I can recommend from personal experience the SP101 Ruger, 605 Taurus, 617 Taurus, and an older 971 Rossi. All are 2" guns that handle 357 and shoot good for me. I did change grips on the Taurus revolvers to make them fit me better and on the Ruger I rounded the trigger for more comfort in prolonged shooting sessions. Rossi now makes a nice sized 6 shot 357 with fixed sights and nice rubber grips that fill the hand. I have never shot a Charter Arms 357. They seem to be a lighter gun but, they do have a good sized rubber grip. As far as quality, I work in a Gun Shop and have seen ALL makes of guns that have had an occasional problem. your best bet is try be for you buy at a Range that Rents Guns.
do they even make .357 revolvers anymore?
- Thread starter TTAmoneypit
- Start date
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BlindJustice
Member
I have a Model 60-15 - S&W beefed up the J-frame
in the late '90s for the .357 Mag chambering. THe
Model 60-15 3" Bbl. has a plain ramp front, adj. for
Windage/Eelevation rear sight It is solid stainless
steel and 24 oz. empty. There are other variants in
3" Bbl. with different front sights, the 2 1/8" Bbl. Model
60s have a fixed rear sight. The other all SS frame/cylinder
and solid barrel J-frame .357 Mag is the shrouded hammer
2 1/8" Bbl. MOdel 640.
Other snubbies in the S&W lineup currently
S&W Nightguards have the 2 1/2" two-piece
barrel, Scandium frame and Stainless steel cylinder
with an overall black finish, Cylinder & SLide
Extreme Duty rear sight, front ramp with tritium
nightsight Dot, and Pachmayr grips.
.357 Chambered models include:
386 NG - 7 shot cyl. on L-frame
327 NG - 8 shot cyl. on N-frame
ALso all Stainless Steel
S&W 686 with 2 1/2" or 3" Bbl.
FWIW I seldom shoot .357 Mag in my 60 and
use .38 Spcl +P 125 gr. SPeer Gold Dot JHPs in it
I would like to get some .357 Mag. "Light" loads
that would be less than full house power but with a
quick burning powder for the 60 3" Bbl. with
158 gr. SWC and/or Hornady 140 gr. XTp JHP
R-
in the late '90s for the .357 Mag chambering. THe
Model 60-15 3" Bbl. has a plain ramp front, adj. for
Windage/Eelevation rear sight It is solid stainless
steel and 24 oz. empty. There are other variants in
3" Bbl. with different front sights, the 2 1/8" Bbl. Model
60s have a fixed rear sight. The other all SS frame/cylinder
and solid barrel J-frame .357 Mag is the shrouded hammer
2 1/8" Bbl. MOdel 640.
Other snubbies in the S&W lineup currently
S&W Nightguards have the 2 1/2" two-piece
barrel, Scandium frame and Stainless steel cylinder
with an overall black finish, Cylinder & SLide
Extreme Duty rear sight, front ramp with tritium
nightsight Dot, and Pachmayr grips.
.357 Chambered models include:
386 NG - 7 shot cyl. on L-frame
327 NG - 8 shot cyl. on N-frame
ALso all Stainless Steel
S&W 686 with 2 1/2" or 3" Bbl.
FWIW I seldom shoot .357 Mag in my 60 and
use .38 Spcl +P 125 gr. SPeer Gold Dot JHPs in it
I would like to get some .357 Mag. "Light" loads
that would be less than full house power but with a
quick burning powder for the 60 3" Bbl. with
158 gr. SWC and/or Hornady 140 gr. XTp JHP
R-
madcratebuilder
Member
That statement is going to get someone killed. What are you thinking?
I'll tell you what I was thinking.
The OP was complaining about a shortage of 357 revolvers and wanted to know what if any 38 revolvers might be capable of shooting a 357.
So I answered to the best of my memory. I know there was a time when people made this mod to 38 revolvers in a pinch, to shoot 357. But my memory is fuzzy on the details. I laid it out as clearly and honestly as I could, and even stated that I don't trust my memory or knowledge of the details enough to attempt it myself. I expected another poster more knowledgeable than myself to fill in the gaps for the guy. And the guy with the ruger knowledge seems to know what he's talking about.
I don't see anything wrong with being honest. If you do, then screw you.
The OP was complaining about a shortage of 357 revolvers and wanted to know what if any 38 revolvers might be capable of shooting a 357.
So I answered to the best of my memory. I know there was a time when people made this mod to 38 revolvers in a pinch, to shoot 357. But my memory is fuzzy on the details. I laid it out as clearly and honestly as I could, and even stated that I don't trust my memory or knowledge of the details enough to attempt it myself. I expected another poster more knowledgeable than myself to fill in the gaps for the guy. And the guy with the ruger knowledge seems to know what he's talking about.
I don't see anything wrong with being honest. If you do, then screw you.
BlindJustice
Member
The K-frame medium size S&W was champiioned by
Bill Jordan to be chambered in .357 Magnum for a lighter
carry revolver for LEO insted of the N-Frame Large size
that was used for the original .357 Mag chambering in 1935.
SO, S&W in the late 50s came out with the model 19
Combat Magnum, like the Model 15 Combat Masterpiece
a .38 Special. THe 19 cylinder is heat treated for the
Magnum pressures. Re-chambering a 15 doesn't make it
a 19. Indeed, the 19 logevity and even the stainless steel
version the 66 is found wanting with a heavy use of full house
.357 Mag. loads. SOme will dispute this but S&W does not
make any more 19 or 66 models and in fact beefed up the
medium K frame to the L-frame And those are the
facts of the matter.
IF you want a K-Frame .357 Mag look for a nice one
on the used market or look at RUgers but DO NOT think
about rechambering a S&W .38 SPecial expecially on
fuzzy info. memories. Now an N-frame rechambered is
another matter. Apples and Oranges.
Randall
Bill Jordan to be chambered in .357 Magnum for a lighter
carry revolver for LEO insted of the N-Frame Large size
that was used for the original .357 Mag chambering in 1935.
SO, S&W in the late 50s came out with the model 19
Combat Magnum, like the Model 15 Combat Masterpiece
a .38 Special. THe 19 cylinder is heat treated for the
Magnum pressures. Re-chambering a 15 doesn't make it
a 19. Indeed, the 19 logevity and even the stainless steel
version the 66 is found wanting with a heavy use of full house
.357 Mag. loads. SOme will dispute this but S&W does not
make any more 19 or 66 models and in fact beefed up the
medium K frame to the L-frame And those are the
facts of the matter.
IF you want a K-Frame .357 Mag look for a nice one
on the used market or look at RUgers but DO NOT think
about rechambering a S&W .38 SPecial expecially on
fuzzy info. memories. Now an N-frame rechambered is
another matter. Apples and Oranges.
Randall
litman252
Member
I'm staying out of the .357 in a .38 thing, it's nuts and no good reason to do it.
Current .357's in stock w/ less than a 4" barrel, and many are out-
S&W
60
340
686, I know it's getting big............
ONE Taurus in 65, SS w/ a 4" but the cheapest.....
Several others at retail over 1K so I quit. NONE in Ruger or Rossi at the Wholesaler.
Tony
Current .357's in stock w/ less than a 4" barrel, and many are out-
S&W
60
340
686, I know it's getting big............
ONE Taurus in 65, SS w/ a 4" but the cheapest.....
Several others at retail over 1K so I quit. NONE in Ruger or Rossi at the Wholesaler.
Tony
BamaHoosier
Member
I wouldn't load anything in my wheelie other than what it's built for,or any of my guns for that matter.Just plain ol' common sense there
.
."I don't see anything wrong with being honest. If you do, then screw you."
That is not a very high road statement to make. This kind of statement is what is driving this board down to the level of the many other boards. Posting misinformation, or sketchy information which you can not confirm concerning a possible dangerous situtation is wrong.
There are far too many uniformed people who read these boards who would take your information as gospel and try to fire a .357 mag round out of a .38 special chamber.
That is not a very high road statement to make. This kind of statement is what is driving this board down to the level of the many other boards. Posting misinformation, or sketchy information which you can not confirm concerning a possible dangerous situtation is wrong.
There are far too many uniformed people who read these boards who would take your information as gospel and try to fire a .357 mag round out of a .38 special chamber.
JImbothefiveth
Member
Wouldn't ALL .38 special loads be dangerous to fire out of a .38 long colt, or any other gun not designed for them? (Getting rhetorical here)
.455_Hunter
Member
Special Case Only!!!!
Military specification .38 Long Colt with BP and smokeless was a 150 gr. LRN at 770 fps for 197 fpe.
Current production .38 Special is available featuring a 158 gr. LRN at 755 for 200 fpe.
I see no issue with firing SOME mild .38 special lead rounds in a full-size .38 Long Colt revolver, like the Colt New Army, provided that it has shoulderless chambers and can accommodate the OAL of the longer round. This applies ONLY if the gun is in good shooting condition, of course. You could have some extraction problems, especially if the chamber bores are rough at the front end due BP/corrosive primer damage. If extensive shooting is planned, it would probably be best to make some .38 Long Colt loads just for old times sake and to eliminate possibility of a mix-up with your custom .38-44 Heavy Duty handloads sitting on the shooting bench at the same time.
I surmise, that due its larger case, the .38 Special is could likely be operating at LESS pressure than the .38 Long Colt to produce the same ballistic performance...
Of course, since I just said this, some idiot is now going take great grandpa's Spanish-American War bring back M1892 Colt and load it with Buffalo Bore 158 gr. LSWCHPs and let fly! :banghead:
Military specification .38 Long Colt with BP and smokeless was a 150 gr. LRN at 770 fps for 197 fpe.
Current production .38 Special is available featuring a 158 gr. LRN at 755 for 200 fpe.
I see no issue with firing SOME mild .38 special lead rounds in a full-size .38 Long Colt revolver, like the Colt New Army, provided that it has shoulderless chambers and can accommodate the OAL of the longer round. This applies ONLY if the gun is in good shooting condition, of course. You could have some extraction problems, especially if the chamber bores are rough at the front end due BP/corrosive primer damage. If extensive shooting is planned, it would probably be best to make some .38 Long Colt loads just for old times sake and to eliminate possibility of a mix-up with your custom .38-44 Heavy Duty handloads sitting on the shooting bench at the same time.
I surmise, that due its larger case, the .38 Special is could likely be operating at LESS pressure than the .38 Long Colt to produce the same ballistic performance...
Of course, since I just said this, some idiot is now going take great grandpa's Spanish-American War bring back M1892 Colt and load it with Buffalo Bore 158 gr. LSWCHPs and let fly! :banghead:
Smith357
Member
This is crazy talk!!!
I can't belive the stuff I'm seeing here!! Even the thought of shooting a .357 in a firearm designed for the .38 special in my mind is idiotic. If you want a .357 get one, don't convert .38. If you do convert a .38 or try to shoot a .357 in a .38 pleas stay well away from me when you shoot it. If you want to blow off your fingers and punch out an eye why not go for broke and just stick the barrel in your mouth.
The words being typed here are very dangerous and could get someone killed.
I can't belive the stuff I'm seeing here!! Even the thought of shooting a .357 in a firearm designed for the .38 special in my mind is idiotic. If you want a .357 get one, don't convert .38. If you do convert a .38 or try to shoot a .357 in a .38 pleas stay well away from me when you shoot it. If you want to blow off your fingers and punch out an eye why not go for broke and just stick the barrel in your mouth.
The words being typed here are very dangerous and could get someone killed.
dogngun
Member
I love Smiths, but the Rossi I uset to have was a very good
revolver, and the price tag did not make your eyes bleed.
I have also has several Rugers, and they all were very good.
CDNN Sports has used police /service Smith .357 stainless revolvers for a very good price, if there are any left. Call them for details.
mark
Rodent man You can shoot all the +P you want through a service six - they are great revolvers, tough as a dump truck.
revolver, and the price tag did not make your eyes bleed.
I have also has several Rugers, and they all were very good.
CDNN Sports has used police /service Smith .357 stainless revolvers for a very good price, if there are any left. Call them for details.
mark
Rodent man You can shoot all the +P you want through a service six - they are great revolvers, tough as a dump truck.
moph759fl
Member
I Conceal Carry a Taurus model 605 All Titanium (15oz.) loaded with Speer Gold Dot 125gr HP and the recoil is not too bad. I only shoot at the range just to keep familar with my firearms. I have many Taurus and S&W firearms and like both, but for the money and weight the Taurus gets much more carry.
mgregg85
Member
I really hope you don't own a .38 special revolver.
This post goes to show how dangerous internet information from the uneducated can be.
357 mag snubbies are really selling out fast. What I did was check Davidson's web site and one day they had 20 SP101's, a few hours later, they had none. A couple of days later they had another dozen, so I dropped the hammer, so to speak, and it was delivered 2 days later. It's sweet.
Guitarslinger46
Member
Interesting...I thought I recalled buying a Ruger SP101 with an enclosed hammer. Maybe I'm just old and forgetful. Anyway, one of my ex girlfriends has that SP101. I originally bought it for her. Yes, you can fire a .38 out of it, but I prefer to stick with the caliber it was originally chambered for. I have a Ruger GP100 .357 magnum in stainless with the 6" barrel. Nice wheel gun, and built like a tank.
dwave
Member
That is the dumbest thing that I have ever read. A .38 special operates @ 17,000 PSI MAX and a .357 Mag operates @ 35,000 PSI!
Your slr-106f is chambered for 5.56mm if I have the right rifle looked up. 5.56 operates at a higher pressure than a .223. A .38 can be shot from a .357, but a .357 cannot be shot from a .38. I think you should change your post or a mod should edit it for you.
MCgunner
Member
If you're handloading brass, no reason to run the pressures up as high as they'll go for just general plinking. 12 ounce Airlites are easy to shoot at .38 special pressures. OR, you could trim all that .357 brass to .38 special length and load a 158 SWC over about 4.0 to 4.5 grains Unique. I mean, if your only concern is that you have 500 rounds of .357 brass, there are ways. You could just sell it and buy .38 brass, too.
Actually, I own 3 .38s and 3 .357s.
Actually, I own 3 .38s and 3 .357s.
Timthinker
Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2006
- Messages
- 815
To answer the original question, .357 Magnum revolvers are still in production. The .357 still remains a popular revolver even though the trend in recent years has been toward semi-auto handguns for self-defense. Put simply, do not worry about the .357 Magnum going the way of the dinosaur.
Also, snubbie .357s are still manufactured as some of our contributors have stated. If your local gunstores do not have any in stock, inquire about them. They will order one for you assuming no legal restrictions exist which might prevent you from purchasing a firearm. One of my personal favorites in the .357 family is the Smith 686, which can be had in a 2.5 inch barrel version. It is one great gun.
Finally, never think about trying to fire a .357 Magnum round in a revolver chambered for .38 ammo only. It is both foolish and dangerous to do so. Good luck with your selection.
Timthinker
Also, snubbie .357s are still manufactured as some of our contributors have stated. If your local gunstores do not have any in stock, inquire about them. They will order one for you assuming no legal restrictions exist which might prevent you from purchasing a firearm. One of my personal favorites in the .357 family is the Smith 686, which can be had in a 2.5 inch barrel version. It is one great gun.
Finally, never think about trying to fire a .357 Magnum round in a revolver chambered for .38 ammo only. It is both foolish and dangerous to do so. Good luck with your selection.
Timthinker
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