Which S&W revolver, .45 ACP or .357, 4" or snub?

[chickenfried]

Hi guys,
I'm about to buy my first revolver. I was trying to decide on a 4" or smaller .357 smith but then the .45 ACP smith revolver line has also snuck into my head.

I like the idea of having a fun .357 magnum to shoot and being able to shoot .38 to go cheap. But after checking on prices online .38 doesn't seem that inexpensive compared with .45. I like to buy factory ammo then save the brass, rather than just buying brass.

I currently have two .45's, both 1911 and just started to reload. I have the dies, shellplates, etc. to reload .357, but no brass and zero factory ammo for free brass. I have a lot of .45 brass and factory ammo. Are there any things that need to be considered when loading .45 for both revolver and semi-auto?

One of the things I like about revolvers is for target shooting and plinking it's less hassle and faster to load than pistols. Just put the rounds in the cylinder you're ready to go. Moon clips allow for faster reloads during competitions like pistol magazines, but aren't they more hassle for target shooting just like magazines?

Right now I'm in California so no legal CCW. But I would like to plan my collection around future plans/emergencies. Am I going to lose that much accuracy, shootability by going to a 2.5" snub nose? I don't want a gun that's no fun to shoot because of recoil or inaccuracy. How much easier is it to conceal a 2.5" vs 4" with a good quality IWB?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Z_Infidel]

I have a 2.5" bbl S&W Model 66 that I have learned to shoot pretty well. It is actually fun with .38 Special rounds but I don't enjoy shooting a lot of .357 Mag rounds with it. Actually I much prefer the handling and balance of S&W N frames, and I recently bought a 625. One reason was ammo commonality with my 1911, the other is that I like N frames and the revolver balances and handles very well for me. Concealment is more of a challenge with full size guns but it can be done, in fact many people do it every day.

 

[Tom C.]

I may not be the best one to respond. I have some of each. It is nice to be able to load for each, and use common ammo for multiple guns. I really like my 1911s and my S&W Model 25-2. I can use the same ammo and they both shoot very nicely. I also like the .357 mag revolvers I have, a Model 27-2 and Ruger 101.
Your best bet may be to make a list of guns you would like to acquire, an order of preference, and then look for what pops up first and be prepared to buy out of your original sequence.

 

[magsnubby]

A 4" .357 magnum revolver is one of the most versitle guns ever made. You can use light wad cutters for plinkin', heavy magnum loads for hunting and .38+p's or magnums for defense. Plus they're great for teaching new shooters. No complicated manuel of arms, just load and shoot.

I would recommed sticking with a 4" if it's mostly a plinker or range gun. The longer barrel has better balistics and a little more sight radius. Plus on a medium size gun 2" isn't really any harder to hide than a 4".

 

[tbeb]

I agree with "magsnubby".

(FYI .38 special dies can be used for .38 special and .357 magnum, and .357 magnum dies can only be used for .357 magnum.)

 

[Josey]

I like stainless steel 3" 357 Magnums. The best of all worlds.

 

[unreal45]

Another vote for the 4" .357
Get a real revolver round.
I hate moon clips.
I would buy a S&W or Ruger.

 

[Plinkerton]

pssstt.... hey you... get a 4" 686... They rock...

 

[Bullet]

I'd go with a 4 inch 357 but either would be nice.

 

[SnWnMe]

S&W 625 is the best 1911 out there.

 

[RWK]

Chickenfried -

You have many excellent options and -- with lots of revolver experience -- I would agree with the advice provided thus far. I do not want to complicate your decision, however, I would offer one other alternative for your consideration: A 3.875 inch, N Frame, 10mm/.40 S&W, Smith 610 revolver.

I also own three S&W N Frame .357 magnums, two Ruger GP100 .357 magnums, and a Smith 625-9 .45 Colt N Frame Mountain Gun. All of these are TRULY OUTSTANDING REVOLVERS. My 610-3, however, is reasonably concealable, extremely accurate, exceptionally reliable and durable, has very high quality fit and finish, uses moon clips (which provides the fastest possible revolver reload), AND IT ACCOMMODATES BOTH 10MM AND .40 S&W ROUNDS. This is a BIG advantage -- similar to the .38 Special/.357 magnum benefits you mentioned in your original post -- but, perhaps, even better because the .40 S&W is as/more popular than the .38 Special and it is also a much “stouter†round.

I would never disagree with advice that a first -- and forever terrific -- revolver should be a mid-size (four-inch barrel), mid-mass (S&W L Frame or Ruger GP100) .357 magnum. However, the Smith 610-3 may have a few, small, additional advantages.

 

[chickenfried]

Thanks for the advice guys.
I condidered a 610, but a 10mm revolver just don't click in my head. If I do start doing competition I'll probaly use the 1911's, so I don't want the hassle of moonclips for target shooting and plinking.

Looks like the 4" 686P is the winner

 

[Wolfy]

chickenfried

I am considering a 610 or a 625 right now. I don't own any revolvers that use moon clips because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of loading/unloading. I came across an ad for Rimz Speedloaders in AR. Did some research on THR and most speak highly of this product.

Rimz are polymer moonclips that can be loaded without the need for tools and are flexible enough you can bend it in half and it still will return to its original shape. They can be reloaded hundreds of times. I ordered a 5 pack to check out before I buy the gun I figure it is cheaper to spend $5 to decide if I like them than to buy the gun and not be happy.

Here's the link to the site

http://www.beckhamdesign.com

If you do a search of THR use the RIMZ you will get more hits then searching Rimz Speedloaders.

Hope this helps.

 

[RWK]

Wolfy and chickenfried -

The S&W 610-3 I refer to above is my first -- and only -- moonclip revolver. After some research and reading on THR, TFL and S'ville, I concluded RIMZ moonclips would be the best approach . . . and they CERTAINLY are: no tools, easy to use, inexpensive, and VERY durable. In sum, for my applications RIMZs have all the advantages of steel moonclips -- and NONE OF THE HASSLES.

 

[Swamprabbit]

I've owned both revolvers and, though not a huge fan of the .357, I would recommend the .357 over the .45 ACP revolver simply because of the versatility others have mentioned. The .45 ACP revolver is fun to shoot but that is a lot of frame and gun for the cartridge. If I were to get an N frame, I would rather have a larger cartridge - just my own humble opinion.

One item to consider is to work up some good cast bullet loads for either cartridge. You can buy cast bullets considerably cheaper than jacketed and since neither round uses much powder, shooting them is quite cheap. I use a semi-wadcutter cast bullet in my .357s and have had good success in using it for hunting as well.

Also, I, too, vote for the 4". Just much handier to carry around. I now use a S&W M66 Performance Center 2" barrel with the comp. Really a nice shooting handgun. My only complaint is that I use Hercules 2400 loads and unburned powder flakes will always fall under the extractor and hang up the cylinder because the gun is made with such tight tolerances. Not hard to clear up but it causes me to not want to carry the pistol in any situation where I might really have to depend on it.

 

[Brian Williams]

This is rapidly becoming my favorite revolver of the 357 persuasion. I have taken the full lug to half lug and shortened the grips to fit my hand and rounded the butt similar to a J frame square butt. I just got it back from having it moonclipped and I just went and shot it this afternoon. At 10 yards I kept 30 rounds inside of 6" while firing DA fairly quickly, a little faster than the range likes but the club pres was there and I told him what I was doing. The recharging the cylinder was very fast and the cleanup was quick, bend over and pick up 4 moonclips walk back to the bench clear the last clip and put them in the bag.....

I do have a slight problem with the moonclip clearing the grips I will have to remove a little more wood and it will be ok. The problem is greater when load vs unloading because of the aded length of the bullets in the cartridges compared to the empties.

My recommendation is a S&W 586/686 4" do to the lack of CCW in California

but any 4" 357 would be good including S&W,Ruger,Dan Wesson,Colt.

If you have a problem unloading the moonclips themselves, I made my own tool with a short piece of aluminum tubing. I just ground a notch that sticks up and spin the tube on the empty caes and the case slips right out down thru the tube into a box on the floor.

 

[E357]

It would be hard to pick a better first revolver than a 4 inch 686. As others have mentioned, it is VERY versatile. It's great for plinking or serious target practice and works fine as a bedside or even a carry gun. In terms of reloading - I have way more fun with my 686's than my 625's. With the 38/357 in a strong gun you can go all the way from pellet gun performance to flat-out crazy full house loads.

The 625 is a great gun, but you need to keep the reloads pretty near spec. on the top end. When I reload for my 625, I use Auto Rim brass so the gun works like a "real" revolver (hate moon clips). I use the same die set-up - just change the shell plate.

Buy some new 357 brass (I like Starline) and in the revolver they will last you the rest or you natural life. That is, if you load target/plinking rounds.

Elliot

 

[Boats]

It would be hard to pick a better first revolver than a 4 inch 686.

It wouldn't actually be hard at all. Just get a Ruger GP-100 in blue or stainless, with a three or four inch barrel, and some Wolff springs.

Tougher. Easier to work on without a gunsmith. Less expensive. No MIM.

 

[E357]

True Boats - the GP-100 is a very fine 357. I keep on forgetting about Rugers. I like Smiths because I do all my own work on them and have a collection of real metal parts and don't buy new Smiths at all.

Elliot

 

[uglygun]

Depends on where in california...

Kern County area and a few others have relaxed the requirements for "good cause" before issuing the permits.


Kern County also has a nice low cost of living so if you ever find yerself down this way then perhaps that CCW permit may become a valid option.


I'd vote for one of the 625s like the more compact Model of 1989 snubs.

 

[christophera]

The 4 inch 686 is my carry gun. It's not any harder to carry than a 2 and a half incher. Plus, it kind makes you feel like a cowboy.