What Round for a 2'' 357 snubby?

[stonecutter2]

Why is everyone talking about LIGHTWEIGHT snubbies. Did anyone other than wvshooter actually read the OP's post? He doesn't have a lightweight snubbie. His snubbie is all steel and quite built for it's size.

Chaplain, enjoy your snubbie. It's a nice piece. One thing you will need to pay attention to with that Rossi is the set screw on the right hand side of the frame. If you haven't already, loc-tite that guy in or it WILL come loose and get lost.

And there is no better stress removal perscription than a box of full house .357 magnum out of that pistol. It's a blast to shoot.

I responded with info on what I feed my S&W 19 2 1/2" barrel. The S&W Model 19 is not a lightweight snubby. It's all steel and is a K frame revolver.

 

[Deputy25]

I had occasion to use a 2" .357 to defend myself once. I was using 125gr magnums, I was indoors, and it worked as advertised.

 

[Kleanbore]

Posted by 357 Terms:bowling pins and IDPA are a far cry from self defense shootings. Sure its fun but competing and fighting are totally different, nobody shoots back.

Of course.

However, IDPA is intended to teach and develop the skills needed for self defense.

Specifically, the purpose is to develop the skills necessary to make very fast multiple hits on multiple targets, while moving. From that standpoint, there are very strong similarities, and if you cannot develop and practice those skills, you are at a disadvantage.

Further, as S&Wfan pointed out two years ago, your choice of weapon and load can put you at a disadvantage in IDPA-like shooting, and if it does that, it can put you at a disadvantage in a self defense encounter.

Now, that post was about those very light scandium J frames. The OP has a somewhat heavier revolver. Perhaps he could do better at pins and IDPA; I don't know.

Regardless, as S&Wfan also pointed out, "you don't need a .357". He is, of course, talking about civilian carry not involving animal encounters.

That seems to be very difficult for a lot of people to accept. Many of those of us who have never shot anyone, who may have shot water jugs, and who have read a lot of old books and articles, long assumed that the bigger the bang in one's hand, the better the results in a self defense encounter. I bought a .45 ACP pistol about a year and a half ago; everyone knows the legend and the folklore. Imagine my utter disbelief when posts started showing up stating that the .45 ACP isn't really all that more effective than a hot 9MM. The evidence seems to be pretty strong, however. What really got my attention, however, was Patrick Sweeney's comment that the reason the Army wanted a .45 at the turn of the last century was the need to take down horses. It had never occurred to me that the original Model 1911 was intended as a cavalry weapon!

So, unless one is using an anemic load, it comes down to how well he can shoot--not at the range in slow fire, but in something that resembles IDPA practice.

...practice and you can become proficient...

Until I took an advanced pistol course earlier this year, the only handgun shooting I had been regularly doing was at a target range; I looked at group size, and my speed in presentation, speed in moving from one target to another (essentially, same skill as need for tracking a moving target), and making extremely fast second and third shots remained untested and undeveloped. I was "proficient" at the range, but I didn't have the right skills. Thing is, I didn't know it.

I sure learned a lot from that experience. One thing was what to practice and how. Another was that some guns just don't meet my needs, either from the standpoint of "shootability" or capacity or both .

I heartily recommend that everyone try to attend something similar.

 

[Claude Clay]

ballisticsbytheinch.com has your answer.

125gr 38 +p is what i carry in a 2" revolver
velocity is the same as a 357. both are around 900 fps.
cylinder gap and chamber tightness means YMMV

 

[788Ham]

Chaplain,

I'm going to extend a heartfelt Thank You to you for your service. Please be safe until you hit the mainland !! Enjoy your .357, no matter how short it is, as short as you are in time also. OOHHRRAAHH !

 

[Walkalong]

Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel Ammunition 357 Magnum 135 Grain

Much easier to manage than full tilt boogie .357 ammo but with plenty of oomph. Plus you can buy the bullet and reload your own for cheaper practice.

 

[L-Frame]

I carry Buffalo Bore 158 +P 38's in my short barrel guns. Legitimate 1000 fps from a 2 inch barrel and 1100 fps from a 3". Recoil and noise is nowhere near full 125/158 magnum range but still delivers quite a punch from a heavy round.

 

[ironhead7544]

Thank you for your service. In the 357 snubbie I prefer the 110 grain 357 loads. Recoil is light compared to other loads and velocity is high enough for good bullet performance. Id pick the CorBon load as I have shot varmints with that bullet. Makes a nasty wound. The short barrel loads are probably good but I dont have any experience with them. Just my .02.

 

[Marvin KNox]

I've enjoyed and respected Mr. Camp's writings and thoughts over the years.
He has a few things to say about the .357 vs. .38spl. controversy.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38vs357snub.htm

I wanted just a little more from my snubs than the 38 offered. I didn't want to punish myself or cut my second and third shot capabilities down too much either. I went with these and have been very happy.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon 357 Magnum 125 gr DPX Ammo.htm

A couple of other options are found in this fine article by mister Camp.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/can_less_be_more.htm

There is an advantage to .357 over .38 spl. in a snub if you don't go too far with it. Pretty soon you cut down your accuracy because of recoil and also end up with a whole lot of wasted powder and muzzle flash IMO.

These seem to be right there on the threshhold for me and I'm a happy camper. I practice with any old .38sp. I have on hand.

I also have a reload that replicates the DPX close enough for practice and cost a lot less to shoot.

 

[joneb]

I just bought a 357 SS Rossi 6 shot revolver with a 2 inch barrel.

Is this a fixed sight gun ? I have found a considerable difference with POA and POI with different loads through my revolvers.

 

[orionengnr]

There is a lot of wisdom in post #34.
Stephen Camp is a very understated, yet very knowledgeable individual ...IMHO.

Go to his site, read a bit of what he says, and see if you agree. If not, I will certainly not be offended.
And (although I cannot speak for him) I doubt that he will be either.

Happy Thanksgiving, and best wishes to all.
Rich

 

[357 Terms]

Thanks for the links to those Camp articles KNox. Great info