What is the best CC 357

[M3Stuart]

Welcome to the forum!

I used to carry this 60-9. In case you're new to S&W's; It's a pre-lock, J-frame, with a MIM trigger and hammer, in .357 mag. Note that it has an exposed hammer - not recommended by some for CCW. It weighs about 23 oz. empty. It fits nicely in the pocket or IWB with the holsters shown. It's also shown with a Hogue Bantam grip - that's the smaller one (minus a place for your pinky). Pachmayr makes a Bantam-type grip that has a little place for your pinky but I don't have one of those anymore. The second pic is that gun with the stock Uncle Mike's (full(er) size) grips.

I don't recommend shooting a lot of .357 cuz it's hard on your hand. I used to carry .38 +P or 'light' .357s, and, practice with .38 Special all the time.

+1 on the 640 recommendation. The j-frame magnum varieties are .357 minus the (might get snagged on your pocket) hammer.

 

[tinman931]

Not a s&w but a very good pick for a pocket magnum is the Ruger LCR. The. 38 and the. 357 are exactly the same size but the magnum had a stainless steel frame and weighs 4 ounces more. I went with the magnum for durability and the option to use 38 or magnum ammo.

A second to that. Although my LCR is not .357, I would still recommend that option as it is a great carry gun.

 

[tinman931]

I have carried everything from .44 Mag to .380acp,and I now carry a .357.

a Model 629 (3"); a PC 66-4; to a Modified PPK (weight and conceal), to a Sig 238 (I love this little gun), to more power (my PC Shorty 45) another fabulous gun,; but later, a gun that is LIGHT and large, PC 625-10,; and the best compromise, a .357 I hate to shoot....the amazing Model 340.

I carry the 340 everywhere and know the punch on the front end is far worse than the recoil....and that is bad enough!


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43 years of CC....lots of favorites, but the 340 is unbeatable...you are hardly aware it is there, but it is reassuring.

Needed a CC gun only once, I was carjacked in 1994, and I had the PPK on my belt. When I exited the car, I drew down, and the assailant (who only had a knife) was done. At the time I had two mags full of SuperVel 90gr. loads (very similar to CorBons) and I nearly used them....good news....I did NOT!

Terry

Wow! That is a beautiful collection. Quite impressive.

 

[finesse_r]

There are a lot of good CC Guns to consider.....

Which S&W would you recommend to CC?

I would recommend a 696 in .44 spl as the best S&W CC revolver.

Is a 357 a reasonable CC and is there one small enough to CC? Or, should I down size to a 38?

A 357 is reasonable if you choose to deal with the high pressure, loud blast, and muzzle flash, that in a closed area can render temporarily partially deaf and in low light temporarily blinded by the big flash. I really don't like to shoot magnum loads unless I have hearing protection. A .38 would make more sense, or even a .38 + P. My personal favorite in 357/38 is a 2 ¾" Ruger Speed Six, or a 3" S&W M64 in an IWB custom leather holster.

Not sure I could carry in my pocket or those holsters inside the pants, would have to try that last one first.

My favorite for pocket carry is a S&W M649-2 in .38 spl.

 

[Warren Sear]

.357 Magnum CC

For me, it begins and ends with the Model 65 with 3" barrel.

 

[CAV]

The best concealed carry .357 is actually a .355. It is called a Shield in 9mm. Shorter, lighter trigger, more rounds, less recoil and, while it has a little less stopping power - in theory - if you use a good 9mm load, I doubt any bad guy can tell the difference at gunfight distances.

Putting aside that you ignored the question that was asked, I'll respectfully disagree with your statement (except for the round count. )

The Shield is ~50% heavier than a 340 and is only 0.2" shorter. You can't stage the trigger, felt recoil is relative to the shooter, and a lighter 9mm bullet shot out of a 4" barrel will still be moving slower than a heavier .357 shot from a 2-2.5" barrel.

Of course, YMMV.......

 

[tjpopkin]

The grips on my guns were made by Kim Ahrends....he is a magician!

 

[tgmr05]

If you are going to carry it in your pocket, or in light shorts and t-shirt, then the scandium framed j frames are the best choice. They are rough to fire full power 357s through, though. The weight, or lack of weight, is what makes these guns shine. An sp101 and steel j frames simply weigh too much for light tasks over long periods.

If you can belt carry, or IWB carry, then a k frame 3 inch or the ruger sp101 3 inch is the best choice with maybe the pro series steel j frames running third, as they all are much easier to shoot than the scandium/titanium guns. You give up a round with the sp101/steel j frames, but they are the only current option, as the k frame smiths are no longer made. You can find them, but they are pricey. You do gain the extra round, though... there is a 2 or 2 1/4 ruger version, too.

Personally, it is good to have options, so over time, you may want to consider having one of each. A nice lightweight j frame, for those times when weight is more of an issue, and a nice 3 inch K frame, for those times when you may be going somewhere you really want to make sure you have a gun with you....

 

[gtv]

I used to carry a Ruger LCR, but recently switched over to my first S&W, a Model 60-9. While I do not know whether I will carry .357 in it, it is nice to have the option... maybe load out with four .38 +Ps, with one "Hail Mary" magnum in the last chamber.

I loved the LCR for being lightweight and easy to carry, but shooting +Ps through it was punishing compared to the heftier Smith. The Hogue grip can only do so much, and after 20 or so rounds, the web of my shooting hand would ache for a day or two. Not so with the Model 60-9. And if that means I will practice more, then the added weight on my hip (or pocket) is something I can live with. Because trust me, with any J Frame size revolver, especially if you are talking .357 Magnum, accuracy under stress is something you must work at.

I will say this, though: you will be hard pressed to find a better factory trigger than the LCR. If Ruger could put that trigger in the SP101, they might well have the perfect revolver.

 

[john123456]

i like my 3in model 60 pro the wife claimed i think its a good trade off . the full house rounds are kinda loud though. wife still lets me look at it sometimes

 

[bmcgilvray]

You can't do any better than a 6-shot 2 1/2-inch/3-inch K-Frame Model 13, 19, 65, 66. Why carry anything else?

 

[OLDSTER]

CC .357

I like my Ruger SP101 for CC-ing a .357.

I found that the slighty smaller S&W J-frame didn't fit my hand as well.

I also prefer my SP101 2 1/4" in a .357. It is a bit larger ( about 1/2 way between a J and K/L frame), and several ounces heavier, and handles .357 very well. I would not shoot .357 through a J frame. It's too punishing for shooter and gun.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Putting aside that you ignored the question that was asked, I'll respectfully disagree with your statement (except for the round count. )

The Shield is ~50% heavier than a 340 and is only 0.2" shorter. You can't stage the trigger, felt recoil is relative to the shooter, and a lighter 9mm bullet shot out of a 4" barrel will still be moving slower than a heavier .357 shot from a 2-2.5" barrel.

Of course, YMMV.......

I'm sorry my post was unclear. The reference to "shorter" was meant to be an additional description of the Shield trigger, not a reference to the overall length of the Shield.

I should have said "the Shield has a trigger pull that is lighter in weight and shorter in its length of travel than the revolver."

That said, I was not ignoring the original question, but trying to get the OP to think outside of the box in which the original question was framed.

I am old, and I grew up on revolvers. I love revolvers, and would never feel that one is not well-armed with a revolver for most applications.

That said, I relegated the revolver to range fun back in the 1970s after I found out, first hand, that although semi-autos occasionally "jam," when a revolver does so, it is often not a quick fix. I won't go into the details, but suffice it to say that I discovered that a Colt Lightweight Commander concealed easier than a J or K frame and the increased capacity, lighter, crisper trigger, better grip, and most importantly, the better cartridge all make for a better concealed carry choice. It is surprising how close a typical carry revolver, such as a Model 19 snub or even a J frame, is in size to a Glock 19 or 23 or a Colt Commander. Just lay one on top of the other and look at the amount of real estate each takes up. Then look at them from the back and see which one is wider.

To each his own, but I do not find a J frame .357 with a steel frame any easier to carry (it certainly is not a pocket pistol) due to weight, and I do not find an AirLight .357 pleasant to shoot enough to really become competent, especially when considering fast follow-up shots, the possibility of more than one attacker, etc. I will grant you that the Airweight 38s or AirLight .357s are easy to carry, but I counter by saying that any J frame is harder to shoot well and in today's market, good ammo for the 38 or .357 is more expensive than good ammo for a 9mm or .40 auto, at least in my area.

Now, setting all of that aside, if I had to answer the question as to the best carry .357, my choice is the 3 inch K frame, such as the Model 13 or 65.

I hope that clarifies why I answered the way I did.

 

[mbliss57]

I carry (EDC) a 649-3 IN 357 Mag. ll steel, SA/DA, and highly concealable. I am looking for a 3" K frame (model 65) as a 2nd choice.

 

[LOBO]

I pocket carry a 23 ounce 640-1 .357 magnum everyday. Only addition to the gun has been a tritium big dot front sight from XS sights.

 

[TheGreatGonzo]

My "holy grail" .357 is a Colt Magnum Carry. Sigh....

 

[Hotshot10]

tjpopkin, what custom work was done on your 629? And by whom? I've seen some similar work on Grant Cunningham's site. Anyway, nice collection.

 

[dcopper]

I guess it really depends on your size. I'm kinda small framed,myself, and I usually carry a Mod 13 3in or a 65 3in. During these really hot days, a s&w 442 w/fed personal protection +p's.

 

[ruger-p94]

Since the FBI carried a 13-3 in 357 who am i to go against that. It will never fit in your pocket unless you are Capt Kangaroo. I just had to go with other grips since the originals are so uncomfortable

 

[DonD]

I like my Ruger SP101 for CC-ing a .357.

I found that the slighty smaller S&W J-frame didn't fit my hand as well.

That's my call too if you want to fire full snort loads like that which Buffalo Bore makes. SP101 will handle it basically forever, something the small J frame S&Ws won't and the greater weight will moderate the recoil. Don