Anyone still ccw the 357 magnum?

What kind of holster do you use?

I carry both my GP100 4.2" with the Novak's, the match champion one, and an SP101 from time to time. I prefer 180gn hardcast to 9mm these days in the woods and I'm not in narco country so the capacity isn't a concern.

I really like the GP100, and the SP101 is adequate. I wouldn't trust many snubs but the sp101 for super hot 180gn, it really takes it.I can CCW the SP101 but the GP100 is a strictly an OWB affair so that's why I have both.

I'm currently carrying a 4.2" GP100 regularly. 158gr Remington HTP .357 mag SJHP ammo.

I typically carry 38+p. Out of curiosity, what's the best 357 self defense round¿

Sometimes I do

Styx said:

I typically carry 38+p. Out of curiosity, what's the best 357 self defense round¿

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Speer Gold Dot in my opinion.

357smallbore said:

I carry a Speed Six in my weekly rotation for ccw. It is stoked with Federal 125 jhp. I also carry one speed strip. Do you believe ccw carriers still pack the trusty 357?

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What is a "weekly rotation" as it applies to concealed carry? You change guns every week or during the week?

Why would anyone do that?

I typically carry 38+p

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^ +1 but I like 45 Colt.

I've been carrying my 4" GP100 a lot lately. OWB in a Simply Rugged pancake holster.

I've been carrying 158 gr Remington SJHP. They are old school bullets but the performance is great.

The new Colt king cobra 3 in. make s a perfect ccw 357

I carry a Kimber K6S 2 inch DAO, but it is loaded with plus P ammo. (Federal 130 gr HST micro).
I carry the Buffalo Bore 158 gr plus P Outdoorsman reloads in my speed strip. They are more powerful than Speer's 357 MGN short barrel. Snappy in a 23 oz gun. This is also my trail carry.
I carry it OWB in an Azula holster, from South Africa.

Best,
Rick

I used to EDC my Ruger 4".357 Sec.-Six in a shoulder holster.

I have several shooting buddies that carry the LCR in 357.

Speed 6 from 1986
Also Taurus 605

Jack Ryan said:

What is a "weekly rotation" as it applies to concealed carry? You change guns every week or during the week?

Why would anyone do that?

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Here we go.

Not really. Although I have a couple that are small enough, even then they normally are loaded with hot .38 for carry. Just makes more sense to me in my generally suburban environment. YMMV.


I consider .357 a good woods round and have full-sized guns for the caliber. In these situations I usually wear on the hip and size/weight is less of a concern.

Haven't concealed carried a .357 in years. Back then in colder weather months when I was wearing a coat or jacket I would occasionally take along a Ruger Service Six or a Speed Six. Nowadays the only wheelguns I carry are S&W J frame snubbies.

bannockburn said:

Haven't concealed carried a .357 in years. Back then in colder weather months when I was wearing a coat or jacket I would occasionally take along a Ruger Service Six or a Speed Six. Nowadays the only wheelguns I carry are S&W J frame snubbies.

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These are lightweight and portable, but in 38 Special.





I have fired 357 Snubbies and they make one heck of a bang, huge fireball, and with the old wooden grips found on S&W's, they hurt. I have not tried a 357 snubbie with rubber grips, that might reduce the pain, but not the fireball and bang.

Slamfire

Yep those little S&W J frames are great for anytime CCW.

I have a SP 101 which dates back 30+ years which I had IWI put nite sights on (MANY years ago and they are just barely visible now) and I boobed the hammer. It is my MAIN carry gun for out door activities, which is usually OC. but when I travel I use it as my primary CC, as some places are VERY UNFRIENDLY to SA and have unconstitutional limits on mag sizes. I carry both 357 (125 gr JHP) or 38 +p, depending what I use it for. LONG LIVE THE REVOLVERS!!! I loved the pics of the M19 2 1/2 inch with the Tyler T grip adapters. That was one of my favorite off duty guns MANY years ago!!!!

357smallbore said:

Do you believe ccw carriers still pack the trusty 357?

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I don't yet, but I hope to soon. I bought a Kimber K-6s with a 3" barrel a couple of weeks ago. I'm intending it to replace the Smith j-frame 38 Special snubby I've been carrying for more years than I can remember.
So far though, I have not found a 357 factory load that doesn't hurt my 71 year old wrist when fired in my new 3" Kimber. I know, I know - I could use 38 Specials in it. But what's the point? 38 Specials, even +P 38 Special factory loads don't hurt my wrist when fired in my old j-frame snubby with its hand filling Pachmayer grips. So if I wanted to just use 38 Special ammo in my CCW, I'd just keep carrying my old, j-frame Smith 5-shooter.
I have not found a set of hand-filling grips for my new Kimber K-6s yet (Pachmayer doesn't build them) but I'm looking. And yesterday, my wife picked me up a box of Federal 357 Mag ammo that says, "Personal Defense - Low Recoil" on the box. So I'll give that ammo a try.
I've already come up with a handload I like in my new Kimber K-6s - a 158gr cast gas checked SWC-HP at just a little better than 1,000fps. That load doesn't hurt my wrist, and it shoots to point of aim at 15 yards for me. The problem is, my wife and I both completed the Idaho Enhanced Concealed Carry course a couple of months back, and the Instructor, a retired cop, was pretty firm about not carrying handloads in your CCW - which I guess is a subject for another discussion. Sorry, didn't mean to derail this thread.

Not in awhile but I wouldnt be undergunned at all if that's what I had

I do not CCW 357 Mag or use 357 Mag for anything anymore. I have better revolvers for any particular task I would employ a revolver for. As for CCW if it's big enough to tame full power 357 Magnum then I might as well carry a double stack semi-auto for the same weight with substantially greater capacity. If it's small enough and light enough to pocket carry then 38 Special +P is all the more I want to shoot. I have shot a Airweight 357 Magnum enough to know for me personally the recoil and muzzle blast of 357 Mag more than offset any terminal performance it might have over 38 Special +P.