[Clean Harry]

Well, I've decided to go with a Taurus for my new .357.

Im thinking a Model 65/66 or a 608, 6" barrel. I like the RB's and trackers, but the big ugly engraving of the name on the barrel just throws me off. I don't really care for the grip much either.

Mainly going to use it for a nightstand/glovebox gun, practice, and for putting down the occasional sick cow.

I've been told the 608's(or any 8 shot revolver) have a weirder proportion compared to 6 shots, hence giving it a stiffer recoil due to it being able to get more leverage on your wrist. I haven't got a chance to shoot one, or even handle one.

So, from people who own them; how are they for reliability and accuracy?

While Im posting this, what is a good 38 spl practice round? I hear good things about Remington UMC and Speer Lawman.

 

[DRAEGER]

I have shoot them and I like them. I don't currently own any of them... So I will leave further comments to others that we hope a more informed (hehehe).

 

[Qwiks draw]

Model 65 and 66 are what I would recommend.
I will put to rest the fact the 608 will recoil more. It has the mass and grips to tame recoil. Not accentuate it.

While round count is a good thing hitting the target decisively is the key.Six or 7 should do the job.

Part of this has to do with reloading if needed. There are speedloaders for quick efficient reloads or Bianchi SpeedStrips that can be used for spare ammo and quick reloading if necessary for the 65 and 66. No speedloaders are currently made for the 608.
At least not by the two premier speedloader companies Safariland and HKS.

The model 65 or 66 are reliable,dureable, and accurate.So is the 608 for that matter.

Do have the older model 65 and 66. They are over 20 years old and will do 2.5 inches to 3 inches at 25 yards.These are sighted in for 158 gr. projectiles and have the same point of impact as the 158 gr. .38 Specials oddly enough.

Lock up is tight, no cylinder play or end shake.Timing is still good and the chambers align well with the bore.
Other staff and members will back most of this up shortly as we have had these revolvers for a while.

Do recommend using .38 Specials of at least +P range over .357 magnums for defense. out in the field is a whole other thing. 158 gr LSWCHP by Buffalo Bore,Winchester,Remington, or Federal will give you a decent level of protection. If not those then Speer's 135gr. JHP Gold Dot or a 125gr.JHP.
If you just have to have .357 magnum power indoors the 110gr. JHPs offer a good compromise of sorts. However.... there are 125 gr.JHP .357 magnum light loads put out by Remngton and Federal that would be much better than the 110 grainers.
These light magnum loads have flash retardent powders in them and the 110 grain rounds do not.

The 125gr.light magnums have a velocity about 1200 feet per second. or a little over that. That's a ballpark figure, but accurate.

Muzzle blast form a .357 magnum can disorient a person,wipe out night vision,cause hearing loss, backlight you more than .38 Special, and all at critical times during which fractions of seconds or seconds count. In other words, this could get you or others killed.

I have a 2.5 in. barreled 65 in SS. However the 4 in. would be a better all around choice. Longer sighting plain,easier to shoot, and a muzzle verlocity boost over the 2.5 incher are the reasons.

There you have it from what DRAEGER says is a more informed sources. More informed sources,members and staff should be right along.
And..... revolver grips can be changed. I have never had a revolver that Hogues or Pachmayrs didn't get put on.

One last thing. If you are comfortable wit only 8 rounds and relaoding quickly isn't important, then the 608 will do well. Then again... it has one or two more rounds that it's other cousins. Might be enough for a gun fight... and then again.. might not.

 

[schoonie]

If you are only going to shoot .38s, the buy a .38. If you want a .357, at least give the gun manufacturers credit for creating a bunch of .357 revolvers that will control recoil, shoot accurately and absorb the cutting torch effect of .357 loads on forcing cones, etc. People who have used .357s in defense don't remember the 'loud noise, the big muzzle flash, the terrific recoil, etc," they just remember that the caliber does a GOOD job of putting away the adversary. There are so many good .357 revolvers available today that you can go crazy choosing one. It is an old well-established caliber available in all shapes and sizes of platforms. A mid-sized .357 revolver is the most reliable, best performing handgun you can get today. If you are worried about all of the "problems," you mention in the above post, just get a .38 and be "safe."

 

[drummin_man627]

Factory grips are "generic". When I bought my D.W. it had the biggest, blockiest grips I'd ever seen. They lasted one shooting session. I imediately got grips that fit my hand. In my case, the Hogue soft rubber monogrip.
Now whether I shoot .38s, or .357s, I have a firm purchase on the gun.
As far as the ugly company name, I don't see it that way at all. My PT 92 has the big, proud, "Taurus" on the slide. I'm proud of my choice of weapon, so why not let everyone else see what it is.

 

[gandog56]

If you are only going to shoot .38s, the buy a .38.

I believe the key word was .38 "practice" round. Yeah it would be nice to always use the round you will actually be using for your normal puposes. But a .38 is oh so much cheaper than a .357 round. I probably fire 3 boxes of .38 for every box of .357 shot off. But them them .38 rounds ain't nowhere to be seen when I came back from the range, and load it up for the nightstand use.

 

[Qwiks draw]

There are some points that Schoonie made that are good. He put part of the story together And I put out things for consideration. There are people who have not noticed the muzzle blast or the recoil. However this is not necessarily the majority.

Massad Ayoob,Clint Smith, Dave Spaulding, and other certified tactical shooting instructors hit on all the above made points. The points I brought up were as much they're concern as is mine for good reasons.

There is a precedent and actual real world need to consider what has been said.
All said and done the .357 magnum is an excellent combat round in most respects.

So is the .38 Special.
The reasons for all this is for a person to know and use. While obvious, there are those who have personal limitations. Since we here do not know what those are on a case by case basis this needs to be presented in a way that the person asking gets all the details presented.
I am not totally advocating one caliber type over another. If the person doing the query isn't presented with the vagaries and characteristics of a given cartridge/gun combo, then they may pick something that will let them down or they might be letting themselves down.

The other posters have fine points also.

The .357 magnum has the versatility for outdoors as well as indoors..38 Specials can do a lot of both. But not as well as the.357 magnum can with the ability to tailor the ammo to the need at hand.

Rossi makes the 851 and Taurus makes the 82 in .38 Special. These are good basic guns that will give durabililty and longevity. Many have them and are happy with them.

Rossi makes the 971,972 models in .357 magnum. Taurus models are obvious as this thread has shown.
6 in. barrel gives you the velocity needed for the .357 and is an all around good choice. Excellent ballsitics, longer sighting plain,puts muzzle blast out further from the user, extra heft dampens recoil. These are all good reasons as to why to get the 6 incher over the shorter tubed brethren.

If an attacker is close in the barrel could be used to wrench the gun away form you. Not necessarily going to happen, but this has to be brought up.Same can happen with a 4 incher as well. Just not as much to grab onto or use as leverage for a take away.

.38 Specials are used in Britain for putting down terminally ill animals. Nothing says it can't be a .357 magnum.

If you decide to start hunting you are already set with the .357 maggy.

UMC is a good practice round in the 158gr. in .38 Special.It's what's cheap around here and what I use. WWB or Winchester generic work well too.

 

[dtap]

Your comments about the Taurus model 66 - 357 Mag is very interesting. I see this model recommended in other posts as well. I have a 605 2" - 357 Mag that I use for CC but I'm considering the Model 66SS 4" 357 Mag as my range & camping gun. I stopped at Gander Mountain to check it out - I liked the sights my only problem was the grip. It seemed small for my hand. I had to purchase a Pachmayr for my 605 - so I will likely have to do the same thing for the 66. I looked at the Hogue grips online - looks aggressive - are they comfortable for a guy with big hands?

 

[Qwiks draw]

I'll have to let the other revolver aficianados answer that one about the Hogue grips. Have to admit to having small hands and short fingers.

Ugh, where are my manners? Welcome to the forums dtap.

 

[Ace]

I like the feel of the houge mongrip I put on my model 29 years ago it was an advanced improvement over the dirty harry grips. That said the factory grips on my taurus .44 were surprisingly good, but I think I will eventually get houge grips put on it because they fit the hand so good. And I have very big hands which is why I went to large revolvers over the smaller.