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Old December 23, 2010, 07:21 PM   #18
Webleymkv
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 10,435
Weight and price are the biggest issues that I see. Look, for example, at the S&W J-Frames. The models 637, 638, and 642 are all lightweight aluminum frames in .38 only and all sell for $400-500 new. If you want a lightweight S&W J-Frame in .357 Magnum, you have to get a scandium frame like the 360 or 340, both of which sell for $850-1000 new.

Also, .38 Special only guns are often a bit lighter than their .357 Magnum equivalents. If we look again at S&W, the Model 10's most comparable .357 counterpart is the M13. The M13, however, was only ever offered with a heavy barrel (heavier) while the M10 was, for many years, available with a tapered barrel (lighter). Similarly, the M19 only came with a heavy barrel while the M15 came with a tapered one.

Finally, some guns just aren't available in .357 Magnum. If you want a new S&W K-Frame, you've got to buy a .38 because S&W discontinued the last K-Frame Magnum (the M66) in 2005. Likewise, if you want a lightweight K-Frame, you're stuck with .38 as the only two lightweight K-Frames S&W has ever made (M12 and 315 Night Guard) are not chambered for .357. Another example is a Colt D-Frame. The only D-Frame ever made in .357 was the Magnum Carry, and that model is quite expensive ($1000+) and slightly less common than hen's teeth since it was only made for one year.
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