Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Your pick: Best DA .357 revolver for law enforcement?

When I was a trooper with the Washington State Patrol we carried S&W 28s with 6" barrels crossdraw. After I left them, they went to Beretta 92s.

Cross draw? That is interesting.

I've had a career at it long enough to go through J, K and L frame Smith and Wesson revolvers prior to using semi-auto pistols. I still use law enforcement J-frames for certain conceal carry duties. The duty revolvers were 64s, 65s, and finally a 686 prior to Sig Sauer winning our contract. Of those duty revolvers, I've never noted any difference in carry between the heaviest 686 and the lightest 64. With all the duty gear, it's about impossible to tell the difference in weight and I've worked shifts as long as 12 hours, and back then prior to current workers rights, I worked more than my share of double shifts with extra hours thrown in for good measure. Never heard a single officer say he needed to swap out his L frame for a K frame to make it through the shift. Of those, the 65 was the better revolver for uniformed duty when issued to scores of officers having varying skill levels. But, the 686 was a personal favorite of mine and quite a number of officers who were gun nuts. Even then, when it comes to overall law enforcement use, not just uniformed duty sized revolvers, I feel the short barreled J-frame model 60 is one of the greatest cop .357 revolvers of all time. It is still my number one choice for concealed carry when my life depends on a concealed pocket sized gun.

Best

More info. Please

i bought this in the seventies, custom built by pistolsmith Bill Davis. 4" Python barrel on Ruger Security Six frame. He called them Cougers. Double action is silky smooth.

Davis was a well known maker of PPC guns during the seventies and eighties.

I have never seen a police dept that gave any consideration to it's armorers thoughts or concerns.
Unless, of course, he had an idea from which he could project a cost savings.

Sounds like my experiences.

In the late seventies I had one of those type built on a S&W 27 with a 6" python barrel. Coolest gun I ever owned. Only problem is everytime a built something cool like that somebody wanted it more than I did, so I sold it. Been hitting my head on the wall ever since.

4" Model 686.

Yup; a 4" 686.. But I'm biased because I own one and I love it. But if I happen to come across a nice 4" Ruger GP100 and the price is right I'm gonna jump on it 'cause they are also quite nice.

I have a Python, a old model Colt Trooper and a Mod 19, but I would pick the 586 or 686 even though I don't have one.

(I do like my Trooper, though.)

I am a Model 28 fan, though I would carry a longer barrel. Speed of draw is more about making the decission than it is about barrel length.

Sam Browne belts carry weight well. I wore a couple of them out, but it took 18 years. I am a large man too, your results may vary.

The reason for S&W is the fact they are the same gun from 22 to 45. I put uncounted rounds through my 22 and that muscle memory is 100% there no matter what size S&W I handle. My first 357 was a Trooper, but I sold it because of the unfamiliar controls. By then I had already put thousands of rounds through my early M&P in 38, and had my kit gun too. My version of the man with one gun - the man with seven of the same gun.

My department issued Model 10's and I never felt under gunned because I know I can hit a target with a Smith, and I can hit it fast because S&W triggers are so familiar.

I would rather carry my 460 Rowland Model 625, but in 357 my Model 28 is the clear winner.

I'm no LEO and have very limited experience with DA fighting revolvers, but I'll have to strongly agree with your choice on the 'First Gen Trooper 357' I have one in 4" blue, pulled the custom Moose antler grips off today and installed the Hogue Monogrips, what a difference, now i have something to hang on to.

I cant think of a quicker DA six-shooter in this effective of a cartridge for SD, the skinny light and fast handling barrel coupled with the 125 gr Barnes TAC-HP's running a full 1450 fps has to be hell on wheels for a BG or two to have to catch.

Gunner

1450 fps worth of .357 bullet will definitely bring beaucoup doom on man or beast.

Show nuff CT, these little 4" barreled heaters have quite the attitude when ya touch 'em off.

Gunner

After a long duty week it adds up.

same here, I carried a Model 27/5" barrel in a cross draw holster

I like the 27-28 series guns for duty. The weight was never an issue for me. In my prime I carried around 190-200#'on a muscular frame at 5' 10". On a Sam Browne, the extra 6 oz. was nothing to me. I will point out that in my day, the gear carried on the belt lid not resemble a lineman's tool box. Revolver, handcuffs, and a dozen extra rounds was it!

My first issue revolver was a .38/44 heavy Duty. It was soon replaced with the early version Trooper (Python lock work). It was a fine revolver, and I really learned the handgun craft with it. Thousands of practice .38 WC and no small number of magnum loads later, it was pretty much worn out on the inside. I always felt that action was not rugged enough (and I am NOT speaking of the revolver as a club-I never hit anyone with my revolver). It is a very refined piece, but not as strong as the Model 28, which was my next issue revolver.

Mine was fitted with a combat trigger and the internal parts and the internal frame was polished by our armorer as was befitting a pistol team shooter. It was and is smooth. (I bought mine from the department when it was finally retired in favor of semi-autos.). Our department next went to the 586, IIRC, a blue steel gun, but by that time I had enough rank to say no thanks and get by with it, I kept the 28 for uniform wear and had been issued a Model 10 snub nose for plain clothes wear.

If I were buying a revolver today for duty, I would be sorely tempted to go with the five inch Performance center eight shot carried in a little higher ride holster to compensate for the extra inch of barrel.

I was still working when our department changed over to the Sigs. I doubt there is a finer battle handgun ever made that is better than a Sig 220 loaded with a good .45 ACP round. But mine also had a little of the armorers touch to the action.

I could buy one other of my handguns upon retirement. I wanted the Sig, but I had also issued to me a minty unregistered ( much rarer than the Registered model) pre 27 3 1/2" .357 that was bought in 1940 for the Texas Rangers. Most rangers had a love affair with the 1911' is the reason it is so nice. It actually ended up In a display in the Directors office for many years. A new boss wanted the guns out of his office, and I ended up with it as a matter of influence. I unashamedly choose that one upon retirement. I may give it back to a somewhat new museum that has been started up since I retired, then maybe not. As an aside, i also have the original paper trail documentation on that one. Jack

No doubt they "developed" this opinion with the help of a very robust, widespread (and dishonest) propaganda campaign that S&W was waging at the time, comparing Rugers to pot metal. The boys in Springfield must have really thought they had something to worry about with the Six series.

The lies being spread about his guns so infuriated Bill Sr. that he refused to sell his products to any distributor who also carried Smith. Though that policy was dropped in the late 90's after one of the myriad ownership changes at S&W. Must have been a meeting of the minds.

To the OQ, my choice would likely be a 4" half lug GP-100.

Pete