Best 357 to carry?

[at_liberty]

More puzzled than anything..........

Never heard the "throats too narrow for lead bullets" thing with any Smith revolver......the only "issue" I've ever heard is the "excessive use of hot .125gr .357s"

I think there are a few small J-frames that need semi-jacketed ammo...but IIRC that has to do with recoil, crimp and bullets becoming loose and binding the cylinder.

Only FMJ .357/38s.... I've seen is a .38 130 gr. load....... a very mild target load

I think there is/was a US military load 130gr FMJ .38 that is sometimes referenced in threads w/o a lot of enthusiasm.......

Can't imagine "carrying" a gun with FMJ ammo unless I had to ...... military and NJ......



just "puzzled" by you self imposing that kind of restriction on a Model 19.

Thought you might elaborate.............

I should have said "jacketed", for want of an acronym, since only the part that contacts the rifling matters, and that type of bullet is smaller in diameter than lead. Both my 36-1 and 19-4 will allow only jacketed bullets to be coaxed through the throats, and I don't want to do any avoidable gunsmithing/reaming with either one.

BTW one of my recent loading batches was 158 gr Armscor FMJ-RN bought through Dillon. They had no crimp grooves. I loaded them especially for the 36-1 for target. I would also use them on any S&W with EDM rifling, unsuitable for lead in my hands.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I should have said "jacketed", for want of an acronym, since only the part that contacts the rifling matters, and that type of bullet is smaller in diameter than lead. Both my 36-1 and 19-4 will allow only jacketed bullets to be coaxed through the throats, and I don't want to do any avoidable gunsmithing/reaming with either one.

BTW one of my recent loading batches was 158 gr Armscor FMJ-RN bought through Dillon. They had no crimp grooves. I loaded them especially for the 36-1 for target. I would also use them on any S&W with EDM rifling, unsuitable for lead in my hands.

OK,.....I'm missing something or .... way beyond my understanding......

 

[at_liberty]

OK,.....I'm missing something or .... way beyond my understanding......

What should I do with your reply? Is it sarcastic? Are you skeptical? Have you ever shot lead through EDM rifling, or do you only have older guns? Are you aware that guns are often reamed to .3575-.3585 to accommodate lead bullets? A good test is whether you can nudge the bullet through the cylinder throats. My 36-1 and 19-4 would not allow even a jacketed bullet at .357, so I don't push it with larger bullets.

 

[BAM-BAM]

What should I do with your reply? Is it sarcastic? Are you skeptical? Have you ever shot lead through EDM rifling, or do you only have older guns? Are you aware that guns are often reamed to .3575-.3585 to accommodate lead bullets? A good test is whether you can nudge the bullet through the cylinder throats. My 36-1 and 19-4 would not allow even a jacketed bullet at .357, so I don't push it with larger bullets.

Nothing or ignore it..... NO....No.. no........ older guns..like your Model 19-4

In your original post was about a 19-4 ......you stated that you would not shoot lead bullets out of that 19-4....seemed to me you felt it was not safe as the throats were too tight..mosthandgun bullets back then were lead...now you're taking about EDM rifling which I don't think applies to 19-4 or 36-1s.

Thanks for the info...... lets just electronically shake hands..... and walk away.... have a good day.

 

[153]

Probably way to "old school", but these two .357's are one I really like. I would probably be happy with .38+P in them, but they can handle the hotter stuff ...

 

[at_liberty]

Nothing or ignore it..... NO....No.. no........ older guns..like your Model 19-4

In your original post was about a 19-4 ......you stated that you would not shoot lead bullets out of that 19-4....seemed to me you felt it was not safe as the throats were too tight..mosthandgun bullets back then were lead...now you're taking about EDM rifling which I don't think applies to 19-4 or 36-1s.

Thanks for the info...... lets just electronically shake hands..... and walk away.... have a good day.

If those older guns were all tight like my 19-4, owners shooting lead would have been looking for ways to reduce leading. The smaller dia., jacketed bullets would have been one way. Shooting lead in newer guns with EDM rifling again introduces leading issues. I didn't mention safety and don't think of it in that term.

 

[dogngun]

If you actually plan to shoot it, find an old Model 13 or a Model 65 - 2...6 shot, blue steel or stainless, 4" heavy barrel, pinned and recessed. Yeah, it is a little big and heavy and has fixed sights. BUT there is nothing to go wrong with them, and they really SHOOT.

They were designed for daily carry and hard use and they still can do all that.

If I had one full sized revolver it would be this one...

 

[BoulderTroll]

Carry the gun(s) your the best with which is usually the one(s) you train / shoot the most with.

If you have a situation where you've had to go to the unthinkable, statistically improbable, absolute last resort of discharging a fire-arm, in that fight every weapon is expendable because you will care only that you or other innocents are still standing; and you won't care if the weapon that is now evidence in a justifiable homicide (you hope) was your $1,500 Perf Ctr V Comp 627.

If you carry a revolver, it should be the first one to go to a revolver master-smith to make the action as close to perfect as possible. With shipping that is two or three hundred dollars well spent.

Oh yeah, that $1,500 weapon that is now evidence in a justifiable homicide; that amount of money won't cover a fraction of the retainer for your lawyer.

Are you serious? Or do you really value your S&Ws more than your life?

I spent over $20,000 for live-saving cardiac surgery a couple of years back. Quite a bit, too, for a high-risk OBGYN who got my type 1 diabetic wife through pregnancy to deliver a healthy son. Best money I ever spent.

Or should I have shopped foreign clinics and degree-mill doctors to save money? Are you and your family's lives more replaceable than a gun? If someone attacks you on the range while shooting a prized S&W, do you ask him to wait while you reach in your range bag to grab the more replaceable Ruger?

The odds of losing your guns to theft or house fire are exponentially higher than a justified shooting. In those events, you're also likely lose more than one.

So if your S&Ws are that irreplaceable, invest in the highest quality gun safe available, a home security system, and insure them out the wazoo. Or is that too expensive?

Boy, I could not agree more with these two gentlemen! Several thousand (or way less) on a pistol used to defend my life would be meaningless to me if it got locked up in an evidence room. Who cares? I'd be so thrilled to still be on the planet, above ground, that I'd consider it money damn well spent.

My most expensive firearm is my Caspian 1911 custom built to my specs by the Springfield Armory Custom Shop...a $3,200 pistol, with a custom serial number and sentimental value. The thought of not carrying it because it might get taken as evidence would never even cross my mind.

 

[dwever]

Just close your eyes and shoot in your opponents general direction, then run. If you don't hit him, it'll [the .357] have the effect of a flash-bang grenade and he'll be too stunned to do anything.

No. Sorry. Couldn't tell if you were tongue-in-cheek My master bedroom closet has a steel door for security, and I routinely use that enclosed space for function checks of weapons I carry, close to full house .357 have no similar effect to a flash-bang.

I kinda like the 8 shot UDR and the 586 L-Comp

Awesome! I kinda own the 8 Shot UDR and the 586 L-Comp. Love them.

To veer a little of course here, the only thing I can imagine possibly liking more would be either of these weapons in 9mm.

Based on a 2,000 round purchase last week, a case of 1,000 American Eagle FMJ .38 Special bought for practice cost me $420; and the same case of American Eagle bought at the same time in 9mm for my Glock was $260! A $160 difference PER CASE. I like the ballistic performance and recoil of the 9mm, and for that kind of price diff, I could become a 9mm revolver guy for better or for worse. The S&W 929 and 986 are not the best carry options owing to their long barrels.

 

[Arc Angel]

It's a 686, my favorite EDC, and the only gun that I've ever liked more than a woman. Points and shoots very well.

 

[BigBill]

First my ruger security six would never ever fail me. I wouldn't ccw my s&w because there too hard to replace.mine for the condition there in.

 

[sgc]

My older model 65 LS with a 3" barrel (pre IL) has always been my favorite carry gun. However, my recently purchased, new, 60-15 Pro with a 3" barrel is quickly becoming my favorite carry and all around gun. This gun fits me good, is easy to carry and is accurate. I just put 2,000 snap shots through it and it's smoothed out real nice.

 

[Mehutch]

"Best .357 Mag to carry".. I like my 2.5" 686-4 7 shot, and my Model 65-1

 

[raylan007]

M66's

Any one of these three.