I'm starting to think snubs again

C

chaim

New member
Some of you may remember my back and forth about whether I liked my Taurus 605 or not. I didn't really like shooting .357s out of it and being a .357 snub it wasn't as light as it could be.

Well, I have decided to get rid of it. If I'm only going to shoot .38s and +Ps for defensive uses and the .357mags will only come out at the range I think the cost in weight isn't really worth it. I've got a little time because, not being in a CCW state, I don't have to be in a hurry to replace it. I hope to buy a new one by Jan though.

I'll probably get a .38, either a Taurus 85 (or 85UL) or a used S&W but I want to consider all options.

Before when I was thinking along these lines a lot of people suggested a Taurus 731 in .32H&R mag. I am very interested in this caliber (six shots in a J-frame sized snub, with the power of most .38s and the recoil of .38 wadcutters) but ammo isn't really available around here. If I go this way I'll probably wait until I move, though I have been considering getting into reloading and if I go this way it could put me over.

Another option that would be very low in recoil would be a Taurus 94 or 941. The 94 is only a .22 but it holds 9 shots (if I remember right) and loaded with Stingers or Mini-Mags would be a good backup and the recoil would be virtually non-existant. The 941 is .22mag and I believe there is a load now that uses a Speer Gold Dot HP it holds 8 (I think) and, again, recoil would be very low. Of course, with either option, but especially with the 94, practice ammo is as cheap as you can get. While neither would be good as a primary due to the lower stopping power of their chamberings both should be good backups.

Anther option that may be ideal would a 9mm snub. I know that Ruger makes the SP101 in 9mm. I think S&W used to make one so there may be some out there used. What is the recoil of a 9mm like out of a snub? Compare it to, say, a .38 and .38+P. A potential advantage seems to be that 9mm does better out of a short barrel than a revolver cartridge so HPs would probably open more consistently. Stopping power is good, there are many ammo choices (cheap practice ammo, good defensive ammo, +Ps,etc), and I think recoil should be more than acceptable. Also, I have a CZ 75 in 9mm and, with the low cost of ammo, I always have a lot of 9mm practice ammo on hand already. Of course the big disadvantage is that the SP 101 is a very heavy gun for a small snub (one ounce heavier than my 605), though the caliber considerations may outweigh that.
 
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Ruger discontinued making the SP101 in 9mm within the past year or 2, maybe before then. I'm sure you might find one used somewhere. I'd look at the SP101 in 357 though. S&W makes some nice J frames as well. Taurus is okay, though some will disagree. :cool:
 
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Before when I was thinking along these lines a lot of people suggested a Taurus 731 in .32H&R mag. I am very interested in this caliber (six shots in a J-frame sized snub, with the power of most .38s and the recoil of .38 wadcutters) but ammo isn't really available around here.
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Love my .32 H&R Mags and always looking to pick up some additional ones but "with the power of most .38s" I don't think so. The .32 H&R Mag is a .22 WMR on some serious steroids. A great four legged varmint round but not up there when I think about stopping power on the two legged variety. You are right about availablity here in Glendening (soon to be Erllich) Land. Howerer, Georgia Arms makes a great 100 gr JHP and I just had Bullseye up in Rhode Island load me 250 rounds each of 90 gr LSW and 85 gr JHP.
 
I like J frame snubbies. Colt, Taurus, and most of all, Smith&Wesson. My current favorite is a Model 60, three inch barrel, DAO in .38 special.

If I want to carry more power, I move to a bigger gun, usually a 1911, or a Browning HP. I always have the option of .44 Mag, or .45 Colt revolvers if even more is thought prudent to carry.

Just this weekend, I ran across a beauty, a Smith Centennial .38 with a three inch barrel. Nice gun, and I think I will probably buy it.
 
I'd look at the SP101 in 357 though
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Not sure which caliber I'm going to go with but I'm pretty sure it won't be another .357. I love the caliber in K-frame and L-frame revolvers but after this I don't really think I want another small framed .357. Though, the one SP 101 I had the pleasure to shoot was certainly the most pleasant .357 small framed snub I've shot.

Most likely I'll probably go .38, but like I said I want to start from scratch and consider all my options. If I go .38 it will probably be the Taurus 85/85UL or a S&W (I may consider the different "hammerless" and concealed or chopped hammer models but more likely I'll go with the standard design) but I'm also considering a used Colt Detective Special (I probably will get one eventually anyway, but I doubt if I'll use one for carry once I'm in a carry state).
 
If .357 mag is too uncomfortable for you to shoot, I think the .38 spl +P is a good alternative. The 32 H&R Mag is interesting, but not quite up to the level of the +P. It sounds like you're well on your way to the right choice.
 
I think Ruger still offers the SP 101 in .38 Special +P. If you NEVER want to fire a .357 mag snubby, this is a good alternative. I actually wish I got the .38 spl +p version, as after firing one wheel full of full powered 125 grain .357 maggies out of my SP 101, I'm CONVINCED I will never use maggies in it again. The magnum loads just hurt too much from the light weight, small framed revolvers, IMO.
 
Chaim,

If your 605 shoots good why not just keep it and shoot .38's out of it?

Or.... try some of the Win 110gr .357 jhp's. I shoot them out of my sp101 and hardly notice any difference out of them in recoil vs a .38 or .38+p.

just a thought :cool:
 
Chaim,

Since you are considering a .22, I would put forward a pitch for the .22 magnum Taurus ultralight. It holds eight cartridges and has little kick, so during rapid fire it is pretty easy to hold your bead. I know some people don't think much of the .22 magnum, but with eight shots, I think it is a pretty good little gun. It is pretty accurate also; I can keep it within a 6" circle freehand at 25 yards. With the CCI maximag TNT, that little pellet is really moving. It probably won't stop a 300 pound PCP-crazed biker with one shot to the belly, but other than that it is pretty pursuasive.

Incidentally, I have a CZ75 also, and practicing with those two is definitely not expensive.

roscoe
 
If your 605 shoots good why not just keep it and shoot .38's out of it?
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I thought about that and I think that if I will only shoot .38s I'd rather have a .38. Mainly I don't want to pay the 3oz cost in weight (which will make a difference when I move to a carry state as this will be a pocket gun) over the steel Taurus 85 (same gun in .38) and I'd probably get the UL model to knock even more weight off. This gun is pretty much at the outer limits for its intended use and I'd rather have something a little lighter.

Or.... try some of the Win 110gr .357 jhp's. I shoot them out of my sp101 and hardly notice any difference out of them in recoil vs a .38 or .38+p.
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I've tried these and they aren't too bad. In fact, compared to some of the stouter +Ps they may actually seem to have LESS recoil. However, while they work fine at the range I still think they'd be too slow in providing follow up shots.

Since you are considering a .22, I would put forward a pitch for the .22 magnum Taurus ultralight...
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That is one of my options, though either the .22lr or .22mag are longshots. The .22lr does provide more power than the .25acp and out of a revolver the reliability benefit of the .25acp wouldn't really be an issue and actually some .22lr loads have more power than some .32acps. The .22mag has more power than just about every .32acp and I believe CCI is the one with a loading with a Speer Gold Dot HP designed for personal defense which should be acceptable. Many people use .25s and .32s for backup guns so for that role these should be fine and the relatively good capacity of these guns plus the reliablity of a revolver are big advantages. Of course, these are only strong enough for use as a backup gun and the size of the gun is the same as a .38 or .32H&R mag revolver so I'm much more likely to go with the .38 or .32mag, but they are a consideration.
 
Re: .22Mag loads: CCI is indeed the one that loads a 30grain Speer JHP of advanced design - that's the MaxiMax +V/TNT. You'll get at least 1,200fps from a 2" barrel.

You might find that the 4" barrel small-frame Taurus .22Mag 8-shot will really be just as easy to conceal IWB with the right holster, and give you better ballistics closer to 1,400fps :).

Anyways. The original CCI MaxiMag +V has a smaller and more primitive JHP - other than that, it's the same weight and same ballistics. Figure that load will punch deeper, do better defeating skullbone and/or driving all the way through the sinuses to the brain on a nose-shot. So in a 2" barrel, it's possible this is the better load for "up close" work. Or it might be worth loading 'em staggered with the TNTs :).

Either way, used as a "contact weapon at knife range", the monster fireball the .22Mag is infamous for is just devastating when it happens inside some fool :eek:.
 
I'm thinking along the same lines...

I also own a Taurus Mod 605 in SS. Granted, full-pressure .357 mag loads are fun to shoot; however,they're somewhat impractical for my current needs. I'm looking at either a Smith mod 342 or the Taurus mod 85CH in Total Titanium. The 605 is a sweet-shooting revolver but it weighs a ton for a 5 round capacity.

Commenting on .22WMR revolvers......I have an NAA mini and carry CCI MaxiMag +V's in it. They chrono at over 1,000 FPS out of that itty bitty barrel. Those same rounds out of a 4-6" barrel would seemingly be a potent combo. Oh yeh, and I like that 9 round capacity. I wish Smith made an airweight titanium that held 9 rounds of .22WMR like their super lightweight 9 round .22LR revolver.
 
The 605 has great concealment properties, but after owning it for a while I still can't shoot it worth a steaming s#$% compared to my Glock 26. When only crotch carry is possible, I have the 605.
 
There advantages to carrying any chambering of Snubbie IMO.

The 357 guns....SP, 60, 850, 605,617 etc will all take 38 +P until HELL freezes over and still be tight and function well. Resale is also alittle better should that become an issue. Mostly a tad heavier built to take a little more recoil away, also.

If its not a viable option, a 38+P gun is another good choice..usually lighter and at least as small. Some say 38+P is more accurate out of "its own chambering" of gun.

Another option is the 32 HR Mag....smaller framed at times and packs a good solid round. Some loads can equal 38+P loads when both are shot from short barrels. Most guns have 6 rounds and the Mag offers more velocity then the 38+P...

Just thought Id add to the confusion.....:D
Shoot well
 
I would not carry .38 Special ammo in a .357 Magnum revolver for defense use. In my experience the .38 loses velocity badly when fired from the larger chamber. No matter when plinking, but when I want max performance from a .38 I use a .38 Special gun.
 
I just picked up used Taurus 85 (.38 cal.) for my daughter.
It is blue steel, with the "spurless" hammer, (DAO) or whatever you call it.
When I dry fired it a few times, I was very impressed by the light, crisp trigger.

We took it to the range last night.
It is more pleasant to shoot than my wife'w Airweight, though the Airweight does have a smoother trigger.
An Airweight is so light, it is no fun at the range for us, so I can't imagine what shooting a Titanium would be like.
My daughter was very pleased with her Taurus.
I just took her shooting the first time a few weeks ago, but she took to the 85 quickly.
She was shooting 3" groups offhand at 10 ft.
I am confident that she can defend herself with that level of competence.
Certainly give the Taurus high marks.
Easy to shoot, accurate, and seemed equally at ease with FMJ, RNL, and +P Golden Saber bullets.
 
I just picked up used Taurus 85 (.38 cal.) for my daughter...When I dry fired it a few times, I was very impressed by the light, crisp trigger.
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You know, that trigger is the one thing that may get me to keep that thing. Almost as good as on my S&W 586 and better than the rest that I've tried. A major reason that I may go with one of the Taurus 85s (or maybe 850 or 851 options).
 
S&W snub nose

I own S&W Model 60, Model 640, Model 649 revo's in 357 caliber stainless. Fired full house factory equiv handloads this past weekend with combat rubber grips on the Model 60 , Recoil was impressive but tolerable, accuracy at short range excellent. When I am carrying for defense I feel very well protected with my 357 caliber revo. I don't think any perp or scumbag is going to mess with me if I get to fire the first shot. The noise and muzzle flash alone will scare the daylights out of the misfit
herb
 
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