Just picked up my first wheelgun .357

[rickgarcia24]

Just wanted to share that I just picked up a Taurus 605 2" in stainless (snubbie). I hope I picked a good revolver. What load should I carry for self defence?? and whats the reliabelity of the gun?? Can It take a lot of full load 357's??? Thank you. Enrique

 

[TonyB]

See the post on the 135 gr. +p gold dots.....they sound great...my soon to be carry load in my Ruger sp101....
You're a brave one for getting a snubby as your 1st revo......might take a while to shoot it as well as you'd like(it did me)..but stick with it,the payoff is great(going to the range with friends who think of snubbies as belly guns,and out shooting them at distances)

 

[Majic]

Experiment and find the load that groups the best and shoots to the point of aim in your particular revolver. Only shooting will tell you that.
It will withstand full house loads, but what about you?

 

[chaim]

Ouch, first revolver and you bought a 2" small-framed snub in .357mag?!

I love .357mag. I shoot it all the time, until I got my .41mag it was my favorite caliber. I got rid of my Taurus 605 because shooting magnums out of it was far from pleasant. Until you are used to the recoil I suggest shooting only .38s out of it for a while, maybe get a used medium-framed .357mag as well, and then after some experience with revolvers (and magnums) start trying this gun with magnums. If you don't follow my advice, don't blame the fact that it isn't fun to shoot on revolvers and do give revolvers another chance. Small J-frame sized guns are the hardest to shoot competently. Magnums out of such a light and small gun aren't pleasant. Basically, short of the lightweight snubs, you have the hardest gun and caliber combination to get used to and get good with. Give it time, start slow (.38spl), pick up or rent other revolvers, and slowly work into the magnums out of the snub. If you don't like it with magnums, that gun will take lifetimes (yours and your children's) of use with .38spl and .38+P.

Oh, you do have a pretty good gun though and small snubs are a "staple" that every gun owner should have at least one, if not more.

 

[rickgarcia24]

oouch!!!!
I just came back from the gun range after only 30 rounds of Winclean 125gr 357's JSP.
Thanks for the advice, I was just a little late on receiving it. but you were all right, I will need a lot more time to get used to the full 357's.
I shot really bad, mostly because I was anticipating the recoil on every single shot I took.
I think Iam gonna switch to .38 spc +P and work my way up to 357.

Thanks again..

 

[Ed Ely]

Since you are going to down size the load, let me suggest
that you start with 100gr. wadcutters, then move up the
chart. Good shooting.

 

[chaim]

For defense downloading to the .38+P is a good way to go. They are powerful enough to be effective for self defense, but light enough to give halfway decent follow-up shot speeds even in a small snub.

However, most of your practice, especially now while you are not only new to snubs, but new to revolvers, should be with lighter .38spl. Most .38spl is pretty light and should be comfortable out of your 24oz revolver, some .38spl loadings are even fairly effective for defensive use (several designs are ok- one or two of the JHPs, the lead HP, SWCHPs and even regular SWC are ok). 148 gr wadcutters are pretty much the easiest to control as most are loaded pretty light. The .38spl will also be a lot easier on your wallet.

 

[TonyB]

I found the 357 Winclean to be a tad hot in my SP101....I think it has something to do with the fast burning powder(?)...the 38 Winclean are mild though
My carry load is 110 gr +P+......but I'm almost out of them and my sourse for them has closed.....that's why I'm looking for the 135 gr gold dots(from here on to be called the Jim March load )