Woods Carry 357 Search

[BoulderTroll]

Awes

I have two woods guns in .357, both Model 19s. When lugging packed gear, it's generally the 2.5", otherwise it's the 4".
View attachment 757368

Awesome! I love the Marshon adapter and the classic stocks on the 4". I think that may be my first time seeing it on a Model 19... usually older revolvers, like the Model 10. It looks outstanding. I do wish the modern guns still came with square butts, at least on some models.

 

[jpage]

Or old school 2 1/2” model 19

Got my vote !

 

[hkcavalier]

When I go in the woods with a .357, this 327PD is my companion.



8 shots if I need 'em.

Ned

I'd love a 327PD for woods carry. I kind of messed up by selling off my plain jane 627-5 once I found a rare 627PC prelock, which to me is more of a range gun due to its rarity. But unfortunately a 327PD is also really rare and usually very pricey if you do run across one for sale.

 

[41special]

I had a TRR8 for a bit. It was on the big side for any kind of carry. I can't imagine a situation where 8 rounds would be "needed" in a woods gun

Up where I live the most common woods carry gun is the Glock 20. This is due to a Grizzly population. The G20 It's a 15 shot 10mm autoloader, I have one myself, fully loaded it's right @ 40 oz. The TRR8 would be for days I want to carry a revolver instead of a G20. A hot loaded hardcast 180 grain 357 is close ballisticly to my 200 grain WFN-GC hardcast ammo in my Glock.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Was all set to get a new 7 shot 686 Mountain Gun, then read up on the lighter weight Model 19 Carry Comp which holds 6. Now I'm looking at a Scandium framed Performance Center 327 TRR8, it only weighs 2 oz more than the 19 & packs 2 extra rounds.

I need to go to a fully stocked gun store and look at these 3 in person.

Anyone in this same pickle?

41

There are 147 different choices out there.......Pick the one that appeals to you.......ME.......I carry all kinds of stuff....Depends on the day and mood.

 

[DogGoneD]

Since I'm in Florida and don't live in big bad bear country (although we do have black bears, alligators, hogs, snakes, and panthers), my woods carry is usually a .357 Magnum. For a while it was a PC Model 627-5 (8-shot snubby), but I've recently changed to a 3" Model 686 Plus (7-shot). The 686 is only about 1 oz. lighter, but I think that the 3" bbl. provides a little longer sight plane and some recoil reduction.
View attachment 757344View attachment 757343View attachment 757342

Sir,
Very nice. Who manufactured the holster?
Thank you.

 

[41special]

For me, a 3” Model 66 strikes the right balance of weight and barrel length.
View attachment 757310
Plus it has the full length ejector rod the shorter barrels lack.

That is beautiful. I had one of those back in the day, believe they called it the FBI version of the M-66. Mine had the S&W round butt Combat's on it.

Couldn't get mine to group worth a hoot, so sent it down the road. Now I wish I'd kept it and sent it off to fix it. But back then they were common and only about $250-275.


41

 

[SLT223]

The 686 MG of course! Light weight 686 that packs 7 rounds of .357.

 

[Rock185]

I have had K, L, and N-Frame .357s, to include one of the 686-5 Mountain Guns. Why I ever got rid of the MG, I'll never know. It had no issues, and with 7 charge holes in the cylinder, weighed about the same as my K-Frame Model 66. And that Buffalo Bore .357 WFNGC might be just the load if one is concerned about large toothy carnivores. The BB .357 180 actually does the advertised 1400 FPS in my 4" and 5" revolvers.

If I intended to carry a .357 in the woods, I'd still go with the 686 Mountain Gun. In fact, I think I'll spring for one of the new 686 MGs..

 

[sniper]

For me, a 3” Model 66 strikes the right balance of weight and barrel length.
View attachment 757310
Plus it has the full length ejector rod the shorter barrels lack.

I need to add that with a well designed OWB holster, it carries very well:

View attachment 757319

No, I don’t carry with the moose antler grips around the farm or out in the woods.

Beautiful gun! So, I have a question...does the new 2 3/4" 66 also have a full-length ejector rod? The 3" 66 seems about perfect to me, but I don't remember seeing one in the last Decade or so. I don't think 1/4 in. less barrel will have more than a minimal effect on muzzle velocity.

 

[Tripper$$]

Everyone has a different set of woods and needs to fit. If you’re afraid of bears go with a 44. If you’re watching for snakes and an occasional rabbit for dinner a 22 will do just fine. Anyone healthy enough to take a long hike can do it with either and still make it out. I’ve used the Diamond D chest holsters or similar types on countless trips in friendly woods as well as Alaskan woods that were not friendly at all. I highly recommend that style holster and you will not notice any difference over a few ounces of weight change.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

This may be heresy here...but for pure versatility I'd opt for my Dan Wesson 15-2. With the ability to change barrels to suit the situation makes it a primo gun for many missions.

That's also assuming you keep several barrels as needed.

 

[Paul105]

Beautiful gun! So, I have a question...does the new 2 3/4" 66 also have a full-length ejector rod? The 3" 66 seems about perfect to me, but I don't remember seeing one in the last Decade or so. I don't think 1/4 in. less barrel will have more than a minimal effect on muzzle velocity.

I know that every gun is unique, so the following velocities taken from a 66-8 2.75" may just be an outlier. Also, limited rounds is not statistically sound but ----
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FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY _ NOT RECOMMENDED!
.

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FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY _ NOT RECOMMENDED!
.
My gun appears to be "fast".

FWIW,

Paul

 

[BAM-BAM]

3" Model 60-10 for "carrying" in case the SHTF; not for plinking or target shooting.
Or a 3" 66-4.

 

[sniper]

I know that every gun is unique, so the following velocities taken from a 66-8 2.75" may just be an outlier. Also, limited rounds is not statistically sound but ----
.
FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY _ NOT RECOMMENDED!
.

.
FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY _ NOT RECOMMENDED!
.
My gun appears to be "fast".

FWIW,

Paul

Thank you, Paul!

 

[Doug M.]

If I were shopping for a good all around .357, the new 686 MG is likely to work adequately under all circumstances. IMHO, the 4" barrel is as short as I would go for performance and shootability; 7 rounds are better than six, and with the underlying round but, you can change grips to something better for concealment if you need to. I don't care for J frames generally, and recoil tolerance varies.

I will not be buying one for simple reasons: I have an M66 that was round butted by forum member BMCM,and had already had a tune and gold bead front sight from S&W. The additional features and cost are not useful to me at this stage of my life. Remember that even in the woods in most places, critters are not going be the main threat. There are ways to discourage most of them. 2 legged critters are.

 

[Frailer]

I really don’t have any .357 recommendations, as I’m not a big fan of the round in K- or J-frames, and I like to have as little gun on my hip as necessary.

Since the most dangerous wild critter I’m likely to encounter in my neck of the woods is a coyote (I did encounter a pup who’d ventured from its den a couple of springs ago, but mama wasn’t around), I make do with a 60-4 in a Simply Rugged holster.

 

[Imissedagain]

We have no woods in South Florida, so the Swamp Tank, is carried since it was new, 45 years ago.
Hogue Monos outdoors, Whites for BBQ and getting some Bullseyes, for fun. The Bullseyes are being bedded and then some reshaping.
Careful fitting so the original screw works.
Might drill/tap, for the RMR and DPP
If we didn't have that, a heavy all stainless steel Smith 357 Snub, would be purchased.

 

[BoulderTroll]

Since the most dangerous wild critter I’m likely to encounter in my neck of the woods is a coyote (I did encounter a pup who’d ventured from its den a couple of springs ago, but mama wasn’t around)

I really don't want to derail this thread, but my curiosity is killing me. I'm not sure I've ever heard someone refer to a coyote as a "dangerous critter". I am legitimately more scared of being bitten by a rabid squirrel than I would be of a coyote attack (I've spent plenty of time around both critters). In the US and Canada combined, there are often as few as 10 attacks per year by coyote on human, and I bet 99% of those are when the human is trying to grab their pet cat out of the coyote's mouth. Compare that to 4,500,000 attacks per year by dogs... Long story short, if you run across a coyote in the woods, feel free to snuggle up next to them for the night; they are the least dangerous thing out there. You have a better chance of being killed by ants. You are 10 times more likely to have a tree fall on you than you are a coyote bite. Coyotes are safer than trees.

 

[Frailer]

I really don't want to derail this thread, but my curiosity is killing me. I'm not sure I've ever heard someone refer to a coyote as a "dangerous critter". I am legitimately more scared of being bitten by a rabid squirrel than I would be of a coyote attack (I've spent plenty of time around both critters). In the US and Canada combined, there are often as few as 10 attacks per year by coyote on human, and I bet 99% of those are when the human is trying to grab their pet cat out of the coyote's mouth. Compare that to 4,500,000 attacks per year by dogs... Long story short, if you run across a coyote in the woods, feel free to snuggle up next to them for the night; they are the least dangerous thing out there. You have a better chance of being killed by ants. You are 10 times more likely to have a tree fall on you than you are a coyote bite. Coyotes are safer than trees.

I, too, have spent a lot of time around coyotes. I spent 200 days/year for 6 years sleeping outdoors in the Mojave Desert. In thousands of encounters I never saw one behave even remotely aggressive.

Which is why I feel perfectly comfortable carrying a J-frame.

In the one case I mentioned where I encountered a pup I was accompanied by my daughter’s dog. I could imagine a mama coyote objecting to her presence so close to her offspring.