Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Your favorite barrel length for a .357 revolver?

It's hard to beat a good .357 Revovler for shooting fun and personal protection but I am curious as to what might be the most popular barrel length, I've had .357 Mag revolvers with 2", 3", 4", 5" and 6" barrels....For Me and My useage of a .357 Revolver I have settled on the 3" barrel as My favorite, it's a nice do-all length, It's a very shootable length and is also fairly concealable.......What say you?.....Hb

2.5 to 3, but most of my handguns are for concealed carry, so that's my mindset. For that, revolvers in the 3 inch or less category are my choice.

In a .44 Magnum, four to six inches, since I don't consider them concealed carry guns.

I'll say 4" is most useful though 3" has more cool factor.

3” is perfection in my book!!

I've carried a lot of 4" guns, but really prefer the 6" barrels. The longer barrel really makes the .357 a magnum for me.

4" if it's a K frame or similar.

5" works OK.
Bob

Nice one Bob! I love the wood grips......Hb

Thanks! They're Herrett's Ropers.
Bob

Those grips are really nice.


27-2?

Roger that. I set it up like Skelton's favorite 5" 27...the Roper-style stocks were designed by him and made by Herrett's to be a little slimmer than the original Roper stocks. Herretts still makes them. The 27-2 is my favorite N-frame.
Bob

Its hard to beat a model 27/627 for a good shootin .357 Mag, I have a Mod 627 Pro 4" that I shoot more than any other handgun I own......Hb

...was thinking about this same question just the other day.... For what I actually do with a .357 probably the 3".

Since getting a Model 19 4" in 1970 I've had:

2.5" (1)

3" (5)

3.5" (1)

4" (7)

5" (2)

6" (1)

8 3/8" (1)

If I lived out west and was carrying the gun in the field a lot then would go for a Double Action 5 or 6" or Single Action 4.75-6" but for here in NH the 3" works just fine...

Bob

I'd pretty much take 5" for any cartridge.

It depends. I really like Ruger's SP101 4.2" barrel on that frame for the way I use it. Barrel length I want on one will vary based on the frame size and intended use.

I picked up one of these recently. A joy to carry. My first time dropping the hammer on a 357 self defense load...no so much.

And then consider that some people own Scandium/Titanium Airweight S&W J-Frames in that chambering.

Favorite is 4".

No, 6".

Nope, 4", definitely my fave.

Well, on second thought, 6" is probably a little more my most favorite.

Except when it's 4". Yep, 4", definitely, absolutely positively.

Unless it's 6".

Okay, let's settle this once and for all. Here's a picture of my guaranteed, indisputably favorite barrel length:





What day of the week is it...?

Jim, I like both of your favorites!

Well, since the only one I have is a 6", I guess thats my favorite.
I must say I do like the looks of the 3+ inch barrel on an Ruger SP101.