My kingdom for a modern 6-shot .38 snubbie - anyone else?

[Tamara]

Used to have a S&W 19-3, which is about as small as you can make a 6-shot .38 or.357 cylinder...

Which barrel length? I've found that even with the lack of an underlug to add weight to the muzzle, full rock'n'roll .357 loads are sportier out of a 2.5" K than a 4" or 6" gun, if only due to the increase in muzzle blast.

[Malamute]

Which barrel length? I've found that even with the lack of an underlug to add weight to the muzzle, full rock'n'roll .357 loads are sportier out of a 2.5" K than a 4" or 6" gun, if only due to the increase in muzzle blast.

A 2 1/2" 19 was what pretty well got me out of the 357 mood. The only way I choose to describe the muzzle blast with 125 gr factory magnums is hideous. I'd much rather shoot a 44 mag in a 4" gun.

Guess it doesnt bother some. I sold the gun. I miss it because its cute, I really dont miss shooting it.

[Tamara]

A 2 1/2" 19 was what pretty well got me out of the 357 mood. The only way I choose to describe the muzzle blast with 125 gr factory magnums is hideous. I'd much rather shoot a 44 mag in a 4" gun.

It's funny you should mention those two bbl lengths, because I still remember the time Marko and I took his 2.5" 686 and 4" Anaconda to the range many years ago, and the only ammo we had was some relatively tepid American Eagle .44 Mag and full house Remington 110gr SJHPs. The muzzle blast from the .44 was muted compared to the noisy, white flash-bang grenade every time you pulled the trigger on the Smif.

[Chuck Haggard]

I used to carry the 110gr WWB magnums in my 640 when I used that for a BUG, because flash-bang

[Jeep]

I used to carry the 110gr WWB magnums in my 640 when I used that for a BUG, because flash-bang

Flash-bang is good, but how are your wrists and hands these days after shooting 110 magnums in a 640?

[Chuck Haggard]

Flash-bang is good, but how are your wrists and hands these days after shooting 110 magnums in a 640?

Those were rather low recoil actually. It was the cases of 125gr, the bunches of 158-180gr, the .44s, .45s.............. that did me in.

[RevolverRob]

I used to carry the 110gr WWB magnums in my 640 when I used that for a BUG, because flash-bang

If you're going to carry a magnum snubbie, loaded with magnums, you might as well get the full effect. Shoot the bad guy and set him on fire.

[Bigghoss]

Which barrel length? I've found that even with the lack of an underlug to add weight to the muzzle, full rock'n'roll .357 loads are sportier out of a 2.5" K than a 4" or 6" gun, if only due to the increase in muzzle blast.

My 19 was a 4" but as I mentioned I also shoot an SP101 and have shot others. Used to have a POS Taurus 605 that I shot a good bit with full power loads. Until it broke. Twice.

I'm hoping S&W brings out a snub 66.

[wsr]

You don't need anywhere near as much metal between rounds or between the rounds and the outside of the cylinder with .38 as you do with .357 due to the significant difference in pressure between the two cartridges, was my point. Maybe it would need to be a bit larger, but a 6-shot .357 cylinder will be noticeably bigger than an otherwise identical 6-shot .38+P cylinder due to the increased amount of metal needed to contain the significantly higher pressures of .357 Magnum.

Ever compared a K frame cylinder in 38 special to a K frame cylinder in 357 mag???

[jh9]

Ever compared a K frame cylinder in 38 special to a K frame cylinder in 357 mag???

I think he was implying if you start with a clean sheet of paper you can make the .38 cylinder smaller since the round is lower pressure. I guess the go-to example would be the LCR. Not only does the magnum use steel instead of aluminum for the upper frame but I think the cylinder is fatter across the length of it. The 38 LCR cylinder is, TBH, almost too skinny looking toward the front. They shaved a *lot* of metal off that thing compared to a comparable S&W J-frame cylinder, and the final product shows it.