7075-T7 wrote:S&W 360PD. Small, extremely lightweight, .357 magnum capable. I pocket carry and IWB mine all the time when the weather gets warmer.
Be warned, it does have a significant recoil impulse with .357 magnum. Kinda like getting your hand hit with a broomstick. But that's the trade-off with lightweight power.
That's the one I tried and would rather throw. It is indeed a trade-off.
I have a GP-100 that is not unpleasant to shoot but is quite large for concealed carry. I've read a great many favorable comments about the SP-101 which I have shot but not owned. Only 5 shots. That might be a better compromise.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
For what you're describing, the S&W J-Frame (and variants, such as the Rossi) are never the wrong answer. The LCR's in .38 or .357 are rumored to fit J-frame gear, which is a HUGE plus to me.
As for shooting .357 magnums in a snubbie...well, IMHO it's not worth it. I went out of the way to get a .357 mag for my first snubbie (model 60). I'm not recoil averse...I live my .41 mags, and grew up on .357 mags.
In MY opinion...J-frames (and similar sized guns) are excellent .38 specials and lousy .357 magnums. They're quite controllable with standard .38 practice loads, and even .38 +P defense loads. The 125 and 158 gr. hollow-point +P .38 loads are effective. There is NO gain whatsoever in bumping up to .357 mag speeds in these guns. The short barrels don't benefit from the extra powder charge (my Chrony proves it) but your hand, ears, and eyes will feel it the difference.
I once cleared the entire firing line at Carter's Country with a snubbie and a cylinder full of full-house .357 defense loads. As in everyone stepped back to watch after the first round. The muzzle blast was similar to my carbine-length .243, and the noise made my ears ring even under plugs AND muffs.
The recoil felt nothing like having my hand hit with a broomstick. Well, maybe that is a fair comparison, if a strong man was swinging the broomstick as hard as he could. Frankly, it's the most "felt" recoil I've ever encountered, including having touched off a few rounds in a .500 S&W.
But I don't say that to scare you off. In my .357 model 60, I'll never worry about a "hot" .38 special being too much for the pistol. And if you already have a stable of .357's on hand, it avoids any possibility of a catastrophic mistake.
I wish I had my crony tickets handy between a 2" .357 and a 4" .357 with the same loads, both .38 and .357...it was startling how little gain I got from stepping it up in the shorter gun. It's as though the velocity dies off around 850-875 no matter how much powder you throw at it with a 158 grain bullet.
Sorry for the master's thesis. I just wanted to share my experiences with these guns, and the results of some of my experimentation. All told, a snubnose revolver, provided you practice with it, is never a bad choice either as a primary or secondary carry, and really I'm of the opinion that no CCW wardrobe is complete without one.
Well a pocket carry means it usually needs to not only be smaller but lighter. I would say 17 ounces or lighter. That being said full power .357 mag loads out of a lightweight snub is not fun but in an emergency you won't know the difference. I carry a S&W bodyguard in my pocket as a back up and it weighs about 16oz loaded. I carry the 135 grain speer gold dot short barrel .38 special +P load and as far as I am concerned it is pretty much between a .380 and 9mm standard pressure power wise. Basically .380 velocities with 9mm penetration and bullet weight.
As for what firearm? Well I do love my SP-101s but they are just to heavy imo to pocket carry. Great hip carry though! I would recommend any of the light weight smiths or the Ruger LCR. If you check under Camp's Corner board on this forum you will find a ton of great info from the late Mr. Stephen Camp for revolvers. But from what I have seen .357 mag loads from a 1 7/8 barrel is very close to 9mm +P from a 4-5 inch barrel in respect to velocities in similar bullet weights.
So long story short if you want a lightweight snub in .357 mag for pocket carry you are going to have to deal with a good amount of recoil if you run .357 mag loads. Remember you can always practice with .38 special and carry 357 if you want. For a hip carry I whole heatedly recommend the 3inch Ruger SP-101. It is just as easy to conceal as the snub sp101 in a hip holster and that extra inch makes a big difference with muzzle blast with the hot loads!
