.357 which one

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One of my three carry weapons is a S&W Mod 19 Combat Magnum with round butt and 2 1/2" barrel. You definitly don't feel under gunned and it is an accurate weapon on the range and a blast to shoot.
 
SP-101 snubby in .357 gets my vote. Except I would get the grey finish with wood insert handles.
 
Any ideas?
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The Model 13 with a 3" barrel is just about perfect for what you've outlined. Love mine. Small enough to carry, hefty enough to shoot comfortably at the range.

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S&W Model 13


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Mine's seen battle and drawn blood. Has yours? :D

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I've carried lots, but the Speed Six is the all around perfect carry magnum. It's mid way between the GP and the SP in size and handles quite well with magnum loads. The trigger is very nice for a Ruger, and it's tougher than a K frame magnum.
 
I was carrying concealed that day, my Taurus 66 3" with 140 Speer JHP handloads. This one was only about 80 lbs, but I've killed 200 lbers quite dead with the .357. When actually hunting and not just walking back to my truck and stumbling upon a hog like this one, I use a 165 grain cast, gas checked Lee SWC over 14.5 grains 2400 or a 180 grain XTP over 13.8 grains of AA#9. Both push 800 ft lbs out of my Ruger 6.5" Blackhawk.

Yeah, don't under-rate the .357 as a hunting round. Many do.

BTW, I've owned a Security Six and a SP101. For me, for carry, it don't get a lot better than the 3" SP101, though mine was a 2.25"er. I get another .357 carry, it'll be a 3" SP101. I don't miss that Security Six. It wasn't as accurate over all, though it liked the 140s, as my SP101 despite the 4" barrel and the felt recoil was awful by comparison. How a heavier gun could be so much worse in felt recoil I do not know, but it was. The SP101 is a stronger design, too. The SP101 is a sweet shooting gun, especially with a Hogue grip and presents less profile under a shirt than a square butt. Just MHO having owned both. The Sixs are no longer made, so they have a bit of cult following and the cult usually over-rates the cult gun in most such cases.
 
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Yes the Mod. 66 is a good size. In plain blue finish it is the Model 19. What is today's S&W equivalent to the Mod. 66? Is it the 686?
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the 66 and 19 are K frame revolvers. i don't know if SW still makes K frames. the 686 is an L frame, and is a bit larger and heavier. "beefed" up to accomodate shooting magnum rounds without the wear and tear that magnum rounds had over prolonged periods to the K frame. i do not know if the 66/19 has a currently produced equivalent in the SW lineup.
 
that is not meant as a knock to K frames. i love the 66 and 19 especially in the 2.5" and 3" lengths. mighty fine carry revolvers.
 
md7 said:
the 66 and 19 are K frame revolvers. i don't know if SW still makes K frames. the 686 is an L frame, and is a bit larger and heavier. "beefed" up to accomodate shooting magnum rounds without the wear and tear that magnum rounds had over prolonged periods to the K frame. i do not know if the 66/19 has a currently produced equivalent in the SW lineup.
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the K frames Mod. 19 and Mod. 66 how well do those hold up to magnum loads?
 
Hi,
Made I suggest two options. S&W 66 in 4 inch or Ruger Police Service Six 4 inch. Light enough to carry and both can shoot 357s. The Ruger is the stronger but nothing wrong with the 66.
Good luck,
S&W 66 4 inch
model66-4.gif
Ruger Police Service Six 4 inch
RugerServiceSix.gif
 
If it's for carrying, as your primary CCW gun, I strongly suggest finding a used Ruger Speed Six, .357 Magnum, that is TIGHT! I mean zero play fore and aft, no cylinder shake, no crane shake, no nothing (and I have two Rugers that are that way!)

Get that and a Ruger factory DAO hammer and you have one of the best CCW revolvers made.

And barring that, the same gun in .38 spl. Since Buffalo Bore makes a 158gr LSWHP that gets and honest 1100 fps (I chroned that figure in my .38 2 3/4 inch speed six!) It will do. But the magnum version gives even more power!

If it's hunting or just shooting, I'd get either a L or N frame Smith. Why not the GP100? Mainly cause I have found the GP100 series does not take .38 spl ammo well (shoots poorly.) This has to do with how the chambers are set up. But Smiths shoot them all well.

Deaf
 
Deaf Smith said:
If it's for carrying, as your primary CCW gun, I strongly suggest finding a used Ruger Speed Six, .357 Magnum, that is TIGHT! I mean zero play fore and aft, no cylinder shake, no crane shake, no nothing (and I have two Rugers that are that way!)

Get that and a Ruger factory DAO hammer and you have one of the best CCW revolvers made.

And barring that, the same gun in .38 spl. Since Buffalo Bore makes a 158gr LSWHP that gets and honest 1100 fps (I chroned that figure in my .38 2 3/4 inch speed six!) It will do. But the magnum version gives even more power!

If it's hunting or just shooting, I'd get either a L or N frame Smith. Why not the GP100? Mainly cause I have found the GP100 series does not take .38 spl ammo well (shoots poorly.) This has to do with how the chambers are set up. But Smiths shoot them all well.

Deaf
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Why not use the .357 Buffalo Bore 125 grain bullet 1,800 fps.
 
Yes the Mod. 66 is a good size. In plain blue finish it is the Model 19. What is today's S&W equivalent to the Mod. 66? Is it the 686?
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There really isn't a equivalent to the K frame .357 Magnum in the S&W line but the Model 620 took the place of the M66. The M620 isn't quite as heavy as the M686 and it feels and points more like a K frame than an L frame. The big difference is the L frame M620 is a 7 shot revolver unlike the 6 shot M66 K frame.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
There really isn't a equivalent to the K frame .357 Magnum in the S&W line but the Model 620 took the place of the M66. The M620 isn't quite as heavy as the M686 and it feels and points more like a K frame than an L frame. The big difference is the L frame M620 is a 7 shot revolver unlike the 6 shot M66 K frame.
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7 shot revolver that's nice. Wasn't it Taurus that came out with 7 and 8 shot revolvers?
This S & W costs $893? Why does S & W brand cost so much? Even the Mod. 617 .22 10 shot revolver costs alot and it is just a .22 LR.:eek::uhoh:
 
I have 2 revolvers in 357 magnum that I carry from...

time to time. The Colt Magnum carry 21 oz and the Ruger SP101 25 oz . However, at age 70 I find it too much gun for me and most often carry my 16 oz Colt Cobra or the new Ruger LCR. I find the recoil of the 357 too much and makes a second follow-up shot difficult and slow in the light weight guns. If I go to my Ruger speed six or model 19 snubby they are too heavy too carry. It is all about what you can feel best with and for me it is the 38 special for daily carry. When I am in the woods hunting or riding my horse I carry the 357.
 
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