Lightweight .38 or .357 Revolver
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mcb
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Best advice, go rent or borrow and try one before you buy one. One cylinder of full power 357 Magnum through that gun will give you the need data to make a wise decision. The 340 PD with full power 357 Magnum loads is a very unpleasant even painful revolver to shoot. It is not for everyone and you would be wise to try before you buy. If I had a dollar for every time I hear someone say they have an Airweight 357 Magnum J-frame but only shoot 38 Special +P in it I could buy a 340 PD just to curse at.
Most people are better off saving the money and buying a 442/642 and shooting 38 Speical +P.
As for using a snub nose 357 mag for bruin defense, its better than a sharp stick, but we could probably argue about how much better.
It's all relative. I had a 340 pd and it made me chuckle with each shot of full bore magnum. She sure did buck.
I sold it because I mostly carried hornady 38s in it, so might as well go with a no lock 38.
Back on target faster and that round had impressive ballistics in gel.
I sold it because I mostly carried hornady 38s in it, so might as well go with a no lock 38.
Back on target faster and that round had impressive ballistics in gel.
I agree though, I think I'd rather one of the new micro 9mms even for the above bear application! An ec9, 365 or hellmeow would run some of the hard cast 9mms and give you way more chances, more quickly, with the potential for a faster reload.
(5 shot airweights and micro 9s are both very poor plans for this application, but between the two foot pounds and firepower favor the wee 9s)
(5 shot airweights and micro 9s are both very poor plans for this application, but between the two foot pounds and firepower favor the wee 9s)
WestKentucky
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There are plenty options out there, many of which are available from S&W but also from charter, Taurus, EAA, Ruger, Kimber, Colt, and a few others that I can’t think of right this second. Of the bunch I would suggest the Charter undercover or Charter Mag Pug with the Ruger sp101 as a close second based on weight and price, the new Taurus seems good, but without personal experience I can’t recommend it. I would say that it’s hard to beat a 442 or 642, but your paying for a name there, same thing with the new cobra. Curious though, a 9mm has similar power and size compared to the revolvers your describing, why go wheelgun over slidegun? I would do the same, I’m just curious to the reasoning.
WheelGunMan
Member
Here's another vote for the 3 inch LCRx357. Small, agile lightweight. Heavy enough to handle . 357 recoil, lightweight enough to carry holstered all day. Stainless steel frame with a polymer fire control housing to withstand the rigors of backpacking in damp areas.
cluttonfred
Member
Just when things started heating up with COVID-19, Taurus announced their new 856 Defender model, essentially their 6-shot small-frame .38 Special 856 snubbie with a 3" full-lug barrel, generous full-hand grips, and a tritium front sight with a bright orange dot. Alloy-frame models weigh 17.5 oz (two ounces and one shot more than the Ruger LCRx 3-inch .38) or if you want something to tame the +P loads even more there is an all-stainless steel model that weighs 35 ounces. I have lusted after the LCRx 3-inch for a while but balked at the price, if these guns follow the usual Taurus pattern they will come in about $200 cheaper than the Ruger. Considering the extra shot and the tritium front sight it might be worth a look once things calm down and guns are back in stock.
https://www.taurususa.com/firearms/revolvers/taurus-defender-856/
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-taurus-defender-856-38-special-p-revolver/
https://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/taurus-856-defender-38-special/
https://www.taurususa.com/firearms/revolvers/taurus-defender-856/
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-taurus-defender-856-38-special-p-revolver/
https://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/taurus-856-defender-38-special/
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scaatylobo
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Not about to read all the posts.
So my suggestion is a S&W 386 in .357 magnum.
It is a 'L' framed scandium 7 shot .357 rated pistol. mine has a 3" barrel.
Light to carry,pleasant to shoot,especially with any .38 SP load.
Good luck with your quest.
HB
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LCRx 3” 357 if you want something you can shoot at 25 yards.
I carry a 642 with SWC reloads.
Black bears are not a realistic threat. Its more for dogs and meth heads.
You will regret bringing anything over J frame size backpacking. I am to the point where I don’t even bring a multitool.
I carry a 642 with SWC reloads.
Black bears are not a realistic threat. Its more for dogs and meth heads.
You will regret bringing anything over J frame size backpacking. I am to the point where I don’t even bring a multitool.
Ernie Bass
member
I hunt often in areas of Black Bears and have ran across many over the years. I also scout all year around. And in rough swampy terrain. A lot of walking. My go to gun has alway's been the same. A Ruger LCR9mm. But not for Bears but for any two legged creatures I might come across. I also place three moon clips in a water tight Pill Container. I do not need the extra weight, but the thought of being stranded that far in with a couple of bad guys, just makes it a habit.
I've got a Micro 9 and three Airweight 637-2 J-frames lightened to 12.5oz with titanium .357 magnum cylinders and center pins and converted to 9mm by TKC. I use the same ammo in both - 147gr jhp 9x19. I like the J-frames better. Slightly more powerful than the Micro 9 and a lot lighter.
sr1971
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I can say that the J-frame is plenty capable of 357 in the back country for animal defense. Here's my 360 snubby in .357. Airweight frame smooth stainless cylinder, ditched the brown banana for a set of NOS Siles grip. I have medium to large hands and full house rounds shoot POI out of this guy. Palmetto has them under $600 now. I paid not quite $500 after transfer and tax if my memory is correct.
for a lightweight centerfire hiking revolver i endorse the s&w 442/642 j frame 38sp snubbie. in a small platform 38+p is the most oomph that i can handle and still have a prayer of hitting my target, but i normally carry wadcutters. i like the enclosed hammer design to keep out gunk and debris. without a single action option, if i need more luck hitting a small target i carry shotshells.
if rimfire suffices then a s&w 317 is my hiking choice. i can fit three 22lr speedstrips in a semiauto pistol holster’s front mag pouch, for a total of 38 rounds easily carried on my waist. for me, a huge advantage of carrying a 22lr revolver is the low weight of extra ammo. i would rather be hiking out awhile with an extra 50 round box of 22lr in my pack than contemplating lugging an extra 50 round box of centerfire ammo; easy choice for me since i’m not venturing out several nights into apex predator turf.
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pairof44sp
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May I politely disagree? I love Charter Arms and have 6 of them. But I recently bought a couple of 642s for roughly the same price, and when I compared them to my Charters, I just laughed.
The quality on the Smiths was so much higher than the Charters, that I’d say double the price would be reasonable. Yet the Smiths were only $14 more, and actually came out cheaper with the free shipping.
cluttonfred
Member
Yup, there is something to be said for volume bringing the price down. The 642/442 are probably the most popular revolver of the last decade or two and you can find new ones on sale and lightly used ones for good prices when there isn't a pandemic going on.
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
It is heavier than most suggested guns here but I would carry my S&W 65, formerly a 3" gun, now with a 4" standard barrel from a 64. Target trigger and hammer. Heavy enough for 180gr LRNFPGC loaded to a bit hotter than regular but not +p. I have posted pic of this elsewhere here on THR. It is also cut for moonclips.
Hondo 60
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S&W Airweights will do fine for you.
A model 37 or 38 (blue) - Used
or 442 (642 is stainless.) - New
silvermane_1
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tubeshooter
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Given the parameters, I think I would go with a Smith model 637. This is a scenario where having a hammer for a single action capability is desirable, and I would rather have the true full hammer than what you get on the Bodyguard/"humpback" models. Yes, you can go even lighter for more $, but there is a point of diminishing returns IMO...
A Ruger LCRx would work too, especially in .357 - but seems harder to find out in the wild.
If you can live with the weight of an all-steel gun, that opens up the options quite a bit. My recommendation is based on likely threats being two-legged and is not ideal for bear encounters. I think we all can agree that .38 Special is marginal at best for bear.
A Ruger LCRx would work too, especially in .357 - but seems harder to find out in the wild.
If you can live with the weight of an all-steel gun, that opens up the options quite a bit. My recommendation is based on likely threats being two-legged and is not ideal for bear encounters. I think we all can agree that .38 Special is marginal at best for bear.
pairof44sp
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That’s the first gun I ever lusted after. Never did buy it (yet).
This makes me nervous; have you found it to be an issue:
pairof44sp
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pairof44sp
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I just bought my first 642s and I’m trying to avoid that thing that happens to the finish. Anything special I should do, or just live with it?
Blue Brick
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Renaissance wax will protect better than anything else I found. Found it a bit too late for my 638, as the finish on the back of the grip started to flake a bit.
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