.357

[Guest Amos2014]

Hi ladies,

I am new here, and have a question.  I have a .357, and its pretty heavy on the wrist.  Anyone have a recommendation for something not quite so heavy, but that would be as effective?

 

thanks

Amy

[RED333]

You can shoot 38 special from a pistol that is rated for .357.

Bit lighter round, lighter bullets and easier recoil.

My wife carries a 38 special, but she does like shooting our 44 mag as well.

Edited February 26, 2014 by RED333

[Guest Lowbuster]

If you want the same power as .357 but a lighter firearm, the recoil will be harder. Like redd said, my wife's model 640 S&W is .357 but she shoots .38

[PackinMama]

For self defense purposes against humans (not bears or other large animals), with todays advanced ammunition, a 9mm handgun would be almost as effective as a .357 magnum. Unless you're living in Alaska or somewhere else that large four legged predators are a concern, then a 9mm will serve your purposes just fine......and with a lot less recoil.

[peejman]

It's all about shot placement. If you can't shoot it accurately and relatively quickly, it's not a good defensive choice regardless of what caliber it is. A hit with a .22 is more effective than a miss with a .50 BMG.

[KKing]

[quote name="peejman" post="1117031" timestamp="1393437973"]It's all about shot placement. If you can't shoot it accurately and relatively quickly, it's not a good defensive choice regardless of what caliber it is. A hit with a .22 is more effective than a miss with a .50 BMG.[/quote] This this and this.

[NashvilleStage]

I am new here, and have a question.  I have a .357, and its pretty heavy on the wrist.  Anyone have a recommendation for something not quite so heavy, but that would be as effective?

 

Hi Amy, and welcome to the group! I'm not a lady, but if you don't mind, I can make a few suggestions.
 

First, could you clarify a little more what you don't like about your .357? By "heavy on the wrist", do you mean that the recoil is too hard, or that the revolver is too heavy to comfortably hold up & aim?

[A.J. Holst]

I primarily shoot .38 / +p out of my snubnose revolvers*

 

Lot of wasted energy for "off the shelf" .357 coming out of a short barrel

 

With my limited knowledge, I am pretty sure you want a 4" - 6" barrel to get max performance or pay for .357 designed specifically for short barrels.

 

* I will shoot .357 when I've got the feeling for loud noise and big flame.

[Jonnin]

Welcome!

 

What do you even mean by heavy?  The weight of the gun, or the recoil? 

 

If recoil is the issue, and not gun weight,  different grips can often solve the problem for a very small investment relative to a new pistol or eating a loss on a trade.

 

Gun weight is often less of an issue than barrel length in a revolver.  A long barrel is like trying to hold horizontal a 5 pound weight on the end of a yardstick using only your thumb and 1 finger.   Its not the weight so much as the weight on a sort of lever against your wrist.   Often, the same gun (if you like it) can be found in a shorter barrel model, and often, this is much easier on the wrist.  But this issue usually does not show up until you start talking about guns that are unsuitable for carry anyway, stuff with 8 and 10 inch barrels??

 

 

My wife shoots a ruger GP 357.  It is not heavy, but because of that, with full power 357s it is a handful of recoil (thankfully nice grips tame it some).   We like this revolver because it is very easy to get a light, easy to use trigger setup and it is a good size for carry, and while uncomfortable to shoot hundreds of times back to back with elephant killing bazooka rounds, she gets enough real loads down the tube for practice and a lot more light 38s for fun.  

 

For most guns, the following is more or less true: the lighter the gun, the worse the recoil, and the heavier the gun, the gentler it is.   Keep that in mind before you rush out to by an aluminum framed short barreled 357.    If you want to go super light and small, a 38 or 38s in a small 357 is much more usable (and this isnt aimed at women either, I personally would not care to practice with a 357 lightweight and if I can't practice with it, I will not carry it). 

 

As others said, a good 9mm is about as effective as a 357, usually has more capacity, is easier to reload, and if you select one with a gentle trigger can be fired faster as well.  If you prefer a revolver, there are many other flavors as well --- you can get anything from a .22 mag with 8 or so rounds to things that make your 357 seem small.  Maybe another caliber will suit, such as a 32 of some flavor, etc.   The 32 mag is not a weak cartridge.

 

Also, note that barrel length has a lot to do with effectiveness of the firearm.  Below 3 inch barrels really reduces the power of any cartridge.  I say that and carry a micro 9mm, but its worth knowing. 

Edited February 28, 2014 by Jonnin