LCR .357 or M&P 40C

[AZRimRunner]

Alright guys, I want to hear your opinions. I have been carrying a J-Frame for about a year now. My wife has decided to start carrying so we need another handgun I have preety much decided on either a LCR in .357 or a M&P 40C.

The reason that I like my wheelgun is that it is light, very concealable, and extremely reliable. I realize that a 17 oz. .357 is going to be a little rude! From what I've seen on YouTube the recoil dosen't appear to be as nasty as one may think? According to the ballistic data on Speer's web page the .357's muzzle energy bests the 40 S&W by a noticible magain.

The reason that the M&P has caught my eye is it is thinner, mag. capacity, and reloads are quicker that the speedloader scenario. The reason that the M&P appeals to me is that I am left handed and it is American made.

Concealing anything is pretty easy for me. I am 6'2" and 250 lb. w/ very wide shoulders. If any of you follow NASCAR, my shoulders look like Ryan Newman's. I have completely concealsed my full size Sigma IWB. The one thing that I hate though is a gun down my britches.

 

[riseagainstforme]

Buy both! I CCW a full size M&P 40 and love it. I'd love to have a LCR too.

 

[mes227]

I bought a M&P .40 with CTC grips a month ago and last weekend bought a 686 in 7 shot. Both are amazing guns!

 

[AZ Five seveN]

I'm not much of the revolver type, so I can't speak on the LCRs behalf. I will say, however, you can't go wrong with an M&P. The M&P series was designed around the .40, and it's one of the most reliable guns on the market. I trust my life with two!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

LCR .357 or M&P 40C

Apples and Oranges... Both are so different how can anyone compare the two? If you like a semi-auto buy the 40. If you're a revolver guy like me buy the revolver. I would carry the one you can shoot the best. All the power in the world will do you no good unless you make good hits!

Welcome to the forum...

 

[Manco]

I realize that a 17 oz. .357 is going to be a little rude! From what I've seen on YouTube the recoil dosen't appear to be as nasty as one may think?

I have my doubts that a 17 oz revolver is designed to shoot those on a regular basis, though.

According to the ballistic data on Speer's web page the .357's muzzle energy bests the 40 S&W by a noticible magain.

That's usually measured on a 4" (or longer) test barrel as opposed to the shorter than 2" barrel on the LCR. Granted, the way that barrel length is measured on autos means that the M&P40c's barrel isn't much longer, but it still is longer and .40 S&W tends to lose less energy/momentum out of short barrels than .357 Magnum to begin with (no trick here, just the physics of wider bullets at the same peak pressure and faster-burning propellants), making them more or less equal with typical factory loads (not that they're typically far apart in general, as kinetic energy is not the most useful measure of the effectiveness of ordinary handgun calibers).

Personally, regarding caliber I'd prefer .40 S&W because as obnoxiously loud and flashy as it is, it's tame in comparison to .357 Magnum, and I'm not convinced that the latter is more effective on bad guys (fun at the range is one thing, but I don't need any distractions during a real defensive shooting). Obviously caliber is only one factor here, though.

Apples and Oranges... Both are so different how can anyone compare the two?

Well, they're both pretty similar when you actually need them--just aim and squeeze the trigger. The M&P40c's trigger will be lighter, it has significantly greater capacity, and it's faster for most people to reload, but revolvers have their own strengths, too.

If you like a semi-auto buy the 40. If you're a revolver guy like me buy the revolver. I would carry the one you can shoot the best. All the power in the world will do you no good unless you make good hits!

Exactly right, and that's why it's so important to actually try them both out and see which works better for you. All we can do here on a forum is bring your attention to some things that may not always be obvious even while shooting a gun, but there certainly is no substitute for doing just that when deciding what to buy (particularly for defensive purposes).

 

[MikeJackmin]

Out of a two or even a three inch barrel, the .40 is the more powerful of the two. I was surprised by this, frankly:

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/40sw.html

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html

Just one more thing to consider...

 

[Nushif]

The LCR is a hoot. Loved mine. 8)
The M&Pc series is comfy though ...
Yup. Buy both.