Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default 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!

  2. #2
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    Default 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.

    .

  3. #3
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    Default 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.
    Ron USAF Ret E-8 FFL01/SOT3 NRA Benefactor Member

  4. #4
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    Default 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?

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!

    smith model 60 for me. the 640 sells for $650ish new.
    Μολὼν λαβέ

  6. #6
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    Thumbs up 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!

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Recommend a .357 Magnum concealed carry revolver!

    Quote Originally Posted by renegadephoenix View Post
    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.

  8. #8
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    Default 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.

  9. #9
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    Default 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.
    Last edited by 7998; January 29th, 2011 at 10:05 PM.
    We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.-Benjamin Franklin

  10. #10
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    Default 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!

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