Model 60 3" and .357 usage

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Hello all,

This is actually my first post on the forum. I'm new to handguns in general, and have been learning a lot by searching through the good information contained in old posts on the forum here.

I recently purchased a Model 60 3" to use for concealed carry. I love the gun and am happy with my purchase so far.

With that said, I am wondering how using .357 magnum ammunition will affect the gun in the long run.

The gun shop never warned against using .357 magnum ammo, but did say I'd better off practicing with .38 special. (I'm assuming for cost effectiveness.) When I went to buy .357 ammo specifically for carrying, the shop talked me into .38 special +P, basically saying .357 was overkill.

I've read that the gun is rated for .357 magnum, but was not intended for extensive .357 magnum use. Does any one have any info or tips on whether it is good/bad to use .357 loads in this model?
 
Welcome to the forum.
It was made for 357 so I don't think you will hurt it shooting them. It's a J frame 357 so what you might hurt is your hand if you shoot a lot of 357s. I have several 357 S&Ws and all of them see more 38s just because they are cheaper and easier to shoot. I do put some of the magnums through the guns because I enjoy the excitement, just not as many.
As for what to carry in them, I'd try to see which one I shoot better with. If that's 357 then I'd probably practice with it a little more but most the time my carry guns are 38s any way.
 
welcome aboard - you will have to fire many rounds to harm that weapon - I use 38/38+P/ and 357 - the recoil is stiff but you can handle it - I practice with 38 or +P as my old hands have become recoil sensitive - keep loaded with 125 JHP 357 - if you ever have to use it(and hopefully you will not) you will not notice any recoil with the adrinelin surging through you!!
 
I read somewhere that the modern J frames are quite capable of handling 357 loads all the time. I also read somewhere of a guy who fired 5000 rounds thru his J-frame without seeing any signs of harm, but I don't have any personal experience to back it up.

I have a Model 60LS. I've decided that for a self defense load, the Buffalo Bore 38+P 158 grain ammo going 1000 fps will do as much damage to a BG as a 357, so why use more in a defensive gun? I practice with the cheapest 38+P ammo I can find and load Buffalo Bore for carry.
 
I have a 60-10, three inch. I have fired about 2000 rounds through it over the last few years, a mix of factory rounds both .38 and .357. and has held up just fine. It is a nice solid revolver, think it will outlast me.
Chop
 
bsms said:
I read somewhere that the modern J frames are quite capable of handling 357 loads all the time. I also read somewhere of a guy who fired 5000 rounds thru his J-frame without seeing any signs of harm, but I don't have any personal experience to back it up.

I have a Model 60LS. I've decided that for a self defense load, the Buffalo Bore 38+P 158 grain ammo going 1000 fps will do as much damage to a BG as a 357, so why use more in a defensive gun? I practice with the cheapest 38+P ammo I can find and load Buffalo Bore for carry.
Click to expand...
I agree with bsms statement. My only J-frame is a model 36 38 special. If I were to carry your model 60 or any J-frame, I would use Buffalo Bore 38+P 158 gr LSWCHP "FBI LOAD". Buffalo Bore also makes the same round only in standard pressure.
If you really want to shoot 357s for self defense then a option would be Remingtons golden saber 125 gr HP. This is a medium power round and recoil is not as severe as the full power 125 gr from Federal or Winchester. I don't think you will have any problems shooting 357s out of a model 60 but accuracy and comfort will suffer. They are light compared to a bigger frame 357. To shoot the 357s accurately in my opinion you need a heavier revolver that will soak up recoil and I like to have at least a 4 inch barrel.
But that's my opinion only.

Regards,
roaddog28
 
You need to fire a few .357's through it to determine how the recoil affects you. It is pretty stout in a light J Frame. I have fired full power .357, 158 gr. through a 60-15, pro 3" and the added barrel weight and the redesigned grips did help a lot and I had no problem firing several cylinder-fulls through it. In actuality, you don't need a hot .357, as a 158 gr bullet traveling 900-1000 fps will accomplish pretty much what needs to be done.
 
Wow, thanks for all the good info.

Before I bought the gun, I was able to rent the same model gun and I put a couple 357 magnum rounds through. Big difference, but it didn't feel out of control.

I will definitely check into the ammo recommendations here, and am really glad to hear I should be able to put 357 rounds though it when I want to.

Thanks!
 
I've got the 60-15 and could shoot .357s out of it all day long. While I norrmally have wood grips on it for shooting .38 spl I put the rubber grips on it for .357 shooting. It is just more manageable with the rubbers. I also agree with the threads above on the choice of ammo.

the Mod 60 is a very solid well made gun and can handle the heavier loads.
 
I have a S&W M60 with 5-inch barrel and have shot everything from 38 Spl 148 grain HBWC target loads to 357 Mag handloads sending 158 grain bullets at 1.200 fps. I quickly found that my ability to control gun and shoot nice small, symmetrical groups to POA was very dependent on type of grips I had on gun. Rapid-fire, double-action, one-handed point-and-shoot practice quickly pointed out that I consistantly shot low with the first two types of grips (described below), simply because their rounded contour on back made it easy to shift POA downward in rapid double-action shooting. This effect is much less when shooting two-handed (not a reliable option for me).

Gun came with some nice looking factory rosewood grips that left backstrap and fore strap exposed. They make gun easiest to conceal but most difficult to control and unpleasant to shoot with any load more recoiling than standard 38 Spl. I then got set of Unkle Mikes black rubber grips (also a factory standard type) that are oversize, covering both back and forestraps of grip. Much greater comfort and control. Still not what I wanted for precision shooting (this is a blattently multi-purpose revolver). SO, got set of Pachmayr Gripper grips and found even those 357 Mag handloads are acceptably comfortable and controlable and easy to get rapid-fire groups to impact at POA. Pachmayr Gripper grips make the gun more difficult to conceal but, hardly a problem in cool to well below freezing weather, when I carry this revolver most.

IF concealed carry were a more important use of this revolver, I would prefer a 3,0 inch barrel and would look for wooden grips that give me much the same control as Pachmayr Gripper grips but that concealed better.

Niklas
 
You can shoot as many 357 Magnums through the firearm as you desire without worry.

Folks that make statements like "the gun is rated for .357 magnum, but was not intended for extensive .357 magnum use" are expressing personal opinion or repeating Internet Legend. They are not passing on Factory design criteria.

In this day and age of everyone suing everyone, no manufacturer would ever bring a firearm to market that was not able to perform safely using only the cartridge that was marked on it.

No manufacturer would sell a product and tell people "the gun is rated for .357 magnum, but was not intended for extensive .357 magnum use." How would the factory know your definition of "extensive .357 magnum use?" To some folks "extensive" might be 4 range sessions per year with 2 cylinders full per range session. To other folks the word "extensive" might mean 200 rounds per week.

Many of your fellow forum members have multiple thousands of rounds of 357 Magnum ammunition through their J-frames. Personally I am probably approaching 15,000 rounds of full power 357 Magnum ammunition through the J-frames that I own.
j-frames.jpg


My 340PD has more than 5,000 magnums through it alone.

As Photoman44 says, the revolver will outlast your hand when shooting full power ammunition.
 
Chop, I'm considering a Model 60, for carry in the woods as well, and wondering if you've ever run heavy. 357 ammo thru it - 180gr or 200gr? Wondering what the recoil might be like. I've shot a 686 3" with 158gr and could use that as a base it you can too.
 
All great posts... I'm considering a Model 60, for carry in the woods as well, and wondering if any of you have ever run heavy. 357 ammo thru it - 180gr or 200gr (Hard Cast LFN-GC)? Wondering what the recoil might be like. I've shot a 686 3" with 158gr and could use that as a base it you can too. I presently have a Redhawk 45LC 5.5" and run 300, 325gr through it and can use that as base for comparison as well. Many thanks...
 
Model 60 3" w/ full power loads.

ffc,

I have a Model 60-15 3" and really love it. A few years back I had a local gunsmith work on the action and he screwed it up so I sent it back to S&W for correction. Lesson learned, I now get all my work done at the S&W shop and they are great. Anyhow, I was discussing the repair work with the S&W gunsmith and he informed me the the barrel needed to be set back due to frame stretching from the constant use of full power .357 loads. At the time I had put about 2500 full power rounds through the gun. Barrel is now 2 7/8". I keep track of how many rounds I shoot and expect that at some time in the future I may need more work done. You may have different results.

As far as loads go, I prefer 110 GR projectiles but have shot a lot of 125 GR bullets as well. I don't care for anything heavier in this small revolver.

Regards,

Pete "J"
 
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