Full-size .357 for small handed shooters

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TMann

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I am looking to purchase a full-size (K-frame or larger) .357 for range and maybe HD use. Unfortunately, I have small hands and have a hard time shooting some of the larger handguns.

Which full-size revolvers are relatively small in the grip area? Which ones are larger than average?

Thanks in advance for any advice that may be offered. :D

TMann
 
The L-Frame 586/686 S&W revolvers are full size and have the K-Frame grip. The frame is larger and stronger than the K-Frame revolvers. If the normal grips on the 586/686 revolvers are too thick for your hands, try finding a set of "Magna" grips for a K-Frame. They are the older style grips that follow the contour of the grip frame without adding the bulk of the larger grips. You can often find them at gun stores second hand for a few dollars as many people have up-graded to the fuller grips.

To see if they'll work for you, go to your local gun stores and see if they have any used older S&W Model 10 or Model 15 .38 Specials. Good luck.
 
What issue do you have? do you have issues with the girth of the grip, or the front to back distance to the trigger?

I was having issues shooting an N frame and was having issues with this. on wide recommendation, i tried a set of Pachmayrs which actually made the problem worse since they were smaller around, but longer front to back.

What i wound up with was a set of target grips that leave the backstrap exposed since i realized I needed something shorter front to back, but bigger around.

That's why I say you need to try some out and figure out what the root issue is, instead of just "too big". You really do have to have absolutely tiny hands to not be able to shoot a large revolver with the correct for you grips.
 
Have you looked at a Ruger SP101? It's larger and has more mass than a Smith j-frame; however, it's not quite as big as a K-frame. I enjoyed shooting my 3" with 158gr .357 Magnum loads. I did not like shooting hot-rod 125gr, though.

FWIW, I have small hands and shoot a GP100, a Smith model 15 (k-frame .38 Special), and a Ruger Blackhawk.

Q
 
Your best bet is to find a decent Ruger Security-Six. The square-butt is comfortable for small hands, though you can get a Speed-Six with round-butt, and that's one sweet gun.

If your hands are abnormally small, you can spend two minutes on a grinder and fit a round-butt to a Security-Six (which I did just out of preferance, but I wouldn't do it with a 6-incher). The Ruger has the benefit of being stronger, easy to field strip, and of having oversized parts. The stainless hammers and triggers (unlike S&W's MIM hammers and triggers) slick up on their own, just by dry snapping.

The S&W 686 is another wonderful choice and is arguably the best production .357 ever made. Here in Maryland I posted an ad offering to swap a mint 629 .44 mag for a mint 686 and didn't get one taker. The 686 is one of those guns (like the Security-Six) that most people just don't want to get rid of.

The 686 also comes in a 7-shot configuration, which I don't know a whole lot about. I'd look into one of those, too, if I were shopping for a .357.

Finally, and this is just my opinion, the .357 is the greatest handgun caliber of all time. I'd steer clear of the Tauruses, though.

RugerSecurity-Six4_inch_2.gif

The Ruger Security-Six can be fitted with round-butt after just a minute or two of grinding.
 
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Considering the way the grips are mounted on a Ruger GP-100, with a set of custom grips you could accomodate some very small hands.
 
I would suggest shooting several of the guns mentioned at a range to get an idea not only on the grip but the balance of the gun as it relates to you. I have small hands too. I have a Smith and Wesson model 66 4 inch and a Ruger Police Service Six 4 inch. They feel the best gripping them and the balance is great for all around shooting. I shoot mostly 38 specials and occasionally 357s in them. Now I am going to confuse you. My best revolvers for shooting 357s is my Smith and Wesson model 28 4 inch and my Smith and Wesson 686. These two soak up recoil better. But they don't feel as balanced and are heavy for me. But the weight does pay off shooting 357s only. Its a matter of whether you intend to shoot mostly 38 and 38+Ps or do you want to learn to shoot 357s all the time. When I shoot 357s I usually take my 28 or my 686. When I am going to shoot 38s then I will take the lighter 66 and Ruger Service Six.
Good luck, and I hope I did not confuse you,
roaddog 28
 
Round butt S&W K or L frame. Since c. 1995 they have all been round butt anyway, and the L frame was designed from the outset to be the same size (in the grip frame) as a K. Then select grips that do not, or only minimally, cover the backstrap. Honorable mentions: Ruger "-Sixes", or the GP100 with the smaller, round-butted grip.
 
S&W, Ruger, Colt....none have the ability to be fitted with the absolute smallest grip size simply due to the frame design. That distinction belongs to the Dan Wesson, period. No "partial" grips; no exposed backstraps...simply get a block of wood and cut it to any shape you want. You can almost use a drilled out mop handle if you felt the need.
 
My wife shoots a 6" Ruger GP100 with older style "fixed sight" grips (same size as SP101) and loves it. She has very small hands and tried everything in medium frames from S & W and Colt and settled on this combo as the one that fits.
 
Smaller grips

TMann

That's the beauty of the wheelgun. You can get grips to fit. If you find you have trouble with big grips many, many people make smaller grips. I have 2 that might help you out. these pix are of 2 'K' frames. The grips are exactly the size of the grip frame, front & back straps are exposed. I find them a bit hard to hold on to in the .357, great on the .22. (They roll in my hand under recoil) They may fit you better.

These are square butt guns, the round butts are slightly smaller. (nice grips @ Smith & Wesson's website for those) As has been noted before, the same grips fit K, L, & X frames.

IMGP3229 a.jpg


If you find a deal on a 'N' frame don't rule it out because the grip frame is bigger. You can get the same type of grips for them. My N frame grip frame is only about 0.1" larger (front to back) than these K frames. Just enough that the grips won't interchange.

Happy shooting.
 
Thanks for all of the great responses. In answer to a question by thinkster, the problem that I have with some handguns is the distance from the backstrap to the trigger. On some guns, this distance is just too long, especially when you're shooting DA. The range that I shoot at has a number of full-size revolvers to rent; unfortunately, most of them are fitted with rubberized Hogue grips. Those grips are great for soaking up recoil, but because they cover up the backstrap, they make it harder for reach the trigger.

I suppose that the best approach would be to go find a gunshop that has some older revolvers for sale, and try out some that have the smaller wood grips. I guess that that is one definite advantage that revolvers have over semi-autos: it is much easier to adapt a revolver grip to fit ones hands than it is a semi-autos grip.

TMann
 
I really have no idea the reach difference between K and N frames, but i do know that my SP101 has a longer trigger reach and reset than a K frame. If you dig around online there's a chart of reach distances for various common revolver frames, i just don't know where to find it right now.

Trying really is your best option, but also realize this. even with an exposed backstrap, a large pistol like an N frame or 4"+ K frame won't recoil much with .357 since they just weigh so much. Unless you're terribly recoil sensitive, don't worry about covering the backstrap on a K frame and just don't even think about it on an N frame.

As for not discounting an N frame since the grip area is hardly larger than a K frame, this is very true. I have a pre-27 that I picked up that had K frame grips on it when i bought it. someone just went in there with a grinder of some sort and opened the grips up on the inside, leaving the backstrap and rear of grips in the correct spot.

If you can handle the K/L/X grip, you can handle the N grip. However, K's and L's are more common and cheaper than any .357 N, but neither will suck up recoil like an N frame.

There really are a lot of variables to consider besides just grip area before running out and investing in a fullsize revolver.
 
DWFan said:
S&W, Ruger, Colt....none have the ability to be fitted with the absolute smallest grip size simply due to the frame design.
Click to expand...
The Ruger GP100, with a "stud" grip frame as shown in this illustration, does.

gp100dia.jpg
 
Dan Wesson M15-2 schematic from Numrich Arms. Note the grip stud size:
 

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