Softest Kicking .357 mag? 4 in barrel!!

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Patton21

New member
Hey guys,

I want to get a .357 magnum so that I can feel better about myself. I want a 4 inch barrel...however, all i have shot is 9mm...what would be the softest kicking .357 mag and how much more recol would it have over the 9mm? Thanks. And yes, I am being serious, I do need a soft kicking pistol, i have problems with my hands and they can not take a beating.
 
pick one that feels good.

Ruger GP-100 or S&W L frame 686.

Whichever feels best in your hand will serve you the best with recoil. The GP-100s are tanks and a bit heavier I believe than the S&W 686. I had a GP-100, it's a great gun and I regret letting it go.
 
Any .357 pistol can also shoot .38spl. I think that would be the best way to get comfortable with the gun and the recoil.
For me, I think the most comfortable .357 I've shot is a Ruger Bisley model single action revolver. The grip handle seems to soften the kick. It's also the easiest to shoot .44mag in.
 
.357 is A LOT more vicious than the 9mm when it comes to recoil. I would get a heavier gun if you want to seriously cut down on recoil (but even the heaviest of guns will still have some fairly strong recoil with .357) I would recommend a 4 inch S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman. For defensive purposes on the street against people a magnum round is like killing an ant with a sledge hammer. You can cut down the recoil by using .38 Special or even .38+P and .38+P+.
 
What about porting? I have read some people talk about how their ported .357 magnums kick like a 9mm. Is this pure BS or are they talking the truth. In short, am I ever going to find a round more powerful then a 9mm with only slightly more kick? Is there a .357 mag that wont hurt so badly? The GP-100 looks great, how is the kick on it?
 
porting does great in magnum cartridges that actually have powder to burn and high pressure even towards the end of the barrel.

.357, .44 mag, 10mm in autos, .454 casull... All these have the residual energy necessary to vent from the ports and create a downard force to compensate for recoil.

You probably won't find a ported ruger. Look at taurus trackers, if you want venting.
 
The S&W 686 and Ruger GP100 are the exact same weight. These guns help to tame the recoil due to their weight. 38spl, have less recoil than a 9mm. The Win. 110gr. JHP load has light recoil and is similar to a +p 9mm. My carry and SD load right now is the Federal 130gr. HS Low-Recoil load. It still has pretty stout recoil and is significantly stronger than even a +p 9mm but doesn't kick nearly as much as a standard 158gr. load. Porting is a bad idea for a SD gun as it directs the muzzle flash through your sight vision, leaving you temporarily blind in low-light situations.
 
A Auto pistol will always kick alot less than a revolver.

9mm is about as good as you can get for a non-recoil defence pistol. The 357mag has almost twice the knetic energy as the 9mm. A 125gr hollow point in a 357mag has one of the highest one stop knock down power in a pistol. It is the standard to which most pistols are judged for power & recoil trade off. If recoil is a concern, get your self a Glock 9mm and be done with it. Its fool proof protection. My auto is a HK 45acp (best caliber/gun combo made for taking care of buisness.). My do everthing revolver is a Taurus Total Titanium 357 mag with a 4" barrel. (best defence / trail gun).
You got to pick-up and handle a Total Titanium gun to believe how light and balanced they are!
Its all what you are going to do with the pistol.
 
How about an auto-revolver? :cool:
250px-Mateba_Autorevolver.jpg
 
Damn, but that is the HOTTEST looking wheelgun I have ever seen... Desert Eagle meets sixgun:eek:

The auto-action would take some of the escaping gasses of the .357 magnum and redirect that recoil into cocking the gun and advancing the cylinder. The gun just looks heavy and beefy, so recoil would be light anyways...

Very cool, a must get for me...
 
When I've shot my 4" GP100 side by side with my 4" 686, I seem to have less perceived recoil with the Ruger..
Click to expand...

I have also found that to be the case. Although not significantly so, I think the all rubber Ruger grips help tame recoil. There is some exposed steel in the back of the 686 grip area. Overall though, I'm starting to prefer the 686 over the Ruger and have found it to be very accurate and has an excellent trigger.
 
You could shoot a lot of .38 Special out of the Ruger GP-100 even with hand problems. Recoil of 148 grain target wadcutters is next to nothing out of it. I shoot .357 magnum out of it for fun, but even my home defense load is a .38 Special +P. Not keen about possibly having to touch off .357 magnum in the house, at night, without hearing protection. I really like my GP-100.
 
In short, am I ever going to find a round more powerful then a 9mm with only slightly more kick?
Click to expand...

Might be bordering on heresy on the revolver forum, but as one response indicated, you might find what you're after in an autoloader. I honestly feel that my 1911 in 45acp kicks about the same as my 9mm Sig P225 ...

Saands
 
+1 on the model 28 S&W. Any N-frame Smith or if you luck into one a Redhawk in 357. These will tame recoil better than a GP or L-frame.
 
my S&W 686 is good on recoil as for ammo golden saber 357 is ok as for problems with your hands i found this thing called a gyrotwister it helped me get better strength and dexterity in my hands i hope this helped
 
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