Concealed Carry 357

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Ben Russell

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I am looking for a small 357 that i can carry for off duty. It needs to be small and sleek. I need to be able to put it in a belt holster or leg.
All ideas that anyone has i am all ears.

Thanks Guys and Gals
 
Ruger SP101
Any of the stainless Smith J Frames in 357

I would probably go for a 3" SP101 or a 3" Smith Model 60.

Both are small guns (The smith a bit more than ruger). Barrels are easy to hide, grips are the hard part. Both have small grips and the extra barrel length helps get some more performance from that 357.

A 3" SP101 has been on my buy list for a long time now...one of these days...
 
I have a Taurus 617 Titanium. It's a K frame size, 7 shot. 20 Oz. Carry's great in a belt holster and is very comfortable to shoot .357's with the Ribber grips.

I also have a S&W 360 Scadnium/Titainium. It's a 12 Oz. 5 shot which is extremely easy to carry but not much fun to shoot with .357's. I do most practice with the .38's with this one.

I would like to see the new S&W M&P .357 snub with the Stainless cylinder and night sites.
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Actually the Glock 33 in 357 Sig would be my favorite choice for carry.
20 Ozs.
10+1 shots.
More acurate for me than a snubbie.
Get a .40 barrel for $100.00 for cheaper practice ammo.
I have thousands of rounds thru mine and it's still like new.
Oscar
 
I find steel guns like the 60 or the SP101 way heavy for an ankle holster. Alloy guns do better there, especially if you're going to be running and doing anything athletic. IWB or belt, SP101 is a fine choice. It's about as light as a .357 gets and I, personally, can still shoot it with rapidity. I can't handle the little titanium wonders like the 340 with heavy .357 loads. Too much muzzle flip and they just plain hurt to shoot with heavy loads. I'd rather just carry an alloy .38 with +P. If you can handle a light titanium J frame with heavy .357 loads, you're a better man than I with a handgun. I know my limits.
 
Gemini Customs SP-101 with a 4-port comp and night sight. Excellent control and follow-up shots for .357 loads. Current premium ammo really has reduced visual blast signature - ports do a nice job of keeping sight on target.

Would not carry in ankle holster, but on the belt is GTG.

SP1014portcompcloseup.jpg

SP101frontend.jpg

Cheers,
Pk
 
Scandium/Titanium S&W 340. You can practice with 38s and carry 357s or 38+P - I imagine you will not notice the pain if you have to defend your life.

miko
 
I carry the Taurus 651 TI as a backup. Works great, light but a handfull with .357 loads. I have read that .38 +p loads have the same power as .357 in a 2" barrel.
 
I carry the Taurus 651 TI as a backup. Works great, light but a handfull with .357 loads. I have read that .38 +p loads have the same power as .357 in a 2" barrel.
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That is close to true with the "reduced power" loads, but not with full power loads of heavier bullet weights like 140 and up. I get 662 ft lbs, 1306 fps from a 2.3" SP101 using 13.8 grains AA#9 behind a Hornady XTP 180 JHP, for instance. My 140 grain load produces 551 ft lbs and close to 1340 fps. My .38+P loads produce 270 ft lbs at under 1000 fps with the same 140 grain Speer bullet from a 2" barrel. So, my 140 grain Speer load out of the SP101 has TWICE the energy of my +P .38 load. That's pretty significant I'd say. Out of the SP101, that magnum 140 carry load is not a lot harder to shoot than the +P load out of the little 17 ounce Taurus ultralite, but it hits one HECK of a lot harder. If I'm going to carry .357, it ain't gonna be some "reduced load for wimps". I carry the real thing. No reason to carry a magnum if it ain't loaded like a magnum and is only called a magnum because that's what's printed on the case.
 
The merits of different makes / models / sizes / weights / quality / service support / et.al. of small carry revolvers have been debated endlessly here. Do a search on "small .357s" or some similar phrase and you can find all the advice and opinions you want.

I went through this decision process last spring--and I decided a lightweight revolver would be much more likely to be carried daily than a SS one. I had carried a SP-101 in the Nineties--but a lightweight appealed to me now. After doing some of those searches I suggest above, I bought a S&W M&P340, put Crimson Trace Grips on it, and set about learning to shoot it.

FYI, that is a lightweight j-frame (13.3 oz), and lightweights are absolutely no fun to shoot with hotrod .357 loads. Suitable ammo can be found in 38+P loads: Current Internet favorite factory PD ammo seems to be the Speer 38+P 135-gr load, or the Federal 38+P 129-gr round.

There is a whole subgroup of afficiandos here for the S&W 642 / variant lightweights, and there is a another subgroup for the 340. I suggest you look at both of them; there is a wealth of information there....

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=282173

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=138658

The 640 subgroup particularily also focuses on group process, so read fast and be prepared to skim.

Finally, if you want a Single Action option, you really couldn't go wrong with one of the new (.38/357) S&W Model 60s with a 3" barrel. It can even be carried concealed, and works beautifully holstered.

None of these are cheap--a 340 with laser grips will push $1000.00 now, and they can hardly keep this model in stock. The 642-442 (38+P only) are much cheaper--around $400.00, and the 60-3" will come in under $600 with the recent price increases. But--having owned Rugers, and deciding I wouldn't take a chance with a Taurus as my primary carry gun--I can say I really am satisfied with the S&Ws.

Jim H.
 
I haven't bought a factory load in 25 or 30 years in .357 so I wouldn't know. In fact, I mostly shoot my own cast bullets, but carry JHPs. I'd look at Buffalo Bore or Corbon for horsepower, though. For a light gun, a 12 ounce gun, I'd just load up with +P .38 special of your choice. That will give you something approaching a second shot double tap capability if nothing else. .38 special is an effective cartridge for SD, after all.
 
there's nothing that could convince me to trust my life or the lives of my loved ones on a Taurus.

I've read lots of posts hi-lighting parts falling off, revolvers literally shooting themselves apart, unexplained cylinder bind-ups, and a host of other problems with migrane-inducingly poor customer service to back up a product that is far too often outrageously inferior.

Their quality control is very hit and miss... you either buy a perfectly fine firearms, a total lemon, or a ticking time bomb... I wouldn't sleep well at night with that in mind. Don't just take my word for it; do a search on any forum and you'll find this is a reocurring theme.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=218616

I'd start there on Tauri opinions other than my own. There is no benefit of buying a Taurus over a Ruger, Smith, used Colt, Rossi...
 
I've read the same stuff, but ya know, it's never happened on any of my Taurus revolvers. :rolleyes: Yet another basher, like we need another. I'm perfectly happy with mine. They all shoot great and I own/have owned Rugers and Smiths and Rossis.

But, I tire of such posts....<sigh>
 
My Taurus is pure quality...might even be a tad bit better than my S&W and shoots just as well as my Ruger. I don't actually tire of other people's opinions...I tire of uninformed opinions.
 
I've trusted the lives of my loved ones with my Taurus 651 on many occasions.

And I've trusted the killing ability of my Taurus M-44 .44 magnum on several hunting occasions, including wind, rain, snow, ice, and mud.

Both have performed flawlessly with many thousands of rounds through both of them. I own Ruger's, Kimbers, S & W's, and not one of them has anything up on my Taurus revolvers.

(I can't tell you about customer service because I've never needed it)
 
Hey, good for you and your Tauri. If you're happy, I'm happy.

I wouldn't ever be happy with one, so I give my opinion. To reiterate, are all Tauri trash? No Are some? Yes. Can you be SURE which one you got? No. Can you depend on the customer service?

My, what a fascinating last question I just posed to myself. I mean, if there are some kinks that they'll work out that means a lot, in all honesty.

The Taurus Customer Service Story: http://members.aol.com/Namerakis/Taurus_Repair.htm

Just telling it like it is, guys. :uhoh:
 
I have three SP101 snubbies, so I must like them. One has a hammer spur, one never had a hammer spur, and one apparently was expertly bobbed when Jack Weigand did his magic on it. (He would get them from Ruger and do his package jobs, then pass them on for dealers to sell as new guns.) The key to comfort with a heavy gun in an ankle rig is a truly good, sturdy one, such as Alessi. I usually wear mine over the shaft of a duty boot, but sometimes directly over the sock when I am wearing shoes.
 
craig
I just read your story and feal my IQ has droped a little.you shot black powder rounds through it.this is right off their websight.
.2. The use of reloaded, “remanufactured”, hand-loaded, or other nonstandard
ammunition voids all warranties. Improperly loaded ammunition
voids all warranties. Improperly loaded ammunition can be extremely
dangerous. Severe damage to the firearm and serious injury to the shooter or
to others may result. Always use ammunition that complies with the industry
performance standards established by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition
Manufacturers Institute, Inc., of the United States, (SAAMI) or the equivalent
from other countries.
Click to expand...
this is also off their websight
This warranty does not cover grips, sights, accessories, cosmetic defects after one year, or damage caused by customer abuse at any time. Taurus will not be responsible for these items.
Click to expand...
BTW I'm not buying cleaned it within hours,unless you used navel jelly.
 
To reiterate, are all Tauri trash? No Are some? Yes.
Click to expand...

I've had Smith & Wessons, Colts, and Dan Wessons that all fit that bill. I've also had perfectly wonderful firearms from those companies.

I think the point here is to avoid painting any company (including Taurus) with such a broad brush that you paint yourself into a corner.
 
Let me go out on a limb here. I use the Colt Magnum Carry. It was only made for a while in 1998 I think, but are still available if you look hard enough. Its 21oz, and 6 shots. I love it:D It has been replaced however with a Detective Special due to its scarcity :(

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