Used *&* in .357?

A

Aggie

New member
I am reconsidering my portion of the boycott of *&*.

[sarcasm] Forgive me. [/sarcasm]

I am beginning to consider buying a USED *&* .357 for carry purposes & need advice on what to look for and what to avoid. There just happens to be a gun show advertised for this weekend.

Due to physical considerations, I am specifically looking for:
o - The mass found in a .357 2" or 3" (or maybe 4"?) barrelled piece. (To me, that rules out the *REAL* lightweights. The extra mass SHOULD allow me to recover from recoil faster.)
o - 6 shots (5 shot pieces need not apply :))
o - External hammer

I am currently carrying a 2" Colt Cobra .38 that is just a wee bit light (for me) for regular shooting. Obviously I don't want to go overboard and try to carry something IWB w/ a 6" barrell. hehe

What models & features should I be looking for? Price?

Your suggestions will be appreciated. In advance, thanks for the help......
 
There's nothing wrong with buying a used *&*, since they won't see any money from the sale. I've bought many fine used *&* wheelguns in the months since the agreement, and all of them were purchased used.

The K- and L-frames are great carry guns. My personal favorite, and my favorite handgun period, is my *&* Model 19, with a 4" barrel and round butt grip. I think that the Model 19 is one of the best fighting handguns ever designed...it's a near-perfect balance of power, pointability, accuracy, concealability, balance and versatility. Nothing quite feels and points like a 19. Personally, I prefer the 4" barrel, since I mostly carry IWB, where a longer tube is actually a benefit (it anchors the gun inside the waistline better than a short barrel.) Also, the K-frame is slender enough to be comfortable IWB, whereas the L- and N-frames can be a little chunky.

Any K- or L-frame would make a fine fighting handgun. Look for the following:

Model 19 (K-frame), with 2 1/2 or 4" barrel

Model 66 (K-frame), same as 19, only stainless steel

Model 13 (K-frame), 3" Heavy Barrel...the FBI gun for decades

Model 686 (L-frame), has a full barrel underlug, very nicely balanced

Any of these revolvers would be a first-class choice for a defensive sidearm. Expect to pay anywhere from ~$200 to $400 used, depending on condition.
 
Which .357?

I recently purcased a used S&W 686 2 1/2 barrel.
The gun was LNIB and I paid $325 for it. I'm really impressed with the way it shoots and I'm really happy with it, I'm not sorry I bought it;)
I would consider it for a CCW but haven't bought a holster for it yet :)
Nothing wrong with buying "Used" S&W ;)
 
I think a K frame with a 2-1/2 to 3" barrel would suit you. I personally have a 586 L frame with 2-1/2" barrel. Its heavier than any K frame, however. In my opinion a 4" barrel is out of the question.

justinr1
 
Why not? The S&W is a reliable gun. You do have to check the screws on the sideplate every now & then to ensure that they're snug. With reasonable care, they will last you a long time.

Oh, check the window (opening) where the hand comes out to engage the cylinder ratchet. On some of the older S&Ws, the metal is too thin and the up/down motion of the hand gradually causes it to crack there. By the '90s, S&W redesigned the hand to avoid this problem.
 
The 4" barrel is my favorite length, personally. It's long enough for target work, enough for hot .357 to get up to decent speed, and eminently totable thanks to the extra anchorage a 4" tube provides when carried IWB.
 
IMHO, if you would ask 100 gun people in the know,
70%+ would pick the M19/66 4 inch as the best
allaround .357 ever...FWIW...dewey
 
If you can find a 3" Model 66 or 19, latch on to it. More concealable than the 4", full length ejector rod (2 1/2 inch barrelled guns have a shortened rod), and the sight radius is enough greater than the snubbies to be more precise in shooting. These guns were never cataloged, but S&W made several runs of them.
 
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