What's your idea of the ultimate .357?

[sdb321]

My favorite caliber is .357 so I was very careful when I chose my revolver for the range. I chose the S&W 686 SSR. I had a very good smith do his deluxe action job on it and it is fantastic!!!! 9 pound 13 ounce double action trigger pull & smooth as "snot on a brass doorknob" !!!!! It is my ultimate .357.

 

[Dframe]

I've admired many fine 357s over the years, but My favorite will always be the Colt Python.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

So the votes for the 4" Security Six are piling up. Why did Ruger discontinue the Security Sixes anyway?

They were TOO well made, and expensive to make. As nice as the GP is, it was developed primarily to cut production costs.

Bill Ruger once stated they never made a dime on the Six-series, if you ever take one apart, you'll believe him too!

I love my 4" HB Sec.6 with the factory Big Grips, but it doesn't displace my 686 as my "ultimate'" lol.

 

[Indigo22]

I guess I'm on the other side of the spectrum. I like short barrels. Years ago my first .357 was a 4" Model 28 S&W, while my current and only revolver is a Ruger Police Service Six .357 with a 2 3/4" barrel. If I had need for a longer barreled firearm I'd choose a lever action carbine in .357 to pair with my revolver.

 

[chicharrones]

View attachment 800446
But, these 8 shot 627's are the ultimate.

I'd like one of the 627s myself. Particularly this one.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-model-627-1

 

[The Bushmaster]

I have a Mod 19 with 2 1/2" barrel and love it. The ultimate .357 magnum? Mod 19 recessed and pined with 4" barrel.

 

[shafter]

I think Ruger nailed it with the Security Six.

 

[357 Terms]

I'd like one of the 627s myself. Particularly this one.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-model-627-1

Love the gold bead front sight

 

[gotboostvr]

20161213_182453

• gotboostvr
• Jul 5, 2018

I've always been a fan of the M19 personally.

 

[CraigC]

I'm not a huge fan of the cartridge but I think the Old Model Blackhawk is one of the finest platforms for the cartridge extant.



A strong case could also be made for the new 5" half lug GP's. Like my .44Spl.

 

[tbob38]

My favorite caliber is .357 so I was very careful when I chose my revolver for the range. I chose the S&W 686 SSR. I had a very good smith do his deluxe action job on it and it is fantastic!!!! 9 pound 13 ounce double action trigger pull & smooth as "snot on a brass doorknob" !!!!! It is my ultimate .357.View attachment 800552

I got one of these not long ago and am liking it more and more. Still would rather shoot the 27-2.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Sorry, I know I've posted these pictures a bunch of times but for me it's this.

View media item 96View media item 95

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
I own a half dozen revolvers chambered in .357Magnum.
Three Ruger BlackHawks, two Colt Troopers and one S&W 686 Silhouette Model. I have thousands of rounds through each of them over the years.

I choose the 686 as the ultimate .357 revolver.

 

[BobWright]

I believe the ultimate .357 Magnum would be a medium framed Single Action, 7 1/2" barrel, flat topped with adjustable sights. Colt New Frontier of Ruger Flat Top.

Like this, longer barrel:



Yep, that's it.

Bob Wright

 

[Legionnaire]

I have no thoughts on what’s “ultimate.”

I like my Ruger GP100s ...

... and my SP101...

 

[silicosys4]

I'd have to say the pinnacle of .357 design in my opinion is 686+

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I believe the ultimate .357 Magnum would be a medium framed Single Action, 7 1/2" barrel, flat topped with adjustable sights. Colt New Frontier of Ruger Flat Top.

Like this, longer barrel:

View attachment 800579

Yep, that's it.

Bob Wright

That's a real looker Bob.

 

[I6turbo]

For me, the early 586 or 686. Between my two, the 686 gets the nod with its lightened springs and awesome smooth and light DA and SA pulls.

 

[jrmiddleton425]

I must disagree with the OP. There is one, and only one, .357 trademarked as "The .357 Magnum," and those are Smith & Wesson's Model 27-2 and earlier pinned barrel and recessed chamber mouth Magnums.

These, and no others, were the ones advertised by Douglas Wesson taking them afield to hunt moose and jaguar. It was that gun with an 8.75" barrel which Ed McGivern used for the 900-yard shooting photographed in Ed McGivern's Book of Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting.

Without the Model 27 and its predecessors, your Colt Pythons and Ruger Blackhawks would never have existed.

 

[entropy]

Without the Model 27 and its predecessors, your Colt Pythons and Ruger Blackhawks would never have existed.

....and the Corvette never would have existed if it hadn't been for the Model T.

For me, it is the Python. But this is mostly because I know how to keep one working smoothly. They are like Harleys in that regard, they must be maintained more frequently and meticulously than a Smith or a Ruger. For those who don't work on guns, or don't want to pay someone to, Rugers are built like tanks and even dropping a spring kit in makes the trigger better.

Like Walkalong, I am also partial to the Trooper MKIII, because that's what I started out with.

 

[Walkalong]

So the votes for the 4" Security Six are piling up.

Only because they are awesome guns.

 

[paulsj]

Only because they are awesome guns.

View attachment 800593

It was very well thought weapon down to the grips. The handling and balance in hand are excellent.

 

[357 Terms]

For me, it is the Python. But this is mostly because I know how to keep one working smoothly. They are like Harleys in that regard, they must be maintained more frequently and meticulously than a Smith or a Ruger. For those who don't work on guns, or don't want to pay someone to, Rugers are built like tanks and even dropping a spring kit in makes the trigger better.

Back I the day, when Harleys were less reliable (Panheads, Shovelheads) along with the comparatively fragile Pythons, that may have been true.
My Twin-cam Harley is 5 years old, has 65 thousand miles on it, doesn't leak a drop of oil, and runs like a champ. Definitely not the same product that was around when the Python was king.
Things have changed, and mostly for the better. Whether people want to admit it or not.

 

[JFrame]

I don't think I've found the ultimate .357 yet, because I can't find one that embodies the qualities of all of these in one piece...

 

[RA40]

My ultimate when I think about this was the Freedom Arms 353.

My experience has been pretty limited. Have shot some nice Pythons but the cost in those days was more than I could spend. Shot a PPC prepped slab side barreled S&W 686 and that hooked me. The owner of that PPC revolver relayed how much he liked the 5/686's and that was his suggestion to me. Would be nice to have one built up but for the type of shooter I am that level of built gun is meant for competition.

I have my 686 that is enjoyable. Has had the action worked over, cylinder timed, chamfered, ball detent installed on the yoke, glass bead finish, trigger stop, radiused polished trigger and shortened hammer spur. My aging eyes will bring about a RDS this winter. I've posted this in other threads.