what's the diffence between snubby and 3 in barrel

C

coolridelude

New member
ok guys i have been reading a lot. my next gun purchase will be a wheelgun. i am looking into a .357. i know this has been discussed a lot but i still don't feel i got every thing i need so i am typing what i think is important.

i have read that people that use a .357 snubby that after a few rounds itis not hand friendly.

is the ruger gp100 or sp101 357 3in friendly? by this i mean i can shoot a good amount of 357 loads and it be hand friendly?

i have read a lot that the 357 snubby is a lot harder to handle.

how does the snubby and the 3in barrel compare?
is there a big difference or it is all the same and i am wasting my time?
i have shot my friends 686 in 4in barrel and it is hand friendly. by this i mean the weight. since it is heavy it will take more recoil.

is the recoil on a snubby and ruger 3in barrel that bad?
never shot a snubby.

i also want to conceal the ruger sp101 or gp100.
for those of you that conceal are they hard to conceal? or is it the same as a snubby?
the 686 is a bit bigger i want something a little bit smaller so the ruger or snubby are my choices. thanks
 
It's not a matter of the revolver, but what load you use. In shooting there is no real difference in a 2 incher over a 3 incher, but the 3 inchers do have full length ejector rods that can kick the cases clear of the chamber.
 
The 3" is more hand friendly than the 2". The GP100 is heavier then the SP101. Barrell lenght and hand friendliness depend on weight of gun. If you like to shoot a steady diet of 357 go with GP. If you want to shoot 38 and once and awhile 357 go with SP. I have a Ruger Alaskan with 2" barrell that you can shoot 454,s out of and it,s hand friendly, but it weighs over 40oz. :D
 
I think you will find a three inch significantly easier to shoot well. While a three inch is still considered a snubby the hit rate is dramatically better. Recoil is easier to tolerate as well since there is less muzzle jump.
 
Cool'

If you are planning on carrying on your person, than clothing become a big issue, How are you going to conceal it. If you wear some kind of sport coat then you have an advantage over me. I typical wear slacks and a sport/golf shirt or button up shirt. What I have found at works for me is a small j-frame revolver in .38 special +P with 158 gr HP SWC in a PagerPal holster ( www.pagerPal.com). I can carry this rig without changing my dress style.... just MHO :) :)
 
First a GP-100 and a 686 are basically the same size and within an ounce of each other.
Second WHAT are you calling a SNUBBY

i have read that people that use a .357 snubby that after a few rounds it is not hand friendly.
Click to expand...
Sure if it is a uber-lightweight and has terrible fitting grips.
is the ruger gp100 or sp101 357 3in friendly? by this i mean i can shoot a good amount of 357 loads and it be hand friendly?
Click to expand...
Man or Mouse, I have a bad wrist and shoulder, even my 3" S&W 13 tends to agrivate it now. If you like to shoot then they, with good grips, should be great guns.
i have read a lot that the 357 snubby is a lot harder to handle.
Click to expand...
See my answer above about liteweightetc

how does the snubby and the 3in barrel compare?
is there a big difference or it is all the same and i am wasting my time?
i have shot my friends 686 in 4in barrel and it is hand friendly. by this i mean the weight. since it is heavy it will take more recoil.
Click to expand...
This still depends on what you are calling a snubby, again a 686 and a gp are just about the same, you are looking at the difference between a cast frame and a forged frame and that just opened a huge can of worms.

is the recoil on a snubby and ruger 3in barrel that bad?
never shot a snubby.
Click to expand...
Depends what gun and ammo, a 2" S&W 10 shooting 38 spec 158grLRN is a pussycat, but a 340 with 357mag 125gr is a hellcat

i also want to conceal the ruger sp101 or gp100.
for those of you that conceal are they hard to conceal? or is it the same as a snubby?
Click to expand...
A Ruger sp101 is about the same size as a S&W J frame(???snubby???) and a Gp100 is just about the same size as a 686.
the 686 is a bit bigger i want something a little bit smaller so the ruger or snubby are my choices. thanks
Click to expand...
Again the 686 and GP are about the same and the SP101 and J frame smiths and Tauruii are about the same but the SP101 is heavier.
 
It sounds like you may not handle recoil well. We're all different. I have always managed recoil well and consider my GP-100, 3" hand friendly. But so is my M686, 2 1/2, M66, 2 1/2.

Grips are an important consideration. Many folks like rubber grips for cushion effect. I don't like the feel of rubber any more than I have liked condoms. Wood checkered grips are not hand friendly for .357 and up. Smooth wood is my choice. I have average size hands and use fat smooth wood on my .357's and .44 Mag's. Why am I confused? Must be having a senior moment!!! :eek:
attachment.php


attachment.php
 
Last edited:
Windjammer

Windjammer, i use a lot of button up shirts. i wear jeans and button up shirts all the time so i don't ahve to change my wordrobe. i like loose fit clothes.

Bullrock, i can shoot my friends 656 in 4in barrel with no problem. i have never shot any thing smaller that a 4 in barrel. and what i have read is that some people say a 2in snubby in 357 is harder to handle and is not that hand friendly. i am making an asumption that itis it has a lot of recoil. where when you shoot it, that the barrel of the gun goes about 5-10in like in the movies. do you conceal your gp?


This still depends on what you are calling a snubby, again a 686 and a gp are just about the same, you are looking at the difference between a cast frame and a forged frame and that just opened a huge can of worms.
Click to expand...
what is a cast frame and a forged frame? :confused: how does this affect the gun? :confused:

i did not really know what are frames i just know they are different but i don't know that the frame makes a big deal. help :confused:
 
In 3" the gp100 is very nice to shoot with magnum loads. the sp101 though heavier than competitive models still get to be painful say after about 50 rounds of the magnum stuff.
 
Cool

You have to find what works for you. A 4" revoler of any make is going to be hard to conseal. A snubbie 357 will be a little bigger and heavier then a 38 spl. and the recoil will be high do not let anyone tell you any different. I have seen tests using the load I listed before, it will penetrate up to 12" of ballistic gelation.

Remember using your weapon is a last resort and you should not be getting into a fire fight.
 
i don't want to get into any kind of fight. thanks for the info i know i likethe feel of the ruger 3" barrel. i know shot placement is the key.. thanks
 
coolridelude

Bullrock, i can shoot my friends 656 in 4in barrel with no problem. i have never shot any thing smaller that a 4 in barrel. and what i have read is that some people say a 2in snubby in 357 is harder to handle and is not that hand friendly. i am making an asumption that itis it has a lot of recoil. where when you shoot it, that the barrel of the gun goes about 5-10in like in the movies. do you conceal your gp?
Click to expand...
I don't find much difference in recoil between the 3" & 4". When I drop down to a 2 1/2" on an K frame there is some muzzle flip, but really no big deal. The L frame 2 1/2 being larger with a full under lug is a walk in the park. I say it's hand friendly...
The GP-100, 3" is a nice all around revolver. The balance is terrific!!! :D :D

Hey Progunner...I got them at Eagle Grips of all places... ;)
 
The word snubby is like the word recoil, everyone has their own idea of what it means to them.

The sp101 is a small gun that holds five shots. I say small because I am comparing it to a 686 and a gp100 that hold 6 shots.

I had a 3 inch sp101 and I could handle shooting factory hot 357 mag loads in it, but this was not something I did a lot.

If you liked the 686 you will like the gp100 since they are almost exactly the same size, they are close enough that they share speed loaders.

I have a 4 inch 686 and a 3 inch gp100 and because the grips are bigger and the guns are heavier it is much easier for me to shoot factory hot 357 mag loads in them.

Everyone is a bit different in recoil but if you liked the 686 and a certain load I would say the worst thing you might have to do with your gp100 is go find a grip similar to what is on the 686. My 686 still wears wood but I want some kind of rubber grip I guess, I never got around to it. My ruger has the stock factory grip and I like it a lot. If I could put that grip on my 686 I would.

If you run some searches you will find a fair number of threads about the 3 inch gp100 and some are about how best to conceal it for carry. Many folks like the short 3 inch barrel on a full size frame like the gp100 because they can carry some potent 357 mag rounds and have decent follow up shots and what not. There are also a lot of threads about the 686+ revolver for carry as well.

Overall I consider a snubby to be a small frame gun with a 2 inch or so barrel. The 3 inch sp101 is a misfit child and a neat gun but I could never decide what I wanted it to do.
 
If you're going to carry a revolver on your belt, the 3" conceals just almost as well as the 2"; the frame size will make more of a difference than the inch difference in length. An L frame S&W or a GP100 with a 2" barrel would be harder to belt conceal than a 3" j-frame or sp101. If you want a gun that will be fun to shoot lots of magnums from, you want the biggest one you can put to your uses; but hiding a true 357 frame gun--like a 686 or a GP100--is notably harder than 5-shot or a smaller (i.e., k-frame) 6-shot.

For regular concealment under a cover garment, I'd look for a 3" k-frame 65. The sp101 would be comparable in size, and would be what I'd look for if I preferred Rugers.

For a gun I really wanted to shoot a ton and would conceal only occassionally or when convenient, I wouldn't bother with a 3" gun, when 4" guns shoot gentler, are easier to shoot accurately, and can still be carried with reasonable care. If I wanted a gun primarily for concealed carry, I'd get (I did get) a gun I wanted to carry, and shoot .38's in it. Lots of 'em.

The only reason for a 2" revolver--if you otherwise have the option to go 3" or longer--is to be able to put it in a pocket.
 
What is a snubby?

To me it's about proportion. For instance in the S&W line it varies by frame size. A "J" is a snubby at 1 7/8", an "K" at about 2 1/2", an "L" is still a snub at 3", and the big "N" to me is a snub at 3 1/2. My 3 1/2 27 looks the part. At the same time a 3" "J" does'nt look "snubby" to me. YMMV.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top