bamaranger
New member
carry
Key word here is CARRY. The 686, is a big gun, any medium frame .357 will be.........and though I'm a fair sized guy, I would not want to try to conceal a 686 everyday year round. It could be done with a cover garment, but tucking a L-frame inside my waistband for concealment, with a hammer, target sights, and the bulk of the cylinder and butt, would just be plain uncomfortable for me. A K-frame .357, especially the round butt versions, might conceal a bit better.
I have no experience with the small frame .357's ( Smith's J and what ever Ruger calls theirs) but I would think with real .357 ammo they would be harder to shoot well). The 5-shot J frame has its place, but I do not believe as a primary weapon with magnum ammo in most cases.
The modern auto pistol is compact, durable and reliable. Modern ammo makes the 9mm a better stopper (so they say anyhow) than in times past. Something like a G19 is flat, compact and easy to carry, has high capacity, and can be shot well by nearly everyone. The autopistol's adoption by LE in both patrol and detective/plainclothes use is no accident.
I own and shoot .357 revolvers of course. Carried one for a duty gun for about a decade. Still carry one to the woods now and again, and even occasionally strap one on for a trip to the store for gas. Their as good a weapon as they ever were. But the modern auto offers advantages.
Key word here is CARRY. The 686, is a big gun, any medium frame .357 will be.........and though I'm a fair sized guy, I would not want to try to conceal a 686 everyday year round. It could be done with a cover garment, but tucking a L-frame inside my waistband for concealment, with a hammer, target sights, and the bulk of the cylinder and butt, would just be plain uncomfortable for me. A K-frame .357, especially the round butt versions, might conceal a bit better.
I have no experience with the small frame .357's ( Smith's J and what ever Ruger calls theirs) but I would think with real .357 ammo they would be harder to shoot well). The 5-shot J frame has its place, but I do not believe as a primary weapon with magnum ammo in most cases.
The modern auto pistol is compact, durable and reliable. Modern ammo makes the 9mm a better stopper (so they say anyhow) than in times past. Something like a G19 is flat, compact and easy to carry, has high capacity, and can be shot well by nearly everyone. The autopistol's adoption by LE in both patrol and detective/plainclothes use is no accident.
I own and shoot .357 revolvers of course. Carried one for a duty gun for about a decade. Still carry one to the woods now and again, and even occasionally strap one on for a trip to the store for gas. Their as good a weapon as they ever were. But the modern auto offers advantages.