why so few .357 in 6 shot ?

[Ca Patriot]

I have a Rossi .357 in 6 shot but I rarely see other .357's with 6 shot. They are all 5. Why is that ?

 

[SFCRetired]

Just as a SWAG, I would think that a cylinder with only five holes would be somewhat stronger than one with six. Only .357 revolver I ever had (and, oh, how I do miss it!!) was a Ruger Security Six with a two and three-quarter inch barrel. Wish I could find another one in good condition and at a reasonable price.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Strength and cylinder size. I used to have a blue M19 with 2 3/4 barrel, it was a little big for conceal carry so I traded it. Wish I had it now just for memories.

 

[MAC702]

You've been a member here for so long, I'm almost having trouble taking you seriously.

Six-shot is the NORMAL size. Most compacts are 5, and some modern ones take advantage of modern strength to fit 7 or 8 in the size that used to hold 6.

 

[Ca Patriot]

Six-shot is the NORMAL size. Most compacts are 5, and some modern ones take advantage of modern strength to fit 7 or 8 in the size that used to hold 6.

can you link me to some brands and models in .357 that are 6 shot

 

[Citizen]

Both Smith & Wesson and Ruger make 6-shot .357 mag's.

Smith's are the _86 series. For example, the Model 686 is the stainless. Also, Smith formerly made 6-shot .357's in their K-frame. They stopped some time ago, though. Rumor has it they got tired of people cracking the barrels at the forcing cone by launching fast, light bullets in violation of factory warning for that gun. (The barrel has a small flat spot on the bottom at the rear so the cylinder crane can close under it, making the forcing cone thin at the flat.) Great guns, though if you can find one used in good shape. The 3" in stainless is practically impossible to find. Go to the Smith forum and hunt up the photos of collections--some guys have numerous 3". Daggone hoarders!

The Rugers are "GP100"s.

Just check their websites.

 

[cm2624]

You have to be patient. I had to go to numerous gun shops. I finally found a Ruger GP100 with a 3 inch barrel last summer. I bought it immediately! Great gun, built like a tank! Also, very accurate.

 

[bunnspecial]

The S&W N frame .357s have traditionally been been 6 shot, although most are now 8 shot. The current model 27(in the classics line) is 6 shot.

As mentioned above, although not currently made, K frame S&Ws are 6 shots. In carbon steel(blue and nickel) you have the model 13 with fixed sights and the model 19 with adjustable sights. In stainless steel, the model 65 has fixed sights and the 66 has adjustable sights.

All Colt .357 Magnum revolvers are, to my knowledge, 6 shots. The Python is the best know of these, but there are a handful of other models.

Someone above mentioned the Ruger GP100 the Security Six. Both are 6 shot. The single action Vaquero in .357 Magnum is 6 shots also.

The 5 shot J frame .357 magnum(and its equivalent from other makers) is a relatively recent innovation that has been allowed by improved metallurgy. I suspect that if one were to survey all of the .357 magnum revolvers that are in circulation, one would find that there are more medium and large frame 6 shot models around than their are 5 shots. The problem is that the manufacturers don't really seem to be making that many new "service" type revolvers, and folks who have the older ones seem to largely be holding on to them. Around here, most of the older Smiths and Colts get snapped up as soon as they hit the shelves if they're priced anything close to reasonable.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Keep in mind that if you want a six shot in a small package several manufacturers Ruger comes to mind make compact revolvers in 32 magnum which have energy levels coming close to 38 special+P. The problem with 357 in 2 inch barrels is they are slow burning powder for longer barrels, so what you get is uncomfortable recoil and HUGE muzzle flash with non magnum velocities. The only way to get around this is reloading, but then the reloads with faster powders will not approach magnum velocity.

 

[joanie]

I have a Rossi .357 in 6 shot but I rarely see other .357's with 6 shot. They are all 5. Why is that ?

I don't understand, S&W model 19 is 6 shot, model 66 6 shot, same revolver only in stainless steel. Model 27 and 28 are N frame 6 shot revolvers, as mentioned, theres the Taurus model 608 in 8 shot as mentioned. Moving on to Colt theres the 6 shot Python.

5 shot, lets see, theres the S&W 500 mag. Too big for me, Then the S&W model 36 Cheif's special. I'd like that in a 4.25" barrel, but alas, the closest I can get to that is a 3 inch. Dratts

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

For those of us who are old enough to remember there were no 5 shot 357s they were all held six. Now there are 5s,6s.7s and 8 shot 357s.

The first short barreled 357 was a 3.5 in S@W register magnum not a very small gun at all

One has a lot more choices now.

The first 5 shot 357 was the Charter Arms Bulldog came out about 1977. I brought one around 79 as a BUG carried it for years wife carries it now. At 20.oz I find full house 357s a hand full I shot 125 gr 38plus +p in mine.

After shooting many different loads through short barreled 357s I find the velocity different to be in the favor of the 357 by couple hundred FPS. But to get that one has more muzzle blast and recoil.

 

[bunnspecial]

Dan Wessons are worth mentioning also-I think all of them in .357 Magnum are 6 shot.

 

[WalkingWolf]

For those of us who are old enough to remember there were no 5 shot 357s they were all held six. Now there are 5s,6s.7s and 8 shot 357s.

The first short barreled 357 was a 3.5 in S@W register magnum not a very small gun at all

One has a lot more choices now.

The first 5 shot 357 was the Charter Arms Bulldog came out about 1977. I brought one around 79 as a BUG carried it for years wife carries it now. At 20.oz I find full house 357s a hand full I shot 125 gr 38plus +p in mine.

After shooting many different loads through short barreled 357s I find the velocity different to be in the favor of the 357 by couple hundred FPS. But to get that one has more muzzle blast and recoil.

There were a couple companies making 5 shot magnums but I do not believe they sold very well. I can remember handling one as far back as 76, it was really uncomfortable to shoot with magnums.

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

There were a couple companies making 5 shot magnums but I do not believe they sold very well. I can remember handling one as far back as 76, it was really uncomfortable to shoot with magnums.

I really would like to know who was making other 5 shot 357s back then in looking through my ref books the earliest one I can find is a listing in the 1977 gun digest. That would mean the charter arms 357 would have been on the market in 76.

They are a handful shooting full house 357s in for sure.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I really would like to know who was making other 5 shot 357s back then in looking through my ref books the earliest one I can find is a listing in the 1977 gun digest. That would mean the charter arms 357 would have been on the market in 76.

They are a handful shooting full house 357s in for sure.

I wish I could remember the name of the company, they are no longer in business. It was not a Charter Arms, I was in Indiana at the time possibly it was made in Indiana~~I just don't remember. I handled the gun at a small gun shop in Kokomo that had a range behind the shop, he let me take it out back and shoot it. It only took a couple of shots to know I didn't want it.

 

[compmanio365]

I have a .357 EAA revolver that is a snub nose 6 shot. Small-er, but not really tiny by any means and it is anything but lightweight. Shoots well enough and to point of aim. Guess that's all I can ask out of a $200 revolver that shoots both .357 and .38 spl.

 

[tomrkba]

There are plenty of Ruger GP100's (three and four inch barrels) and S&W 66, 19, 586, 686, 27, and 28 revolvers around. Too bad the eight shot cylinders aren't on the old N-Frames. Buy pre-lock S&W's rather than the current trash.