Best 357 revolver

[mjbskwim]

There are no best revolvers, just buy a Glock and be done with it.

For up close and personal, and in a serious bubblegum storm fight, I'd have to agree.

But in a long term "worst case, last handgun I'll ever have, can't find anything else" scenario I'd take the revolver, preferably in a 45 ACP or 9mm (for ammo scrounging reasons) and as many moons as I could tuck away.

Possibly even a black hawk convertible in 357 and 9mm. Adequate for taking medium game and again, for the scrounge availability of the 9mm.

It's just too bad that it would be impossible to do with a 357 revolver what Ruger has done with their newest Redhawk 45/45.

On the street though, in real life, I'm quite content with a six gun. But, as much as I love "wheelies", if knowingly going into a real fight, I'd take the Glock too.

Ya know I'm ever more thinking of the saying "A handgun is for fighting you way to a rifle"
I think a six shooter,or and 8 shooter is fine till you get to your rig for the rifle.
Most gun fights used to be 2.5 rounds. Not including the gand land fights,I would guess they are about the same these days.
So what ever gun you can place the shots the best is the gun to carry.
2 or 3 well placed shots from a wheel gun would probably stop a few guys from advancing,whether from being hit or seeing their crew hit the ground

 

[muggers29536]

I like the S & W 686+ , L frame, 7 holer, in stainless, with 2 1/2' barrel (for CC)

 

[2ndtimer]

I have, at one time, or another, owned most of the .357's offered over the past 35+ years. I liked my mint 6" royal blue Colt Python that I bought used for $400 ( tidy sum in 1982), but it was delicate and I like to shoot and carry my handguns and rifles. I have also owned a bunch of Rugers, Security Six, Speed Six, GP-100 and SP-101 in various barrel lengths. Smith &Wesson 586, 686, and Model 28's in 4 and 6 inch barrel lengths. Heck, even Llama, and Colt Trooper MK III and Lawman. I enjoyed them all (well, maybe not the Llama Comanche). I now have a newer 6" Ruger GP-100 in stainless, a nice older pinned and recessed 4" S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman, and an older 2" Ruger SP-101. A nice variety, and I plan to keep all of them. In my opinion, each one is the "best" for its purpose.

 

[revjen45]

Pre-80s N Frame S&W &/or Monson Dan Wesson.

 

[MikeE]

There are no best revolvers, just buy a Glock and be done with it.

I'm a revolver fan and carry and shoot them pretty well. That said:
Recently a young woman I have known since she was in High School started getting threats from some political idiots in S Oregon. Her boyfriend got her a 642. I am using all my poor powers of persuasion to get her to pick up a Glock 19 or, better yet, an M&P9c. Funny how, as Oscar Wilde put it , "a death sentence really concentrates the mind."

 

[jbett98]

Or, Winston Churchill's quote; "There is nothing more exhilarating then being shot at with no results".

 

[Nightshade]

Love revolver's my Favorite is a Security six.

 

[CapnMidnight]

My favorite revolver, for getting all the goody out of the 357 round, is my S&W model 27 6".
Smith K frames, like my model 19 are lighter to carry, but a steady diet of hot loads will loosen them up. Same is true of my Python, it is nice and smooth, pretty to look at, but not nearly as tuff as the Smith N frame. The father of the 27, the 38/44 is what the first 357 was built on. The are the same gun as the model 29 44 Mag, just with smaller holes in it.

 

[Screwy]

Model 27 5"bbl.

 

[mjbskwim]

View attachment 255501 Model 27 5"bbl.

What Mr. Callahan carried half of the movie

 

[ron]

My favorite revolver, for getting all the goody out of the 357 round, is my S&W model 27 6".
Smith K frames, like my model 19 are lighter to carry, but a steady diet of hot loads will loosen them up. Same is true of my Python, it is nice and smooth, pretty to look at, but not nearly as tuff as the Smith N frame. The father of the 27, the 38/44 is what the first 357 was built on. The are the same gun as the model 29 44 Mag, just with smaller holes in it.

The new K frame model 66 are designed for heavy use
with full power loads. They use a different lock up system
on the crane not the ejector rod. I want one. Don't know why.

 

[CapnMidnight]

I will not buy any of the newer S&Ws with the lock. Most of my Smiths are no dash, or pre number models, back when Smith did their very best work. I've had a couple of the newer guns in for trigger work, they will not reliably function with Wolf Springs. About all you can do is polish them for smoothness, they are a joke compared to the older guns. The first issue L frames are about as new as I buy, anything newer is not worth owning, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Tony617]

I have a S&W 686 with a 6" barrel.

 

[Ruger Rich]

Looking at the 357 cartridge what is the best revolver to get the most out of the cartridge?

Ruger first, Smith second. And nothing else. There are other decent revolvers but Ruger and Smith hang tough. And Ruger is first because they are almost always affordable. My personal favorite is the Ruger convertible, shoots .357, 38's, and swap the cylinder out and blast 9mm's all day.

 

[ron]

I will not buy any of the newer S&Ws with the lock. Most of my Smiths are no dash, or pre number models, back when Smith did their very best work. I've had a couple of the newer guns in for trigger work, they will not reliably function with Wolf Springs. About all you can do is polish them for smoothness, they are a joke compared to the older guns. The first issue L frames are about as new as I buy, anything newer is not worth owning, as far as I'm concerned.

I own have owned several of the older and newer Smiths. I first started buying magnum Smith and Wesson revolvers in 1980. While I do
not like the "lawyer lock" the newer Smith and Wesson's are every
bit as good if not better as older models. There was a time in the when
the quality control in the 90's was not as good. But the newer Smith's
that are CNC machined are held to tighter tolerances. The metallurgy
is also superior. I have replaced springs on newer models and have
done some trigger work with no issues. I have a newer 629 that has
one of the best triggers I have ever owned. I am commenting on my
experiences of owning over a dozen different revolvers over the last
35 years.

 

[U201491]

Looking at the 357 cartridge what is the best revolver to get the most out of the cartridge?

A good 6" K or L frame S&W

 

[ron]

Current issue of "American Handgunner" ( Nov./Dec.) has a
column on page 44 titled "The Best Revolver Ever Made".
by Dave Anderson
And the answer is................................................................
Smith and Wesson L frame 686. American Handgunner is
the best gun mag. IMHO

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes a mistake once in awhile. Cut them some slack.

 

[NavyBob]

S&W has been the most successful delivering what I like to think of as "The Chevy pickup truck" of wheel guns. You can't argue with the success of the 686, it's the poster child.
But Ruger is right there. For many years being the quality and reliability were so darn close, your decision was which cylinder release do you prefer; push the release forward or push it down.

Having owned Colts as well, back in the year when Colt released the King Cobra, it was really hard to justify the difference in price to move up to the Python. ($600 was a lot back then).

My vote is for S&W overall. If it was good enough for Harry Callihan, it's good enough for me.
I hope this Makes Your Day!

 

[NavyBob]

P.S. With the cost of a mint Python today, unless you're Donald Trump, that baby is a safe queen. Touched only with white gloves.
I can't believe how much money they go for these days.

I also never understood why Colt designed their cylinder release to be pulled back. I sure would like to have someone enlighten me.