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

I do understand the love for the 27-2..

Depends entirely on the use.

4" is about right for a general-purpose L-frame or a K-frame.

The 2.5" Model 19 and Model 66, and the 3" Model 65 are useful carry guns. They're also gorgeous in a way that reeks of menace.

4" or 5" is perfect on any N-frame that will spend much time in a holster, with a slight nod to the 5" for being the thinking man's length.

If you need more than 5" of barrel, then go all the way to the 8 3/8" Model 27, which is perfect for winning beer money from rubes at the range.


Okie John

I could argue in circles .. depends on what I'm using it for.

Averaging things out, I think a 4" L frame or GP100 would be hard to beat. There are better guns for specific purposes but looking across the board, I'm not sure they can be beat.

My favorite carry .357 is a S&W pre-lock J frame with a 3" barrel and adjustable sights. Vicious bitch to shoot, nice to carry. For hunting, I'm fond of the 8-3/8" L frames and 8" Python. I like the GP100 6", but the 160 / half-lug version, not the 161 / full lug version. I wish Ruger would offer a run of 8" GP100s with the barrel-mounted rings. (Is Lipsey's listening? :)) I'm a single action fan. Practically speaking, the 6-1/2" SS blackhawk is probably king but for sheer class, a 4-3/4" barreled Colt SAA would be pretty fine.

Of what's currently available, I suppose I'd lean towards the GP100 Match Champion with adjustable sights and swap the grips for a smooth compact grip.

For day in day out carry I like a 4" sixgun. I normally don't carry a 357 for such simply because of the noise it makes should one need to fire a shot without hearing protection. So for me I use this cartridge for varmint hunting & long range plinking. And for such I like 6 to 7 1/2 inch guns.

I want one of the new seven shot SW's or Ruger revolvers.


4 inch.

I have a GP100 6 inch and an SP101 that is 2 something.

Jim I have a friend who shoots an N-Frame S&W 8 shot he loves. That revolver has close to 50,000 rounds through if memory serves. He shoots it over a lot of the east coast in matches.

4” for a DA and 4 3/4 or 3/8 for a SA. although the 4.2” on the current bearcats aint half bad neither

That sounds good!

Sturdy too.

I also like the 6" 27-2. This one wears a set Herrett's custom stocks, too. Not a carry gun, but it's fun to have along while sitting in a stand on a south TX pig hunt.
Bob

Wow nice RGK!......Hb

Is that a 27?

Yeah, that would be me :-)

27-2. Early 70's manufacture.
Bob

Beautiful beast, Bob.

VaHilBilly: I shoot the longer, heavier barrels better - so my favorite 357's (that I shoot!) are equipped with barrels 6" long.
I also feel I can shoot my 6" barrel Smith & Wesson Model 686's a skosh better than my Smith & Wesson Model 19's and Model 66's (due to the heavier barrels).
On those occasions when I need a concealable pistol it is a Glock 40 caliber with night sights and high capacity magazines.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

II like the 6 far and away the best. If I wanted a snubby I’d just get a 38. And if I wanted a 4 I’d get a 9. But I guess I could do a 4 in 357...maybe

I can live with a 4", too. Bottom revolver is a 66 that I won a few years back. S&W put the patridge front sight on. I've killed several dear and a couple of hogs with it.
Bob

I like a six inch barrel for hard recoiling handguns.

And a good load in .357 will kick pretty good.

three or four inch.

Where magnum revolvers are concerned, I like a 6" barrel. Longer barrel=more velocity. If you're going to acquire a magnum revolver you might as well have a barrel on it that's long enough to allow that slow burning powder to get up a head of steam.

I had a tight gapped 6.5" Ruger Blackhawk for a while. You could really get a 158 grain hard cast bullet moving with it using WW296.