best rated 357 in mag. 2" - 3"

I gotta weigh in, I own or have owned all these;

Ruger 101 - was well made quality piece. I didn’t care for the cyl release action. It had a good DA/SA trigger but not great. The SA was not as good as it could have been.

Ruger LCR - Quality, fit and finish not as good as the 101. It had a better DA trigger but I didn’t like the loose cyl release or its action. I no longer have it

Kimber K6s - High quality fit and finish. The crane has a tight lock up. Has a unique look to it. The trigger is excellent but not quiet as good as the S&W below. The main issue I have with it is it weighs a ton for no reason. It would make an awful carry weapon for this reason so it got relegated to a range only gun and for that purpose there are better choices. I no longer have it.

S&W Model 60 Performance Center - Very high quality, fit and finish. The crane line up is almost invisible as it should be. Very tight lock up even after many and I mean many rounds of .357 mag through it. The DA trigger is heavy as it should be and very smooth with zero catches to it. The SA trigger is superb, no take up, just a smooth very crisp light break. It is the same every time. The great trigger makes this a very accurate shooter for such a short barrel and sight radius. It was the most accurate of the lot for this reason. They take their time with these guns and the difference in price for the Performance Center mods are well worth the price.

To summarize the S&W Model 60 is the hands down winner. I think it has the best design and has been proven over time. The Rutgers tough good quality guns have some design things I just didn’t care for but they are good guns and I can see why so many people like them , especially the 101. I never did figure out what the Kimber guys had in mind, not sure they did either. It’s a great well made gun but I never could figure out what to so with it other than sell it off.

I have several S&Ws and have never had any issues.
 
Pic worth a thousand words

Thanks

Wilbur

Here you go

Mod 65 with a CT laser grip.
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S&W Model 60 Performance Center - Very high quality, fit and finish. The crane line up is almost invisible as it should be. Very tight lock up even after many and I mean many rounds of .357 mag through it. The DA trigger is heavy as it should be and very smooth with zero catches to it. The SA trigger is superb, no take up, just a smooth very crisp light break. It is the same every time. The great trigger makes this a very accurate shooter for such a short barrel and sight radius. It was the most accurate of the lot for this reason. They take their time with these guns and the difference in price for the Performance Center mods are well worth the price.
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I have that gun, and it is everything you say. I don't shoot it and would like to sell it, because it, typical of ECM rifling, leads badly and requires more expensive bullets. I bought an older 60-10, which is the better choice for what I do.

On the Kimber issue, I would not be critical of the weight, because some real mass is needed to shoot magnum ammo. The K6 does not pretend to be a pocket gun or for men with droopy pants and no suspenders.
 
I found the 2.5" model 19 I owned for a while to be an easy to carry, accurate revolver. I used it with the small wood magna grips and Tyler t grip.
 
YOU HAVE THE BEST 686+ The M19 is also a very good gun liter to carry The rug 100 is also a good gun Taurus 65 is also good gun. You have the best of all and the very best trigger pull.
 
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My reason for asking about everyone's thoughts on a 2-3" 357 in magnum revolver is my 686 plus 3" is a tad heavy to carry concealed.
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It looks like you want a lighter S&W .357. I doubt if there's much weight difference between a 2.5"-3" 686 and a 3" K-frame.

You might like a 3" J-frame .357. Uncle Mike's 59007 grips (ebay) will help a lot.

Maybe you can find one of these jewels:
 

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I don’t want anyone to think that my
686 plus 3” isn’t a superb revolver.
For me, it’s superbly made & the DA
& SA is great. I haven’t tricked it out
& it’s accuracy is the best that I’ve
Encountered not being an expert. The
balance is perfect for me. It’s just
sometimes uncomfortable to carry.
Maybe I’m being foolish to complain
about the weight!
I agree about the Ruger 101 & LCR.
& I’ve never handled the Kimber.
Just don’t know as much as I should
about S&Ws.
 
I have a 3" DAO Custom Shop S&W 66. A very good choice.
I also have a 3" Adjustable Sight GP100. Great gun, but as you mentioned about your 686+ it is a tad heavy.
A 3" SP101 is another good choice, just a round short of a load. :)
I also have a 2" DAO Custom Shop 64.

As mentioned above a 3" 65 is also a great choice.

The Pinned on front sight is another thing to keep in mind. You can change the front sight to Fiber Optic or Tritium.

I recommend staying away from the 2-1/2" one's due to the Short Ejector Rod, unless you find something you really like. They are slower to reload.

Bob R
 
The 2 1/2" Model 19, 66, and 686 are all great shooters but I'm really starting to become partial to the 3" Models. I love my Model 66 with 3" but all time favorites are 3" Model 13 and 65. For carry and defense the adjustable sights hinder more than help IMHO
 
I recommend staying away from the 2-1/2" one's due to the Short Ejector Rod, unless you find something you really like. They are slower to reload.
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The way to go with the 2.5 inch 19's or 66's is the FBI Load, which is a .38 Special +P load. Makes for much easier follow up shots, and the extraction is much better. I cast my own 158 grain hollowpoints, and they expand superbly coming out of a snubbie.

Don
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For my money?

The Kimber K6. It's specifically designed with snag-free edges, for concealed carry.
6 shots in a 5-round weight and size. Solid, dependable trigger, great sights.
 
Minorcan, Not sure why you wrote this:

"Kimber K6s - The main issue I have with it is it weighs a ton for no reason. It would make an awful carry weapon for this reason."

Interesting comment, when you consider that the Ruger SP101 is 2-3 oz HEAVIER than the K6s and the Kimber carries 6 rounds instead of only 5.
 
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2 come to mind, the S&W CS-1 or a S&W 65 Lady Smith. I have a 3" S&W 13 that is quite nice. Custom I would like a S&W 581 cut down to 3" and round butted.
 
I have a 686 3" plus and a 3" model 60. I like both;however, I can't see the 686 as every day concealed carry. The model 60 is a dream after outfitting it with recoil absorbing grips. I recommend the Winchester white box 110 grain JHP load especially in a 3" barreled gun.
 
I have a SP101 2-1/4" with a spurless hammer that weighs in at 25 oz and a LCR .357 that weighs in at 17.4 oz...which has become my EDC.

I installed a different hammer and trigger spring on the SP101 and equipped it with a Trijicon sight and Pachmayr Pro grips which makes it a real pleasure to shoot. I use it for a weekly defensive shooting competition that I participate in. I take my LCR to the range monthly to keep tuned up on it.
 
What's wrong with the 3" one you have? I have a 19-3 2-1/2" and the comment about the ejector rod is spot on - and that issue gets worse as the barrel gets shorter. If you want small with easy extraction and reloading, you might want to consider a J frame in 9mm using moonclips.
 
My CCW is a S&W 627 PC. It's great! The heavier weight makes it much more shoot able than my LCR. The 627 has a 2.5 inch barrel and it also hold 8 rounds!
 
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