Any good .357 recommendations?

DerickVonD

DerickVonD

Well-known member
I know awhile ago I was talking about wanting a 1911, but after reading alittle, I think I might want to go with a revolver instead. It'll be awhile before I have the money to purchase one. I want to get a revolver that is good for home defense and self defense, but since the laws here in MD are terrible I want one more for home defense and I plan on moving out of state at some point in the future and figure if I move to some place like West Virginia I can get a license to carry it. I was looking at 357s, because they are more powerful than 38s and I figure if I need less power I can always load the gun with 38 special rounds and when I need more power I can load the gun up with 357 rounds. I was looking at the S&W 686. I'm looking for something in the price range of $400-$600.
 
Can't go wrong with a Taurus. Lifetime guarantee. I bought one at a gun show to find out the previous owner had jacked with it and got the timing screwed up. Sent it back to the factory to get it fixed and they sent me a brand new one free of charge instead! Brand new gun for $125!!
 
lukehayd said:
Can't go wrong with a Taurus. Lifetime guarantee. I bought one at a gun show to find out the previous owner had jacked with it and got the timing screwed up. Sent it back to the factory to get it fixed and they sent me a brand new one free of charge instead! Brand new gun for $125!!
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Both my handguns are Taurus. 9mm and wife's .357 snub. Rarely used, but never failed me. For the price, and that guarantee, no complaints here at all. The internal locks are also nice for added safety if you have any rugrats runnin' around (we do, 3 yr old daughter).
 
always thinking about getting a hand gun. still way on the fence, any reason for a revolver over semi? personal pref?
 
Bolanrox said:
always thinking about getting a hand gun. still way on the fence, any reason for a revolver over semi? personal pref?
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From a technical aspect, the only advantage that I see in a revolver is accuracy. Some Semi's are pretty good, but once the barrel starts to heat up, shots can float. To me, advantages of the semi-auto are speed and shot quantity. Both of those make up the difference for accuracy in my mind when it comes to personal defense. Otherwise, revolvers are for hunting. ;)
 
ahhhh thanks!

if i was to get one my heart was set on a .40 full size frame glock more than enough for home protection and target shooting i think. One of these days I really need to push my father in law to go out with his rifles and shotguns, and his friends hand guns, and make an afternoon of it.
:)
 
Bolanrox said:
ahhhh thanks!

if i was to get one my heart was set on a .40 full size frame glock more than enough for home protection and target shooting i think. One of these days I really need to push my father in law to go out with his rifles and shotguns, and his friends hand guns, and make an afternoon of it.
:)
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Before you buy the glock, check out the springfield xd .40, you might just change your mind.
 
Revolvers can be more accurate than semis. I have a 9mmBaby Eagle which is the same thing as the EAA Witness. Fits great in my hand and funtions flawlessly! I am also able to drop six 8" plates at 25 yards in under 5 seconds firing one shot per target. This is also starting with my hands on my head & gun in holster. I also have a Kimber 1911 45acp. that is a competition pistol. That pistol is definitely accurate! One thing you have to look for when buying a revolver is the space between the cylinder and barrel. The less gap the better! You loose a lot of gas pressure there that can ruin the velocity of the bullet. Also check for leading on the breach of the barrel. This is where the cylinder meets the barrel. If the cylinder is off of timing in just a minut bit, the bullet will shave a little bit of lead off before it enters the barrel completely. This will throw accuracy off tremendously!
 
Do you guys recommend buying new guns or used ones? I mean the more money I can save the better, but you know there is the whole issue of quality.
 
It has never bothered me to buy a used gun. I inspect them thoroughly first though. Most of them just need to be stripped down and cleaned good.
 
wow this is actually about guns! i thought it sounded like it but then thought it was bodybuilding code for something!
 
We haven't even talked about barrel length. What do you guys recommend for barrel length 3"? I was thinking maybe I could get away with a 4" barrel.
 
It has to be my luck that the handgun I pick has to be in the $700-$800 range :) Springfield Armory XDM .40. Its all window shopping at this point so no big deal. BUt good to see my taste in firearms is up there with everything else :)
 
Taurus 650 CIA - $350 (or less)

Lifetime warranty, hammerless, light, fits in your pocket, plenty accurate for a carry or home defense weapon, extremely reliable.

If you are going for a carry weapon, it's gotta be small. A 4" barrel is probably too big. You're going to print with it all day long.
 
ripped_one said:
Taurus 650 CIA - $350 (or less)

Lifetime warranty, hammerless, light, fits in your pocket, plenty accurate for a carry or home defense weapon, extremely reliable.

If you are going for a carry weapon, it's gotta be small. A 4" barrel is probably too big. You're going to print with it all day long.
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Well as long as I live in socialist Maryland it's mainly going to be for home defense. I figure I can take the gun with me when I move to a better state with better laws. I figured maybe it can be alittle big, maybe I can buy pants with big pockets idk lol. Also I just don't like the hammerless revolvers, it's a revolver so I think it should have a hammer.
 
Bolanrox said:
It has to be my luck that the handgun I pick has to be in the $700-$800 range :) Springfield Armory XDM .40. Its all window shopping at this point so no big deal. BUt good to see my taste in firearms is up there with everything else :)
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Springfield aint cheap, but look at the xd service package, unless you need all the flash of the M, the regular xd is a great gun.

DerickVonD said:
Well as long as I live in socialist Maryland it's mainly going to be for home defense. I figure I can take the gun with me when I move to a better state with better laws. I figured maybe it can be alittle big, maybe I can buy pants with big pockets idk lol. Also I just don't like the hammerless revolvers, it's a revolver so I think it should have a hammer.
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For some reason I agree, I hate the hammerless revolvers, but there are pros and cons to both, I think its a personal choice one has to make.
 
Idlely poking around I found the XDM's for 500-600. not terrribly bad. Though it seems, much likey my musical gear, i have an expensive tastes in firearms, :) Drooling over Springfield's tweeked 1911's or the sure to be overkill H&K M23 mod 0 :)
 
I pick up my first gun tomorrow at 2pm. Ruger GP100 technically it's the KGP141 4" stainless steel .357. Awesome gun .

If I had the extra cash I would have gotten the Smith & Wesson 686+ for the 7th round in the wheel, but that was about double the price of my Ruger.

30 hours and counting till I can pick it up. haha.
 
Nice! funny you metion the 686. Finally watch the Son's of guns best of mashup, and that is Vince's favorite carry gun.

Good luck with the Ruger!
 
Bolanrox said:
always thinking about getting a hand gun. still way on the fence, any reason for a revolver over semi? personal pref?
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I'm no expert but I've been gun shopping for 2 months and talking to a lot so I'll tell you what I've been told, and seen first hand at the range. Semi's jam, they have problems, and they need TLC before after and in between uses. A revolver does not jam, if one bullet does not go off, you just keep pulling the trigger and it goes to the next bullet.

With a semi you need to practice practice practice shooting AND clearing jams to use your weapon, and in the event you have to use it in an emergency with adrenaline going, you will most likely freeze up and keep pulling a dead trigger because of a jam.

Also if you let a semi sit for too long the springs are kept with tension in them and that can cause issues over time. You can put a revolver in a cabinet and come back 10 years later and it's still ready to shoot.

My best friend works for a Military training company. he loves guns, he has 3 semis sigsaur, K&P 45 and something else, also an AR15, and a couple revolvers, the gun that stays by his bedside is his grandpa's 357 revolver. Both him and sales people have told me if you want to get something cool and sexy to play with, that's fine, but for home defense you want something that does the job with no mistakes.
 
Bolanrox said:
makes sense, less things to fail the better. which why a pump 12gauge is also on my list :)
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haha, me too, that's #3, My wife gets the next one, she wanted a little .380 or a 9mm so we went and rented them and they were so small the kick on them was not fun to shoot. She likes my friends KP .45. haha. i'm still trying to convince her to get a big .38 revolver so that it will have some weight while not being too big, but for all the above reasons I'd prefer she get a revolver to start off with.

12 gauge is good for home defense when you're still groggy and adjusting to light, not a lot of aim needed. also there is not much risk for overpenetration with a shotgun which is nice to protect family and neighbors, that is an issue with pistols, but the downside of a shotgun is you need two hands, (none left for my 1 year old) and if you come around a corner a person can try and grab it from you.
 
spend the extra cash and get a siga ak style shotgun full semi auto goodness :)

I think alot of the jams with semis might be down to the ammo being used. that seems to be the case in so many of the review i have read.
 
I have a Taurus comp'd snub .357 all Titanium 7 shot revolver... its my 'home defense' weapon. Its small, lightweight and yes its short barrel but accuracy is fine with it if you consider for home defense you are looking at 12 feet tops... oh and it will put giant holes in things i dont like.

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I really need to read up on NJ gun laws, because knowing this state, if god forbid i acutally needed to fire at someone, i would probably get arrested for infringing on the buglars rights or something....
 
CaseyW said:
I'm no expert but I've been gun shopping for 2 months and talking to a lot so I'll tell you what I've been told, and seen first hand at the range. Semi's jam, they have problems, and they need TLC before after and in between uses. A revolver does not jam, if one bullet does not go off, you just keep pulling the trigger and it goes to the next bullet.

With a semi you need to practice practice practice shooting AND clearing jams to use your weapon, and in the event you have to use it in an emergency with adrenaline going, you will most likely freeze up and keep pulling a dead trigger because of a jam.

Also if you let a semi sit for too long the springs are kept with tension in them and that can cause issues over time. You can put a revolver in a cabinet and come back 10 years later and it's still ready to shoot.

My best friend works for a Military training company. he loves guns, he has 3 semis sigsaur, K&P 45 and something else, also an AR15, and a couple revolvers, the gun that stays by his bedside is his grandpa's 357 revolver. Both him and sales people have told me if you want to get something cool and sexy to play with, that's fine, but for home defense you want something that does the job with no mistakes.
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The only reason a spring would go bad just sitting is if you leave it in tension ie ****ed hammer. This would also hold true with a revolver. I would also hope that ANYONE who buys a gun for home defense would spend a lot of time practicing. The best gun in the world will be useless if you can't hit the "target".
 
That is one of the main factors i have so far for not getting one. Excluding the cost and all that. As far as I can find there are no local (sub 1/2 hour drives) shooting ranges, and I just dont have the time to go even if there was. For now i am Lucky to be able to hit the gym 3 times a week.

Though I am sure i can get my father in law to take me and his some of this friends some place in NY where we can fet some shooting in. Always wanted to but don't want to inconvience him. Maybe get something planned for a warm weekend or this spring?
 
Just curious, does anyone have any concealed carry experience within the state of Virginia? I really want to move out of state and I know MD won't give me a concealed carry permit especially since I have a big medical record and issues with depression. I am hoping I can atleast get a permit to conceal carry once I move out of state and if not well then I guess I'll just get arrested, because I'm not going to not be able to exercise my second amendment rights, especially when I have no criminal record.
 
lukehayd said:
The only reason a spring would go bad just sitting is if you leave it in tension ie ****ed hammer. This would also hold true with a revolver. I would also hope that ANYONE who buys a gun for home defense would spend a lot of time practicing. The best gun in the world will be useless if you can't hit the "target".
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I'm new to all this, so I'm sure I'm missing some things, but I think they were talking about the springs in the magazines, but when I just looked it up I saw articles about people shooting magazines that had been loaded for over a decade so that's probably a mute point.

In regards to practice, I meant the additional practice you have to do with a semi is situational clearing drills, tap-rack-bang clearing jams under duress. I'm told unless you shoot guns all the time, and even then most people will get hung up on jams in the event of an emergency when their adrenaline is going even if they are profecient with it while practicing.

Still, I'm anxious to get a semi. , just can't afford it right now after the $600 i just plunked down for the 357, + the case and safe I have yet to buy DOH!
 
I always thought that "dont keep a mag fully loaded or you will lose the last few rounds" was an urban legend more than anything. Especially with modern mags / springs..
 
Bolanrox said:
I always thought that "dont keep a mag fully loaded or you will lose the last few rounds" was an urban legend more than anything. Especially with modern mags / springs..
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That's what I just read too when I was trying to figure out what those guys were talking about that I spoke to about it.
 
CaseyW said:
I pick up my first gun tomorrow at 2pm. Ruger GP100 technically it's the KGP141 4" stainless steel .357. Awesome gun .

If I had the extra cash I would have gotten the Smith & Wesson 686+ for the 7th round in the wheel, but that was about double the price of my Ruger.

30 hours and counting till I can pick it up. haha.
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Congrats on getting the gp100, one of the best revolvers on the market today.

The old lady should be able to shoot that all day long with you, just get some light load .38 special, I wouldn't let her get one of those crappy subcompacts either.

On a personal note, I have decided to further explore and research the small, concealable hammerless .38s, that I have been pretty much against for some years, it seems they have come a long way in terms of design and availability. I hope to get some range time with this soon, I will post any further comments:

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I have 4 Taurus handguns, including a snub 327 magnum. All are great. Here is a link for anyone lookingto purchase a revolver, new or used.

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As far as concealed carry in VA, I am in Roanoke, far away from the liberal north. I got my permit last year with no problems. Virginia is pretty much a shall issue state. The current AG wrote a bill while in the state Senate streamlining the process. A lot of judges in northern VA were not issuing permits for arbitrary reasons. There is a 45 day maximum turnaround on a permit. If they haven't denied you in 45 days, you are issued a defacto temporary permit, for lack of better terms. My city was 2 week turnaround. So I don't know what any northern VA localities are like. Check out the Virginia Citizens Defense League.

By the way, Taurus offers numerous models of 357 some under $400, and most all under $500. Great warranty and inexpensive, not cheap. Spend the extra money on ammo and get proficient with the one you choose.
 
Thought i would show off my new toy, i hope these pics show up. I was tryin to make a discreet case for the car.
 

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