Recommended defense & target .357?
- Thread starter LH2
- Start date
for all those in a nutshell, I would recommend a Smith & Wesson Model 19 4 inch barrel.
It's not too big for carry, not too small for a shooter, not too short or long a barrel, and is ideal for carry and defense. Yes they say after a couple of thousand rounds of full .357 through it the K frame revovlers start to wear a little (I have heard other stories to the contrary), but I seriously doubt you will want to put that many through it within the next 10 years. For defense you can put .38+P in it (which is in the ballpark of a 9mm round). .357 can be used for defense too if you feel you need to drop a grizzly bear
. .357 guns and even .38 special medium frames can handle all sorts of rounds with various low and high pressures from the old S&W or Colt .38 Short, Long, Special, +PSpecial, 38/44 (obsolete), .357.
For .357 I own a larger Model 28 6 inch but that is used primarily as a shooter. I mostly shoot .38 special and .38+P in it and maybe a dozen or so magnums through it every other time I take it to the range. Magnums are vicious, sharp, and loud. The psychological impact of all that will make you not want to shoot 3 boxes or even 1 box through every time you go to the range. Magnums will wear you out before they wear the gun out.
It's not too big for carry, not too small for a shooter, not too short or long a barrel, and is ideal for carry and defense. Yes they say after a couple of thousand rounds of full .357 through it the K frame revovlers start to wear a little (I have heard other stories to the contrary), but I seriously doubt you will want to put that many through it within the next 10 years. For defense you can put .38+P in it (which is in the ballpark of a 9mm round). .357 can be used for defense too if you feel you need to drop a grizzly bear
. .357 guns and even .38 special medium frames can handle all sorts of rounds with various low and high pressures from the old S&W or Colt .38 Short, Long, Special, +PSpecial, 38/44 (obsolete), .357. For .357 I own a larger Model 28 6 inch but that is used primarily as a shooter. I mostly shoot .38 special and .38+P in it and maybe a dozen or so magnums through it every other time I take it to the range. Magnums are vicious, sharp, and loud. The psychological impact of all that will make you not want to shoot 3 boxes or even 1 box through every time you go to the range. Magnums will wear you out before they wear the gun out.
kennybs plbg
New member
A 357 for a car gun? If you ever have to use it, ask the person if he would mind stepping back so you could exit the car fully first. I think a lot of people miss this point.
kenny b
kenny b
Even a snubbie can be fun at the range with .38 Spl loads, right?
True but you'll probably want an Uncle Mike's glove to go with it. Otherwise I'd stick with the heavier frame, longer barrel models.
I have a S&W Model 637 in .38 Spcl. It's great for concealed carry and it's very accurate. The only down side is recoil...even with standard range loads. So if you're not planning on carrying I'd recommend a heavier frame .357 with a 4" barrel.
True but you'll probably want an Uncle Mike's glove to go with it. Otherwise I'd stick with the heavier frame, longer barrel models.
I have a S&W Model 637 in .38 Spcl. It's great for concealed carry and it's very accurate. The only down side is recoil...even with standard range loads. So if you're not planning on carrying I'd recommend a heavier frame .357 with a 4" barrel.
We all know it's tough to get one gun to do it all. 4" .357 would be pretty close but too bulky to carry IMHO.
I'm leaning toward a 9mm pistol, most likely a BHP or CZ-75, for my (main) range gun & home defense. Then, I think something more compact that would work better (size-wise) as a car gun & concealed carry. How about a SP101 3" or S&W snub - either in .38? Just load 'em with +P for carry.
I figure I'd be shooting .38's out of a .357 90% of the time anyway thus making cylinder cleaning a chore.
I guess it kinda comes down to the effectiveness of a .38 +P. If I *knew* it was enough, I could probably kill 2 birds with one stone since I guess a .38 is much friendlier as a HD gun or car gun than a .357.
Snubs are easy to carry and hard to shoot. The short sight radius and non-existant rear sights make them very hard to shoot accurately. Add to that a long DA trigger pull and light weight...
The SP101 has less recoil, due to its heavier weight. The 3" model is just a bit too big for pocket carry. The shorter SP101 is still a bit heavy in a pocket. The lightweight S&W are easy to carry but harder to shoot.
Personally, I prefer a Kahr MK9 over a revolver. It fits in my pocket, has real sights, and is easier to shoot accurately. YMMV.