Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 357 Magnums Rated

I've said many times on here that I think the Smith and Wesson 686 is the best 357 Mag. ever made. I will not deviate from that. If you like the blued version, it's just as good. I think the 686 is better due to my preference overall for stainless steel, but you could say the 686/586 is the best. 681/581 versions are the same only with fixed sights. I prefer adjustable, but these are good guns too.

The only thing that makes a 627/27 a lesser gun is the size. They are a bit large for a 357. Same with the 28 which I'd rate a bit lower than the 27 due to fit and finish. The 28 was cheaper though, so there's that. Overall I think most 27's are slicker from the factory.

The next in line would have to be the Security Six by Ruger. It surprised me when they came out with the GP-100 because IMO there was no need. Nevertheless, the GP is more robust but also larger. I'd rate the GP as the next down since smaller is better when it comes to these guns unless you start getting into excessive recoil or they are simply not big enough to handle the cartridge, but the Security Six always was.

I'd rate the Trooper MkIII/King Cobra as next in line. Some have suffered from less than stellar parts over the years and IMO they are not as robust as the Rugers.

Python comes in next. Beautiful gun, just not as good as the others. New Python really isn't a Python but whatever it is, there are bad things being said about it. Dunno where it will end up when/if Colt gets it ironed out.

Smith and Wesson model 19 is a nice little gun, just proven not quite enough in the metal department for the cartridge. Same with other K frame Smith's and even worse with the smaller guns like the 642. Fine for special applications and mainly shooting 38's or 38 level 357 loads.

Taurus, Rossi, and some others have made 357's over the years. Even the Desert Iggle. Put them in any order y'all want at the bottom.

JMO, and other posters here are welcome to their own even though if they're different than mine they're wrong.

All of those are good guns, no doubt. Currently, my only .357 is a 4 in. M-19 with Hogue rubber grips that I quite enjoy shooting. I mostly shoot .38s in it, but I keep 158 gr coated LSWCs in it for business use. I have owned two other .357s over the years, a 4 in. Ruger Security Six and a 6 in. M-19. Both were good pistols. I sold the Security Six to buy the 6 in. M-19 as I preferred the perceived quality of the S&W better. I had no complaints against the Ruger at all and thought it a fine pistol, but I just preferred the Smith. After a couple of years I sold the Smith because the 6 in. barrel was just not handy. Nothing at all wrong with the quality, just too long for me. I have never owned a Python and have no desire to. There is just something about them that I don't like. Maybe too much uneeded metal? I just don't like the feel of them. I would rather have a Ruger than a Colt. Some people like Toyotas and some like Hondas. Both will get the job done. I have two other S&W revolvers in other calibers as well and a Taurus and a Charter Arms in .38. When it comes to revolvers, I'm just a S&W kinda guy. My latest is a M-69 .44 Mag. that I am working with. Compared to the .44, the .357 is kinda like going from a .22 to a 9 MM.

where one is making a mess in their nest is that the 357 Magnum isnt a 9MM MIRACLE of MYSTICAL POWER. Any way you want to turn it, surmize it, fondle it, dream about it, conjure about it or have a coniption about it it will never reach the level of the Mystical Miracle that the 9MM is. No matter the launch platform or how many pennies you Super Glue to the top of the front sight to be a better shot the 9MM MYSTICAL MIRACLE OF MAGNATUDED MAGNANAMOUS POWER. is THE GREAT EVAPORATOR. Just shoot thereabouts and all will leave the earth.

I should have included Dan Wesson, probably. Charter...maybe. I've never owned either in 357 although I did own both in other calibers. Nothing wrong with either. There's a good possibility the DW would rate above a Python, even leaving out the unique capability of having more than one length barrel in the pistol pack. IME DW's are good guns.

Yes,you should have included DW's---I think my DW is the finest shooting revolver I have ever owned---it's way in front of any SW out there even though it's a 357 Max

I'd have to agree on the L frame.

What isnt mentioned is the ability of its cylinder to handle the heavier 170-180 class bullets or some of the dual crimp designs like the Thompson full length.

Never owned or even fired an L frame, simply because I think the 357 is just as well served in 38s.

I don't recall ever having loaded any bullets that heavy in a 357 because the cartridge usually just serves yeoman duty for me. Good cartridge, just not as interesting as some bigger ones.

I've heard both stories on the K-Frames. Many insist that they've had one for decades, and that they have consumed a steady diet of full Magnum without a problem. Yet the official story is that police departments that required practice with Magnums had to regularly send them in for work or replacement.

I wish you'd suck start a 9, and leave the grown ups to talk about important sheit.

I knew a guy who shot a model 19 loose.

He was a second chance competitor and also shot regional pin shoots weekly. He bought the 4" model 19 used with no idea of history. He documented over 90,000 rounds of hot .38 handloads and IIRC nearly 30,000 .357 loads through it. He died with gnarly arthritis in his hands.

Ruger Blackhawk

So 120,000 total rounds, I'd say that's durable enough for me.

I really like M19's

Ain't that the truth.

Single actions not rated. If they were, the Blackhawk would be near the top of the heap.

The guy's brother still has his old loading books. He was a bullet casting and loading fool all week long. His loading logs are like a diary. Old matches, old friends, the birth of his daughter...
Just a little proud that my name comes up in the book here and there.

Yeah those 586/686’s were some great revolvers. They were carried in a lot of holsters for many years, hence it seemed like everyone you talked to was an armorer.

I think EthanEdwards assessment is pretty spot on. I don't have a L-frame S&W, but have a M27 and 2 K frames. My 27 is more comfortable to shoot with full power loads than the K frames, for sure. But it's a 6" barrel and big and heavy to carry around. The K frames are not very comfortable with full power loads, and I shoot mostly +P 38 spl handloads in them. I've had my M66 since 1974 and it's had the most use. it's still going strong with none of the problems that seem to plague others. Don't know the round count , can't say I've ever keep track of such things.

The L frame seems to be the perfect compromise. I've shot my fathers, now my sons, 686 4" quite a bit and it is more comfortable with full power loads. It carries better than a M27 also.

The Colt J frame, the first made for 357 specific pistol, looks like a 357 should look. And it's carried over Trooper name is the best name for a 357 postol. I liked mine a lot but the grips were just a little too big and aftermarket grips that I'd prefer were not available.
It's 39 ounces in the 6" version is a nice shooting weight with excellent balance, but a bit heavier than I'd want to carry around all the time strapped to my belt.
https://youtu.be/2ySCYpKJzZ8

I think for a carry gun, a stainless Security Six offers the best combination of weight, dimensions, and durabilty in a 357. But the finish on the blued models seems to have some of the worst durabilty among revolvers.

The 19 and 66 are nice pistols for practicing with 38 and loading 357 for personal protection. With their smaller size and weight than most Smith 357 revolvers, I can see why they were a popular carry option.

I guess with what a 357 revolver has become, I can see why a 686 or other larger revolvers have become a more popular choice.

I can tell that you have never experienced the sublime Korth Mongoose dual caliber .357/9mm revolver.

Pity.

I reckon it’s truly the best of all.

Near, but not there. Freedom Arms Model 97 would rate at the top IMHO.

I've got an old Ruger Speed Six in .357 Magnum that I bought new in 1980. I believe these are built on the same frame as the Security Six. Beefy little snubby.



Also have several K-Frames in .357 Magnum (19, 66, 13, and 65). I also have a Colt Model 357 chambered in, you guessed it, .357 Magnum. I had an L-Frame from the Performance Center, but sold it a few years ago. Also sold my Model 28. Back in the 1980s I had the Dan Wesson, but sold it. That was a very nice gun with a great trigger.

Sure they are and the Blackhawk is.

Pretty good summation. My 686 goes to the range every time I do .I probably have 30,000+ rounds thru it with out a glitch.

My Security six goes with me when I am in the saddle.

Carry is a Smith Snubby , 3" barrel with a Crimson Trace, 2nd choice is my Sig P320 If I think I will need more rounds.

My Blackhawk doesn't leave the safe much anymore

It is when it is kept clean.

"Near". Possibly overbuilt and underquality. The Freedom Arms, as the other guy said, or the New Frontier.

And that disagrees with what I posted how?

Another one of the uber-built 357's out there is the older Ruger Redhawk, 6-shot. Not produced in big numbers, but what a tank.

The newer Redhawk 8-shooters should hold up for at least a couple boxes of ammo too....grin

I miss my Ruger GP 3 inch fixed sights and all it made me look good shooting.(Not an easy feat) wadcutters to 158 dragonslayers just kept on keeping on.Have a shooting buddy who shot a Charter for 27 years and Charlie never was one to baby anything.

Colt New Service

EE, first I have to say I do like that knife in your picture. What is it. I may need one. Imagine that, and I never knew it.

I have to agree with your list. I'm more of a Ruger guy over the years, but I still have a 686plus 3" like Shrapnel used to show in pictures. What a fine gun.

I don't see how a guy could find a better carrying gun than the Six Series Rugers. I have a pretty good mixture of the Security Sixes, Speed Sixes and a couple of Service sixes. The fixed sight guns typically are house guns, and just general use. After all these years I can't decide if the 4" or the 2-3/4" barrels are my favorites.

How can some one not like the 19's and the 66's? I love the 3"ers but feelings for them are way too strong, to justify over the 2-1/2" guns. How can 1/2" make that much difference. They both look good, a guy just has to have both.

I've had 38's and 44 specials in Taurus, but never a 357 mag. I'm not sure why, the others that I've had have certainly been exemplary guns. I've had at least one 44 of one kind or another for years. How can you not? The 3" 431 is a wonderful gun and very handy

Charter Arms guns I've had a couple of 38's for a short time, I've also had at least one 44 of one kind or another for years. How can you not?

I certainly wished my dad's model 27 3-1/2" would have come to me, but one of his step kids grabbed it, probably only to sell. I'm sure he would never have appreciated it as much as I would have.

I will never not have a Ruger Blackhawk in 357 mag. 4-5/8" just look right and feel right.

One that hasn't been mentioned is the Ruger SP101 3" . Actually I have had all 3 lengths, but prefer the 3" and 4". They are comfortable and just the right size to carry, and conceal and generally always have one with you. 3" seems to be plesantly the perfect general size. I even have one that's been customized by Gemeni Customs, that has the high vis front sight, and adjustable rears (probably Smith J frame sights). It just has a sense of being stronger than the model 60.

Good Reviews EE.

IMO no 357 says Business like a 3 1/2” N frame. But the Ns really aren’t great due to OAL constraints with their short cylinders.

I prefer Magna stocks due to having skinny hands and that discounts the Ks for me if lots of shooting is in order with magnum loads.

The L frames are a great compromise and I think they’re pretty close to the Goldilocks of 357s. Good cylinder length, lugged barrels add enough weight to tame recoil, and the grip frame is a good size for my hands. I’ve been thinking of picking up a 4” 686 of late though it would be hard to abandon my heavy loaded 38s as field guns.

I have yet to meet a Colt I really liked in 357. Closest would be a 357 or early Trooper. I’ve long been of the opinion that the Python is a silly looking holdover from the disco era and have replaced enough sintered internals in MKIII Troopers to not care for them. Also never really warmed to the long stacking DA pull of the old style actions and don’t care for the shape and size of the grip frame on the Colt 41 frame.

Never been a Ruger DA guy. Aside from the Speed, Service, and Security series it’s always seemed to me that they were overbuilt for little reason in some areas and often crudely finished. The lack of parts and factory service for the Security lockwork guns is a turnoff as well. Lack of Magna style stocks and no other options is a dealbreaker for the GP and SP for me too. Now talking SA the 357 Blackhawk is an excellent package of affordability and durability, I don’t see ever selling the 4 5/8 I have.

Maybe I’m a snob or maybe I’m jaded from working as a gunsmith for a while but I’ll pass hard and completely on anything Taurus or Charter. Ditto Rossi, Llama, and any other budget brand I’ve ever encountered.

I like your rating.

One thing to consider is "what's it for". Lots of different uses and for all-around I like the 686.

If you narrow it down to woods bumming/farm use, specifically with the .357, I like Ruger's 4.2" SP101. ROUGH when new but after use it smooths a fair bit. It's kind of a niche with only 5 rounds, but small enough to be handy, strong enough to last (or use as a hammer), enough weight to be shootable but no so heavy it's an anchor, adjustable sights, long enough barrel for accurate sighting and to make use of the 357 vs 38....I like it for what it is.

That's always been my impression of the SP101, as well, and have been on the verge of acquiring one many times over the years, but have never quite pulled the trigger on doing so.

I agree with overall assessment, if you're going to have one 357 revolver, the 686's are nice and tough. But these days you can carry an M69 in 44 mag for the exact same weight and, even with mild loads, way more killing power. .429 bullets just seem to kill chit more reliably than anything in the .357 range. Sold my 686...currently only have k-frames and M69's.

Thank you.

You can change the stocks on the K's..



But, you don't have to..

Hard to beat right there!!! The ultimate.357 Magnum IMO !

I’ll stick with my Colt King Cobra (6).

Me too. Only L-Frame I have left is the Model 69 in .44 mag.

No need for a L-Frame in .357 when you can have a .44 Bore

I prefer the K-frame in .357 and the old Ruger Security Six.

S&W model 19 is possibly the finest carry revolver there is, portable,packable, and finer shooting characteristics due to the shorter action than the larger L&N frame revolvers.
I have always had a 4" for packing hunting and a 2 1/2" for carry.

Many thanks. Hawkeye beat me to it on my own knife. lol It's a big knife, but I certainly like it. It wasn't expensive and it's made here in the USA.

I sure do like a 66. Have 4 of them, 3 - 2.5"s and a 4". Also unfired 4" 19. K's baby!

Ditto.

PS If S&W dropped the key lock feature, their L-Frame .44 Magnums would be wildly popular.

I agree with you on the 686, I have more rounds through my 686 than all my other 357 revolvers combined.
I wish I could agree with you on the Dan Wesson but can’t, it is finicky and always seems to have a hitch in its giddy up. Can’t bring myself to sell it either

Say what you will, the K-frame .38s and .357s were the top of the heap when revolvers were the duty handgun of choice.

Here and there some individual revolvers may have had a longevity issue if a huge volume of heavy loads were used. By and large the models 19 and 66, and their various fixed sight counterparts have served with distinction. I know of a couple of model 19s, and at least one 66 passed on to a 3rd generation of shooters. And they haven't been babied or kept in a drawer.

Perfect for their intended use...

"Combat Masterpiece" was more than just marketing fluff.

My first centerfire revolver was a 19-3 purchased in 1970...put 10K rounds of Magnum ammo through it, brought it to the factory to have it tightened up and nickeled. Ran 10K more rounds though it and sold it in 1980...didn't have another .357 keeper till the early 2000s when I bought a 4" GP-100 that still have. Has one of the best and most predictable DA trigger pulls I have ever used...

If limited to one .357 that had to do everything that would be the one...

I also own:
S&W Pre-27 that lettered to the day I was born
S&W 65-3 3"
S&W 66-2 3"
S&W 60-10 3"
S&W 60-10 3" Lew Horton Small Hunter
S&W 640 PRO
Colt .357 TROOPER (1968)
...and have a Freedom Arms 97 5.5" on lay-a-way....found one LNIB for $500 under the current wholesale...

The TROOPER is a really nice shooting gun...was shooting it last week with some 38-44 loads and it was very pleasant to shoot...






Pre-27 that lettered to the day I was born in 1952...I was in the hostital 50 miles south of the factory when it was shipped. It isn't in pristine condition...but then neither am I...





My problem with .357s is I rarely shoot them...maybe once a year. The rest of the handgun shooting goes to .41 Magnum and .38 Super...

Bob

Combat Masterpiece revolvers were also 38s and not 357s. They may be the perfect 38 too.

They only came in .38 Special. Combat Magnum was the .357 Magnum.

My vote goes to K-frames and avoiding 125-grain bullets. 2nd place goes to the L-frame Mountain Gun, but that's too specific.

opinions are like bosses and azzholes. Everyone has one.

mine is that I prefer my model 65

Yeah, the 125 grainers are likely the main culprit for shorter service life in K-Frames. They tend to really wear away the forcing cone. When they first agreed to make the K-Frame in .357 Magnum, what most cops were using were 158 gainers at lower velocities. Likely these are easier on forcing cones .

Yep.

The 158 grain bullets were in the 1450 FPS range when e M19 first appeared

And what were 125 grainers driven to at that time? My 1979 Speer manual has them topping out at 1577.

Yep.

It's not the velocity alone - the main culprit is the shorter length. The longer, heavier 158 grain bullets align the cylinder and forcing cone like a range rod protecting the forcing cone from radial stress. The shorter 125 grain bullets can pitch/yaw just enough to accelerate wear on the forcing cone, and the K-frames forcing cone with the flat spot on the bottom is the revolver's weakest link.

I find the right deal on a 4" 65 it'll come my way...

ĺ

Spot on

I just watched an S&W 66-2 3" very nice gun with box go for $1525. Dang, the average guy don't have a chance any more.

What is the difference between the SW 65 and 66?

One other question.....for you that have shot your revolvers a considerable number of rounds, do you have much flame cutting of the bottom of the top strap directly above the cylinder-forcing cone gap? Does it concern you any? I have read that flame cutting stops at a certain point.

The 3" goes for collector prices because they made so few of them. Try for a 2.5" one.

The 65 has fixed sights and exposed ejector rod, while the 66 has adjustable sights and an underlug protecting the ejector rod.

The 65 is essentially the bull barrel, stainless, Model 10 in .357 Magnum. The Model 66 was designed to look like a miniaturized Model 27.

Those 1/2" longer ejector rods are a lot more expensive. $800-900 more.

If I ever spent anywhere near that kind of money on a 66, it would have to be a 66 No Dash or 66-1, which were the pinned and recessed versions.

Excellent choices. But, you won't have to spend anywhere near that much on either of them.

Yes, I check GB pretty regularly for a used, but excellent condition 66 No Dash or 66-1 in 4 inch. I figure I will eventually get one for 650-750 bucks. Matter of fact, I saw a 66-1 I liked recently, dilly-dallied around on it, and someone else grabbed it on a But It Now for $650. It did not have the original wood grips, but that isn't a deal-breaker.

Interesting thread. I've always been a 44 guy so I haven't paid a lot of attention to 357s. I have a 3" sp101 that I really like and a little scadnium j frame that's so light it's almost unbearable with full 357 loads.

I have some S&W 44s I really like including a mtn gun, a 5" classic and a 329pd that always goes with me bow hunting. I have a 45 colt mtn gun I carry a bit too.

The first pistol I shot was a 6" python so the reintroduction has me thinking about 357 again. I've had a few 327s lately and that's a fun little round but I sometimes wonder if I should simplify a bit and get rid of 32s and get a nice 357 in the 4" python size range. Good info on the k's and L's.

Bb

$650 is actually a very righteous price, nowadays.

Yep, still kicking myself for screwing around and losing it.

No argument here!
This 686-4 3" is one of the best shooting S&W's I've ever owned.
WFR

Best is pretty subjective, but I don't think you can have a discussion of "best" .357 without including the Korth and the Manurhin .357's. Both are substantially better than anything made in the US presently. Then again, they cost as much as a summer vacation, so it's no wonder they get left out of the "best" lists.

Arguing the merits of one over the other is pointless... I'll just list the one's that blow my skirt up.

1 - Absolute favorite .357 on planet Earth, and could live without all others... S&W Model 19. Give me a 4" with all the desirable features and I'm VERY content. Despite it's flaws, I just love that revolver!
2 - Python - Like a supermodel who can also shoot...Who wouldn't want to 'date' that one?

3 - Colt Trooper - Probably the most overlooked .357 in history, yet it's one of the best. I hope to own one of these someday.

I didn't mention the Korth or Manchurian because NGAF about them.

Hell very few in this country have ever even seen one much less shot one

The Korth is very smooth and accurate. On double action shooting it feels like it has hydraulics instead of mechanical components. But...

The tolerances are very close. If to go to your range with practice loads using Unique powder on a cold day, you are lucky to get 100 shots off without cylinder drag.

One of the best buys I ever made. A fella desperate for money sold me his convertible for $1000. It was almost brand new. You get lucky sometimes.

Exactly.

I've long been a fan of S&W revolvers. But for a relatively compact .357, I really like the old Ruger Security/Service Six models.

They've very strong for their frame size.

I've got an old 4" Police Service Six made in 1976 with a very smooth action. It was the handgun I kept close for a long time. At one point I put it in the case and replaced it with a series of auto loaders. But I got it back out recently.

I'm much more acclimated to revolvers and shoot them better.

My woods carry is either a 66-1 w/4” barrel or a 65-5 w/3” barrel. I have another 66-1 that was new in box when I bought it a year or so ago that just sits in the safe until my grandson gets old enough to use it.

My daughter was gifted a 67 no dash a couple of Christmas ago and she shoots it very well.

I have 3 M28 and while they are nice to shoot, the weight usually means they stay home.

My current .357 is a S&W 620, a 7-shooter L-Frame with the composite barrel like on the X-Frames. Cost me all of $350 LNIB at Gander Mountain years ago. It's a fine piece, and has stuck when others have moved on. The single-action pull is just stellar.

Until recently it had Pachy Compacts, but the last time out it just felt a bit too lively in my old hands, so I put on a set of the polymer Jordan grips, along with a couple patches of grip tape. Oughta calm it down a bit.

The L-Frames are my favorites too. I admire the Rugers, but the Smiths are just a cut above I think.

My current 357's are a 4" Colt King Cobra, early 1990's not the current version and a 2" Colt Magnum Carry.

They made very few of those Magnum Carry revolvers. They were wildly popular but, shortly after its introduction, Bill Clinton pressured Colt to stop production (along with the, also wildly popular, Mustang, and all their other popular concealed carry handguns) to avoid being targeted by his administration, which was determined to stall the concealed carry trend growing across the nation at that time.

Clinton likely threatened, among other things, to cancel the government's contract with Colt to supply the military with the M16/M4 rifle. Colt, having cooperated with him, kept the contract till 2013.

Yes, the Carry magnum was only made for one year. The 380 Government Model was also dropped but I am not sure of the reason, I heard it was due to copyright infringements with Kahr Arms but that is only hearsay on my part.

They dropped all handguns popular for concealed carry about at the same time, only keeping large frame double action revolvers, the Single Action Army, and the 1911s in production.

Yeah, my vote also goes to the mighty L frame model 686 as the very best .357 Mag revolver, I have owned more .357 revolvers than i can remember and there are many good models including the excellent Ruger GP100 (My second choice).....Hb

Don't you wish you had one, EE?

I don't know handguns a bit EE, but my pre-27 N frame and first gen Trooper as fine as frog hair too me, if anything out there is more fitting, I don't have the talent to recognize it.

I'd feel well protected by either of yours. The two 357's currently in my stable are my wife's Magnum Carry above (which I didn't even rate) and my 28 pictured earlier, which is simply a no-frills version of your gun.

This one shoots to POA with .357s and is a lot of fun to shoot. Not a bullseye gun, but it does well on pigs and one careless coyote.
Bob

Nice. Gen II?

RGK, when I think .357 magnum that's not the first revolver that comes to mind, but that is a beautiful SAA. That's my favorite barrel length. How's the recoil compare to your M27 S&W?

Thanks EE, bet yours are good runners too, I have to say the old Trooper on ones side with four speed loaders in a Carhartt left side pocket doesn't feel all that bad as far as SD/CCW goes, I carried that 8-3/8ths barreled pre-27 a few times in the woods this year, nothing got close enough for me to try it out on, that Bianchi leather holster TheKid gave me for it soaked up no less than a dozen coats of jojoba oil all last year, it's a fine, fine holster for that old revolver.

Bingo, pretty much feel the same way. Love the 2.5 &4" M19's for shooting don't bother with 125 gr hp hot loads, the Keith style 168 gr swc (358429) is the best in the K & L frames. Just picked up a near new M13-3 3" rb blued for a song and it is easily the best carry revolver I've ever had and I really like my 2.5" 19. I like the N's also but the damn cylinders are short for using 357 brass and the above bullet unless you seat them to crimp above the front driving band. Can't really imagine what those 168's won't deal with in good loads. MB