357 snubbie

[Revolver Ocelot]

well as some of you have noticed revolver ocelot has gone handgun crazy this year, thank you IRS....wow never thought I'd say that , anyway I'm now gtting ready to buy a 357 snub and having alittle trouble deciding which one, at the moment I m stuck between these two, the 340Mp and the 640 in .357, the 340 would be nice because it is less weight to carry but the 640 is nice because it weighs more and would help with the recoil.

I am open to other ideas as long as it is a s&w in .357 with a barrel of 2 inches or less.

as always everyones opinions are always appreciated

also this is intended as a ccw gun ofcourse.

 

[ewayte]

I have both the 340 and 360 M&P snubbies. I like the XS front sight and the U notch rear. Recoil is a bear with .357, not too bad with .38 +P.

Don't be afraid to look for a gently used one. My 340 M&P was in the used case and I doubt if a full cylinder was fired through it.

 

[DMZ]

M-340 12 oz"s

M-640 23 oz's

I have never fired a 12 oz .357 magnum, but I have a 22 oz one and found it, ah, invigorating, to say the least.

If this is your first snub, go with the 640 because one needs to shoot a snubby quite a bit to get proficient with it.

 

[GTSteve03]

Any particular reason you don't want a Ruger SP101? They're the strongest of the 357 snubbies and the all-stainless construction helps soak up recoil.

 

[glockman19]

I have a S&W 442 & 642 nd am looking into a 640 .

 

[Charles S]

 

[kayakersteve]

get a ruger sp101

It's an awesome little gun!

 

[The_Shootist]

Yeah

I have a 3" bbl SP 101 and a Taurus M85 and I am gradually catching snub
fever . I have to go out to a gunshow and pick myself up a nice pre-lock 640 as that looks like a REAL nice carry piece!

 

[gb6491]

In regards to the choices listed by the OP; I'll side with the earlier recommendations of going with the 640.
The SP's are nice guns, but I'm partial to the Model 60. There are some days I wish it were lighter.

Regards,
Greg

 

[Old Fuff]

The Old Fuff has drawn the line at .38 Special (or .44 Special ) when it comes to a snubby, and a well-known hot spot will have frozen over before he buys a .357 Magnum that's constructed out of aluminum and titanium. A precise placement of a slower moving bullet will beat excessive power and poor marksmanship any day of the week.

This is not to say I don't like the .357, but rather that I prefer it in a K-frame S&W with a 3 inch or longer barrel. Ruger's SP-101 with a similar barrel length has charms too, but the S&W offers an extra round in a slightly larger package. But now we're into holster rather then pocket guns.

No one should buy a 340 without trying it out first...

 

[btg3]

Good distinction on pocket vs holster guns. I'm a fan of the SP101, but not for pocket carry -- although some claim to go that route.

Regardless of make, if the OP is set on a .357 for CC, then he shouldn't plan on pocket carry unless he knows what he's in for -- either a lot of gun for his pocket, or a lot of power for a little gun.

 

[doc540]

Old Fluff, you need to just go ahead and write a book.

I mean, put it all out there and let the chips fall where ever they may.

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

Old Fluff, you need to just go ahead and write a book

I agree, you have yet to give me bad advice.

 

[gggman]

I own a 12 oz. snub in .38, and it is violent with +P loads. I would not want to ever shoot, let alone own a 12 oz. .357 mag. Get a SP101, they are great little snubs, and are pretty managable even with full power magnums.

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

hmm I do have a strong love for rugers...and I was getting ready to buy a 3in gp100 maybe the sp101 wouldn't be a half bad idea

 

[Old Fuff]

Old Fluff, you need to just go ahead and write a book.

There are some folks on this forum that would rather throw the...

But anyway I sometimes consider getting one of those programs where you dictate to the computer, and verbal is recorded as text. That would beat the speed of my typing ay a big bunch. I know some people that wish I would sit down with a recorder and record what I know, but as the workd turns toward polymer pistols I'm not sure any publishers would be interested in a writer that sometimes stuck in the 1950's through 70's.

Ya' know your over the hill when you start thinking that a S&W top-break Safety Hammerless chambered in .38 S&W just might do for self defense...

 

[GRIZ22]

M-340 12 oz"s

M-640 23 oz's


A 340 will give you nearly 4X the felt recoil with everything else being equal. I had an issue 640 and I carried it loaded with +P+. The magnums are loud, harder on you and the gun, and are not pleasant. I could shoot the 640 as well with magnums but recovery time was longer and the velocity was only about 10% more than the +P+.

I don't even consider any J frame 357 let alone a 12oz one.

I carry factory wadcutters in my Model 60 and feel well armed.

I'll go to a K frame to carry a magnum.

 

[Doug S]

I'm one of those people who bought a S&W 340 M&P without having first shot a 357 in a lightweight snubbie. As mentioned above, it wasn't bad with 38', or with mid-range 357, like Remington GS, but when I fired full load 357 in it, the thing was downright painful. Soon afterward, it became one of those little used, snubbies sitting on a local gun store's used shelf. I quickly replaced it with a SP101, which I consider a much superior gun in all respects, except lightweight pocket carry. Not to mention, I can clean it with whatever I want, and the finish doesn't start peeling off the moment you get it home.

 

[kanderson586]

which snubbie?

if you want a pocket gun you do not want the ruger. for those whining about the recoil of .357 in a j frame. your whole purpose of ccw is not FUN shooting, it is to save you and yours when the fan gets hit. the mp340 is fine to target shoot with .38, and incredibly potent in .357. and an added bonus is for those with larger hands the crimsontrace grips have a thicker backstrap which fills the hand nicely.

 

[kanderson586]

which snubbie?

if you want a pocket gun you do not want the ruger. for those whining about the recoil of .357 in a j frame. your whole purpose of ccw is not FUN shooting, it is to save you and yours when the fan gets hit. the mp340 is fine to target shoot with .38, and incredibly potent in .357. and an added bonus is for those with larger hands the crimsontrace grips have a thicker backstrap which fills the hand nicely.

 

[Doug S]

for those whining about the recoil of .357 in a j frame. your whole purpose of ccw is not FUN shooting, it is to save you and yours when the fan gets hit.

Whose whining, just sharing a bit of reality. My SP101 is just as potent as your 340 J-frame (maybe a little more so with its slightly longer barrel), and carries just fine in a Mika pocket holster in my right front pocket. Not to mention, it is much easier to control in rapid fire, and might I say even "PLEASANT" to shoot with most loads. To top it off, it doesn't have one of them fancy locks, that seem to activate on their own, which might put you at a distinct disadvantage "when the fan gets hit".

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

pocket carry is not of great concern as I will soon always have a naa pug on me in my front right pocket as well as which ever other revolver i decide to use for ccw on my belt, I like rugers and own a few of them so I figured s&w would be a good way to go but on the reverse I have never owned a sp101 and it would be a nice addition to my collection not to mention I have heard nothing but great things about them as carry pieces.

 

[rdrancher]

pocket carry is not of great concern as I will soon always have a naa pug on me in my front right pocket as well as which ever other revolver i decide to use for ccw on my belt, I like rugers and own a few of them so I figured s&w would be a good way to go but on the reverse I have never owned a sp101 and it would be a nice addition to my collection not to mention I have heard nothing but great things about them as carry pieces.

+1+ on the SP101. It carries very nicely IWB or or on the belt.

Old Fluff, you need to just go ahead and write a book.

Now that's an idea I can get behind!

I'd buy a copy right now.

rd

 

[-terry]

I'd buy a copy too.

I have an SP101 3" and I love it. At 25oz it's a bit heavy, but it will never break and that weight helps when maxed out at 357.

 

[Old Fuff]

I'd buy a copy too.

But how much blood, thunder and raw sex can I get into a gun book?