.357 Choice, Part II

[Confederate]

Life on Earth will cease to exist as you know it on Tuesday at 3:57 p.m. You will be flown to a small log cabin out in the middle of nowhere with an adequate source of food, a good woman, a dog, a woodburning stove, axe, knives, other tools, 10,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, an autographed copy of Ann Coulter's Godless and Elmer Keith's Hell, I Was There. Oh yes, and a new .357 magnum and a new .44 magnum (both revolvers) with your choice of grips. I'll kick in a Ruger 10/22 rifle and a Mark II pistol because I'm a nice guy and, well, because this isn't real.

Your choice of .357s are these and no others:

1. Ruger Security-Six 6-inch barrel.
2. Ruger Security-Six 4-inch barrel.
3. Ruger GP100 6-inch
4. Ruger GP100 4-inch
5. Smith & Wesson 686 6-inch
6. Smith & Wesson 686 4-inch
7. Smith & Wesson 66 6-inch
8. Smith & Wesson 66 4-inch
9. Colt Python 6-inch
10. Colt Python 4-inch

The .44 magnum choices:

A. Smith & Wesson 629 6-inch
B. Ruger Redhawk 7-inch

Warning: Anyone selecting a gun not on this list will have their woman replaced with Rosie O'Donnell and their copy of Elmer Keith's Hell, I was There! with a copy of Osama bin Laden's Hell, I was There!

Please explain why your choices.

 

[461]

4" GP-100 and Redhawk. For outdoors I'd normally choose a 6" but since you gave the 7" as your Redhawk choice then I went with an easier carry.

For the .44Mag I would have gone with a single action but that was not an option.

 

[.38 Special]

I'm still picking the 4" 66, and I'll take the 629 as well. Why? Because Ruger double actions are almost as ugly as Ann Coulter's thoughts.

 

[lawboy]

It is hard to play by your rules, but that is the fun of it, so I am going to try.
First, does the 10,000 rounds include rimfire ammo? I hope not! I'd need about 20,000 rounds of that alone!

Okay, okay, enough stalling.
I'd take the 6-inch GP100 and the 6-inch 629.
I selected 6 inches for both barrels because, given the surroundings, there is no need nor desire for concealing the guns when out and about. The 6-inch length take adequate advantage of the 357 and 44 ballistics, tames recoil, provides a good sight radius, and is not too hard to carry in a hip or thigh holster.

Now, what I personally would find more interesting, is detailed info. on what the assortment of ammunition would be. I would opt for all cast bullet loads myself. I'd want 44 ammo using bullets dropped from LEE's 310 44 mould. I'd want some cast hard and some cast soft. I'd also want bullets cast medium from Lyman's 429244 mould with gas checks. I could do all work required with a 44 using those three bullets. I'd load them all over 20 grains of W296.

In the 357 I'd want 168-grain LSWCGC bullets cast medium hard and loaded over 14 or 15 grains of 2400. I'd also want 148-grain wadcutters loaded in 38 special cases over 2.5 of bullseye powder.

In the rimfires, I'd require only one load, a good 40-grain lead bullet AT STANDARD VELOCITY. About 20,000 rounds of it.

If I could not have my custom Ruger Bisely 44 with 4-5/8 barrel, and my Dan Wesson M15-2 with 4, 6, 8-inch barrels, a supply of lead and all of my own casting equipment, I'd take the above and I would not pout too much!

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

Now what generation S&W's are we talking here? If it's of the older generation(before "improvements" such as the Klinton-hole and MIM parts) I'd probably go for 686(either bbl length since I'd rather have a 5") and the 629. If we're talking newer, Ruger GP-100 and Redhawk.

 

[Hook686]

I'd go for the S&W 686-6" and the S&W 629-6-1/2", simply because I shoot both well, manageable recoil, good sight radius and minimal maintenance.


Have you ever noticed how some folks can't just answer the question, but seem to rather prefer modifying, changing, adjusting, or otherwise avoid a simple, specific answer. This must drive LEO's absolutely nuts.

 

[rem1187a]

too easy

i have the gp100 6" and the 10/22 so toss me the redhawk and away i go.

 

[.41Dave]

OK, if my 686 can be a 686 Mountain Gun, then I'd take a 4" 686 and 6" 629. If I can't have a 686 in the Mountain Gun flavor, I'll take the 4" 66 and the 6" 629. The 4" 686 MG or 66 for relatively lightweight carry and the 629 for hunting deer and such, since in this scenario we were evidently unable to bring a centerfire rifle. Rugers are good, but I know the inner workings of S&Ws far better than I know the guts of Rugers.

 

[rem1187a]

and by the way,where can we sign up for this?got 2 of the guns and the dog,just need the cabin and good woman. oh wait its one of those hypothetical things.....thought it sounded to good to be true.

 

[svtruth]

Already have

the 6" GP-100 (w red dot sight) the Red Hawk, and the 10/22. Would like to add two carbines in .44 and .357.

 

[Brian Williams]

4" 66
trade the 44 for a 6" 686


Then since I am the last guy there, I would swap them into Blue steel and wood. Make them a 19 and a 586

 

[up_onus]

well, because I'm certain I would be hunting...
6 inch .44 - more accurate and more power because of the added barrel length. All choices for the 44 are fine
Aint gunna hunt big game with a rimfire....
and gunna kill a mountain lion or bear with a .357 or a .22.....
done!

 

[Confederate]

Hmmm. Strange that no one took the Security-Six with a 6-inch barrel. That would have been my choice. I also would take the Redhawk because, in an area where gun parts are not available, I'd want something I knew could take indefinate use and pounding. So which one of these is less likely to fail or be damaged in a drop? Which one is less likely to go out of time?

The Security-Six is robust enough to last, it's easier to carry, it's easier to line up quickly on a close target like a bear or cougar and it was designed to be a field gun and not a range gun.

Can't wait to find out which woman you'd take! I dibs Amanda Tapping!

 

[DogBonz]

Python

I'd still take the Python, bit the 6" this time. For the 44 I'd take the smith.

 

[Smurfslayer]

<sniff>

hmm... that smells like bait...

</sniff>

but it sure looks tasty... and it's wiggling around in the water. Oh what the heck...

686 4" Miculek grips. I'm not buying the life as we know it being over so I want something I can get into action quick.

Adequate food supply? "enough" never is.

629 6" w/ Hogue rubber monogrip. In case I need something to hunt with or for critter defense.

Why? I'm still haunted by images of Bill Ruger testifying in front of Congress on how I don't need and was not worthy of more than 10 round magazines. POS.

And I generally like the fit and action of the smith better.

My few pieces of eight.

 

[TallPine]

Any of the guns will be fine, but I want to know more about this "good woman" that you are promising?

 

[Black Knight]

I love my 6 inch Python but for this I would go with the 6 inch S&W 686 and the 6 inch S&W 629. Same operation as far as how to open the cylinder for loading, unloading, and reloading.

 

[Kurt]

I won't fly so my choice is moot. However an acquaintance at work gave me his feelings about this so I thought I'd share it.

First, in this exercise it looked like the .44 would be the hunting option and the .357 the defensive one. Since he is gay and doesn't like to read he didn't mind those penalties for going off the list.

He said his .357 choice would be a S&W Model 65 with a 3-inch barrel. I would concur with him as it is a near-perfect choice in that role anywhere above the snubby class. It's more powerful, packable and ergonomic than most others on the list, and that's important here.

We both also agreed on the Redhawk ... due to long-term reliability issues.

 

[Gelicious]

686 4'' barrel. Because I own one and love it to death!

 

[Stinger1]

Sounds all good . . . When do I leave? I'll take the 4" Python and the 7" Redhawk. Thanks for the grip options too. I hope the middle of nowhere has a river or lake.

RC

 

[DC3-CVN-72]

I'm going with the S&W 686-6in. .357 Mag. and the and the Redhawk-7in. .44 Mag.

 

[MCgunner]

4" security six because of strength and carry weight.

Redhawk, no question.

Warning: Anyone selecting a gun not on this list will have their woman replaced with Rosie O'Donnell

Hmm, maybe I could trade the beeeoch to .38 Special for Ann Coulter. MMMmmmmm.....yummy......Of course, Rosie'd pass away with a heart attack at the first sight of that 7" long..........barrel on the Redhawk. Antigun liberal twat.

 

[sm]

OLDer Revolvers please.

Model 66 4" for the .357



Oh and I cannot wait until the ladies on this forum reply.
You do realize some actually CCW .357 , .41 and .44 mags -with full house loads.
Yeah, you stepped in it all right.

 

[Confederate]

Going with the Model 66 would be a mistake, SM. Not only is it not as robust as the Ruger Security-Six, but I understand Rosie doesn't like the 66 -- and you know how Rosie is about things she doesn't like.

The 66 could get thrown out of time in less than 5,000 rounds of magnum ammo, so I didn't include it on the list. [Note: SM was right, I did include it. Just shows you what old age can do!] But I LOVE the 66-1 just the same. I also love the 629.

The Smith 65 is nixed for the same reason. A Speed-Six in 3-inch barrel will take far more pounding, though it isn't as beautiful. I'd love a 64 or 65 in 4-inch.

 

[sm]

The 66 could get thrown out of time in less than 5,000 rounds of magnum ammo, so I didn't include it on the list.

Confederate wrote Post #1:
8. Smith & Wesson 66 4-inch

It is all good.
Actually I would prefer a Model 19 , or K frame , 3" RB HB for a revolver.

Desert Island:
I would prefer a
Bone stock Gov't Model of 1911 , proven in all sorts of climates and conditions, a tool unto itself and easy to maintain. I mean these do run 100,000 rds ....

Just a "what if" I know still...why re-invent the wheel?