The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Revolver Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 6, 2013, 12:15 AM   #1
freenokia
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 28, 2011
Posts: 142
Thinking about buying an Airweight 357 mag J-frame

How does their size compare with the 38spl j-frames?

Should I port it?

What will I gain with the 357 over the 38 in the short barrel?
freenokia is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 12:39 AM   #2
therealtwitch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 7, 2007
Location: Mesa, Az
Posts: 358
Size wise the cylinder is slightly longer but overall the size diffreance isn't noticeable.

What you gain by going .357 is a few hundred feet per second and a sore hand.

Porting is personal preference. Personally I do t like porting.

In the end it's nice to have the extra thump if you ever needed it. Buy you probably won't be putting a lot of full house .357 through it. I carry a 640-1 and it thumps your hand pretty good. So the lighter gun will hit harder. Even still I may get a 340 as I dislike that my 640 has a 2" barrel instead of the 1.875"
therealtwitch is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 02:50 AM   #3
Redhawk5.5+P+
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2012
Location: NV
Posts: 743
Quote:
What you gain by going .357 is a few hundred feet per second and a sore hand.
I agree, that's why I bought a less expensive .38 +P J-frame for carry, and I bought a steel frame Ruger SP101 3" .357 if I feel like carry something that won't hurt to shoot .357s.

Point? Buy two guns.
Redhawk5.5+P+ is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 07:03 AM   #4
Shadi Khalil
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 23, 2006
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 5,210
Look at the M&P line from S&W; at least you get a steel cylinder. As for the porting I would pass. The last thing you need on a .357 snub is more flash and velocity loss.
Shadi Khalil is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 07:14 AM   #5
Kreyzhorse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 12, 2006
Location: NKY
Posts: 12,463
A .357 is certainly a step up over a .38, however, if I wanted an Airweight, I'd stick with a .38 and carry +P if I wanted a little extra power.

357 can be pretty brutal out of a small light gun and you will likely practice with .38 any way.
__________________
"He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson
Kreyzhorse is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 09:00 AM   #6
twobit
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 25, 2010
Location: Coyote Creak, SW Texas
Posts: 597
The Ruger LCR is a very good gun also. The S&W's are good. Don't get me wrong. I've liked all the S&W revolvers that I have had. Also in that small a frame I prefer a .38.
__________________
Twobit,
Strive to live up to the opinion that your dog has of you.
twobit is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 10:06 AM   #7
bossman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 16, 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 996
I only shoot .357 magnum out of steel guns, no Airweights for me. And I would never port a snubbie for any reason.
__________________
NRA life member

When the going gets tough, I just open another beer.
bossman is offline  
Old February 6, 2013, 12:46 PM   #8
Silent Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 27, 2005
Posts: 288
Technically there are no aluminum .357 Airweights, .357 Mag j-frames in the S&W line-up are either steel-frame or scandium/titanium Airlites.
__________________
"Remember, the people on the Internet are just like you - ignorant, delusional, and dangerous."
Silent Bob is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 10:26 AM   #9
rodfac
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 22, 2005
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,619
Plus one on Shadi's comment...a port on a short barreled revolver is down right painful...Rod
__________________
Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.
rodfac is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 10:34 AM   #10
jmortimer
Junior member
 
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
Have a 13 ounce M&P 360 .357 but never intended to shoot .357 other than downloaded .357. A 158 grain RNFP "Cowboy" round works well. The 340 and 360 are probably the most powerful revolvers ounce for ounce. Porting will blind you at night and you can't use shot shells. Not worth it for me.
jmortimer is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 10:38 AM   #11
FlyFish
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2009
Location: Overlooking the Baker River Valley
Posts: 1,723
Quote:
What you gain by going .357 is a few hundred feet per second and a sore hand.
Every time I see this question come up, I'm reminded of my shooting buddy who, in an all-time exercise in poor judgment, went to the range and handed his lady friend his scandium .357 snubby (S&W Model 360? not sure) with full-house loads. On the first shot, the gun rotated back in her hand and the hammer spur punched a hole in the web of skin between her thumb and index finger that required a couple stitches to close. Sore hand indeed. They're no longer together - he swears the incident had nothing to do with that, but I'm not so sure.
__________________
NRA Benefactor Life Member
NRA Certified Instructor: Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, PPIH, Metallic & Shotgun Shell Reloading; RSO
Pemigewasset Valley Fish & Game Club
FlyFish is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 10:45 AM   #12
Slamfire
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 27, 2007
Posts: 5,261
You need to shoot one before you buy one.

You might not like the fireball, blast, and the recoil.
__________________
If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.
Slamfire is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 11:32 AM   #13
Silent Bob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 27, 2005
Posts: 288
"You might not like the fireball, blast, and the recoil."

And the jackhammer like vibration pulse that enters your hand and leaves you feeling as if the nerves in your hand have been damaged afterwards.
__________________
"Remember, the people on the Internet are just like you - ignorant, delusional, and dangerous."
Silent Bob is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 01:22 PM   #14
carguychris
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 20, 2007
Location: Richardson, TX
Posts: 7,523
Quote:
Technically there are no aluminum .357 Airweights, .357 Mag j-frames in the S&W line-up are either steel-frame or scandium/titanium Airlites.
You're correct about the Airweight part, but you forgot about the M&P series, which have scandium alloy frames with steel cylinders.
__________________
"Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak
carguychris is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 03:28 PM   #15
Dragline45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 30, 2010
Posts: 3,513
Quote:
What will I gain with the 357 over the 38 in the short barrel?
Not much, the .357 needs at least a 4" barrel to take full potential of the load. You get the extra recoil, muzzle flash, noise, and slower follow up shots for only a marginally faster round.

I used to carry a S&W model 60 in .357, I sold it and picked up an older 640 in .38. Best choice I ever made. I wouldn't recommend the .357 in a snub for anyone, especially the airweight .357's.
Dragline45 is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 05:48 PM   #16
therealtwitch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 7, 2007
Location: Mesa, Az
Posts: 358
I love my 640-1 but I agree with above and would love to find a 640 in .38. There's something about all steel
therealtwitch is offline  
Old February 7, 2013, 08:49 PM   #17
royal barnes
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 11, 2012
Location: Wendell, N.C.
Posts: 189
I am not particularly recoil sensitive and have fired handguns in most calibers. I have carried and shot .38 snubbies for years using +p ammo with no problems. I had to have one of the Smith 340 M&P's when they came out. What a great idea! A lightweight .357! Not for me. Even the mildest .357 load was like holding up my hand and letting someone rap it with a pool cue. I fired exactly 20 rounds through it and went back to carrying +p .38's. I finally sold it to someone who just had to have it. He still carries it but with .38's. I have regressed to a Colt Cobra loaded with Hornady XTP 158 grain non +p. It's more accurate for me, holds six, and follow up shots are quicker.
royal barnes is offline  
Old February 8, 2013, 08:42 AM   #18
jj320
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 7, 2013
Location: hobart,in
Posts: 119
Go with a S&W 60 or Ruger SP101 and shoot 38 spec +p or just spec the frame weight will take some of the recoil and you have the option of 3 calipers to shoot. sorry was reading the other posts and forgot the op was for 357 air weight . ill blame it on the old age

Last edited by jj320; February 8, 2013 at 09:08 AM.
jj320 is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 12:41 AM   #19
Redhawk5.5+P+
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2012
Location: NV
Posts: 743
Quote:
"You might not like the fireball, blast, and the recoil."
I didn't know all .357 had fireballs.
Redhawk5.5+P+ is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 07:39 AM   #20
DealHunter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 1, 2012
Posts: 225
Have an M&P 360 and a Ruger LCR .357 and yup, neither are fun to shoot with .357s; the Hogue grip and the extra weight of the Ruger do help but the Smith is easier in the pocket. I got mine at a way discounted price otherwise I would probably have just gotten a 637/8.

Usually just carry .38s; have a few boxes of Gold Dot short barrel .357s but they really don't give you that much extra omph over .38. Unless you "have" to be able to shoot .357s you'd save a lot of money with a regular airweight, and I agree it's best to try one out first if you can since it's really not that pleasant (I think my snub .44 is less painful to shoot than the super light .357s)
DealHunter is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 10:03 AM   #21
lowercase
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 30, 2012
Posts: 287
Quote:
Should I port it?
I have a ported snub. The ports are absolutely the worst feature of the gun.
lowercase is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 10:20 AM   #22
redrick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 5, 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,041
I agree with the theme of the post here. I sold my M&P 340 and kept the 642.
redrick is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 12:01 PM   #23
orionengnr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 9, 2004
Posts: 5,172
Try one before you buy it.
orionengnr is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 12:07 PM   #24
BRE346
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 11, 2011
Location: Victoria, TX
Posts: 158
Love a 642

I loved it so much that I put a laser on it.
But practice finally became too painful and I traded for a 60-4.
__________________
Ancient Airman
BRE346 is offline  
Old February 9, 2013, 12:11 PM   #25
Glenn Dee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 9, 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 1,560
Of course this is just my opinion based on my own experiences.

Fighting a "J" frame sized revolver is a bit different than a full sized revolver or even any autoloader. While many people are capable of great accuracy at distance... thats not the J frame sized revolvers forte'. J frames are up close and personal desperation guns.

The J frame is in it's environment when within contact distance. I dont know if anyone has fired a J frame with porting... I have. You seriously risk setting yourself, or something else on fire when firing it. One of the better features of a J frame revolver is the ability to shoot through a purse, a pocket, a bag, almost anything... With the porting it may catch afire. IMO Porting seriously negates one of the J frame's most valuable tactical advantages. I honestly dont have a clue to any advantages there are to having any revolver ported.

Many of us have become addicted to the whole light weight craze. A light weight gun is to be carried a lot but shot very little. Not to preserve the gun... it's just that shooting them is uncomfortable to most people. Another negative of the light weight it can get lost... you dont have the weight pulling at your body to remind you that the gun is there. An example is a friend of mind who switched to a scandium gun and carried in IWB. He used a public bathroom, and put the gun in his pocket. After finishing his business he washed up and walked away... I'll never forget the look of panic he had when he realized the gun wasnt in his waist band. Light weight gun's = out of sight out of mind. I carry a light weight J frame from time to time... I'm not knocking them...I'm just suggesting that they have their issues.

AS far as I know (and I could be wrong) the .357 gives optimum performance out of a barrel of between 4 and 6 inches. a .357 fired from a 2" barrel may not have much of a return in power for the loss of control in the hand gun. But I'm not a ballistics guy.

My recomendation for a "J" framed revolver would be ... well a J framed S&W revolver in stainless steel, or carbon steel. Or the Ruger SP series is IMO as good, and in some cases maybe better. The Colt short barrel "D" frame steel revolvers are a tad bigger but again just as good.

Again just my opinion... but a gun is a tool. The J frame is a fighting gun. A tool designed to get someone or someone's up off of you. A tool to allow you to put some distance between you and up close harm. The J frame is made to make contact shots. The J frame is made to hide easily. The J frame is made to work every time.
Glenn Dee is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:51 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07096 seconds with 10 queries