compact 357
i am looking for comments regarding a carry revolver in 357.i would prefer one with an OAL of 7 inches or less and between 20-30 ounces with trench sights.in a new gun im considering-S&W 60,ruger 101,or rossi 461.in a used gun-S&W 65 or S&W 13(not sure of wieght of the 65 & 13).i would appreciate comments on these models and or any suggestions on other models.thank you.
0
-
Last year my wife and I were looking for a small revolver for her. We heard from others to check out a 'lady smith',because the size weight and trigger pull is so nice. We found one local and got to hold it and dry fire at the store. We then went to another local dealer where he showed us a Ruger SP101 in .357 Mag w/a 2 1/2" bbl. He had us hold it and dry fire it. We were amazed at the feel and the trigger pull. The Ruger trigger was way lighter and smoother than the lady smith. Both were brand new. We bought the Ruger SP101 and have not been disappointed. The wife can and has shot .357 loads but did not like them as she said it broke her grip each round. Never lost the gun out of her hand, but broke the grip enough she had to re-grip,and loose time. She shoots the .38 or .38+P just fine all day long. For a 2 1/2" bbl at close range I'm certain the 38 hollow points are just fine. This is our experince, hope it helps.
And we took off the factory grips. Put on the houge wrap around w/finger grooves.0 -
If you check the actual specs, the Ruger Sp101 and the Smith 60 are pretty similar in terms of overall size and weight:
Smith model 60,
22.58 oz. with 2.125" barrel, 23.99 oz. with 3" barrel,
Length 6.625" with 2.125 barrel, 7.5" with 3" barrel,
Ruger SP101,
25.5 oz with 2.25" bbl; 27 oz with 3-1#8260;16" bbl.
Length 7.13" ith 2.25" barrel; 7.84" with 3-1#8260;16" barrel
For an all steel carry .357, my short list would start. . and end. . .with those two. Barring a spectacular deal, I'd pass on the Brazillian guns here, as well as the German "Windicator" distributed by EAA.
In terms of differences between the two, Ruger is a little beefier for less recoil, Smith is a little smaller and lighter for easier carry, but again, the difference isn't all that great. Smith "may" have a better trigger out of the box.
Its easier to find aftermarket grips and other accessories for the Smith to the extent that this is an issue.
Presuming that you'd be mostly shooting .38s through each for practice, which occasionaly .357s for practice and carry, either one should last you a lifetime.
Personally speaking, I own a 2.125" Smith 60 .357, but I greatly prefer the 15 ounce .38+P aluminum alloy frame "airweight" model 637 for concealed carry. IMO, the much greater comfort of the lighter .38 "outweighs" the increased power of the all steel .357 especially for carry in a pocket.0 -
I have carried my 60 for 20+ years. I doubt I would shoot it if the only thing I could feed it was full tilt .357's. However it is in 38 Special and has sent around 10,000 rounds down range. I really like SS for carry. After day out in the wet and cold it's nice not to need to address pistol care. 0 -
For a lady, I would consider the 327 mag in the Taurus or Ruger. Lot less recoil and performance just as good as the 357 with full loads. 32 H&R mags are great for practice. My wife just loves hers. 0 -
i have fired a rossi 461 comfortably with 357s but would mostly use 38spc for practice.i dont know how much harder the 10-15% lighter S&W model 60s recoil would feel but i think it would still be tolerable.i am still hoping to see comments on the approx 31oz S&W models 13 and 65.also my ballistics chart has the 158gr 357 having about 90% more muzzle energy than the 158gr 38spc+P (535 vs 280 ft.lbs.)when fired through a 4in barrel.i am aware that the energy is less when fired from a shorter 2in barrel,but can anyone tell me if the 357 would still be 90% more or does this percentage change?thank you. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by gravley
For a lady, I would consider the 327 mag in the Taurus or Ruger. Lot less recoil and performance just as good as the 357 with full loads. 32 H&R mags are great for practice. My wife just loves hers.
I'm afraid the laws of physics say that its impossible to get the equivalent performance of a 357 without the recoil of a 357.
The 327 magnum is, on its own merits, a good round, but there is no question that it falls short of a .357 magnum ballistically.
Specifically, it fires a smaller diameter and lighter weight bullet at a lower velocity. It only compares to a .357 if you compare it to the lightest possible available .357 rounds.
(And note, if you like the recoil/feel of the .327, then you can achieve basically the same with 110 grain .357 magnum rounds, plus fire relatively inexpensive .38 wadcutters for practice).
In terms of weight/energy of the projectile, the .327 is really best comparable to a 9mm+P. Or put differently, its mid-way in between a .38+P and a .357. That's no slouch round.
Getting back to the original question, Smith 65 and 13 are built on the medium "service" K-frame instead of the smaller "concealed carry" J-frame. Those K-frame guns hold 6 shots, not 5, and they are quite a bit larger than the J-frames in terms of size, bulk, and weight.
Most people can't carry a K-frame in their pocket. But if you are interested in carrying a medium sized gun, those would be good choices.
J frame (left) vs K frame (right) EDIT: Maybe that's an "L" frame 686, not a K-frame.
Here is a true J frame model 638 vs a K frame model 64
link here: http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/9mm vs 38 Special.htm
Edit: responding to below:
Any gunstore should have J and medium (either K or L) frame revolvers for you to see in person and hold in your hand. Before you buy any, you really ought to, since that will give you a lot more "feel" for what you'd be getting as opposed to just seeing the pictures on the internet.
Model 60 comes in 2-1/8" bbl and in 3" bbl. So far as I know there is no 2-1/2" bbl version.
If you go check out the other thread on snubnose .357s, I think you may come to the conclusion (as I and many others have) that the incremental velocity advantage of a .357 over a .38+P from a short-barrelled 2" snubnose just isn't worth the extra expense of the gun, ammo, and muzzle flash.
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=546849
I actually own a 2-1/8" bbl model 60 .357, but I don't like to carry it. Its just too heavy. I prefer the alloy frame .38+P. The .38 will give me 90% of the energy, in a cheaper gun with cheaper ammo, that's also easier to carry. Unfortunately recoil is pretty stiff, but I've learned to handle it.0 -
beantownshootah...thank you for the pics they really tell the story regarding concealability.i am sure of the cal i want(357)and am leaning hard towards the SW model 60.unsure of barrel lenght 2in vs 3in.wish the 60 came in a 2.5in,buy the way nice guns! 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
7 comments