OMG! how do you guys do it???

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starplayer

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A few days ago I created the thread that asked the revovler community on THR about what ya'll thought about the SW 360PD..

anways, i'm looking for a pocket gun and even though I shoot IDPA, I have never shot a revolver in my life (yeah.. laugh it up). So I went to the range today and rented the 360PD scandium .357 and shot the 38specials out of it. My groupings were suprisingly accurate on the single action shots, putting out 2 inch groups 30-35 feet.. and with a slow pull, I did the same 2 inch groups around 25-30 feet on D.A.

anyway, so I bought some .357 full loads 155grain I think.. and uh.. it hurt.

I could only do about 15 rounds, and that was it. groupings weren't as good.. so I guess I'll be loading the 360pd with 38+p's..

anyway, does it break your wrist too?
 
You do kinda get used to it. Maybe you just tear up your wrist enough that it doesnt quite hurt as much. I actually think its unhealthy to fire too any full-house loads out of a pistol like that in one sitting. You wont get more devestating effect out of a smaller package than the .357 snubbie, but your paying a price for it.
 
I think you could do better by strengthening you wrist with 5 shots from the S&W 500. Infact why not just buy 5 20 round boxes of the 500 and shoot them all within 10 minutes. heck it'll only cost you $150 for the ammo. Just think of the strngth you'll gain in your arms.
 
so I guess I'll be loading the 360pd with 38+p's..
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You could save about $300 and just get an Airweight .38. 3 or 4 ounces heavier is no big deal.

Also, out of a snubbie I think the .357 is kinda neutered anyway ballistically. There is some really good .38+P defense ammo on the market now that narrows the gap too. ;)
 
Also, out of a snubbie I think the .357 is kinda neutered anyway ballistically. There is some really good .38+P defense ammo on the market now that narrows the gap too.
Click to expand...

Considering that snubbies are supposed to be used at really close range (3-10 feet), do not discount the effect on the perpetrator of the fireball and the sonic blast. :)

miko
 
Ditto on the save yourself some bucks and pick up a 642,442 or 640 or 638. They are way light enough for all the time pocket carry. Heck a model 60 is actually just fine for pocket carry and all are much more pleasurable to shoot.
 
Yup.the exotic (scan and ti ) metal .357 guns are a handfull. I shoot a fair bit of pistol, lots of it revolver. I even have a 2 3/4" 629 that kinda gets your attenion when you cut loose. I just plain don't like the super light weight snubbies . My every day carry is a S&W 642-1 , this is the airweight (aluminum frame) 5 shot 38 snubby . This gun is on the edge of being unpleasant with 38+p loads,I don't want a gun that is about the same weight shooting .357's. I don't much care for the price of the exotic metal guns also. I have a S&W 686 in a 2 1/2" that is a reasonable gun in .357 if I feel the need for that level of power .
Power is a plus in a self defence weapon, but if it messes up my ability to hit my target,and certainly slows down my ability to hit it repeatedly, I think I am better served with the less powerfull gun in this case.
Something everyone needs to decide for themselves

If I thought I was going to get into a gunfight I would carry a AR15 or a 12ga. (or stay home)Anything else I might carry is going to be a compromise!
 
First I would say drop the scandium frame. I have a S&W 637 in .38 +P and it is not so bad. Mine is the Airweight model with the aluminum frame, but if you want .357, I would go with a steel frame. The extra carry weight on a steel snubbie is not that much, but it'll make a noticeable difference on your wrist.
 
dollar an hour says:

Also, out of a snubbie I think the .357 is kinda neutered anyway ballistically. There is some really good .38+P defense ammo on the market now that narrows the gap too.

my question is.. in your opinion, whats your best choice for a good .38+P defense round??? I'm really interested in this! Thanks!
 
Basically you mess around with grips a lot, 'till you find ones that fit the revolver and your hand perfectly, and you practice a lot with mild .38's, train your body to ignore the recoil, practice practice practice... It's a lot of work to get to where you want to be with a small revolver. That's the price you pay for proficiency with an airweight snub type. If I slack off taking mine to the range twice a week, I drop off in skill with it pretty quickly. IMHO, that's just how they are, a lot more carry friendly than shooting friendly.
 
Right on Wolf! I sighted a buddies 360 PD in with 180 grain ammo for 'bear defense'and one cylinder full was enough for me!
 
My daily primary carry is a 340PD. The most I can handle out of it is the Speer Gold Dot 135gr Short Barrel +P. 158gr LSWCHPs are a bit much and full power 357 aren't controllable for me.

I'm not certain I completely buy the argument that in a real life and death situation you won't notice the recoil. Try as I might, I can't simply control the 340PD fast enough nor accurately enough to my satisfaction. 38+P I can, but not 357.
 
Think the .357 is bad? Try those crazy guys who shoot .480 linbaugh .577 snyder etc out of handguns. Heck there was even a .50 BMG handgun pic on here once.

SW
 
An old Grey Beard speaks...

Find a gun you can shoot predictably, accurately, and comfortably, then find a way to carry and conceal it.

You may not feel the recoil during a serious social encounter, but you ain't gonna turn into superman for 10 seconds either!! If you can't shoot it in practice, you won't shoot it better under stress.

Dress to the gun, not the other way around.
 
starplayer - I answered your other post & advised that you might want to take a look at the M442, M642, M637 or M638 instead.

As the others have stated, these guns are all chambered for .38SPL +P. They weigh 15oz, only 3oz more than the 360PD you are looking at. They retail for about 50% of the 360PD.

I think you were smart in renting a 360PD & giving it a tryout with .357MAG loads. If you've decided you would load & carry .38SPL +P, then you really owe it to yourself to look at the guns above chambered in that caliber. The money saved would buy a lot of ammo, or a range memebership, etc.
 
+1 Iggy
Only the hits count. DOdiscount the muzzle blast, flash and noise. A hit with a .22 in infinitely better than a miss with a .500 S&W. .357s out of a snubbie are miserable to practice with.
 
One thing you have to watch out for in an airweight magnum is bullets jumping crimp under recoil.

Honestly, I fired a 12oz scandium snubby with a .38 +P round, and that was snappy enough. I don't think, with a .357, unless you get it ported, you're going to be able to make fast enough follow up shots. I think it'd handicap your firing speed to the point where I'd go with the weight of a steel gun. For an airweight belly gun, a .38 is fine. For a magnum carry revolver, I'd personally go with a steel frame and a 3" barrel. Model 60 and Ruger SP101 come to mind.
 
Yup.the exotic (scan and ti ) metal .357 guns are a handfull. I shoot a fair bit of pistol, lots of it revolver. I even have a 2 3/4" 629 that kinda gets your attenion when you cut loose. I just plain don't like the super light weight snubbies .
Click to expand...

Ditto that. If I do get a .357 small frame gun, it will most definitely be a Ruger SP101. At least I'll be able to shoot it without wrist damage.

The little unobtainium 12 ounce guns are great with .38s in 'em for lots of carry and little shooting. But, I don't even consider 'em for full house .357s. I shoot a 15 ounce Taurus M85UL aluminum frame gun and it carries well, shoots fine with .38s. I'd have no desire at all for a magnum version. The 25 ounce or so heft of the SP101 eliminates it from pocket duty in my book, but hey, at least I can shoot the thing. I prefer carrying a snub IWB anyway even in pants that have big enough pockets and I prefer 3"+ barrels on .357s. Shorter barrels just don't offer enough power advantage for all the flash, bang, recoil they have, personal preference I guess. They do hit harder, just not enough harder than a good .38+P for me to consider one. A compact 9 with +P or +P+ ammunition can give a .357 snub a run for its money in velocity and energy and is much easier to shoot. That's why I like my 14 ounce Kel Tec so much, 11 rounds of 400 ft lbs +P power, accurate, reliable, and hammer concealed DAO, and it don't have the flash/bang/recoil of a full house .357 load out of a 2" gun. For me, the 9mm compacts like my KT just make more sense. I know, you guys are going to bring up reliability, but I NEVER have problems with reliability. I've had that gun 9 years now and it's never jammed on ammo it likes. I do maintain it, though. I have loaded the mags more'n once in 9 years. To use an auto, you have to attend to it now and then. It can't be neglected and expected to be 100 percent reliable when you need it, dust bunnies in the bore and such. :rolleyes:

For pocket carry, autoloaders are smaller, in 9mm just about as effective as a snubbie .357, carry more firepower, and are easier to shoot than a snubbie .357. In the unlikely event you might need a reload, I ain't too great with speed loaders...:banghead:
 
How do I do it? I don't, I got an SP-101 and shoot any .357mag load out there with no problem, the few ounces you're shaving are what is giving you a gun that is uncontrollable for most folks and causes a whole lot of shooting problems. Flinches, slow follow ups, fear of what's about to blow up in your hand, etc. I gave them up years ago.
 
Here's my $.02. Any gun that is uncomfortable to shoot will not get much practice time and practice is the key to good shooting, especially in a self-defense situation. Find a gun that you can shoot comfortably and dump the scandium guns.
 
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