entoptics
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2018
- Messages
- 848
Just scored this beauty from my Mom and her Partner. S&W 686, 6", in very good shape. Googled a bit, and it seems the serial prefix and "no dash" means she's from the mid-80s. The trigger is butter smooth in DA, and a perfect 3.75 lb SA pull.
First 357 I've owned, and other than my Single Six, and a nickel plated 32 S&W "belly gun" from the turn of the last century that my dad gave me, this is the tiniest revolver I own...She's such a cute little thing.
Problem is...I can't shoot it, as there's not a scrap of ammo or reloading components available right now. I have primers, H110, and a few dozen 357 mag brass I've scrounged up over the years cause I won't throw anything away, but I can't find any appropriate "magnum" projectiles.
I always like to give a gun a "purpose", even if it will likely never actually see that duty in my hands. Since my other revolvers start at 44 mag and go up from there, I've decided that her "purpose" will be as a "light weight" backup gun for lions/tiger/bears (OH MY!). In other words, more horsepower than my G23 can muster, but smaller and handier than my other hand canons.
So couple questions...
1) Any 357 gurus have a favorite bullet? 140 XTP would be the lightest thing I'd look at (deer, 2 legs, etc), and probably want to run 158 class, as it's the baby version of the 240 gr 44 (nearly identical SD and BC), which I like a lot. Probably don't wanna go much above this weight, as the efficiency really drops, and if I really thought I needed that much penetration, I'd carry something that starts with a 4...
I'm not interested in "plinker" or 38 spc, but I'm down with most anything that "works" at full tilt 357 mag (as in compressed H110 and fireballs). Gas checked hard cast, conventional jacketed, or even all copper if I'm convinced it works.
2) Anyone have any scraps they'd sell me (brass/bullets) so I can at least get started while I wait for the panic buying to pass? Really pains me to not be able to shoot the thing.
First 357 I've owned, and other than my Single Six, and a nickel plated 32 S&W "belly gun" from the turn of the last century that my dad gave me, this is the tiniest revolver I own...She's such a cute little thing.
Problem is...I can't shoot it, as there's not a scrap of ammo or reloading components available right now. I have primers, H110, and a few dozen 357 mag brass I've scrounged up over the years cause I won't throw anything away, but I can't find any appropriate "magnum" projectiles.
I always like to give a gun a "purpose", even if it will likely never actually see that duty in my hands. Since my other revolvers start at 44 mag and go up from there, I've decided that her "purpose" will be as a "light weight" backup gun for lions/tiger/bears (OH MY!). In other words, more horsepower than my G23 can muster, but smaller and handier than my other hand canons.
So couple questions...
1) Any 357 gurus have a favorite bullet? 140 XTP would be the lightest thing I'd look at (deer, 2 legs, etc), and probably want to run 158 class, as it's the baby version of the 240 gr 44 (nearly identical SD and BC), which I like a lot. Probably don't wanna go much above this weight, as the efficiency really drops, and if I really thought I needed that much penetration, I'd carry something that starts with a 4...
I'm not interested in "plinker" or 38 spc, but I'm down with most anything that "works" at full tilt 357 mag (as in compressed H110 and fireballs). Gas checked hard cast, conventional jacketed, or even all copper if I'm convinced it works.
2) Anyone have any scraps they'd sell me (brass/bullets) so I can at least get started while I wait for the panic buying to pass? Really pains me to not be able to shoot the thing.