imported post
Squid13 wrote:
SNIP Any thought or opinions?
I'd go .357 mag 2-3" bbl over the .44sp for a sometimes-concealed carry gun. Especially if it was my first carry-gun purchase. Mainly because of the variety of available ammunition.
Of course, if I had my 'druthers, I'd go with a semi-auto. But, we're talking about you, not me. So, we'll assume you've already decided on a revolver for your own reasons.
There are a number of .357mag premium defense cartridges available, many nickel-plated.
Plus, they can be had in quite a few bullet weights and velocities, meaning you can try a number of cartridges to see which gives the max. recoil you personally can control.
For example,full-power 125gr-158 gr.357magsmight kick like the dickens out a steel snubbie, where they would be comfy in a 4-6" all-steel gun. These cartridges might yield anywhere from, say 490-615ftlbs muzzle energy. Yet, there are 110gr cartridges available that yield "only" 410-460ftlbs, which is right in the early range of the .45ACP muzzle energy (taking into account all the bullet weights and velocities available in 45ACP including the +P's.)
The 110gr 357mag are quite comfy to shoot out of a snubby, except one Corbon load--110gr @ 1500 fps yielding 540-ish ftlbs muzzle energy. Ouch!
The main point is that with a .357mag, there are a lot of options for defense ammo. And those options include quite a fewweights and velocities.
Plus, you can always load it with less expensive 38spl for range practice, or 38spl +P in your later years or if you leave it at home for your wife or...etc.