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My favorite 357


Trigger Mike

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I once carried a S & W 686.  It was a boat anchor and pulled my pants down all the time since I don't have any hips.  It also kicked like a mule.  It was accurate and reliable.  

 

I also tried a S & W model 60 pro series.  Very light and easy to carry and accurate.   It made a mule kick feel comfortable,  though I was older by the time I got it.  I sold it. Even 38 was uncomfortable. 

 

I tried a Colt trooper MK III and it was comfortable to shoot and accurate,  I sorta miss it.  A no frills, straight up revolver.

 

Years ago I bought a ruger GP100.  It is comfortable and accurate and average weight for carry.  I like that one a lot.  Good sights on it as well.  

 

I also tried the newer Colt King Cobra .  3 inch barrel.  Very accurate.   I don't find the gold dot front sight much better than black sights.  It was fairly light and easy to carry.  I like it as much as the GP100.  

 

My favorite though is the Kimber K6s.  2 inch barrel.  Smooth as silk to fire.  Accurate.   Real front and rear sights.  Easy to conceal.  Light weight.   No external hammer to allow dust to get in the mechanics of the pistol.   It does feel a little stout if shooting 357 loads but 38 is negligible.   Good , quality revolver.  

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12 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

I once carried a S & W 686.  It was a boat anchor and pulled my pants down all the time since I don't have any hips.  It also kicked like a mule.  It was accurate and reliable.  

 

I also tried a S & W model 60 pro series.  Very light and easy to carry and accurate.   It made a mule kick feel comfortable,  though I was older by the time I got it.  I sold it. Even 38 was uncomfortable. 

 

I tried a Colt trooper MK III and it was comfortable to shoot and accurate,  I sorta miss it.  A no frills, straight up revolver.

 

Years ago I bought a ruger GP100.  It is comfortable and accurate and average weight for carry.  I like that one a lot.  Good sights on it as well.  

 

I also tried the newer Colt King Cobra .  3 inch barrel.  Very accurate.   I don't find the gold dot front sight much better than black sights.  It was fairly light and easy to carry.  I like it as much as the GP100.  

 

My favorite though is the Kimber K6s.  2 inch barrel.  Smooth as silk to fire.  Accurate.   Real front and rear sights.  Easy to conceal.  Light weight.   No external hammer to allow dust to get in the mechanics of the pistol.   It does feel a little stout if shooting 357 loads but 38 is negligible.   Good , quality revolver.  

Have you shot .357’s from the Colt King Cobra! It’s a little punishing! .38’s are fine! I have the 3” as well.

 

I have yet to see the Kimber anywhere around here!:(

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I have fired 357 put of the colt.  It was stout but not as bad as the smith 686.  Must be the way the grip is shaped.  38 is nice out of the colt as well.  For a good all around package the kimber just does it better.  Matter of fact I bought the kimber used.  That made the price good as well.  

 

I will add my 16 years old son likes the smith 686 a lot.  

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My fa-vo-rite .357 is my S & W model 27-2.

Many years ago, I ordered, and put on a set of specialty wood grips, that were designed by Skeeter Skelton (who was still with us, back then). 

Even though it sports a 3 1/2 inch barrel, it seems to be heavy enough to handle the .357's without punishing me.

My Colt Trooper is lighter, and I pretty much confine it to .38 specials. It has a 4 inch barrel, and a smooth action. It was made in the 1960's, as a cheaper version, I suppose, to a Python. 

The best .357 I ever shot was my brother-in-law's Thompson Contender single shot. I never got around to buying one, but I wish I had. 

 

My Two Bits.

W.K. 

 

 

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Any S&W N frame 357s are just plain joys to shoot!

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35 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

I have been curious about the s and w 327 8 shot though.  I saw a used one and didn't buy it and now they are over 1400 most times I see them on line.

I have the 327 Night Guard. I really like it. It has a 2.5” barrel. It weighs 27 ounces and .357 does recoil a bit, but the size of the grip helps with that. 
 

I also had an S&W 60 Pro. Recoil with 158 grain .357 was quite invigorating, to say the least. I got rid of it because of issues with S&W’s QC and 3 trips back to the factory. I really did like everything about that gun except for the asinine way the Performance Center reworked their fu….mess up. That is another story for another thread. 
 

I would also like to get my hands on a 327 TRR8 .357.  I have wanted one since they came out. 

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In 1961 I bought an ex-Utah State Highway Patrol Model 17 S&W with a 4" barrel.  The gun was like new, no signs of wear or use at all.

 

I wish I still had it, but I sold it when I was commissioned and sent to the east coast for further training.

 

I paid about $70.00 for it and sold it for $85.00.

Mighty fine gun and I'm not even a DA revolver guy.

 

The only other DA gun I had that I liked as much was a S&W M-1917 in original .45 ACP.  Another one I'd like to have again.

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29 minutes ago, Trigger Mike said:

Does the port help recoil much?


Yes.
IMO....357 Silvertips (duty issue at the time) felt like .38spl wadcutter target ammo (to me)

...at the expense of lots of NOISE! & FLASH! (particularly at night).
I had the S&W Performance Center send a 3" RB 629 to MNP for the same treatment.

 

S&W 629-1 (wire).jpg

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1 hour ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

In 1961 I bought an ex-Utah State Highway Patrol Model 17 S&W with a 4" barrel.  The gun was like new, no signs of wear or use at all.

You meant model 19, right?

 

When I bought my model 19 I bought because all my police friends raved about them. At first I was pretty lukewarm on the gun but over time I have grown to really like it. It’s a keeper. 

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I bought a brand new Model 19, handles .357 pretty well. It’s a toss up between my Colt King Cobra and the SW Model 19. The 19 is way better with .357’s than the Colt.

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4 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I figured he either meant a 19 or a 27. Real easy to fat finger it either way.

Didn’t think about the 27 for some reason. A model 27 is on my list of grail guns. 

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@Trigger Mike I will say that my model 327 Night Rides very nicely in an OWB holster. The currently offered 327 is almost 5 ounces lighter than mine and the barrel is 2” vs 2.5” on mine. I do with my my barrel was a 3” barrel, but it’s fine as is. 
The titanium cylinder and barrel is why this gun is so much lighter than mine. 


https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-327

 

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/archive-model-327-night-guard

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Favorite all time pistol or semi auto I ever owned, regardless of caliber,  was my Model 19.

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Ruger Speed Six is my favorite 357 

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37 minutes ago, Ezra Hawthorne said:

Could somebody recommend/rank your top 5 choices for .357 and perhaps least favorite/ones to avoid?

1.  S&W 586/686 

2. Colt Python

3. Ruger Security/Service/Speed Six

4. S&W 19/66

5.  Ruger GP100

 

Unless you're going to shoot low power shells, avoid polymer framed and/or small framed 357 magnums.  I have a S&W 640-1 357 magnum, and punishing is an understatement when shooting full house loads.  Also, quality comes at a price.  Cheap revolvers don't hold up like quality ones do.

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Trigger Mike, funny you said that. My son "borrowed" my 686 20 years ago. I had to buy myself a new one.

Great gun. I carry a S&W 60 (original point and click), keep a S&W M&P shield in 9 in my car and a S&W Bodyguard in the wifes car.

Did I say I like S&W's.

Happy Trails

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2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

My new Model 19, great gun!!

IMG_2516.JPG

 

The really nice thing about the new Model 19 "Classics" is that the issue with cracked forcing cones has been eliminated by the new barrel configuration and per S&W you can shoot .357 magnums from these guns in all cartridge configurations to your heart's content and the demise of your hands and wrists and you should have zero issues with them.

 

That sure is a  handsome revolver, Rye. :D

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Now there again, it's like asking a Sheik which is his favorite among his hareem.

I've shot some really nice ones, only one that was unpleasant ... my favorite, though?
Every last one of 'em!

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6 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said:

My new TALO Vaqueros are the new shiny objects, but I love my M28 Highway Patrolman that I've had for a long long time, pretty sure the serial number dates it from the early 50's (?).

If your gun is a Model 28 (there is no such thing as an M28, it is a Model 28), then it is not from the early 50s, as they did not give them model numbers until 1957. If it is from the early 50s, it is simply a Highway Patrolman.

 

That M28 thing - that is one of my pet peeves. I've noticed as I've got older that I seem to be getting more and more pet peeves. I have so many now that I barely have room for them to run around, and Purina Peeve Chow ain't getting any cheaper.

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