Thinking of Ditching the 357 Magnum

I will be keeping mine, although I don't have any deeply held feelings for the 357 mag as a cartridge. I prefer the 45 Colt in a revolver.
I like the 357 in my new to me Blackhawk, and one of my SAA clones. I only shoot 357s in my 357s. I have a pile of revolvers chambered for 38 spl if that's what I want to shoot. Each has its place in my accumulation. 380 has actually been the most used for me lately. That and 45 ACP. It's easier to sort the brass that way.

I got rid of .357 and .38 spc about 15 years ago to simplify my ammo situation. I too am heavily into 44M &S and 45 acp. Got rid of several revolvers and a marlin lever. I specifically miss a 4" GP 100 and a S&W snubby. These two were good guns.

For years I went without then I got a stainless Blackhawk convertable 9mm/.357. So I bought a few boxes of .357 but mostly shoot 9 out of it. I figure if I come across a deal on .357 or 38 or 9 it gives me the ability to shoot a range of ammo that for awhile I did not have.

I don't shoot .357 loads often because they aren't as enjoyable for me. Something about shooting the wheels guns is more fun over the semi's in the recreational standpoint. For that I want to keep them even if it is only .38 SPL loads. The smooth trigger pull in DA/SA, the crisp break point. Only the 1911 for the trigger is near equal in that regard. A nicely timed and functioning revolver is really fun in that regard.

About 12 years ago I did, but that didn't last very long.

Howdy

Nope. I have lots of 44s and 45s, 38s and 32 s too.

But I will never sell my Model 19-3 that I bought brand-spanky new in 1975.






This Model 65-3 was the second 357 Mag I bought, used, a whole bunch of years ago.






My spotless Model 27 from the late 1950s would be hard to part with too.






As would my Models 28-2.








If I was going to sell any of them, it would probably be this Model 686-6 that I have never been crazy about anyway.

BKS said:

Has anyone else abandoned the 357 Magnum?

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Nope.

When I think back on the 357s I've parted with over the years, I regret every sale. If it's not an issue of needing the money, hang onto them, I think you'll be glad you did.

I abandoned the 357 in favor of 45 Colt.

That being said, the 357 is still the best option for the non-reloader that wants to be able to go from mild to wild.

-Stan

I'm keeping my model 19. It's a very accurate, and pleasant to shoot .38. But I also want a long range (50 yds), powerful, and accurate pistol. And I'll settle for 6 rounds. So being able to shoot .357's thru it makes the model 19 perfect for me.

IMHO a 4-inch barrel 357 Magnum "K-Frame" is revolver perfection. I had one in my youth and stupidly sold it with some other guns I wish I had back. Fast cars and even faster girls distracted me in my youth for a time.

In the 1990s I bought a new (old model) 6-shot Taurus M66. I put a set of Uncle Mike's Rubber grips on it and it was ready to rock. 30 years later and I haven't changed thing. Same grips, and my defensive load is still 125gr Federal Semi-Jacketed HP (NO. 357B). 1450-ish fps at the muzzle, and a long established one-shot-stop record of 95%.

Very hard to tell the difference from a distance between the old Taurus and a S&W M19. You can pry it from my cold dead hands...

Whatever I have in my gun collection going forward, I'll have at least one 357.

Well, as for me, I shoot the .357 Magnum jus for the pleasure of shooting a variety of revolvers. Here are my Single Action .357s, with the exception of the Hy Hunter shown as I've let it go to a collector:





But I enjoy a variety of guns in various calibers.

Bob Wright

Doesn't make much sense to me to get rid of 38spc/357mag revolvers which are the most popular and abundant revolvers and rounds available on the market, but to each their own.

Until a few years ago, I had only 22LR, 357 Mag and 45 Colt revolvers.

I decided to add 460 S&W Mag, 45 ACP, 44 Mag, 44 Special, 41 Mag, 10mm, 9x19, 38 Special, 32 S&WL, 32 H&R Mag, and 327 Fed Mag revolvers. (Fortunately, the stock market was really good to me)

I like options.

I agree with others, the 357 Magnum is a good cartridge with a wide range of capabilities. I'll keep it as part of my inventory well past when I divest myself of other cartridges.

Beck said:

IMHO a 4-inch barrel 357 Magnum "K-Frame" is revolver perfection. I had one in my youth and stupidly sold it with some other guns I wish I had back. Fast cars and even faster girls distracted me in my youth for a time.

In the 1990s I bought a new (old model) 6-shot Taurus M66....

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Kind of like this one? It's from 84 or so.

I shoot my 38's and 357's more than any of my other centerfire handguns.

What does 357 Magnum do that I cannot do better with another cartridge for any particular job?

For CCW 38 Special +P in an Air weight (442/642) or lighter revolver is all I want or need. 357 Magnum in these ultra-light revolvers is abusive and the recoil and muzzle blast are not worth the modest increase in effectiveness in these particular revolvers. I carry a 442 moonclip as my primary CCW this decision was made after borrowing a friend 340 PD, what a mean little revolver.

For general woods carry here in Middle TN where we have no bears I can shoot 38 Special (or 455 Webley when feeling old school) without hearing protection and not ring my ears. I am not saying its good for my ears but 38 Special can be fired without significant pain and minimal or no temporary hearing loss after the shot, no doubt minor long term damage is accumulating. Shooting 357 Magnum with unprotected ears gives me minutes of significantly reduced hearing after the fact and a ringing in my ears the rest of the day. I did that once, never again.

For hunting I can bring similar energy levels without the ear splitting report by using my S&W 610 (10mm Auto) and if I am going to deal with the obnoxious report (I do wear Walkers when hunting with loud guns) of 357 Magnum I might as well shoot 44 Magnum and bring signification more bullet mass and energy to the game.

For games (USPSA, IDPA and similar) the 357 Magnum is awful for fast reloads and brings nothing in the ballistics depart that is needed to be competitive. The long skinning rounds tend to flop around in moonclips and to a lesser degree speed-loaders and dance on the face of the cylinder. For fast reloads you want short fat cases. 45 ACP is king for the fast reload but 40S&W, 38 Short Colt and 9mm are major player is various gun games played with revolvers.

I personally walked away from 357 Magnum because for any one job I have a better revolver chambered in a better cartridge. If I was only going to own one revolver you could do far worst than 357 Magnum but I am blessed to not having to limit myself to one revolver and thus I have no need to compromise with that Jack of all Trade and Master of None, 357 Magnum. -rambling

BKS said:

The other thought I have had is buying an N frame 357 (627) to try.

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WrongHanded said:

I'd recommend you keep at least one of your .357 magnum revolvers. Make it a solidly built medium frame DA, in stainless and with a 4" barrel. If you don't, you may well wish that you had.

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^^^^^ This

Personally, I love the .357. I have a 327 Night Guard. It’s an N frame and I do enjoy shooting it. It’s my favorite revolver. I have actually considered selling my model 19-4 to get another N frame .357, but then I take it out to the range and talk myself out of it.

They are your guns. Do as you please, but I think @WrongHanded has a good point.

For may years I longed for a Ruger Three Screw Blackhawk (medium frame) in .357 Magnum with a 7 1/2" barrel. I liked the idea of a fast-stepping round in a medium frame Single Action revolver. I had a load built around the 140 gr. JHP bullet, not sure now of the brand, that sizzled in speed, shot flat, and was effective on varmints. But his was in heavier revolvers, and them not Single Actions, which I just preferred.

Bob Wright

Abandon it? It was my first handgun…. I’ll admit to shooting far more light loads than full power, using cast lead.

That said, if you are not married to the round, with school aged children, send them packing, if you’re done. Just don’t look back.

Me, I’m stuck. Molds, sizers, dies, conversions, rifles, pistols, revolvers. It’s just too late to say goodbye.

Every man should do what he thinks is right. As for me I'll keep my 4" 686-4 until I can't pull a trigger anymore, then it goes to my oldest son.

The 3" L frame is perfection IMHO. I can still OWB carry in a pancake holster and just a t-shirt without any peekaboos, and it's quicker on the draw whether I am IWB or OWB carrying. You can have an extra round, it's not much heavier or bigger than a K frame, you get a full sized ejection rod, and it's better suited and more robust for shooting 357 mag. I see the L frame being the sweet spot for a duty grade carry revolver. It's in between the 6 round K frame which has less rounds and really was never meant for a steady diet of 357, and the 8 round N frame which is too big and heavy for most people to EDC. I never really cared for K frames. It's J for lightweight deep concealment of 38 spc, L for carry, and N for a study diet of heavy loads. L frame over a K frame, a GP100 over a SP101, and preferably a Colt Python over a King Cobra for me.

I like to EDC and conceal my revolvers. I don't hunt with them, or have any for target or competition shooting.

Hi...
I have no plans to abandon the .357Magnum.
I have multiple handguns in that caliber as well as most other popular calibers plus a few that aren't currently popular. I have no intention of abandoning any of them.

My typical range trip starts by shooting about 20 rounds out of each of nearly a dozen .357Magnum revolvers and then progressing through .44Spl, .45Colt, .41Magnum and .44Magnum.
Sometimes I will bring along my .38Spl nd. .45AutoRim revolvers for some added variety. Other times I will bring my .357Maximum and .375SuperMag for even more variety.
Every range trip also includes multiple handguns in .45ACP, 9mm, 10mm and .40S&W, plus lever action rifles in .357, .44Mag and .45Colt.

My son and I typically spend 4-5 hours or more at the gun club.

We have zero intention of abandoning any of the calibers we currently load for and could conceivably add more in the future.

I sold my last 357 sometime in the 90s, two of them actually. Both S&W Model 686s, one a 6” no dash and the other a 4” dash 1. I had used both in competition and when I stopped competing, I let them go.
Now that I think about it, I also traded off my S&W Model 27-2 a few years later for either a S&W Model 1950 Army or a S&W Model 1950 45 ACP Target revolver.

Anything I need in a 36 caliber revolver can be handled by the 38 S&W Special cartridge. I still have is a S&W Heavy Duty built in 1950. It shoots best with the Skeeter load but it doesn’t get out much. Herself has a S&W Model 36-1 that shoots full power wadcutter loads.

Others may find a need for a more powerful small bore revolver but not me.

Kevin

The one thing I would like to mention is, when there is little to no ammo available for revolvers one can nearly always find .38 Special or .357 Magnum in some form or fashion.

I only have two revolvers, a single action Uberti and a S&W 65, both in .357. Don't need any other revolver for target shooting or self defense.

The Smith & Wesson K frame and the .357 cartridge is a match made in heaven.