Picked up a 351PD for my EDC

[bakron1]

Being I not getting any younger and at 69 my hands are starting to bother me when shooting larger calibers like 38 and 357 mag when I shoot my trusty S&W 640 J Frame I have used as my EDC for a long time.

So, while at my local gun shop I seen they had a like new S&W 351PD 22 Magnum for $650 with the box, I pondered the decision and after talking to Mike the resident shop expert, he talked me into buying it.

I have heard folks tell me that 22 Magnum is not an effective round for stopping power, but a great friend of mine who spent 20 years as a cop in homicide told me that he seen many corpse fall victim to the 22 and 22 magnum round, so I feel confident carrying it and to me it’s all about shot placement and with 7 rounds I feel if I ever am put in that situation, I can get the job done.

I have seen a few ballistics gel test with 22 magnum defensive rounds and it’s a nasty little bugger and I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it. I am happy with the purchase and I can’t believe how light it is and I carry it in my front pocket wearing shorts and don’t even know I have it.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Yea, lot's people die from 22's.
But when......
Minutes, hour's or days...

 

[bobsguns]

I'm a big fan of the .22mag & have several models in that caliber. The Smith 648 might be my latest one?

OP, allow me to suggest a new house gun in .22mag as well. I throw out the Walther WMP. Mine has been 100% with decent 40gr ammo. Accuracy is excellent, as one would expect from a Walther.

15rd mags are a big selling point, IMO. Matching your carry gun's caliber perfectly, you're not splitting/mixing ammo between home & carry.

Try to handle one at a shop or gun show sometime. Dry fire it as well, its trigger is exceptional.

My .o2

 

[1214]

I picked up a 351C a while back for similar reasons. It is a beautiful BUG/CCW revolver, and the 22 Mags are nasty little rounds.

 

[sigp220.45]

I worked a ton of reservation shootings with both the .22 LR and .22 Mag. Not a single bullet recipient continued doing whatever they were up to when they were shot. They either dropped, split, or begged for mercy.

Good choice!

 

[Model 15-4ever]

I have one those revolvers. I rather like it. I'm saving it for if and when my hands start feeling the need for it. Here's some shots I did into ballistic gel:

 

[S-W4EVER]

I think that’s smart. A .22WMR or even a .22LR are a lot better than going unarmed.

 

[Swissfan]

I picked up a 351C last year at the LGS Love it and it's my EDC. Get some of the Self Defense ammo and your set.

You are correct, it's so light you don't even know you're carrying it.

 

[cd228]

Daryl Bolke wrote an interesting article about selecting .22 DAO revolver for everyday carry. it might be available on the American Fighting Revolver website. He selected the .22 LR version. Of interested, is that he mentioned age, arthritis and the resultant sensitivity to recoil as reasons for going to the .22 .

How is the action on your new wheel gun? The J frame .22s seem to have a good amount of variation in trigger pull from nice to acceptable, to "hitch up the mule team".

 

[1214]

How is the action on your new wheel gun? The J frame .22s seem to have a good amount of variation in trigger pull from nice to acceptable, to "hitch up the mule team".

This is an interesting conundrum that I hope others can chime in on. There is very noticeable difference between the trigger pull on my 317 snubbie and aforementioned 351C. The former is much tougher than the latter.

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

Late to this thread, but interesting. I have the opposite feel between my 317 and 351 than 1214 does. The 317 trigger, while heavier than my 442 is much lighter than the 351C. Doesn't matter much. I train with both and so far at 75 the trigger finger still works.

Three decades in a pretty bad city and yeah a .22 mag will get the job done. 3 or 4 center mass means sooner rather than later.

I'm saving my 351C until the 442 or 340PD hurt my arthritic wrists to much to qualify with. Hopefully the finger will still work. If things get that bad I'd move down to the 317, which I shoot every range day. Even when I'm working a bench rest rifle I always finish off with a few cylinders of .22's to keep my finger and grip exercised. All my J frames except the 317 are DAO. I might pick up a 43C to correct that.

Nothing wrong with the 351 models. Just practice until you can group 7 in a small paper plate really fast. Shoot DAO, a lot. They are incredibly loud and that helps too.

 

[kilo charlie]

Congratulations. I think you will love it. My 351PD is one handgun I would never sell. Easy to carry and shoot accurately. A fine little revolver.

 

[afret]

It's definitely a nice gun. I put it in a pocket holster and go on my daily early morning jog through the N ID forest. I wish it had an adjustable rear sight though. I might pick up a Ruger .22 mag LCRx I saw at my LGS and see how that compares even though it's a bit heavier than the 351 PD.