S&WModel 351 .22 Magnum

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I bought a 351PD new a few months ago. It is quite accurate, quite loud and quite light! I weighed if fully loaded with 7 rounds and it weighed in at 11.5oz!

I really enjoy it and also don't mind paying for the ammo to feed it.
 
I don't have a 351 - but I've shot two - one with and one without an exposed hammer. I shoot mainly DA, so I would rate both 7-shooters the same - pretty stout on the DA pull. The combination of a modern S&W strong spring, it's being a .22 WMR (needs a harder rim hit for reliable ignition), and a weighs nothing revolver makes you think it's stout - and no doubt affects the accuracy. Most women wouldn't enjoy shooting a 351 I'd think due to the perceived DA pull. As to ammo cost, I did luck into a ANIB 4" 651, a SS 6-shot version of the 351, last fall. I have since bought mainly CCI MaxiMags and Hornady Critical Defense ammo from the 651. The MaxiMags were <$10 at WallyWorld, while Hornadys were ~$15+ at a gunstore. Both are loud and 'flashy'. The good news is that you won't shoot them by the hundreds at a range visit... the 651 gets nasty a lot more quickly than a 63 (.22 LR) does, believe me! Still, what a great pocket protector - or backup.

If I ever find a nice one - at a great price - it's mine!

Stainz
 
I have had my 351C for about 5 months. Very accurate, light and has already been noted quite loud. Also have the 43C in 22lr. Like them very much.
 
Ditto to what everyone else has said. I bought my wife one for CCW use about 18 months ago. She'd trade me before trading it!
 
I had a Taurus 941 UltraLite 22 mag which would constantly jam, every cylinder. I was told by a trusted local gunsmith that Taurus metallurgy in recent years was not the best and that was the cause. I have also heard it is an ammunition problem, though I tried many different brands. Have any of you 351PD owners had this experience? Before investing $600-$700 I would like some feedback. Thanks in advance.
 
I wouldn't call the 351 a chick gun. Sure, the recoil is lower than a .38 but the trigger pull is heavy on the 351.

I think the .22 Magnum is an effective SD round and with the possibility of facing multiple attackers, I really like the idea of having 7 shots instead of just 5.
 
I sent my 351c to Terry Gardner who did a nice action job on it. It is still heavy but very smooth. I love this gun. It has very little recoil and I can hit what I aim at. I carry it everyday in a lobo clip rig or in the pocket of my cargo pants. With no lock, this has been my best S&W purchase in the past 10 years! Buy one!
 
Have had my 351PD for a couple of years. Rounds occasionally stick, but cleaning the cylinder helps ;-). Was not real impressed with the extra cost Hornady Critical Defense. Gun seems to prefer Winchester Dynapoint. Do have Speer Gold Dot for 2" on order.
 
I bought what I assume was an early one, maybe 7 years ago. Right after they came out. To me it looked like a nice compromise between size, weight and power. One of the things the makers (not just S&W) do is weigh their guns empty. Its misleading because ammo is often made from lead and those aren't Texas cotton balls. But 7 22 mags are a bunch lighter than 5 .38s. So I just moved a set of laser grips over to it and it was a good one.

But then we had a couple of murders up in this region, and it kind of had my kids spooked. So at our Christmas dinner I made my son's and their wifes an offer. If anyone of them would take the initiative to go get a CCW license, I'd pay for the course and a suitable gun. Suitable had to fit my definition. Sons saw a deal and went for it, their wives didn't. And we couldn't even find a 351 to buy (and I wasn't giving up mine). But my youngest borrowed mine to take his course. And his instructor took one look and commented at what a nice gun it was. I knew that. And in the intervening years, that same son has taken it upon himself to introduce some of their spooked married friends to guns and shooting. It seems there is significant interest but the young marrieds don't know how to go about learning. And of course all want to buy my old gun.

But there are problems with the "PD" series guns. They don't clean up very well. And the more they're shot, the more imbedded the lead and powder fouling becomes. It is a consideration. I'm not suggesting anyone not buy one, because the same amount of firing will also make a .38 ugly (or anything else.) Just keep it in mind.
 
I chronographed (Oehler 33) several .22 magnum rounds from my Hi-Standard D-101 derringer the other day. The two rounds I was interested in were the "short barrel" designed Gold Dot 40 grain load and the Hornady 45 grain FTX rounds. Thought you might find the results interesting as the barrel length is similar to the model 351.

Here are the results of the forty round test. Temperature was around 75 degrees, all ammo staying in the shade:

Winchester Super-X 40 grain ammo - 10 rounds (stuff is around forty years old):
LO: 1024
HI: 1225
ES: 201
AVG: 1099
SD: 63

Gold dot 40 grain ammo (20 rounds total fired in two 10 round strings):
LO: 960
HI: 1243
ES: 283
AVG: 1132
SD: 88

LO: 1066
HI: 1278
ES: 212
AVG: 1148
SD: 64

Hornady FTX 45 grain round, 10 rounds fired:
LO: 946
HI: 1190
ES: 244
AVG: 1070
SD: 74

A couple of things. I'm dubious about those "HI" readings of +1,200 fps, especially that 1,278 fps Gold Dot reading. I had several readings of well over 2,000 fps, clearly from burned and unburned powder messing with the chronograph. Those were erased and are not in the calculation.

So, even just looking at the lowest velocities recorded, it seems to me that all rounds were very similar in velocity output. Thus, I have to ask myself, what's the advantage of these new .22 magnum rounds, which were designed for use in short barrel handguns?

If anyone else has tested these rounds I'd be interested in seeing their results.

This is the pistol used. Grips removed to enhance concelability:
IMG_3507_Hi-StandardD-101_07-01-11-1.jpg

______
 
Appreciate the information. Been using Winchester Super-X 40 since forever. Bought some of the new Gold Dot SB 'cause I read too much. Should have known better at my age. Nice gun.
 
Sorry, folks, if I've posted this before here, but I thought that it might be of interest. To follow up on Rich's post (I used to live in Cape Cod, too, Rich :) ), this is some .22 Magnum data from my 4" Bowen-converted Bearcat. I'd sure like to have a 351 . . .


75°F, 5950'>sea level, 5% humidity:

Hornady 45-gr FTX bullet M 1259/ES 53.17/SD 22.11
_____________________________________________________
77° F, 5950'>sea level, 40% humidity:

Winchester Supreme 30-gr JHP .22 Mag M 1653 fps/ES 205.8/SD 82.35
CCI 50-gr GDHP M 1271/ES 67.35/SD 21.95
Winchester Supreme 34-gr JHP .22 Mag M 1611/ES 79.69/SD 30.29
_________________________________________
54°F, 20% humidity, 5950'> sea level

Win Super-X 40-gr FMJ: M 1385/ES 61/58/SD 25.80
Rem 40-gr JHP: M 1271/ES 74.71/SD 32.48

_____________________________________________________
88°F, 5950'>sea level, 40% humidity

Winchester Super-X 40-gr FMJ - 1457 fps/ES 41.84/SD 17.37
Winchester Super-X 40-gr JHP - 1469 fps/ES 123.7/SD 49.45
Winchester Dynapoint 45-gr 1214 fps/ES 54.84/SD 12.52

_____________________________________________________
43° F, 5950'>sea level, c. 45% humidity

CCI 40-gr TMJ: mean 1214 fsp/ ES 30.41/13.26
CCI 40-gr JSP: M 1311/ES 105.8/SD 57.55
Win Super-X 40-gr JHP: M 1421/ES 66.33/SD 27.67
Fed Champion 40-gr FMJ: M 1296/ES 60.87/SD 26.68
Win Dynapoint 45-gr HP: M 1129/ES 99.46/SD 38.41
 
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