Extra weight worth the power pf .357 mag?

**bgeddes** · February 25th, 2009, 12:21 AM

I'm looking at small framed revolvers. In the same package, a steel framed .357 mag is available, as is a .38 special +p alloy framed piece. The steel framed revolver weighs about ~150% of the alloy framed .38spc. Common sense would say shooting a sub two pound pistol loaded with .357 magnums might not make for fun practice. Second shot reliability may pose an issue as well. In the event of a self defense scenario, the .357 seems the logical choice. A .38 spc +P round is considered by most more than adequate for self defense. For a piece primarily used for carrying, is the added power of the .357 worth the weight of a steel frame?

**pred** · February 25th, 2009, 12:41 AM

I have an 11oz 357 airlight ti Smith. Factory 357 loads are akin to hitting a telephone pole with a wood baseball bat with one hand as hard as you can.
They are NOT range guns. As long as you understand this, You may not waste your $$
If you want to shoot a 357 as a range gun look at an N frame Smith, SOmething in the 40 oz range.
An all steel J frame at 19-20 oz are a handful, But manageable.
If you can go to somewhere that you can rent guns, and shoot a couple and see what you think.
I train with a steel 20 oz 38 special J frame and carry the 11oz 357
Peter.

**CommonHighrise** · February 25th, 2009, 04:04 PM

Looking at it from a ballistics standpoint, I don't see much value in .357 out of 2" of barrel. You pay a lot in recoil/noise/flash/muzzle jump over .38, without getting back much more terminal performance.

My advice stands to get a heavier .357, and shoot .38+p out of it. In J frame, weight doesn't mean much in terms of carry comfort, and only a little more in terms of draw speed and handling. Its a compact, centrally balanced gun. In words of Clint Smith, "a gun is meant to be comforting, not comfortable".

However, every ounce of metal in your hand reaps rewards through muzzle control and shoot-ability.

I own a Lite Taurus 85 in .38, and I would trade it in a heartbeat for the far heavier and larger SP101 .357, and load it with .38.

**RoyJackson** · February 25th, 2009, 04:21 PM

To me, a small frame revolver has one purpose: as a carry handgun.

Since we'll carry much more then we expect to shoot this type firearm, weight is important. I pocket carry...if I carried on the hip (IWB or OWB), the steel gun would be OK (which is what I do with a 3.06" SP101 occassionally).

That said, I most frequently carry a light weight (not steel) .38 revolver with +P loads.

As effective as a .357? Probably not, but at the ranges I expect to use my carry gun, I am confident .38+P in a light weight snubby wouldl suffice.

So, is a .357 power worth the extra weight? No, not in a snubby light weight revolver.

**smitty56** · February 25th, 2009, 05:04 PM

A friend has a S&W Model 66-2 .357 that I really like. It's on my "to get" list now. It was pretty small for a 357. It was pleasant to shoot 38 and but then carry 357 in it for defense.

His main small carry is a S&W 642. .38 caliber, titanium cylinder and barrel. Aluminum frame. Can shoot +p's. Weighs about 14 ounces loaded.

Last year I picked up the S&W 386PD 357 with 7 shots. It's very light weight but not as small as the Smith 66-2.