I have a 357 and 45 ACP wheel guns but I really miss mt 44 mag. That was just a blast to shoot. The 45 ACP has next to no kick and it's fun to shoot and so is the 357 but there's something special about a 44:smt023
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I have a 357 and 45 ACP wheel guns but I really miss mt 44 mag. That was just a blast to shoot. The 45 ACP has next to no kick and it's fun to shoot and so is the 357 but there's something special about a 44:smt023
I marked the .22 lr...more bangs for the buck. However, the .41 has been my bigger bore favorite since the late '60's. The .357 is gain some support from here though.
Hairy
They are all good. Just depends one what bullet you load in them. Will say however that with a good hunting bullet in the .357 such as a 180 gr. LBT, will do as well on big game as a standard Keith style bullet from a .44 mag. However it's hard to beat a heavily loaded .45 Colt with a heavy (340 gr.) LBT style, hard cast for hunting big game. Used this for years, but have since gone back to the .357 in a strong (Ruger)revolver. The smaller grip frame, and mild recoil; even when loaded heavy; is easier for me, to make accurate shots at longer ranges in my hands.
All but one of my carry J-Frames are .357s although I carry .38s in them for EDC (control issue). It is the other J-frame though that is the reason you should have included .38 Special in your list. My S&W 642 is the probably most carried CCW weapon in the United States. Regardless, it is the top selling CCW gun out there. and it is .38 Special only. Contrary to what has been said, I don't believe that the .38 is a little used, obsolete cartridge. I would say that the sales of .38 Special +P is right up there with the big boys! I know I live in an area where HCPs are very common and pretty much everybody with a HCP CCWs (not really neccessary in TN.) I would venture from talks with gun dealers in area that 75% carry 642s (they move out of shop as soon as they come in. In fact, most are ordered and never see display case!) and most of those are carried in pocket holsters.
A whole lot of people ( including myself) carry standard pressure .38 Specials in their 642s. Our Walmarts (main source of ammo in area) sell more .38 Special than any other pistol ammo by far.
357 is favorite, I am planning on getting a 41 mag someday just because.
See if you can guess my favorite caliber... :mrgreen:
44 mag is mine. I have 2. One for each hand.
My dad has a ruger super blackhawk with a 7.75" bbl. That thing is a beast, so i put down .44mag
My favorite revolver round would have to be the .357 mag. It is just to versatile a round to be upstaged by anything else. 44 mag would be a close second for me.
I love the .357 it works for just about anything
.357 definitely.
Picked up .44 mag last year and enjoy that. I love shooting .45LC and I've fired a mountain of .22LR out of revolvers too!.
.38 Spl is my favorite to shoot.
.357 for me. It has a good punch, but can fire the .38 for practice.
Other for .38. You can also fire them in the .357 so they pull double duty. Probably the most used caliber next to the .45.
.44 Mag , It will stop just about anything.
.357 seems to be the way to go. It the direction im going since it has plenty of power with .357 and economy with .38
.44 Mag
I love that .357. Robert
I have a very nice Italian .45 Long Colt. Fun gun. Use it a lot. Not real good as a carry gun.
Neither is my Beretta 92. Nice "average" duty gun, I've had it since 1992.
Fun to blow through 16 rounds and do a reload and go again. Factory night sights.
A good nightstand gun. It would be easier to conceal a small anvil in your pants.
I finally did my CCW again 'cause AZ has gone to one-day training, renew every five years,
just paperwork & $'s. So, I wanted the very minimum size and weight that can "do the job".
Today, I picked up a S & W Centennial Airweight 642-2 NIB. It's next to me right now.
Good price. Why carry around the .357 capability/size when I will never go beyond .38 +P.
I'm not going hunting mule deer with this thing, after all. And, it is not my "range rat" gun.
It's a penetration issue with me. Why make a neat entry hole, and a pretty nice sized
exit hole as that hotshot .357 velocity goes "searching" for something or someone else ?
Per earlier comments, the various S & W .38 Special +P's fly out of the stores around here.
Sorta because a lot of salesmen around here point out the obvious stuff above for
"no-nothing" non-gunners trying to get something for the bedroom nightstand.
They didn't have to sell me. I believe it. I'm not proud. They work. Just enough.
.38 Special for me. It is accurate, has sufficient penetration, and comes in handguns I can actually carry everyday. No. it won't stop a charging bull elephant or an M-60 tank in one shot. But then again, I've grown old enough to know that I shouldn't irritate bull elephants and tanks!
If you need it for something really big, 44 mag is your choice. For everything and anything else, 357 mag will do.
44 mag! You can load it up or down. Cowboy loads to hunting loads the 44 mag can do it all.
I started with a 38 special (shot with a .357 revo) and I'm still thinking it'smaybe the best starting caliber.
I was advised by posters in this forum and the advise was darn good.
After about 15000 rounds fired under my belt I'm still using 38 sp's.
Accurate, not too noisy, little or no lead fouling, smaller gun wear, easy to load with moonclips, little felt recoil with an 'N' frame, cheap to reload....
I just ordered 10 000 more lead bullets.
After that I might think about caliber change, something like 45 ACP perhaps...
I have the 686 with a 4" barrel. It is nice to be able to use .38 or .357.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred40
.38 Special.
I know all you say "well you can shoot .38 in a .357."
I don't want a .357.
I like 38's usually a J Frame.
AFS