Opinions on .357 mag snubbys

[jim-d]

I am not into handguns, only have a few old military collectors. I have decided to buy a 2" snub in 357 mag. It will mostly live in my nightstand, but I do have a license to carry, so it will be taken out for a walk on occasion.
I have come down to 2 choices. One is a pristine blued Dan Wesson Model 15-2 with wood grips from the late 70's. The other is a new S&W Model 686-6 stainless with rubber grips. The collector in me goes for the DW, since I do not expect to shoot very much if at all, but I need advice.
Thanks

[gwp]

I purchased a new Dan Wesson revolver in the early 80s. It had a light trigger from the factory and the more I shot it the lighter the trigger became. The trigger wore so much that pressure on a cocked hammer would cause the hammer to fall. MIM parts were used and I believe the composition or heat treat of the parts was off. I am a big fan of S&W revolvers and for heavy use the 686 is hard to beat. For your purpose I would look for a Model 19 or 66. They are a little smaller than the 686.

[bruce]

Dan Wesson revolvers had a reputation for being extremely well made and accurate. For a snub, I'd probably opt for the S&W 686. The little bit of extra weight out front will be appreciated the first time you touch off a dose of .357 S&W Magnum happiness. Little pocket rocket like that ... it's going to jump up a little bit. You'll appreciate the slightly heavier frame. And there are simply more options available for the S&W 686 L-frame in terms of stocks, holsters, etc. Sincerely. bruce.

[blackhawknj]

Dan Wessons are hard to come by because those of us who have them, keep them.

[Johnny P]

If, as you say, you are not into handguns I would reconsider making a .357 snubby my first handgun, especially a carry gun. The recoil is on the violent side with a short barrel, and too heavy to carry comfortably. While you can shoot something as mild as a .38 wadcutter in them, no need to pack all the extra weight around for a carry gun. There are lots of small .38 Special revolvers on the market, as well as excellent defensive ammo for them.

I know there are those that can conceal carry a five pound handgun so comfortably that they forget they have it, but it just never happened for me. Shop around before you decide.

[jim-d]

I think I have been swayed. There was a 2" S&W Model 10-5, 38spcl, in perfect condition. I discounted it as I was looking for a 357. Now that I have some input, and have also given it more thought....I am on my way to get the 10-5 @ $475. It seemed like too much money, but condition being what it is, and the collector in me (It is C&R eligible), make it the choice.
Thank you all for the great input

[gwp]

$475 for a early 60s 2" Model 10 isn't too bad considering the premium for the 2" barrel and perfect condition. The last batch of police turn in 4" Model 10s were selling for over $300 and they had some wear to the finish.

[Fred Pillot]

I have a Taurus model 85 5 shot .38 Special. Has a 3 inch barrel. I really like the proportions with the 3 inch barrel.

[Art]

Picked up my new friend....

The first revolver I was issued when I went to work for the 'gubmint was one of these, very nice guns.

In the old days the most effective ammo for these guns was a lead semi wad cutter but there are new .38 special ammo choices that expand very reliably out of these short barrels and will make your new buddy more effective if the balloon goes up. Two of the best are the Speer 135 gr. GDHP +P Short Barrel and the Remington 125 Short Barrel. These loads are snappy but won't hurt your revolver with occasional use and are about as good defensive ammo as you can get in this caliber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khazbS9pWjE

[jim-d]

Thanks to all for the great input, really helped.

[blackhawknj]

An excellent find. Jeff Cooper noted all the Magna need a long runway to get up to speed, Skeeter Skelton was initially enamored of the 2.5" M-19, later changed his mind, he cited muzzle blast and flash, found the 4" M-19 no harder to conceal. If I want to fire a short barreled .357 one of my Dan Wessons does nicely.

[Art]

An excellent find. Jeff Cooper noted all the Magna need a long runway to get up to speed, Skeeter Skelton was initially enamored of the 2.5" M-19, later changed his mind, he cited muzzle blast and flash, found the 4" M-19 no harder to conceal. If I want to fire a short barreled .357 one of my Dan Wessons does nicely.

All true, but a .357 Magnum from a "snubby" " is a heck of a lot hotter than any .38 Special from any barrel length. My principle carry gun is a S&W 640 in which I carry 110 gr Remington .357 Magnum semi jacketed hollow points. This load is a proven fight stopper. I have personally chronographed these at 1250 fps from the 2 1/8" barrel on this little revolver. Not only is this low lend Magnum load from my snubby superior to any .38 special load it is equal or superior to 9mm +P from a full size pistol with a 4" or 5" barrel. Now recoil and muzzle blast in this revolver are very sharp but I've send so many magnums down range it doesn't matter much to me.

The great thing about a Model 19, or any .357 Magnum is the ability to customize your loads from the mildest wad cutters to the hottest belchfire magnums, so you can tailor your carry load to your particular needs.

[noslack327]

I like my 2.5 inch Model 19 RB easy to carry not hard to control.

[bruce]

Picked up my new friend....

THAT is a fine looking snubnose! Load it up with any decent .38 Special load and it will most assuredly get the job done! Price? In my area, if you can find a nice snubnose revolver like that for that price, try not to break your arm getting your wallet out of your pocket! Sincerely. bruce.

[Oyaji]

I've had a few snubs over the years. They are great for carry however, I never was very accurate with any of them. Had the Smith Model 642 which was an airweight and great for carry, but not fun to shoot because of recoil. I really liked the stainless Smith Model 640 with the concealed hammer but again, the recoil was painful especially when shooting magnums. My latest snubby, if it can be called that, is a Ruger SP 101 w/3" bbl. The SP 101 is also a 5-shot revolver and it's size can best be described as in between a Smith J and K frame. Heretofore I have never been a fan of Ruger revolvers however, I think that they have hit a "home run" with their SP 101 line. It is a good size for concealed carry and with it's added weight and bull barrel can comfortably handle +P .38 rounds and most magnums; it also is quite accurate especially with the 3" tube. YMMV.