Going back to a revolver for carry

[gym]

After somehow selling or trading of all my steel guns, other than my 1911, and long guns, I find myself somehow wanting a metal, non "tupperware", gun again for carry. I got a lead on a scandium 357 S&W 360PD. A guy wants to trade me for my M&P compact, but I am not sure I should do that. It is a more expensive gun, and a 357, but has some wear and marks, it was his carry ? I no longer have a revolver at all but still have ammo, accesories, holsters, cleaning kit, speed loader etc.
It is a 12 oz j frame, and I know many in here have, or had the gun at one time. Any advice on weather this is a good or bad idea. I always shot a snubby well, but going back to 5 rounds means a speedloader, or strip, at least. Keep the M&P 9c, or trade for the 357?

 

[twofifty]

How hard is it to effectively fire a 12oz 357mag j-frame?
I'm guessing regular practice isn't much fun.

 

[Willie Sutton]

I am carrying a J Frame Airweight now, and it's effortless compared to an autoloader. Just rock-simple, and effective enough. Mine is a .38, and you can of course just shoot .38's in a .357. In a snubbie it'll not make much difference stopping power-wise. I'd make the trade and enjoy.


Willie


.

 

[gym]

Yes that is true, they carry well, but unless you run 38's in them, they are heavy on the recoil. I figure it would only see 357's for carry, practice would be with 38 plus p or regular 38's. The generic type.

 

[rondog]

Just buy it if you can. If you trade for it you may wish you still had the other one someday. At least I usually do.

 

[243winxb]

38 Spec. - Only 5 Rounds with minimum stopping power

but going back to 5 rounds means a speedloader, or strip, at least.

Depends on how often you have needed more than the 5 rounds?

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Bruno2]

Terry (230RN) has one and he has some opinions about it. I don't know how familiar you are with Terry, but he is very knowledgeable about shooting and hand loading. I will send him a PM with a link to the thread.

 

[gym]

Thanks, maybe I should just pick up an airweight? but I always liked the idea of having the 357 available. I did carry a model 60 for over 20 yrs back in the 70's-90's

 

[doc2rn]

It's not about how much it weighs, I fired 2 rds out of one once and I abruptly put it down. My wrist ached for the next 3 days.

 

[MAKster]

The recoil on the scandium 357 magnums is intense. I suspect 90 percent of people who buy these guns fire one cylinder of 357 rounds and then permanently switch to 38 special.

 

[JShirley]

Even a 642 is not a lot of fun to shoot. A compact M&P 9mm would be as powerful, nearly as easy to carry, weigh almost as little, and be much more controllable and accurate.

I really "get" liking a revolver- I like them increasingly as I get older- but that's also partially because I'm less concerned about actually surviving. If you want a social purposes piece, the M&P is an infinitely better choice.

John

 

[Deaf Smith]

How hard is it to effectively fire a 12oz 357mag j-frame?
I'm guessing regular practice isn't much fun.

I pack my S&W 340SC 12 oz .357 all the time and I have it loaded with Cor-Bon DPX .357 loads.

Kick? Feels more like having your open hand hit with a ping pong paddle. Real good smack but not huge recoil like a .44 magnum.
The night sights work very very well, even in the daylight and the gun shoots dead on.

Yes my other carry gun is a Glock 26, and in the winter it is THE gun. But these hot Texas summers, with shorts and T-shirt, demand a more discreet gun. Hence the J S&W.

Oh, and I practice weekly with a S&W 642 to keep my hand in and stay used to heavy recoil.

Deaf

 

[oneounceload]

I can guarantee you that you will fire one, and only one, 357 through a lightweight gun before you decide that 38 is plenty or you sell the gun.

Want to shoot 357? get a K frame 19 or 66 and a really good belt and holster

 

[CZ9shooter]

I recently picked up an airweight as a new carry piece. I still have my semi auto and will carry it occasionally, but I really enjoy carrying the J frame. At first I worried about the low capacity, but I am starting to get over it as I have started practicing with speedloaders.

Like most, I was interested in a 357 at first. But they are very rare around here right now so I kinda gave up looking. Plus, I read many opinions about choosing a caliber for a J frame. Many people suggest just sticking with a .38 special. No point in adding extra weight and/or a higher price tag for a CCW. Most mere mortals probably wont carry 357 rounds anyhow. Maybe just run a few rounds through at the range onc in a while just for craps and smilies.

I am very pleased with my decision to let the 357 idea go. My little 637 model does exactly what I want it to. At around $400 new.

If power is a concern, Buffalo Bore offers some VERY energetic rounds in 38+P. Nearly what a 357 can offer from a snubbie.

 

[230RN]

Thanks for the heads-up, Bruno2. I have the 340 Airlite (.357 Magnum) as well as the 340 Airweight (.38 +P)..

The 340 is a hammerless double-action only (DAO) version of the 360.

The Airweight is almost identical mechanically to the Airlight.

The Airweight is steel, the Airlite is the very lightweight scandium/titanium (Ti/Sc) combination but has a steel barrel liner.

It is not recommended that bullets lighter than 120 gr be fired out of the Airlite (Ti/Sc).

Both have action locks with two keys each and I carry one key on my keychain but I never lock them.

Both have very smooth and relatively light DA triggers.

My son fired the Airlite (Ti/Sc) with full-house .357s and said it was like someone hitting your hand with a ball-pien hammer. He only fired five rounds and he said they were enough for him. When I got it, being forewarned, I worked up in loads to .38 SPL +Ps with 158 grain bullets and was still comfortable with it, but that was as far as I wanted to go, and I am not particularly recoil-sensitive with handguns. It is fun watching someone pick it up and have their hand overshoot going up because it is so light and feels rather like a kid's empty water pistol to anyone who's handled guns.

The Airweight (steel) is naturally a bit heavier and is my everyday carry gun on which I mounted a laser sight. (I am a firm believer in laser sights.) I carry 125 grain +P soft lead-nose jacketed loads in it, but I keep extra Golden Sabres in a speedloader because there is no exposed lead to wear off in my pockets or onto my fingers on these rounds.

The only reason I don't carry the Airlite (Ti/Sc) is because I don't want to wear the finish. Refinishing a blued gun is standard gunsmithing stuff, but I have no idea what it might cost to refinish a Ti/Sc gun.

Both guns had very comfortable grips which seem to put the recoil impulse in the pocket of your palm and make the guns pretty pointable. However, as mentioned, I did put a laser grip on the Airweight (steel). If you want to change grips on either of these, you will need a grip removal tool. It can be done with a credit card, but I have the tool. It's a very simple U-shaped polycarbonate dealie with sharp tines. Don't use anything metallic. See second attachment, with the key and a pencil for scale.

Close examination of the Airlite (Ti/Sc) will reveal a hardened steel gas deflector embedded in the frame material above the cylinder gap to prevent gas cutting in the frame at this point. This is absent in the steel version.

The Airweight (steel) in the picture is loaded because it is always loaded except for maintenance.

Terry, 230RN

 

[JohnhenrySTL]

I love my 442. It is just like the explained 642 in the above post, but with a blued finish. As I have put five thousand rounds through it, I find it a joy to shoot. I do need to be aware of my tendency to hit higher than the point of aim. For the first couple hundred rounds I was worried I had bad sights. I since then have realized it was my mistake. Even when I was off, it was usually only three or four inches at 15 yards. I now need to intentionally put only the top tip on the desired point of aim.

My favorite thing about the DOA tiny new age revolver is watching how good
my friends shoot with it after they offer me some arrogant trigger lecture, then deny how well they performed with it, because it isnt a glock or a 1911.

I am not bothered at all by the 442 recoil. I have heard the theories and convictions of short barreled revolvers "kicking too hard." In .38 special, which besides .22 is the only snub nosed I have fired, the recoil is not bad at all. The gun is a joy to shoot.

For MOST places I go, on a day to day basis, I feel fine with a cylinder full of .38s. AND I LIVE IN ST. LOUIS MISSOURI!

 

[PabloJ]

After somehow selling or trading of all my steel guns, other than my 1911, and long guns, I find myself somehow wanting a metal, non "tupperware", gun again for carry. I got a lead on a scandium 357 S&W 360PD. A guy wants to trade me for my M&P compact, but I am not sure I should do that. It is a more expensive gun, and a 357, but has some wear and marks, it was his carry ? I no longer have a revolver at all but still have ammo, accesories, holsters, cleaning kit, speed loader etc.
It is a 12 oz j frame, and I know many in here have, or had the gun at one time. Any advice on weather this is a good or bad idea. I always shot a snubby well, but going back to 5 rounds means a speedloader, or strip, at least. Keep the M&P 9c, or trade for the 357?

Having had S&W 37DAO once I would advise against trading M&P compact for five shot revolver. That would be a big mistake. Pocket carry is highly over-rated unless one wants to live firearm behind at say Disney ride..... Five shot aren't enough and speed-loaders and speed-strips are worthless. The only real solution would be two revolvers and who wants to do that.

 

[HexHead]

The Airweight isn't steel. It's an alloy frame with steel cylinder and barrel insert. Compare it to a steel version like a Model 36 and you'll feel the difference immediately. I'd had a 442 and currently have a 438 and a 36.

 

[mikey98e]

I AIWB a 638 loaded with +Ps. Tee shirt covers it, no chance of a bump frisk. I shoot a box of 38s through it every couple of months to practice with the speed loaders.
-mike

 

[230RN]

"The Airweight isn't steel,,," (Post 18)

You are right.

Thanks for the correction, HexHead.

Terry, 230RN

 

[DNS]

I'd bring up the difference in price and get him to match it with ammo.

 

[royal barnes]

I have shot heavy recoiling guns most of my adult life but I will NEVER again shoot an airlite Smith with any type of .357 round. If you are not going to shoot .357 then a standard Smith airweight is fine. Follow up shots with .357 are very difficult from an extremely light revolver. I carry a Colt Agent loaded with Federal 125 grain nyclads that give me 6 rounds in a pocketable carry gun. I carry a speedloader on my belt. Many knock pocket carry and 5 or 6 shot revolvers. Pocket carry is very convenient and fast if you practice. Five or 6 shots are enough if you know how to shoot.

P.S. Nix the trade and buy yourself a Smith Airweight .38

 

[camsdaddy]

Save up and buy a J frame. I would at least shoot the snub before I traded. I found the 9C that I had to be a quite shootable platform. I sold my 642 due to the discomfort of +p rounds and can only imagine how much worse a airlite would be. I like my 60 and find it as light of a gun as I care to own.

 

[camsdaddy]

DNS Im pretty sure the OP would be on the ammo adding side.

 

[skidder]

My 25oz 5 shot SP101 is about as small/light as I'd want to go for 357. You can still handled the recoil without becoming a "flinch-o-matic". If I were moving to 38 special "maybe", and a big MAYBE, I might consider a "Saturday nite Tupperware special".