Revolvers

[Herbert Cannon]

It has been a long time since I have shot any revolvers. Any of you shoot them?
How about the new light weight ones in 357 ( not the snubby)? How do they hold up? How hard are they to control? Any advice cause I am seriously thinking of looking into buying one.

[La Grenouille]

A lightweight that's not a snubby?

[CountryUgly]

Anything smaller/lighter than say a K-frame and the .357 can be well unpleasant to shoot. Any quality manufactured revolver (see S&W Colt) can handle anything you can load up in it. The question then becomes can the shooter handle it. Personally I keep anything .357 and above in a heavier gun but I do carry an Airweight in .38spl and the bite ain't that bad with light loads but the +P stuff can be harsh. I've run quite a bit of +P down the pipe of the Airweight and other than burnt gun powder staining the finish in a place or two it functions as well as it did the day it was bought new.

[CountryUgly]

The Ruger SP101 comes in at something like 29oz unloaded with a 4inch barrel and seriously that's as light as you want to go if this is going to be a shooter or if you are just going to shoot .38's out of it you can get the LCR at 14oz but it's a snubbie.

[Caminoman]

The only lightweights I have fired have been in .38 special. I have a 640 that I shoot .357, but it is a steel frame snubby, and the loads are not the full power stuff. I dont have any problems with them.

I, too, have been contemplating a lightweight .357, but I want a concealed hammer, with no lock. They are hard to find at a reasonable price. My 640 is too heavy for pocket carry, and there are bigger guns to use for belt carry.

A six shot Ruger would be nice to have, but it is a belt gun. There are other heavy belt guns that I already own, so I have not bothered to get one.

Everytime I work through this argument with myself, I end up with the same decision, and continue ccw with my sig 245. Seven rounds of 230 jhp. Larger mags and eight rounds, as a spare.

...I really would like to be able to carry a ltwt. 357 in the pocket.

[La Grenouille]

I'm still a little lost - what's considered "lightweight" that's not a snub?

[pendennis]

I tried one of the S&W alloy frames, a Model 386NG (L frame), and it's not much fun to shoot. I wouldn't want to spend a day on the line with it. I'm not concerned that the revolver could break, but that the recoil and vibration are just too uncomfortable.

As far as it goes, I don't like to spend a day at the range with a K frame .357 magnum, shooting full-house loads.

[BYJO4]

I really enjoy shooting the 357 but prefer the S&W L or N frame to keep recoil at a pleasant level. In fact, I had my 6" 686 at the range today and it is a tack driver. I also have it in the 4" model that is also very accurate.

[bflying]

My super light weight wheel is just a .38. But in close quarters, it still packs a bit-o-punch. At 11oz. it is amazingly comforable to carry and find myself with it often. However, because of weight, or wheel (not really sure) it takes a LOT more practice than just about any auto I own to be accurate with it.

[Snapping Twig]

Sounds like you are thinking of one thing but want to use it for another thing.

Lightweight revolvers are for carrying often and using little - more or less. There's exceptions to this of course.

Larger barrels are for target use, again, with exceptions.

A cartridge like the .357 benefits from the mass of a steel frame. Mass and inertia. There's also the additional blast shield alloy revolver need above the forcing cone that steel revolvers do not need.

I have a snubby steel J frame .38Spl. I load a powerful 160g cast round, not +P but knocking on the door. It's about all I'd want to shoot in a SD situation. So much recoil that you loose the sight picture isn't optimum.

Consider a steel frame for a longer tube, say anything over 3" and alloy for a CCW. Even a snubby benefits from some mass, that is if you intend to use it at the range often.

[Caminoman]

Mr. Cannon...A lightweight has a frame that is made of alloy, either aluminum or sometimes S&W Scandium. There are lightweights in all frame sizes. A small J-frame snubby can also be a steel frame, but it is not as light as an alloy frame gun.

A steel J-frame M-60 is around 20 oz if it is an older .38 special. If it is a newer M60 it is a .357, and a bit heavier due to a longer cylinder and barrel.

A J-frame "Airweight" M37, or M637, is 15 oz. It is essentially the same gun as the M60 .38 execpt for the frame material.

The weight difference in the two are significant if you pocket carry.

[JBnTX]

About half of my handgun collection is revolvers.
Mostly Ruger single actions and a few S&W double action revolvers.

I'm fond of the big bores like the 44 magnum, 44 special and 45 Colt.

It's nice not bending over and picking up brass cases.

[goetztrp]

Not hip on the numbers but smith makes a N frame 44 that has the scandium frame that is light weight. I love shooting my revolvers and like said not bending over to find brass is a big plus. Only shot my 1911 when i got it but now i work a wheel gun into the rotation. Shot my 57 and 686 not long ago and thought to myself that i should do this a lot more!!!

[glider]

A pistol has a slight edge over a revolver for carry, capacity and size of the gun, for any other use a revolver is a better choice in my opinion. For most of us shooting is a hobby, we're not going to be in a shoot out, well lets hope not anyway, very few of us are LEOs. 80% of my handguns are revolvers, the point I'm trying to make is shoot what you enjoy, we do this because it's fun. One doesn't need to be better than the other, it just needs to be more fun!

[Dan S. Defense]

Lightweight snubs and .357 equals pain. It's not fun to shoot. On the other hand, a Ruger LCR / Ruger SP101 with 38 Special (even some +P) isn't bad at all, and with plain 38 Special it's fun to shoot. If you're willing to practice with .357 and can control the hits, that's great, but in my mind (and in practice), I'd take the ability to control my light snub, with 38 Special +P DPX, over .357 loads.

The only revolvers I use with .357 loads are my 4" Colt Python & 4" Ruger GP100. For carry, I prefer 45 ACP in the city and .357 in the wilderness.

[wamphyri13]

I just spent the day at the range. I shot my 3" barreled 686+ with Hogue Bantam rubber grips and matching after market wood grips using 158gr swc in .357mag. I also started the session with a T/C Contender with 10" barrel shooting the same ammo. Here's what I discovered. After shooting the big heavy T/C, the recoil felt like a short, sharp snap. No big deal as the pistol was wearing a Pachmayr fore end, full Pachmayr grip, and was considerably heavy. Very comfortable shooting. Switched to the short barreled 686+ with the wood grips on first. Didn't take long before hand started to hurt. Switched to the rubber grip. A little better, but still quite a sting. I believe there are many factors to this. The 686+ is a steel frame, but the grips have an open back. I believe a full wrap around rubber grip will diminish the sting considerably. I just bought a S&W 386XL Hunter to be a dedicated target gun. I will be running only .38pl swc through it first, and will also be having some light loads made for it using .357mag brass and 148gr hollow base wadcutters. Should be a nice round for target shooting.
Ryan

[BBQLS1]

I like my .357 guns to weigh in at 24 oz or better.

[Damann]

I have a S&W model 60 J-frame with a 3 inch barrel and love the gun. I use 125 gr Remington Golden Sabers which is a downloaded round not a fullhouse 357 load. I will say it's the smallest weight 357 that I shoot very much. The 357 is meant to be a beast of a round and if you want one to use for range time the bigger the better. I will not shoot any 357 magnum that isn't an all steel gun under about 25 oz.

The 357 is a great round and to really enjoy shooting it get a big heavy revolver. I see so many people buy the small lightweight 357 and all they shoot is 38 spl in them. They say the 357 is just to painful to shoot. That's why revolvers will always be in my inventory. They can handle big powerful rounds but must have the weight to match the power. I won't own a gun that I don't enjoy shooting. I shoot 38's in 38's and 357's in 357's.

[DevilDave1911]

pure fun with 8 rounds of 357 and as accurate as any 5" gun. just a hoot!!!!




even an airweight 38 spcl hurts to shoot. this gun with full load 180 grain magnums is a puppy dog to shoot even with wood grips.

[Caminoman]

.357 x 8. nice.

[BIGBOY61]

I resolved that 38/357 magnum dilemma a few years ago. I carry my Ruger SP101 modified by Gemini Customs.

That 3 port top porting on the barrel of my SP101 looks good and I can shoot hot 357 mag rounds thru it all day with no problem. Makes it more fun to shoot hot loads.

My S&W 442 and Ruger LCR may be rated for +P, but that round just brings harshness to a new meaning.

We all want light weight, big man stopper bullets, coming from these small guns, but let's be realistic. Big bullet=bigger heavier gun.

[Randall M]

besides a 1911 45 ACP & a CZ 75B 9mm Luger
I regularly shoot: 3 revolvers

S&W 625 5" Bbl. .45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim
favorite - 45 ACP makes for fun double
actionshooting - it's had an action job at S&W

S&W 617 6" Bbl. .22 LR 10 shot cyl.
and one the O.P. is ost likely to hear about.

S&W Model 60 3" Bbl. .357 Mag. with the
ramp front sight, and W&E adjustable rear sight..
Its empty weight is 24 oz. Nice shooter, reliable
but I only fire .357 Mag. every now and again, the
HD/SD load is .38 Special +P 125 gr. Gold Dot JHPs.
much easier to control for followup shots.

fwiw - my first handgun was a S&W Model 18
6 shot cyl. .22 LR I had as a teen on the family
farm in the '60s.

R-
,

[WHW]

Originally Posted by DevilDave1911

pure fun with 8 rounds of 357 and as accurate as any 5" gun. just a hoot!!!!




even an airweight 38 spcl hurts to shoot. this gun with full load 180 grain magnums is a puppy dog to shoot even with wood grips.

Hello DevilDog1911,
I would like to have some stocks like yours. They look great and functional. Can you share where you acquired them?

Thanks
Whw

[kvtcomdo]

Originally Posted by Herbert Cannon

It has been a long time since I have shot any revolvers. Any of you shoot them?
How about the new light weight ones in 357 ( not the snubby)? How do they hold up? How hard are they to control? Any advice cause I am seriously thinking of looking into buying one.

Love them all.

Have revolvers in 22LR to 44 Mag and everything in between.

Even have 3(three) which fire auto ammo:
1.S&W 940 -- 9mm
2.S&W Moutain Gun 625 -- 45 ACP
3.S&W 610 -- 10mm and 40 S&W

Would trade a lot of my semi auto's (Not 1911) before I would give up a single revolver.

[Neumann]

You will never wear out a .357 revolver weighing 25 oz or less, nor a .38 SPL weighing less than 20 oz. Why? Because you'll need hand surgery before you shoot the requisite 200 rounds to attain any degree of proficiency and 100 rounds/month thereafter to keep it.