Interesting article. I have 5 different revolvers in 357. The strangest thing for me is my magnaported Ruger SP101 is easier to shoot than my N frame model 28. Go figure. Nothing timed but the perception is less recoil with SP101.
I can only assume the porting over comes the weight disadvantage and possibly the way the grips fit into my hand.
Do you want to win the fight or not? Pack the odds in your favor and choose the power.
When it was Weaver stance with high thumbs and weak over strong, there were zero issues with controlling a .357 mag, even a snubbie.
Now that we are all isosceles with thumbs forward it’s an issue.
Maybe we need to reconsider our ability to control recoil. Even the all isosceles all the time crowd favor Weave with the BIG boomers. What is the lesson there-in?
Limitations. Saddle yourself with them or not, it’s up to you.
357 magnum out of a larger revolver or something that’s not a 2 inch barrel is actually OK if you’re not shooting it all day. A four or longer inch barrel I don’t really notice anything in terms of how well I shoot. Of course after shooting 200 rounds my hands will start to get sore. But under what situations would you be shooting that much out of a 357 magnum revolver?
Now that being said I have shot 44 magnum out of a shorter Ruger vaquero at the Arizona game and Fish expo. I hated it. It was uncomfortable immediately, not pleasant at all, and if I ever bought that caliber I get a very heavy gun
Like the test shows it depends on the platform. I don’t even care for .38 +P through a 642. In an all steel gun though I’ll pack the 125gr JHP Magnum round.
The report of a .357 is something to think about, more than recoil. .44 Mag doesn’t hurt your ears near as much as the higher pitch of .357. When you really need it, you may not have your ear pro handy. The trick to shooting Super Blackhawks and Vaqueros with magnum loads is to put the pinky finger under the grip. That pulls the knuckle of the middle finger down, away from the trigger guard. Put all your fingers on the grip and that knuckle will be pounded with every shot. It is unpleasant, but probably won’t cause bleeding.
The S&W 360pd with the non Houge laser grips weighs in at 11.6 oz or there about. This gun is plain and simple uncomfortable to shoot with full house .357 rounds.
Only hits count. Most gun use involves only 1 to 3 rounds being fired. Put those two facts together and a heavy revolver works just fine for self defense, other than the need to lug around a heavy revolver.
A smaller lighter short-barreled revolver is harder to shoot accurately than a nice heavy long-barreled revolver. And the smaller one kicks more. I don’t think anyone will argue with those statements.
A 3″ S&W 630 seems to be a good compromise. I like mine.
@mikee, some years ago, there was a column I used to read on some blog by “Col Dan”. He packed a .45 Colt revolver of which he wrote about carrying, “It may not be comfortable, but it sure is comforting.”
April 20th, 2017 at 7:58 pm
Interesting article. I have 5 different revolvers in 357. The strangest thing for me is my magnaported Ruger SP101 is easier to shoot than my N frame model 28. Go figure. Nothing timed but the perception is less recoil with SP101.
I can only assume the porting over comes the weight disadvantage and possibly the way the grips fit into my hand.
April 20th, 2017 at 9:39 pm
The research I did says that the .357 in the short-barreled revolvers is overkill, because the bullet is long gone before the powder finishes burning.
38 special +P designed using fast-burning powders are the way to go.
That said, in a something like a Ruger GP100, 357 Magnum is just fine.
April 21st, 2017 at 12:01 am
Do you want to win the fight or not? Pack the odds in your favor and choose the power.
When it was Weaver stance with high thumbs and weak over strong, there were zero issues with controlling a .357 mag, even a snubbie.
Now that we are all isosceles with thumbs forward it’s an issue.
Maybe we need to reconsider our ability to control recoil. Even the all isosceles all the time crowd favor Weave with the BIG boomers. What is the lesson there-in?
Limitations. Saddle yourself with them or not, it’s up to you.
April 21st, 2017 at 12:49 am
357 magnum out of a larger revolver or something that’s not a 2 inch barrel is actually OK if you’re not shooting it all day. A four or longer inch barrel I don’t really notice anything in terms of how well I shoot. Of course after shooting 200 rounds my hands will start to get sore. But under what situations would you be shooting that much out of a 357 magnum revolver?
Now that being said I have shot 44 magnum out of a shorter Ruger vaquero at the Arizona game and Fish expo. I hated it. It was uncomfortable immediately, not pleasant at all, and if I ever bought that caliber I get a very heavy gun
April 21st, 2017 at 8:34 am
Let your hand sanitizer dry before shooting, pussies.
April 21st, 2017 at 10:27 am
Like the test shows it depends on the platform. I don’t even care for .38 +P through a 642. In an all steel gun though I’ll pack the 125gr JHP Magnum round.
April 21st, 2017 at 12:47 pm
The report of a .357 is something to think about, more than recoil. .44 Mag doesn’t hurt your ears near as much as the higher pitch of .357. When you really need it, you may not have your ear pro handy. The trick to shooting Super Blackhawks and Vaqueros with magnum loads is to put the pinky finger under the grip. That pulls the knuckle of the middle finger down, away from the trigger guard. Put all your fingers on the grip and that knuckle will be pounded with every shot. It is unpleasant, but probably won’t cause bleeding.
April 21st, 2017 at 1:45 pm
I used to hate .357’s but then I got one, and after shooting my .44-40 4-3/4″ Vaquero the .357 wasn’t bad at all.
April 21st, 2017 at 7:48 pm
The S&W 360pd with the non Houge laser grips weighs in at 11.6 oz or there about. This gun is plain and simple uncomfortable to shoot with full house .357 rounds.
April 24th, 2017 at 2:30 am
Only hits count. Most gun use involves only 1 to 3 rounds being fired. Put those two facts together and a heavy revolver works just fine for self defense, other than the need to lug around a heavy revolver.
A smaller lighter short-barreled revolver is harder to shoot accurately than a nice heavy long-barreled revolver. And the smaller one kicks more. I don’t think anyone will argue with those statements.
A 3″ S&W 630 seems to be a good compromise. I like mine.
April 24th, 2017 at 1:09 pm
@mikee, some years ago, there was a column I used to read on some blog by “Col Dan”. He packed a .45 Colt revolver of which he wrote about carrying, “It may not be comfortable, but it sure is comforting.”