse is mass of pistol times velocity of bullet. If there is more increase in velocity than there is in gun weight, recoil goes up. Of course a couple of inches of barrel often increases normal loads to +p ballistics. So does changing from jacketed to cast bullets. Thus a 3" shooting standard cast boolits gains significant energy over a 2" shooting +p jacketed loads of the same weight.
 
The longer the barrel the greater the perceived wobble in off-hand firing. The gun may not actually move more, but the extra barrel length makes it seem like it is moving all over the place. (Same with using a pistol scope!)

IMHO, the optimum barrel length is 5-6 inches where carry is not a consideration, 4 inches when it is. (In practical terms, a 4" will shoot just as well as an 8", and will be a lot less awkward.)

Jim
 
I have a 6" GP100 and a 8 3/8" S&W 686. Both are very accurate, As much as I like S&W, it stays in the safe a lot, the GP100 goes to the range more, which lately is not too much. The 8 3/8 just does not seem right, the 6" GP100 just feels right.

David
 
6" is as long as I'd go. If I was going to hunt I would likely use something with a bit more power than the 357 anyway.

I had a 6.5" Blackhawk for a while and although recoil was extremely manageable with even the hottest and heaviest loads the length of the barrel made it cumbersome for anything but recreation.
 
I have S&W 8-3/8 in barrels in a model 27 and model 17. I've had them for over 30 years. As previously stated they don't balance very good. But when I was younger that was a minor problem. Now that I'm 72 years old, not as strong as I was back in the day, now a strong case of arthritis in the wrists and I am having a real difficult time shooting them. Most of the time I use a rest now. And yes I did buy the mod 17 for hunting small game and the mod 27 for steel targets. Today I like my model 28 with 4 inch barrel much better.
That's what the aging process does to you. Something to consider.
 
I have zero interest in a revolver barrel over six inches. 4"-6" seems to be the sweet spot for balance and a great sight picture for accuracy.

If I was hunting game larger than a whitetail with a .357 I might opt for the 8", or was doing bench rest shooting, but for off-hand target/range shooting I'd go 6".
 
If I was trying to conceal a revolver then I would limit the barrel to 6 inches but for a range gun I would go as long as I felt comfortable with. I have owned a 44 mag with a 10 inch barrel and I own a single shot 357 with a 14 inch barrel. They are fun to shoot! I have not hunted with them but I have with my 6 inch 357. Barrel length being longer makes it easier to get better accuracy because the sight radius is longer.
 
When I shoot my 7.5" Blackhawk and 7.5" SBH, it suddenly seems like I know what I'm doing. That super-long distance between the sights seems to make up for some of my bad shooting habits. I shoot my 6" and 6.5" 357's just fine, but shoot the 7.5" better. The 4" is a more practical size for SD, imho.
 
I've handled .357's with a full under-lug six" barrel and one with 8"+ barrel with a 1/2 lug.
Both felt way to barrel heavy!
that's why I like my 6" half lug Security Six so much.......just seems to be a better handling revolver??:D
 
6 inch or 8 inch .357?
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The barrel length should reflect the use/purpose of the gun. 8 inches gives the advantage of a longer sighting radius and more weight forward...something to be desired in regard to more steady shooting. However, there are always compromises. While an 8-3/8 barreled S&W would be the closest to ideal for games like Silhouette and hunting for deer and such, those long barrels are just too cumbersome for even carrying in a belt holster (I ended up carrying my 8-3/8 M57 bandoleer style while hunting). For something like Bowling Pin shooting and falling plates, a six-inch seemingly works better than an 8-3/8 or a four inch. For concealed carry, a four inch would likely be a better choice. So, it is a matter of matching your intended use to the length of barrel.
 
For your uses, consider the 4" SW 586. My shooting buddy has one and we hand load for it and it shoots great. It's one of our favorites to take to the range.

I think barrel lengths are optimal around 6" generally but will vary by the weapon. For example: my 7.5" Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt seems perfect to me. Some people prefer 4-5/8" models instead. I have a Smith 625JM 4" in 45 AUTO that is full lug and handles like a dream. I'd say the same about my 6.5" Model 29 Classic. It really depends on the gun and how it balances for YOU.

Since you just want a 357 and don't intend to hunt with it, I suggest the previously mentioned Smith 586. For hunting, I would use my 44 Magnum (6.5") or 460 Magnum. (8-3/8")

Have fun, the 357 is a hoot at the range.
 
natman said:

The eight inch barrel is great for target revolvers. S&W's 8 3/8" barrel is designed to be as long as possible and still meet the match rules in effect when it was designed.
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As a matter of interest, the original barrel length for the .357 Magnum was 8 3/4", but this exceeded the sight radius rule for United States Revolver Association matches. So the barrels were reduced to 8 3/8" to comply with USRA rules.

Further, if anyone is contemplating buying a .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson for use of heavy bullet loads, the choice is the L-Framed guns. Their longer cylinders will accommodate heavier (longer)bullets than the N-Framed guns.

Bob Wright
 
Time to jump in:

It is the consensus of all experts in handguns that
7 and 1/16 inches is the proper barrel length.

Anything less than that is too short and anything longer
than that is too long.

That's the short and long of it. :)
 
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