Hi,

You can find 'em in our classified section here on occasion. Not as many 3" versions were made as the 4" service revolver versions, so they are "rarer." Then again, I don't know how rare thousands upon thousands of 3" version really are.

In the S&W line up, the most common 3" version .357s found is the Model 65 in stainless steel. It is the identical (except metal type) brother of the blued or bright nickel steel version called the Model 13.

Also encountered, but rarer and pricier, is the adjustable sight Model 66 model in stainless. Bring money. Most offered here are for "trade" fodder against something else rare that a collector currently wants worse but they DO sometimes show up.

All the S&W ones mentioned above are made on the sleek and fast "K-frame" size. S&W also offered the slightly beefier "L" frame revolvers in 3" as an option, but they too are much rarer than their 4" and 6" service revolver sizes. The beefy 3" Model 686 version is a great gun . . . but I love the sleeker K-frames personally.

N-frame
S&W also made their priciest and fanciest revolver, the big Model 27 with a 3 1/2 barrel. Because this large frame gun is much bigger, proportionately the 3 1/2" barrel makes it look and balance as great as the K-frame 3" guns too! These are expensive revolvers . . . but WOW!

I personally love the 3" - 3 1/2" barreled S&W revolver variants. Vs the 4" versions, they are:
-Faster from the holster in matches and on the street
-They have the perfect balance for fast, double action shooting (such as one would do in handgun matches AND during self defense use.

Great guns!!!

Here are some on the various frame sizes from large-medium-small, all with those unmatchable S&W triggers: