New LCR .357 or 9mm?

Which LCR would you choose?

  • .357

    Votes: 34 57.6%

  • 9mm

    Votes: 25 42.4%
  • Total voters
    59
  • Poll closed .
F

fallingrock71

New member
I've been trying to talk myself into or out of an LCR for quite awhile now. I had pretty much made my mind up that it would be .357 but now I'm leaning towards the 9mm. Between the two, what would you choose and why?
 
I'm not a huge fan of .357 Mag out of a small light gun. Because of that, the .38 Special is fine for me in the LCR platform. That being said, 9MM isn't difficult out of the LCR and the cost and versatility of the round make a lot of sense. Nice to be able to practice more affordably!
 
I voted 9mm. Ammo is cheaper. The 9mm appears to lose less velocity in short barrels than 357 in short barrels. And I have my main carry in 9mm, so I already have the ammo. Plus 9mm in a revolver is just cool IMO.

Now, if they made the LCR in a 3" 357 and 9mm I might go for the 357.

What I really want is an LCR 3" 8 shot 22lr.
 
Wow, I'm the only one voting .357 so far? If you're planning to actually shoot .357 much at all, then I'd change my vote to 9. But I'd rather shoot 38+p from the LCR357 than the 9.
 
I have the 357 LCR, 38 specials are actually fun to shoot through it with light recoil, and nice to have the option of using 357 when needed. You notice when using SD 357's after a couple of cylinders, but it isn't awful.
 
I would get the 38+p. 38s are great all around, almost as cheap as 9mm if you know where to shop and there is a lot of versatility in loads. Buffalo Bore makes a 38+p that exceeds 500 ft/lbs. in other words, as much velocity as a standard 357 mag. 9mm can't do that. I have owned the lcr in 357 and it was a serious handful, but a fine gun.
 
I'm a bit of a purist, in that I keep autoloader rounds in autoloaders, and revolver rounds in revolvers. Go with the 357 LCR, if an LCR is what you want.

Personally, I just bought a S&W 640, and found 2 more in my area for under $600 in like new condition. Stainless steel J frame in 357? Yes please, thank you, sir.
 
I'd only get a 9mm if I didn't own any 38/357 firearms and wanted to stockpile one caliber otherwise I'd go 357. The 357 LCR is a little heavier than the 38 version and prolly isn't too bad with mag loads but since I already had a SP101 I opted for the 38+p version.
 
Good stuff guys. I appreciate ya! There's such valid points for both calibers that I guess I should have asked a slightly different question...which should I buy FIRST! I'm approximately 67.39864% sure I'll go with the 9mm first.

About the only LCR I have ruled out is the .38. Oddly, that is the one that sold me on the LCR in the first place. I got to shoot about 50 rounds through a friends. Mostly just plane jane paper punchin stuff but also some Underwood 125gr +p listed at 1200fps and some Winchester 125gr +p listed at 945fps. Thankfully, I've just never been recoil sensitive at all. Don't know why. Certainly not because of millions of rounds of practice or any magical technique or anything on my part. Just lucky I guess. I will say that I was somewhat surprised at how little recoil there was in the LCR with the fairly hot Underwood ammo though.

The revolver that got me back into revolvers is an older Charter arms off duty .38sp that I just couldn't pass up at a local pawn shop. Wasn't even remotely thinking of buying a snub nose revolver that day but the price was so good I just had to. I took it to the range with 150 rounds thinking that would probably be about 100 rounds more than I'd shoot. I enjoyed it so much that I actually went through all 150 and found myself wanting more! Anyways, I thought the heavier Charter would soak up the recoil much better than the LCR, but I really couldn't tell that much of a difference. I can certainly see a case for the LCR in .38, but I'd just much rather have the .357 personally.

I'll have to see if I can rent the LCR in .357 as I am very curious about the recoil. Not for fear of the recoil or pain, just the speed of follow up shots, muzzle flip, blast and all. Sadly, my only experience with a snubby in .357 was with the gun I thought I had to have. It was an sp101 with the 3" barrel. That exact gun was very high on my list at the time and I was shocked to see it available as a rental. The stars were properly aligned and shining on me that day AND I had a free rental coupon. Long story short I really liked it, but it just didn't blow my skirt up like I expected it to. Recoil and follow up shots were just fine but to be fair I didn't put any remotely hot loads through it. The range requires that you buy their ammo for their rentals and the prices are kinda stupid. American eagle 158gr jsp at 1240fps was all I put through it other than .38 special.

As far as recoil, muzzle blast, follow up shots and all that good stuff, can anyone tell me where the 9mm falls? Is it between the .38 and .357 being much closer to the .357 all with the hottest defensive loads? Can anyone tell me how the LCR .357 compares with the sp101 with the same loads?

Ooops, sorry I got to ramblin. I'll shut up and listen now. Thanks again, appreciate ya :)
 
9mm because cost is less (whether handload or factory) over both 38 and 357; secondly, 357 is nasty in small light guns while 9 has more power than the 38 and in small guns comes closer to 357 without the flash.
 
Well, to be honest, I wouldn't get an LCR, but only because I just don't care for Ruger guns. They're good guns, I just don't care for them for some reason.

BUT...if I did, and of the choices you've presented, I'd get one in .357, and shoot 38's in it.

Revolvers chambered for semi-auto cartridges have just never appealed to me. Sort of using oranges to make apple pie.
 
I've shot the .357 LCR. Recoil was like hitting a steel post with an aluminum bat full-power. It didn't appeal to me, but it wasn't the worst thing.

Your choice should depend on your ammo stock. If you already have 9mm pistols, then the 9mm LCR makes sense. If you have a lot of .38/.357, go with that LCR.
 
seeker_two that's part of the reason I'm leaning towards the 9mm. I've got quite a bit more of and a MUCH wider variety of 9mm ammo on hand than I do of .38/.357. I also have way more .38 than really makes sense having only the one lonely Charter arms to feed it. Down the road a bit, I'd like to pick up a .357 with a 4" barrel or longer and a lever action rifle in .357. I have a re-loader and tons of brass, primers and projectiles and such but I'm still in the reading, lurking, researching, planning, dreaming, procrastinating stage of rolling my own. Dang this shootin habit is expensive and time consuming! life is good though
 
Oh, I suppose I should mention that in 9mm I have a SR9c, LC9s, the illustrious Hi-Point C9 and a goofy little derringer. In .38 and .357 I only have the Charter.
 
I have the LCR357. I've had it since they first came out. For the first 2000 rounds I shot reloaded 357 round that duplicated the Gold Sabor. Kind of a mid range 357. It was fun to shoot and accurate. These days I only shoot 38 and 38+P. I like the 357 gun for the extra few oz.'s. It handles 38 and 38+P with ease. It's like having Two guns. Load it as hot as you can handle and light enough for the kids. My gun now has 4000 rounds through it and is carried every day. Some days it backs up my SP101 and some days my 442 backs up the LCR.
 
I haven't kept up on the LCR offerings since I traded my 357 LCR off - so please excuse my ignorance and asking . . .

On the 9mm LCR - are moon clips required? How are the 9mm spent casings ejected if no moon clips are necessary? Just curious. Thanks.
 
bedbugbilly It does use moon clips. If I'm not mistaken, it will fire properly without them. Of course it won't eject them without the moon clips. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Also, would there be any harm to the gun by firing without them? Also, also the LCR isn't available with a 3" barrel in 9mm is it? Also, also, also I went to a few gun stores today and dangit if a used Bersa didn't follow me home!
 
Hey, 100th post and the poll is tied at 50/50! That means something huh? "Maybe it means I'm funky and cool. Now I seriously doubt if that's what it means."~ lil Ray Wylie Hubbard there fer ya(no extra charge) :)
 
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