looking at new revolver possible 357

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lobo9er

lobo9er

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leaning towards a taurus 357 2 1/2 barrel any thoughts? USE WOULD BE FOR CCW and possibly hunting(finish shot if needed). Thought about 44mag snub nose but I like the fact 38 spl ammo will work for plinking and practice if i went with 357. how is 44 spl compared with 38 spl for plinking and practice. obviously avoiding practice with with full recoil at all times. Also thought about looking for a 9mm revolver thought it would go nice with a beretta 92. kinda all over the map any opinions would help, thanks.
 
Tauruses can be good or bad, it's a roll of the dice. If you get a bad one you might have to send it back one or more times.

I've had 100% success buying S&W revolvers.

As far as .44 special goes, it will be much more expensive to shoot than .38/.357 and you lose a round of capacity, or have to step up to a thicker gun.

If you want a good carry gun, J&G Has these great guns for cheap, I'm packing one in an inside the waistband holster right now with zero discomfort:

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info...s-condition/cPath/16_211_431/products_id/3104

You can get the same gun with adjustable sights here:

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info...s-condition/cPath/16_211_431/products_id/4120

I got a Model 64 in very good plus condition and it is fantastic. The "plus" means that the finish isn't as scratched as the others in the batch.

If you don't want to buy a used gun, or aren't sure how to order one to your local gunshop, look at the Ruger SP101 or a GP-100. If I wasn't used to S&W revolvers I'd be carrying a 3" Ruger GP-100, which can be found at any gunshop.
 
For the purposes mentioned, I'd go with a Model 60. Shoot with 38's. Finishing shot with 357.

Carry size and weight is a concern for both CCW and hunting.

You won't be doing a lot of 357 recreational shooting, but that's a good reason to shoot 38's (one of the only that I can see).
 
I would defenately steer clear of the taurus. And charter arms for that matter. I would have to recommend the Ruger SP101 or any of the s&w j frames more specifically the 640. Those have been my two favorite .357's for cc
 
I would get an air weight Smith and not look back or a Model 60 (steel frame). Pay for it and forget the cost. Life goes on and you won't remember the price as being a significant issue years later when you shoot it.
 
S&W model 60 with a 3 inch barrel. All steel ,great for .357 but at 26 oz still good for CCW. Handles .38 easy. Perfect weight and balance for me. My favorite do everything gun.Find a good used one and be happy.:D
 
I agree with the others that you would be best with the .38/.357 over the .44 anything.

i have a S&W 386NG that i am very happy with. I can't speak on Taurus other than to say that no one seems to like them. but then I've had 50/50 luck with S&W so who knows.

One thing I will caution you about, and it seems to depend on where in the country you are, but the ammo for .38 and .357 can be hard to find. i'm down in South florida and .38spl if pretty much impossible to find here. .357 is a bit easier but even that isn't easy. Other people on here in other areas seem to have no problem so make sure you check around first.
 
I'd get a stainless Taurus 651, myself. BUT, I have a great shootin' 3" Taurus 66 I really like a lot, very accurate, just not a pocket gun. I don't think any shootable .357 is really good as a pocket gun as I want a steel frame. I've fired a 12 ounce scandium Smith once. Not for me with full house magnums, rather just get a .38 ultralite for less money.

The 3" medium frame 66 is a belt gun, but it's an easy gun to carry, easier gun to shoot, is very accurate, and offers one more round. It's JMHO and YMMV, but I like the medium frame 2.5-3" when compared to the J frame size guns. For the pocket, I'd rather have an ultralite/airweight .38. I'd have rather had a round butt on the 66, my only gripe. The 651 is a steel gun, though, and pocketable if you don't mind the weight. It's a concealed hammer gun, too, which gives it a smoother pocket draw, but can still be fired SA.

You mention finishing shots? I was carrying my 3" blued 66 the day I came across this thing at 15 yards in an oak mott. One shot, one kill. :D I'm proud for you if you prefer your Smiths, but don't think that a Taurus can't gitter dun. I have three fine examples.

1zzj2g3.jpg
 
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I have had great luck with Taurus revolvers, I picked up a blued 605 snub chambered in 357mag for th wife and we love it. Next I found a 9mm 905 revolver, and find them both to be quality built revolvers that operate very smoothly.
 
Hi,

By what your are indicating if I am in your situation I would consider the Ruger SP101 in 3 1/16 barrel, Ruger GP100 3 inch, Ruger Speed Six in 2 3/4 barrel and the S&W 65 3 inch or S&W 60 3 inch. All of these are steel revolvers and are 357/38 revolvers. They are small enough to conceal but strong enough to shoot all kinds of ammo. The 357 round is still in my opinion the best all around caliber to use. I don't have much experience with Taurus except for one I bought and I had issues with the revolver. After trying to get Taurus to fix the revolver with no luck I decided to trade it back to the gun shop and buy another revolver.

Good luck,
roaddog28
 
My personal favorite small-frame .357 is the Ruger SP101.
Click to expand...

The SP101 is awesome as a belt gun. I will reserve, however, my opinion for a few years on the LCR. I own a very nice Taurus M85SUL and don't plan on getting rid of it as it's light enough for pocket carry and quite accurate and has SA capability. I'm beginning to wonder about that LCR from what I'm seeing on the net and just feel it's a little too new and un-proven, yet. They'll get it right, I'm sure, but for now, I'm wondering if it's ready for prime time.

But, for the OP, a SP101 would be fantastic. There is no stronger gun that size. I'd get the 3 1/16 incher next one I buy, too. The gun is no pocket gun and will carry just as well on the hip or IWB with the longer tube and the shorter sight radius will be appreciated. The one downside to the SP101 is no adjustable sight, but the 2.3"er I had shot to POA with both .357 and .38! I'm not sure how that thing did that, but it's very rare to find a .357 in my experience that shoots to the same place and is spot on with that wide a variety of loads. I'd still have that gun, but my SIL wanted it badk when he got back from Iraq his last 12 month tour. I'd sorta made him a no interest loan on it while he was in theater.
 
Oh, yeah, and the Hogues are a huge help on the SP101.

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Taurus is a crap shoot as to whether they are any good. I own 1 and it is decent but I'd want to handle one before I'd buy it.

As to the .44/.357 argument, unless you reload don't get a .44 Spl. And I collect the .44's, but I also reload for them. The problem is finding ammo. About the only thing you'll find is cowboy ammo and that will be rare. You'll have no problem finding .38 Spl or .357 Mag.
 
See I put those hogues on my 386NG and took them off immediately. for one, they don't cover the backstrap (did I buy the wrong ones?) and for two, after only two shots the crip moved and wasn't fitting properly anymore.

now I do have them on my 500 and they seem to work just fine on that.
 
See I put those hogues on my 386NG and took them off immediately. for one, they don't cover the backstrap (did I buy the wrong ones?) and for two, after only two shots the crip moved and wasn't fitting properly anymore.
Click to expand...

Neither is a problem on the SP101 which has no backstrap, only a frame grip stud to which the Hogues attach via the usual stirrup mount. So, you're grabbing rubber on the gun all way around. It's made to order for the new (as opposed to the old Security/Speed six) grip frames on the Rugers.

I had an old nylon one on my old Security Six, though. I had to shave the back of it down to match the grip frame. When I first put it on, it cut my hand on recoil. Not good. :D I just trimmed a slight sharp edge off it. In rubber, that wouldn't have happened, though.

I've got a Hogue on my 3" Taurus 66 in the top picture, the gun laying on the hog, and one on my Smith and Wesson 4" M10 heavy barrel. I like 'em on those guns, too. Had a Pachmayr Gripper on both of those, but prefer Hogue's feel.
 
Ruger SP101 hammerless. Easily concealable. A joy to shoot and I cannot believe the groups it shoots. Plus "IT'S MADE IN THE USA".
 
Unless you plan on pocket carry, I just don't see getting a J frame size revolver.

For a belt carry, I'd go with a nice mid size frame , 6 shot .357. Smith & Wesson M19/66 or Ruger "six" series guns come to mind. Even a 3" GP100 would serve you well. These guns will give you a better grip, a MUCH better trigger. More controlable, and are really no more difficult to carry in a good belt holster than a steel J frame.

Obviously, if pocket carry is what you intend, the J frame shines here, but on a belt I find the mid frames to have a big advantage, with no real penalties.
 
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