Revolver recommendation

[Bohemian]

The 357 Mag is a very powerful round...

A work of caution...

Take your wife to an indoor range where they rent 357's & let her shoot 12 rounds before you buy it...

It was designed for the FBI to shoot holes in running car engines, so...

IT HAS A LOT OF RECOIL...

The History of the .357 Magnum:
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2010/11/23/the-history-of-the-357-magnum/

 

[pedropcola]

Why is everybody recommending snubbies for a home defense gun? Get a 4 inch barrel or even 5. I find 6 inches is too big and unwieldy for most shooting. 4-5 is the sweet spot. As for a Ruger SP101 I recommend one step up to the GP100. Extra round, you can put the compact rubber grip on for 20 bucks, and the extra mass soaks up the recoil. Which won’t be much because I would avoid 357 if at all possible. If she is recoil sensitive she won’t like magnum recoil and blast. All the Smiths are good to go as well. You really can’t go wrong. Used guns are great. Usually. My LGS has a Metropolitan Police commemorative Model 10 maybe. Pretty cheap and brand new. Pretty easy to find good deals out there on used revolvers.

 

[DHHilliard]

I didn't have time to read the whole thread but has anyone suggested the Taurus 692? Comes in 2.5, 3 and 6.5". 38, 357 and 9mm w/ extra cylinder. I just wish they made the 3" without the ports.

 

[ralph.mclean]

Can't go wrong with a Smith and Wesson or a Ruger. Take her to a gun store and let her try out the fit in her hands so you get the right one. If the ranges near you are open, and they have rental guns, you might want to try out a couple there as well.

 

[Rmc]

So I am looking for a 357 revolver. Nothing fancy just home protection for the wife. She is scared of the slide on my 9MMS but loves shooting my single six. I figure a good 357 would work. I know nothing about revolvers but looking for a decent recommendation. Also should I consider a used gun? Not looking to buy anytime soon with all this panic buying.

Interesting.

Is she comfortable safely lowering the hammer of that single six on a loaded round?

That seems to be the safe handling aspect most feared by new shooters using exposed hammer revolvers capable of single action fire.

 

[Bob A]

Why is everybody recommending snubbies for a home defense gun?

My recommendation for S&W M36 with 3" barrel was driven by a couple thoughts.

First, smaller revolver, smaller grip, for smaller hands.
Second, 3" barrel for better sight plane, better balance and better ballistics.
Third, 38spl is more than adequate for home use; less recoil, less muzzle blast, less likely to do permanent hearing damage.

The idea of a 44 magnum for home defense seems extreme, unless you're dealing with invading grizzlies.

 

[bfpjpth]

Revolver advice

Just want to offer up some advice that may be of use. First, is your wife experienced with handguns or a beginner ? A 357 short barrel pistol packs a significant amount of recoil. A 357 revolver is also capable of shooting 38 specials which offer a bit less recoil. Before purchasing a 357 you might want to have your wife shoot one to make sure she is comfortable with the feel and recoil associated with a 357 handgun.

 

[Ranger Tom]

Take her to a range like the Machine Gun Nest and try several revolvers, then to a shop that has a large selection of revolvers and let her decide. I did this with my wife (her choice was a LCR .38+ which she shoots very well).

 

[lemmdus]

S&W 642 38 Spc or 38 Spc +P. I have one and I love it and it might be a little easier for your wife to shoot than a .357 revolver.

 

[ajmay]

My 2 cents- as others have mentioned, if she’s spooked by the slide action, then recoil of a larger caliber handgun may not be the way to go.

Handguns are convenient, but if it’s a home intruder scenario that she’s worried about, I’d recommend she strongly consider a pistol caliber carbine. So much easier to aim, train and control...more velocity, less boom, laughable recoil. If you’re using a 9mm already, get a 9mm carbine...ammo is way cheaper than .357 and coming out of a 14-16” barrel, it’s damn close in power. She’ll be far more likely to train with it and be proficient when she needs it most. Depending on your pistol, you can probably get one (eg Kel-Tec, Berretta) that uses the same mags.

Heck, even an M1 carbine in good condition with good .30 cartridges can be comparable in performance to a 357, but with vastly more accuracy, control, firepower and better ergonomics.

 

[randyho]

ETA: Ack outta stock. Nevermind!
This could work.<$210?

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

The M1 Carbine with hollow point ammunition can be a formidable defense gun but first make sure there's no feeding issues with hollow points...they can be a bit persnickety feeding them.

 

[TexasBob]

Have your wife try a S&W 637 Airlight Single/Double action 38SPL only 15 oz unloaded. Smaller frame easy to handle, easy to load, My wife has issues with racking the slides on any of my 380's, 9mm's, 45's. The 357's had to much kick and the full size revolvers were to heavy, she liked the weigh and size of the Airlight and it is not over priced. I also got her some 90 GR FTX hollow point for home defense, has a lighter load but has does the job!

 

[calicojack]

six hits with 22lr is better than 7 misses with 357.

I think there is a lot to that. Just get a 22LR with at least a 5.5" barrel; a snubby may not have sufficient velocity to expand.

 

[Agostino]

revolver for home defense

For a home defense revolver in .357, I highly recommend a Ruger GP-100 with a 4" barrel.

 

[mod64first]

S&W model 66. a 2.75" or 3" barrel.

 

[Ed J]

Colts are great and I love Smith and Wesson. But in my humble opinion for the money you can’t beat a Ruger. GP100 is a great gun. Get your gal used to shooting 38’s out of it and maybe she’ll move up to the 357. Good luck!

 

[sxs]

My experience with taking first time shooters to the range is that most of them favored a 2.5" barrel Sp-101 to the heavier 4" barrel GP-100. The SP-101 has smaller grips and my female friends expressed a consistent preference for that. With all due respect to our members who suggested the Blackhawk, I would disagree. I feel that learning the intricacies of a Single-Action Only revolver and using it well under stress are not in most people's favor. Multiple steps that lead you to a light trigger pull seems less useful than a single motion and heavier trigger in my opinion. That said, to a person they all enjoyed shooting my Single-Six, even if they didn't necessarily do it well.

I was surprised it took so long for someone to recommend a GP100 over an SP101. While women in general gravitate toward smaller handguns, the GP100 is usually less punishing to shoot....especially with +P or 357 ammo. It also holds an additional round over the SP101

The other revolver that many people like is the Smith 686 L frame. I won't take exception though to people who recommend K frames like the Smith model 19 or the model 13.

Also, snubbies tend to maximize recoil and muzzle blast which isn't exactly conducive to proficiency. 4 to 6 inch barrels tend to be easier to handle and also give you a bit extra velocity....especially with the .357.

 

[Dippah]

Chiappah Rhino would be my suggestion. It’s a little pricey but the innovation is incredible and should be softer shooting as well as it looks like nothing else out there!
https://www.shootingandsafety.com/chiappa-rhino-357-magnum-revolver/#Final_Thoughts

 

[Pinecone]

The M1 Carbine with hollow point ammunition can be a formidable defense gun but first make sure there's no feeding issues with hollow points...they can be a bit persnickety feeding them.

Jacket soft points will feed better, and still expand.