Hi all. I'm new to both this site and to revolvers. I just picked up a scandium S&W DAO Airweight .357. I have only shot it once at the range, and only at 10 yards at an indoor range. I shot at a silhouette (spelling?) target and found I would have definitely knocked down an assailant, but I wouldn't call my results "groups" I had a pretty wide pattern, hitting some to the point of aim (heart area of the chest), but some were stomach, some shoulder. I would like this to be my summer carry. Does anyone have any advice on how to gain more control? The sight picture to me is not the best. Also, anything anyone can think of that I should know about this gun I would appreciate. Thanks. Sorry for the long post.
Shooting Snubbie .357
- Thread starter LICCW
- Start date
You're a tougher man than me for being able to put up with .357 mag from a 12oz S&W Airlite than I am!
Seriously though, I have shot .357 throught the same gun, and its tough. Have you tried the new Speer SB (short barrel) 135 grain .357 magnum load? Its supposed to do almost 1000 FPS out of your barrel, and not destroy your hand in the process. If you don't want to try it or don't like it, I would definately stick to a lighter load round as most of the time they tend to recoil less. But I believe though there is a grain weight minimum stamped on the side of your barrel, 129 grain I think for .357 mag.
You can also try changing the grips, if you can put up with a size increase, use some that allow a three finger grip. About the smallest grips that tame recoil but don't make the gun huge is the Pachmayr compacs. They cover the backstrap, and have a small notch at the bottom for your pinky, may not hurt to try em' for about $20-25 bucks.
As far as sight picture, is your front sight have a red or green insert? If it does thats about as good as its gonna get. If you do not have an insert and the front sight is the same color as the rest of the gun you can have it switched with a front sight that has a color insert if you front sight is pinned in place (which I think it is). If you front sight is not pinned/removable you have to send it to a custom shop to have a new sight inserted, or they can modify to make it a pinned sight (http://www.clarkcustomguns.com).
Oh yeah, there are good .38+P rounds to try if you decide to go with .38 vs the .357 mag route. Again Speer's 135 grain 38+P for SB guns is supposed to be good, also the classic 158 grain +P in LWSCHP is great.
Good luck!
Seriously though, I have shot .357 throught the same gun, and its tough. Have you tried the new Speer SB (short barrel) 135 grain .357 magnum load? Its supposed to do almost 1000 FPS out of your barrel, and not destroy your hand in the process. If you don't want to try it or don't like it, I would definately stick to a lighter load round as most of the time they tend to recoil less. But I believe though there is a grain weight minimum stamped on the side of your barrel, 129 grain I think for .357 mag.
You can also try changing the grips, if you can put up with a size increase, use some that allow a three finger grip. About the smallest grips that tame recoil but don't make the gun huge is the Pachmayr compacs. They cover the backstrap, and have a small notch at the bottom for your pinky, may not hurt to try em' for about $20-25 bucks.
As far as sight picture, is your front sight have a red or green insert? If it does thats about as good as its gonna get. If you do not have an insert and the front sight is the same color as the rest of the gun you can have it switched with a front sight that has a color insert if you front sight is pinned in place (which I think it is). If you front sight is not pinned/removable you have to send it to a custom shop to have a new sight inserted, or they can modify to make it a pinned sight (http://www.clarkcustomguns.com).
Oh yeah, there are good .38+P rounds to try if you decide to go with .38 vs the .357 mag route. Again Speer's 135 grain 38+P for SB guns is supposed to be good, also the classic 158 grain +P in LWSCHP is great.
Good luck!
New to revolvers, flyweight snub revolver, and .357 magnum chambering makes for a very hard time learning. You would be better off with a heavier revolver that has a longer barrel, but I guess you have to work with what you have.
First off put the .357 mag cartridges back in the box. Get some standard pressure .38 spl cartridges (no +P) to learn the revolver. Once you figure out the technique of shooting revolvers then you can start moving back up the power scale. While the .357 magnum is powerful it is quite difficult to shoot in those flyweight revolvers. A lot of shooters just use +P .38 spl ammo rather than the magnum as they are much easier to control.
Although the sights look drastically different from a semi-auto if you learn to try to look down the top of the frame instead of looking over it for the rear sight then it becomes easier. You will just have to get used to that then picking up the front sight will be like using any other iron sights.
First off put the .357 mag cartridges back in the box. Get some standard pressure .38 spl cartridges (no +P) to learn the revolver. Once you figure out the technique of shooting revolvers then you can start moving back up the power scale. While the .357 magnum is powerful it is quite difficult to shoot in those flyweight revolvers. A lot of shooters just use +P .38 spl ammo rather than the magnum as they are much easier to control.
Although the sights look drastically different from a semi-auto if you learn to try to look down the top of the frame instead of looking over it for the rear sight then it becomes easier. You will just have to get used to that then picking up the front sight will be like using any other iron sights.
I have the red insert on the front sight. The grain minimun is 125 for the pistol. I bought it for concealed carry because it is so light, small, and no brainer in terms of operation. I bought some Black Hills .38 Special 125Gr. I haven't shot that ammo yet. I saw a used .357 S&W for about 250 bucks in a local shop with Pachmeyer grips and a four inch barrel. Would it be worth buying to get used to revolvers and then work with the snubbie? The recoil doesn't bother me on the S&W, though, so would it be a waste?
Its up to you. It would be easier to start with a larger gun, and then work your way down to the snub J-frame.
But if you already have a J-frame, and you don't mind the recoil you can just learn on that too. I would try the .38 specials first, maybe even go with a couple of boxes of wadcutters, as they have virtually no recoil.
Don't expect to put the target 25 yards down range and hit the 9 and 10 rings. If you can shoot it well out to 15 yards, and get hits in the 8 ring, thats pretty good. You really don't want to be shooting at someone 25 yards away with a J-frame snub.
Don't sweat it, you'll do fine with time. Do some dry fire practice at home, and no you don't need snap caps. You can use them, but don't need them.
But if you already have a J-frame, and you don't mind the recoil you can just learn on that too. I would try the .38 specials first, maybe even go with a couple of boxes of wadcutters, as they have virtually no recoil.
Don't expect to put the target 25 yards down range and hit the 9 and 10 rings. If you can shoot it well out to 15 yards, and get hits in the 8 ring, thats pretty good. You really don't want to be shooting at someone 25 yards away with a J-frame snub.
Don't sweat it, you'll do fine with time. Do some dry fire practice at home, and no you don't need snap caps. You can use them, but don't need them.
orionengnr
New member
as far as that other S&W for sale
you did not state which model it was, but if it is a little bigger, it will serve as a good training tool. Besides, for $250, it's not all that easy to find a "bad" S&W revo. And they are habit-forming...
BTW, I have a 340PD as well, and carry it...loaded with Speer Gold Dot 135 gr 38 +p Short Barrel.
Looking forward to trying the 357/135 SBs, just have not found them yet.
you did not state which model it was, but if it is a little bigger, it will serve as a good training tool. Besides, for $250, it's not all that easy to find a "bad" S&W revo. And they are habit-forming...
BTW, I have a 340PD as well, and carry it...loaded with Speer Gold Dot 135 gr 38 +p Short Barrel.
Looking forward to trying the 357/135 SBs, just have not found them yet.
I don't know enough about S&Ws to know the model, I'll have to go back to the store and check. It was a large frame, much larger than the .357 Snubbie. Gun shop owner said it was a one owner, had it for a long time ,never fired it kind of thing. Looked clean to me, but what do I know? I never trust gun shop owners--they always seenm to be full of s--t.
since you already bought the gun, use low-velocity 357 or high-velocity 38...it is because I want to be accurate with a snub, that I chose my snub 38...a short barrel doesn't have the length for a round to burn up the powder completely so you gain lots of muzzle flash and blast but any gain in power is lower in proportion to the other two...
You may want to look into Remington Golden Saber .357 loads. I've only shot them in a 4-inch 686, but they seem a lot easier to control than full-house loads. I'm not sure, but I think its a 125 grain JHP that Remington lists at around 1200 fps. Some velocity will always be lost with a snubbie, but it'll probably still be screaming fast.
22-rimfire
New member
Shoot 38spl loads through it for a while. Still an okay carry caliber. You might consider the crimson trace grips, expensive, but a lot of people love the pointability with the laser for carry. You don't have to worry so much about the sights. A larger frame size would be a lot easier to learn on too.