Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
I had the opportunity to attend the Gettysburg gun show today, and I found a slick looking Smith & Wesson Model 640 in .357 Magnum flavor with a 2" barrel. It was a great looking piece, and I almost impulse bought it for $499.99 (I am assuming this price was fair?)
Problem is, I'd really like to make sure there aren't any other revolvers in this caliber I should be looking at. Ideally, I am looking for a concealed carry revolver in .357 Magnum. So what I need to know is this:
1) Was the Model 640 I saw at the gun show a good price? Condition was 85-90%.
2) What other .357 Magnum revolvers do you guys recommend?
3) Is it true you can use .357 Magnum and .38 S&W Special interchangeably in this revolver?
Thanks!
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
Yes, you can shoot 38 special rounds through a 357 magnum revolver, but you can not go the other way, if the gun is designed for 38 special you CAN NOT shoot 357 mag with it.
I have a Ruger SP101 .357 magnum and find it a great little gun. It is my daily carry piece.
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Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
soberbyker beat me to it. I would also recommend a Ruger SP101 in .357. A brute of a gun but can be concealed easily. You can shoot mild .38 Spec or wild .357 Mags in it. It will take anything you feed it without coming apart.
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
Was the price for the Model 640 I saw at the gunshow fair? What would be a typical trade in price for it if I were to buy it and trade it in sometime down the road?
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
smith model 60 for me. the 640 sells for $650ish new.
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
Taurus 605 for me. .38 +P and you're good for summertime carry in shorts & a tee shirt, no less!
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
renegadephoenix
smith model 60 for me. the 640 sells for $650ish new.
I like the 60 over the 640, as well. More grip comes in handy in a SHTF, .357 situation. The 640 is a good gun and the price sounds good, but you have to have a sure grip on it if things go south.
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
Ruger SP101. Along with a safariland paddle holster, you won't be disappointed. Best 425 I've ever spent on a firearm. Fires anything you put through it. Only downside is that it only holds 5 rounds.
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
#4 for the Ruger SP101. But to be honest I wouldve bought the S&W over the Ruger for $499. I paid $469 for my SP the cheapest Smith in .357 was almost $800 when I bought. mY $.02, If your trusting your life with it there is only 2 Snubbies to look at, Ruger or S&W.
Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!
J frames like the S&W Model 640 and 60 are pretty snappy recoilers with .357 rounds. The Ruger SP101 is a bit heavier, but still sharp on the hands with recoil with .357 mag rounds. All three are very nice guns and very good choices, though. Both the J frames and the SP101 carry five rounds, so you also might want to consider a S&W K frame, like the Model 19, 65 or 66 with a three-inch barrel. They are easily concealable but have a little more heft and six rounds at your service. If you look around, you can find decent used samples of these guns for $400-$475 or so (although the snubbies do tend to go for more than the 4-inch barrel ones). Just be advised that if you get a K frame, it's best to stick with 158 grain .357 rounds -- the 125-grain screamers have been linked to cracked forcing cones on S&W K frames. One interesting side note -- I've never seen such a report about the Ruger SP 101, although I believe its forcing cone is the same thickness as the S&W K frame.
Another, less-common option - the Taurus 617 or 817 --a 7-shot .357 magnum revolver with 2-inch barrel. Not always easy to find, and lots of folks have a poor opinion of Taurus revolvers. I have a Taurus 617 acquired from a forum member here, though, that's had an action job and is as smooth and reliable a shooter as you could want.
Whichever you choose, a short-barrel .357 magnum revolver is a fine carry choice -- but is a hard gun to master, so I also suggest lots and lots of practice. Enjoy it!