Anybody shoot a .357 Magnum snubbie?

[Ken Ford]

My full-time job is training people in the use of firearms.... w/ a slight majority being ladies.

In most cases the negatives outweigh the positives when it comes to loading .357 rounds vs..38+p's..

.357's have tremendous recoil & muzzleblast plus w/ such a short barrel & a lightweight gun. There is not as much velocity gain since the extra powder is burnt outside the barrel resulting in greater muzzleflash & muzzleflip.
Three of my most recent female students shooting a snubnose LCR w/ .38's experienced a bruised palm & sore hands after shooting a few cylinders full out of it while others went as bothered by it.
Shooting full powered .357's is a different story.

Slower followup shots, more tendency to flinch, etc.

A good 38+p hollowpoint load is usually the best compromise between controllability & stopping power in a snubnose small enough to carry.

Would this not depend on the weight? OP did not say she only wanted a light weight.

 

[protective measures]

Would this not depend on the weight? OP did not say she only wanted a light weight.

Since it was for purse carry I "assumed" that weight was a consideration.... maybe it isn't.

Funny story, One of Dalton P.D.'s Instructors was helping out w/ a large Ladies class a few months ago.
We had checked out everyones guns & gear, finished our dryfire drills, & were ready to start the live fire ones.

At the command of fire there was the typical pop... pop...pop... BOOM!
This one lady on the end had a S&W snub .357 w/ full power 125 gr. Mags.!
The Officer glanced over at me & I at him & we chuckled for a minute.

She was almost recoil proof. She shot it the whole time, probably 150-180 rds. that day.
She also was driving tacks with it... awesome day.

 

[Ken Ford]

Since it was for purse carry I "assumed" that weight was a consideration.... maybe it isn't.

Funny story, One of Dalton P.D.'s Instructors was helping out w/ a large Ladies class a few months ago.
We had checked out everyones guns & gear, finished our dryfire drills, & were ready to start the live fire ones.

At the command of fire there was the typical pop... pop...pop... BOOM!
This one lady on the end had a S&W snub .357 w/ full power 125 gr. Mags.!
The Officer glanced over at me & I at him & we chuckled for a minute.

She was almost recoil proof. She shot it the whole time, probably 150-180 rds. that day.
She also was driving tacks with it... awesome day.

My wife trained as a security guard sometime bbefore we met. Always told me that .357 did not kick.
One day I bought a .357 snubbie went out shooting it one day and of course she wanted to show me how good she could shoot it. I loaded it with practice load .38 for the first five and full pressure defense .357 for the last. She shot the first few and looked at me and smirked saying, see? I told you .357 wasn't nothing. I just calmly told her to keep shooting. After the last pull she looked at me and said "what the hell was that?" Like ta scared her to death.
I guess she got me though she liked shooting that gun with .38s in it I haven't got it back in 22 years... LOL

 

[bearpugh]

i've shot a few, but i've never liked it. lol

 

[JRS58]

The flash and noise level are quite different. If you shoot a .357mag in a dark hallway, you will briefly incapacitate yourself.
You probably will not have ear protection, so that is something to consider. Outdoors? If you can handle the recoil, go for it.

 

[RallySport]

Absolutley... in my opinion always try to buy the 357 over the 38.... No one says you have to shoot the "hot 357", you can always just shoot the 38's....BUT you always have the OPTION for a "BIG BANG BOOM " on demand

 

[Jled]

I've done several dumb things involving firearms in my relatively short time as an enthusiast, what tops the list is shooting 125 gr .357 magnum defensive loads out of a air weight j frame. I managed to shoot all 5 but then out the gun down and tried not to let the others see the tears coming down my face lol. If you can handle them, more power to you. As for this guy, if my .38 critical defense won't stop him, I'll throw the gun at him and run away!