I'm almost eighty, with severely arthritic hands. To me, shooting .357 Magnum from a J-frame, even if it isn't one of the gnatweights, is an exercise in masochism, and an unnecessary level of power (diminished somewhat by the short barrel) over a good .38 Special load. We're talking close range self defense guns, not 25-yarders.

But if the mysterious "Bob" is wedded to humongous flash and blast and sharp recoil and insists on a .357, I think it should be the 640. Very likely he'll wind up carryng .38 Special +P in it anyway, after he fires a box or so of full-house 125 grain .357 Magnum.

The weight isn't burdensome even for carry in a pocket when you get used to it, which I did very quickly. I've pocket carried a 1990 640 every day for eighteen years, in all kinds of pockets. Heart and lung problems are now mandating something lighter so I don't walk in little circles, but I won't part with the Centennial. I think it's the ideal design for a pocket revolver, and it will also be my head-of-the-bed gun now.

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Oh well, what the hell.