[WhaleNoises]

Originally Posted by yogiboobooranger

Just wondering why you want a .357 to shoot .38spl..you will have a carbon ring in the cylinder that must be kept clean or .357 cartridges will not go into the cylinder properly. My advice to you is to get a .38 spl revolver such as a S&W model 36 or the like if you only plan on shooting .38's. Besides, you can shoot +P ammo which is plenty powerful enough for personal protection needs. I know my next statement will elicit many noteworthy replies but...a .357 cartridge in a short barrel weapon is redundant..recoil is horendous, muzzle flash is a flame thrower, and recovery for follow up shots is much harder. And the barrel is so short that the supposed added muzzle velocity is minimal at best over the .38 Spl. As a final note, if you wish to shoot .357, get a barrel length minimum of three inches, and prefer 4 inches or longer. The added length allows for nearly complete powder burn and the propulsion necessary to make the .357 perform as it was intended, and to aid in recoil recovery..JMHO of course.

The reason I want 357 and am planning on shooting .38 special is the .38 specials kick isn't bad and is fun to shoot. I also want the ability to shoot manum ammo without woring about the gun being worn down. The snub nose thing is just looks, I don't plan on using it for protection just target shooting, I have other guns for that. The cleaning thing, I'm ocd about cleaning my guns, so I think it would be fine. One other note is that every time I've shot .38 special it always happens to be out of a 357 mag. My father in law has had his 357 for like 15 yrs and mostly shoots .38 special and the gun still seams fine to me.

[yogiboobooranger]

Hey Whalenoises, my opinion is just that, an opinion. If you are wanting a range gun only, I would opt for a longer barrel if it were me. And you are absolutely right, recoil is less and cheaper to shoot .38Spl. So good luck with whatever you decide to purchase! And, me being a Ruger Blackhawk nut, would suggest you purchase a 4 5/8 inch barrel Blackhawk in .357. Great for plinking, range use, and even handgun hunting. I assumed you wanted a snubbie for CCW use..that is what I get for assuming..LOL.

[ninjatoth]

S&W for sure,I would get a Ruger if I had to.The thing is that S&W .357's cost a good deal more than their .38's,and hitting anything with a .357 on the range with a snub is next to impossible so i'd also just get a .38,a .38 seems to just be more accurate and controllable out of a snub than a .357.Personally I'd only ever get a snubbie if it was a .38 or .22

[axxe55]

if you are looking for a range or target gun, get at least a 4" barrel or a 6". that is if you are not planning on carrying it. if you are planning on using mainly 38 sp ammo in a 357, then remember to clean the cylinder chambers as well. would be a good round to reload for.

[trip286]

There are so many different great target loads for the .38 and .357. I would recommend a 4-6" bbl too for target shooting. It's funny too, the way some of these target loads look, you wonder when looking at them how they could possibly be accurate.

https://www.targetbarn.com/newstore2.asp?CAT=BULLETS&SubCat=HARDCAST

The .38 SWC

Chapter 12 - The Keith Semiwadcutter (SWC) Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners - Glen E. Fryxell

Some pretty wild looking bullet shapes. Of course someone smarter than me has checked these out and designed them, and most are supposed to be pretty accurate.

[ScottA]

S&W or Ruger, although I don't think Ruger makes a black .357 other than the LCR (which is hammerless).

[stalkingbear]

Yeah Ruger makes the GP100 in blued. Go handle both Ruger GP100 & S&W 586 and see which feels best in your hand. I chose the GP100.

[ScottA]

Originally Posted by stalkingbear

Yeah Ruger makes the GP100 in blued. Go handle both Ruger GP100 & S&W 586 and see which feels best in your hand. I chose the GP100.

Ok... what he said.

[fmj]

S&W For sure IMHO

Remember if you have a .357 and your shooting .38s the .38s will hit high when compared to .357.

I am not understanding your thought process tho...a snubbie for mostly range work is counter intuitive IMHO...as mentioned above go with the 4", then you can hunt/range time with it.

Snubbie is best suited for in close/carry work.

But hell, its your gun, your money, so its your call.

Thats just my $2 for whatever thats worth with Obummernomics in action.

[Scratchammo]

Ruger all the way