Best J frame 357

[Dogmann]

Which J frame is the best for 357 mags? And did S&W ever make a blues steel 640?

 

[Imaposer]

Hmmm... "best" is a very subjective thing. It depends on the purpose you have in mind I would suppose. I have a 640-1 and like it quite a bit. It is my daily carry piece although I keep it loaded with .38 +P Gold Dots. If I were to do it again, (and I just might ) I'd probably pick a 649 instead. I have a 638 and really like the choice to fire it in SA mode when I want, so I'll probably pick up the all steel version 649 to more of less replace the 640 at some point.

I have no desire to fire .357 in any of the light weight models so I personally think the two above to be "best" for ME.

If you're just looking for a range toy J frame in .357, I'd probably pick a mod 60 with 3" barrel due to the better sights and the added weight. But, personally, the J frame is best suited for carry and if looking for a range toy I'd pick a K frame or larger.

 

[MikeChandler]

IMHO the 649-3 without a question.

The shroud (humpback) adds mass to the gun, and keeps the hammer from snagging - but you can still shoot it single action if you like. The -3 and the -5 are both 357 (beefier top strap and barrel) however the -3 has no ILS.

I have a 649-5, and it's my EDC. Before I got this sweet little gun I was only armed some of the time. Now it's all of the time, usually in my pants pocket with a Galco pocket holster, but I also have a Galco V-hawk IWB holster, and I can forget it's there all day long.

It's a beastly j-frame, I can shoot lots of 357s 158gr in it without pain, using that wood grip shown. It's a surprisingly accurate gun - again I think the weight really helps.

I usually carry it in pocket with a Hogue bantam grip, since it's smaller (and I've practiced with that too). If I take it where there's going to be crowds, like a movie theatre, I load it with the 38spl p+. In the V-Hawk I usually put the RW grip on it, as it still carries well and it's controllable with the hottest loads.

It's one of the best gun purchases I ever made. Yeah, I wish I had the -3, but I don't mess with the ILS, and it's never messed with me.

 

[zip777]

649. That's my vote. Accurate. Dual caliber. Concealable. Just ditch the stock grips and be happy. It and my new 15 sport are my 2 favorite firearms. Here's my baby...View attachment 91997

 

[MikeChandler]

Woo-hoo! The venerable 649 "bodyguard" is now 3 for 3!

Zip777, I am digging that grip - it's an open backstrap? Who makes it?

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I'm also partial to the 649-3.......

 

[ladder13]

Someone say 649-3 ? I like the ability to fire single action.

 

[stu1ritter]

I'm currently carrying a new 60-15 in a Lobo pancake holster. At the range today testing loads at 50 ft. I had some wad cutters make one hole (5 rounds). Seems quite accurate for the 3" barrel and it is a real pleasure to shoot.
Stu

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I got this one a few weeks ago but haven't shot it yet.

Don't know, at this point, when, or if, I'll even bother to shoot it.

I only bought it because the asking price was one I couldn't refuse.

 

[cometpx4]

Best .357 J frame

I vote the 3" 60. I just found one last week at Cabelas in the Gun Library. It was a mint, no lock version for $399. I had no intention of buying a gun that day but i just could not leave it there.
I have put a few hundred rounds thru it but only one cylinder of Winchester .357 110 grainers, and it was stout but not too bad. I would not hesitate to carry it as a little trail gun if i was in territory where it was ok to carry something a little lighter hitting than my Glock 29.

 

[slabside2]

One more vote for the 649-3

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I vote for the snub nose SP101. I've said it before and I'll say it again-the .357 has no business being chambered in a J frame. Smith came out with the L frame because the K frame was getting battered by .357 and eventually they did away with K frame .357's Y'all think a J frame .357 is gonna be more durable????.
Don't get me wrong- I love te J frame but in .38

 

[MikeChandler]

I vote for the snub nose SP101. I've said it before and I'll say it again-the .357 has no business being chambered in a J frame. Smith came out with the L frame because the K frame was getting battered by .357 and eventually they did away with K frame .357's Y'all think a J frame .357 is gonna be more durable????.
Don't get me wrong- I love te J frame but in .38

LOL - spillover from the other thread!

An sp101 weighs exactly THREE OUNCES MORE than a 649-3 or -5, and the 649 is only 6 ounces less than the scandium 1911 S&W makes.

Do you really think that THREE OUNCES makes that big of a difference? I guess I'll be renting an SP101 tomorrow, and find out for myself.

I believe the reason for the L frame 357 was that shooting a steady diet of 125gr .357 was too much for the K - but nobody here is recommending a J frame as a range gun, and I doubt anybody is trying to shoot 125gr screamers from a j-frame anyway, as that would be ridiculous. The lesson there is not all 357 ammo is created equal...

 

[zip777]

Thanks Mike. Yes my grips have an open backstrap. Hogue checkered Kingswood. They are by far the most comfortable grips on any pistol I've owned or shot. I have shot many many .357 rounds with those grips. Ten times more comfortable than the stock 649 grips I used for ONE afternoon. They just allow your hand to mould into the firearm. Very ergonomic! The only minor drawback is they should be removed for cleaning after a heavy day at the range because they are a little pricey. Moving forward any smith revolver I buy will get hogue grips! Well worth the investment IMO.

....and Cajun how many thousands of rounds are you going to put thru a CCW firearm?? I agree the sp101 is beefier and a fine firearm but unless you bob the hammer it's got serious drawbacks as a CCW. Open carry and non carry maybe you are right but personally I'd never carry a CCW with an exposed hammer. Too many potential draw issues. That's why I opted for the 649. Plus you can practice primarily with .38 and go to .357 when carrying. That's what I do.

 

[zip777]

For the record Mike with those hogue grips I have shot 125 grain federal .357 C357B ammo with no issues. Yes they are hot and no I don't range shoot with them but I have no concerns about having to dump 5 rounds of it into a BG in a self defense situation....none.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Don't overlook the Model 60...

 

[MikeChandler]

For the record Mike with those hogue grips I have shot 125 grain federal .357 C357B ammo with no issues. Yes they are hot and no I don't range shoot with them but I have no concerns about having to dump 5 rounds of it into a BG in a self defense situation....none.

And there it is ~Thank you sir!

 

[zip777]

http://thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-455649.html

Some interesting reading. Although the consensus is its a nasty unpleasant round it only seemed to impact the older k frames due to design. One policeman said he shot thousands of rounds PER YEAR thru his before he saw damage. I shoot maybe 50 per year to calibrate what if would feel like if forced to use it....usually at the very end of my shooting. No way it's going to harm my pistol. CCW is effectively a 6 to 15 foot shooting distance. No "control concerns". I want the nastiest round possible IF every forced to use it. I pray I'm not because he'd need an entire new midsection.

 

[zip777]

LOL now you guys have me pulling out the box in sheer curiosity. 1440 ft/sec muzzle velocity. 1340 at 25 yards and 1240 at 50 yards with zero vertical drop at 25 yards. Yeah...it's got some balls. Just what I want in a SD round.

 

[jeffrey]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the (relatively) new model 640 Pro. It takes both moon clips and loose rounds and has usable sights -- wholly apart from the fact that they are night sights. I don't much like any .357 magnums in it other than the lightest loads, but the gun is somewhat heavier than my old 640 no-dash which does tame recoil some.

I still sometimes carry my old model 49 no-dash, but as I don't see that I would have much of an opportunity to cock and fire the gun single action in a self-defence situation, I don't see that as an advantage over the hidden hammer of the 640.

There is one significant advantage, however, to the 49 (and its progeny) and the 60 over the 640: the ability to thumb the hammer while reholstering the gun.

 

[wrangler5]

For MY hands, wrists and elbows, the best 357 J frame is the one I shoot 38 Specials in. I fired exactly ONE 357 round through my 649-3. Even with a Pachmayr Decelerator grip (the cushiest one they make) it still hurt. I can say I've done it, but will not do it again.

That said, the 649 is the nicest J frame shooter I've owned.

 

[Stainz]

I'm guessing that a 640 Pro, like my 632 Pro below except for the six shot .327 Federal Magnum vs five shot caliber, might just be ideal for carry. Both can sport the 60 Pro's excellent wood grips. I've shot plenty of 'manageable' Speer 115gr Gold Dot .327 Federals - reportedly @ ~1,300 fps - through mine. They are close to .357 Magnums... which, admittedly, I have never shot from my 60 Pro (bottom).

The 60 Pro is my only J-frame .357 Magnum, even though here it has only seen my wimpy .357M plinker loads and .38's. Due to it's size/weight, my 642 is my favorite pocketable .38. My favorite .38/.357M, even though they have not launched a real .357M while in my care - and I bought them new - are my 627s... of course, a bit bigger than a J-frame...

The allure of the 640 Pro is strong, however... Sadly, my pockets just aren't deep enough to fund one now.

Stainz

 

[chief63]

I do like my 640 pro for IWB carry. No exposed hammer, no IL, moon clips, good sights, installed apex trigger kit. Enough weight to tame 38 +Ps and 357 SD rounds are manageable if desired.

 

[Old cop]

I've come to the conclusion that I don't care for the .357 in a J frame, I've tried most of them. It could be my age (66) but I cannot seem to control the follow-up shot adequately. For me the smallest frame is the K, and given the wide selection of frames an styles that is the direction I'd take.

 

[VaRecon]

I enjoy my 640 Pro but to truly be the best the shooter needs options.
60 Pro would have to be my choice.

 

[zip777]

Old cop you make a good point. With the heavy recoil it is harder to get back on target so I guess it boils down to intended use. If I were a LEO I would probably not load .357 in a smaller revolver I carried as a BUG. Chances are greater in this scenario you may have to take shots from a greater distance in a stand off I would imagine.

In my case seeing how my 649 is a CCW chances are very high it would be a "belly gun" used at very close distances where "long" distance shooting is probably not going to happen.

IMO bottom line is you need to consider what firearm and round best fit the scenario in which you believe it will be used.

BTW I'm digging that 640 pro!

 

[MikeChandler]

For MY hands, wrists and elbows, the best 357 J frame is the one I shoot 38 Specials in. I fired exactly ONE 357 round through my 649-3. Even with a Pachmayr Decelerator grip (the cushiest one they make) it still hurt. I can say I've done it, but will not do it again.

That said, the 649 is the nicest J frame shooter I've owned.

Try using the Speer 357 135gr SB 357. It was highly recommended at the defensive shooting class I took, as being more optimal for a J frame 2" revolver. As explained to me, the hotter stuff is just creating an inefficient fireball, excessive blast and recoil, but it's not driving the bullet optimally from a 2" revolver. This short barrel ammo (and other 357 ammo optimized for a 2" barrel) is the best performance and penetration you can get from the 2" barrel.

The Speer 357 135gr SB GDHP is 990 velocity 294 energy. In comparison the 38 Special +P puts out 945 and 248 energy from a 4" barrel - so you are getting better performance from your 2" 357 than 38 p+ from a 4" (and way better than using 38 p+ in your 2", which is going to be a lot less power).

It's not going to hurt, and there won't be an issue with follow-up shots, and you'll have cleaner cylinders, and you won't have an issue with the increased gap between the bullet and the forcing cone, and it works great in a 649.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

LOL - spillover from the other thread!

An sp101 weighs exactly THREE OUNCES MORE than a 649-3 or -5, and the 649 is only 6 ounces less than the scandium 1911 S&W makes.

Do you really think that THREE OUNCES makes that big of a difference? I guess I'll be renting an SP101 tomorrow, and find out for myself.

Like I said before, the 3" sp101 (27 oz) is very tolerable with 357 loads. I don't know that it's the extra weight or the design. But it's not bad at all. I've never shot the 2" sp101, but it's only 1 oz lighter and otherwise identical. I can't imagine it'd be any different from the 3". I do prefer the Hogue grips over those weird blocky grips they come with.

 

[slodraw]

I carry a 649 most of the time. I wanted it for the weight number one and the ability of the 357. I shoot 38's at the range with a few 357 in to keep in practice.

 

[slodraw]

I should have mentioned that the other carry options are a 9mm Shield, 380 BG or a 380 PPK, probably in that order most of the time. Most of my carry is front pocket. 9c M&P in a Blackhawk for IDPA which I'm just getting into.