357 Magnum as you're ccw

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Having owned both 2&3/4" service or speed six (don't remember which but it had adjustable rear sight which was unusual for magnum with barrel of this length) and G29 I can tell you with certainty that plastic framed pistol was by far a better choice. I have one revolver in 9x19, but if I was to buy another it would be either .22lr, .44Magnum or larger for hunting. I can honestly say I would not want anything else in revolver category.
 
My daily carry has been a S&W 66 about 30 yrs. or so. I started with a 66-2 snubby, until I bought a 66-5 snub back around 2006 I think. Both of those have had thousands of jacketed full tilt magnums (H110 / 296) loads run through them with not problems what so ever.

The bulk of what I load and shoot are 140's or 158's, but both have had been fed plenty of 125's and even 110's also, all H110 / 296 loads. Maybe it's because I only load and shoot jacketed, or that I keep the FC's and barrels very clean, that I haven't had any problems. But regardless, I have a very high regard for the M66 as being a well built range capable revolver.

But I also carry my +P 38's at times, and sure shoot a lot of those as well. I have absolute confidence in 125 gr. XTP's with a stout charge of Longshot for SD carry.

GS
 
PabloJ said:
Having owned both 2&3/4" service or speed six (don't remember which but it had adjustable rear sight which was unusual for magnum with barrel of this length) and G29 I can tell you with certainty that plastic framed pistol was by far a better choice. I have one revolver in 9x19, but if I was to buy another it would be either .22lr, .44Magnum or larger for hunting. I can honestly say I would not want anything else in revolver category.
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With an adjustible rear sight, it would be a Security-Six.

Security-Six=Adj sight, square butt
(Police) Service-Six=Fixed sight, square butt
Speed-Six=Fixed sight, round butt.
 
I didn't ask for snark I asked what you base your opinion on. Climb down from the attitude and let's have a conversation. No one is attacking you. All I asked for is your reasoning behind your opinion.

I'll be glad to give mine.
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I already stated the reasoning:

38 Special, even in +P form, is weaker than a 9mm which I consider to be already bare minimum for a pistol ammunition fired from something other than a sub-compact.
 
38 Special, even in +P form, is weaker than a 9mm which I consider to be already bare minimum for a pistol ammunition fired from something other than a sub-compact.
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Okay, I'll address the "anything, but a subcompact" remark. My Kel Tec pushes a 115 grain XTP through the screens at 1263 fps/410 ft lbs. My P85 pushes it over 1300 IIRC around 1320 for 440 ft lbs. Not a lot of difference there. The faster powder the 9 loads is very efficient in short barrels.

Now, 9 is more powerful than .38, but hey, 10mm is more powerful than 9 and .44 magnum is more powerful than either. So what? Your opinion is not MY opinion of what is minimum level of protection. Hell, in some circumstances where I need maximum concealment, I carry a .22 magnum mini revolver. It's very accurate and I know how to carry, deploy, and shoot it.

I do like 9mm pocket autos. That Kel Tec is like carrying a service auto in a pocket. 14 ounces unloaded, 11 rounds on tap (I never sprung for the 12 round mags), 3.5" at 25 yards off the bench, powerful, and easy to shoot well (for me). But I don't make blanket minimums. What I carry out of my meager collection is based on need for concealment. Most days I'm in a revolver mood, so it's a .38 special in my pocket, not the 9. I carried the 9 constantly when I lived in the big city, though, more apt to need the firepower, not because of any energy figures it had over the .38. The .38 fires a bigger bullet, 158 grains of bullet. It penetrates well despite the numbers. It does rather well on hogs, so does my 9 and my .357 and my .45ACP. The .22 mag requires a head shot, but if it's all I can carry comfortably, it beats nothing. When I'm at work, my firearm must not be detectable.

But, everyone has their own opinion. Mine's just different from yours and my concealment requirements are likely different. You don't mind carrying a large frame auto all day, more power to ya.
 
Is there any way a moderator can modify/correct the title of this thread? The you're-for-your error is driving me nuts every time this thread ends up on top.
 
This is not very difficult assuming we compare loads within the same product line from a manufacturer.* I choose the Speer Gold Dot line since I use those cartridges. All velocities are taken at the muzzle.

My Glock 19 shoots a 124 grain Gold Dot JHP at 1,150 FPS. Speer lists their 125 grain Gold Dot JHP 38 Special +P at 945 FPS. They list the 125 grain JHP in 357 Magnum at 1,450 FPS. The 495 FPS difference is very significant. Since they're identical except for the one grain difference in bullet weight, I would rate the 357 Magnum load first, 9x19mm load second and the 38 Special +P load third. All three loads will kill; the difference is in the odds that the attack will stop as close to immediately as possible given proper bullet placement.
 
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Okay, I'll address the "anything, but a subcompact" remark. My Kel Tec pushes a 115 grain XTP through the screens at 1263 fps/410 ft lbs. My P85 pushes it over 1300 IIRC around 1320 for 440 ft lbs. Not a lot of difference there. The faster powder the 9 loads is very efficient in short barrels.
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I never said 9mm is ineffective in sub-compact.

I said 9mm minimum for larger than sub-compact, because I need sub-compact pistols that fit in a pocket too small for 9mm sub-compact.

Now, 9 is more powerful than .38, but hey, 10mm is more powerful than 9 and .44 magnum is more powerful than either. So what?
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I don't want to fire a 10mm or 44 magnum out of a 9mm size and weight pistol in regards to a combat pistol. No subject matter experts I know of do, or recommend doing, so either.

Your opinion is not MY opinion of what is minimum level of protection.
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I am explaining what I do, not what I expect you to do.

Hell, in some circumstances where I need maximum concealment, I carry a .22 magnum mini revolver. It's very accurate and I know how to carry, deploy, and shoot it.
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That's why I stated "something other than a sub-compact."

If your pistol can't handle the load, then it must use a weaker ammo. If 22 Magnum is what you need, then that's what you need.

I own and carry a 380ACP pistol too, but it is not because I particularly like the ammo. It is only because that's the only thing that would fit in my pocket.

But, if I carry a revolver large enough, like a 3 inch barrel GP100, I see no reason to compromise and go below what is commonly accepted as proven performance ammo while still the weakest among them: 9mm.
 
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Ya know . . . All this thread proves is that CCW & caliber is strictly a personal decision. Some will feel comfortable and well protected carrying a NAA in 22 Short. Whereas, others will feel nakid with anything less than a 9x19mm.

I used to be comfortable carrying a NAA in 22LR. Due to personal circumstances, I now carry a 357 Mag. Different strokes . . .
 
You know, my 20 ounce .357 magnum Taurus 605 Poly came with two grips. One's a two fingered boot grip and one's the full sized all fingers grip that is quite comfy with heavy loads other than it leaves my middle finger a little too exposed to the back of the trigger guard, but I have mostly practiced with .38 wadcutter loads in it and in the heat of a self defense scene, I won't be too worried about my middle finger. :D

BUT, with the boot grip on it, it's pocket sized just like my little snubby .38. However, owing to the recoil and control issues with full power .357, which is what I bought the gun to carry, anyway, I'm calling it a belt gun and carrying it IWB or OWB. This gun COULD be pocketed and I CAN shoot it with the boot grip, but I really wanted it to take weight off my belt from the 6 shot 3" M66 I'd been carrying. Helluva pocket revolver if you can handle it with that little grip, though.

I shot a friends 340pd Smith with a heavy magnum load once at the club range. It was not exactly a good range gun combination, put it that way. The Taurus is a good bit heavier, 8 ounces, and it helps, especially with that full grip. I'd like to try that 340 PD with a full Hogue grip, might be more manageable. I think that thing is TOO light, though, but especially with the boot grip he had on it.

Just a few on topic thoughts. Everyone has their own pain threshold. I never backed down from recoil, but that 340PD was close to backing me down. LOL
 
TestPilot said:
I already stated the reasoning:

38 Special, even in +P form, is weaker than a 9mm which I consider to be already bare minimum for a pistol ammunition fired from something other than a sub-compact.
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That's sound reasoning to form an opinion on. My opinion is that ft lbs of energy isn't the final say in effectiveness. I firmly believe that a 158gr slug tooling along at 38 velocities has no problem achieving adequate penetration to kill anything it needs to.

As "knockdown" power is a myth in handguns penetration and expansion is all that matters to me.
 
4" GP100
3" SP101
2" SP101
LCR

All carried regularly. Often with the LCR in the weakside front pocket and one of the others elsewhere.

All carrried with multiple spare speed strips of ammo.

All loaded with Remington Express 125 grain SJHP magnum loads.

That load is pleasant in the GP100, hurts like hell in the LCR.

Had occasion to empty the 3" SP101 at a gopher the other day. Even standing out in the open with no hard surfaces around to echo the noise, it was painful to the ears.

Makes me seriously hope I never have to touch one off inside, especially from the LCR's < 2" barrel.

I hope auditory exclusion is real:)
 
Ignoring the bickering, I'll answer the OP's question.

My EDC is an LCP .380. However, a 2.5-inch SP101 and a 3-inch GP100 both make it into the rotation depending on where I'm going and what I'm wearing. So yes, I often (if not always) carry a .357.
 
Yes, I do carry a .357 sometimes, but certainly not every day. S&W 13-3, 3" round butt. Great gun, very versatile.
 
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