Posted on 04/03/2015 3:11:40 PM PDT by big truck
I'm considering the purchase of either the Ruger LCR .357 snub nose (1 7/8" barrel) or the S&W 340 M&P .357 with the same barrel length. Anyone own/carry either gun? Pros and cons? Preferences?
.357's a lever-gun cartridge only to me from now on, same for .44 magnum but more so.
Before the boat sank I carried a M&P 340 as my EDC. It’s small enough to pocket carry and a comforting caliber in .38+P or .357 magnum. It no fun to shoot unless using standard .38. But it’s a carry gun not a target piece. Find someone that has either an LCR or a 340, load it with .357s and determine if it’s right for you.
I am. It would kill me if they hated my gun.
Muzzle blast and recoil. In that short barrel, I'd say a .38+P is plenty. You can only burn so much powder in a shorty. The rest is a ball of fire in front of you.
I'm getting a .44 mag wheelgun.
.357 magnums has too much power for a concealable barrel. .38spl is a handful in a snubbie, especially in +P. if you're looking for more power in a concealable weapon, perhaps 9mm +P in a small format would work. A semi-auto absorbs more hand-slamming energy.
An LCR in .357 magnum is pretty damn snappy on recoil.
I suggest two things: (1) if you want an LCR, get the .38 +P (because of the short barrel length you’ll get pretty much the same performance with a .38+P as you’ll get with the .357 mag cartridge); (2) if you want a .357 magnum in a short barreled revolver I would recommend the Ruger GP 100.
The short barrel revolvers can be pretty accurate. I once had a Colt Agent which was about as good as it gets with 148 grain wadcutters.
They are a bit more difficult to hit with. Not that much harder tho.
The thing about a snub nose revolver, even if you don't stop the perp, at least he won't have any eyebrows.
It’s not very heavy, but it’s too bit for a concealed carry, at least the way I dress. (I’m in Florida and do not wear my shirttail out.) I conceal carry a S&W .380 Bodyguard with Glaser rounds. (They don’t ricochet and have the knockdown power of a .45 ACP.) However, you can now get the same frame size gun in 9mm, which is also a Glaser caliber. You can even get a slightly thicker version that has a double stacked magazine.
If you want to shoot .357 mag. in a small Ruger you better go with the SP 101 with Hogue grips. I have the.357 LCR and won’t shoot anything but .38 Special + P because the mags HURT!
Well, yeah. But I also don't want my barbecue gun in the evidence room, either.
A nice CC weapon is the Springfield XDS in 45 ACP. Should be all you need.
I wouldn't have thought they did.
Ruger, Ruger, Ruger! I have the LCR .357. I never intend to shoot .357’s in it but I wanted the extra weight and strength of the steel frame vs. the aluminum of the .38 SPL model. I know that sounds strange but more weight (4oz.) = less recoil.
I shoot Speer .38 +P 135gr Gold Dot JHP’s designed for shooting in short barrels (check out the You Tube gelatin tests with this round). This round was developed for the NYPD who wanted something that performed like the 124gr Gold Dot JHP’s issued for their 9mm’s that would fit in .38 snubby back-up guns. Recoil is sharp but not painful. Anyone who would shoot a .357 in this gun is a glutton for punishment.
I carry strong side front pocket in a DeSantis Superfly synthetic pocket holster in 511 trousers and you’ll never know its there. The front sight is pinned and there are numerous replacements if you don’t like the original black ramp.
Oh yes, the trigger! It is like nothing you have ever used before. Ruger engineers re-designed the workings and it is the lightest, smoothest, double action design EVER. I had a Smith 642 and the trigger pull comparison isn’t even close.
What I'll say good about the .44 magnum is it has the greatest load versatility of maybe any cartridge. You can load mild practice loads, and you can load almost max loads to shoot out of a lever gun with slow-burning powder like 2400, and everything in between.
You can also discover the progenitors of the .44 magnum, the .44special and .44Russian. You might enjoy working with these cartridges in a Charter Bulldog or Ruger Blackhawk.
My deal is that I'm at the point in life where I've got to ax myself what are the limits of what I can shoot effectively for the rest of my life, and likewise for my wife? The answer is "Let's get away from the magnum handgun cartridges."
Not to say you can't have a "blast" with them though if that's your choice. Double up on the hearing protection, and happy shooting. :)
That and it might be a minute before your eyes overcome the flash.
Muzzle blast and recoil. In that short barrel, I’d say a .38+P is plenty.
Agreed.
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