Trying to decide stay one caliber or...

When I add a revolver even though im packing 40 cal semi it will be in 357 mag. Ive had em. Can hunt with em. Extremely effective SD rd. Ive had 45 40 9mm 40 right now but a wheelie would def be 357 mag.

Around the Y2K hoopla I abandoned the notion of keeping the number of different calibers to a minimum. I never regretted that decision.

357. Very versitile and you can shoot 38spcl in it also. With the way ammo is now its nice to have as many options as you can.

i bought a 40cal at the end of november 2012 right before this ammo shortage happen. since then i have bought a 9mm and a 45acp so that i have a variety of calibers so that if i do find handgun ammo i have 3 chances of getting ammo for one of my pistols

I vote add the .357. I would like to do the same if I could afford it right now.

...45ACP's my first choice, but in case things get bad and ammo gets scarce, I don't want to run out and have a club...
...I've got .38Spl/.357 revolvers to make use of those calibers which ammo might be available in...
...I also have one 9mm pistol, though I'm not fond of the caliber...because many of those I might be in conflict with will be using 9mms, and I'll have something to fire "donated" ammo in...
...having a few different calibers betters our chances of finding SOME ammo that we can use...

Now don't get me wrong... I like the idea of having only one caliber in the house. Makes things so much easier. But even I have more than just black socks in the old sock drawer lol.

Buying a revolver in .45ACP "to me" is like having a Ferrari, but only putting regular gas in it because you have a gas can in the old garage with some regular gas in it lol.

The .38 and the .357 are made for wheel guns. They are so varied that you can have just about the best of anything if you have a revolver with a long enough barrel. It just seems a crime to not use it...

But again, if your calling for only one caliber is stronger than the variety and spice a combo of .38 and .357 can give you - I dig it! I have worse hang-ups than that lol. It's just my opinion is all.

You can not go wrong with a revolver chambered for .357 mag / .38 special. There is such a wide range of accessible, ammo. Both calibers have long proven track records of "on the streets" credibility. You can probably still find a S&W, or Ruger,, maybe a Colt; even a Taurus 'no frills' revolver for a reasonable price.

I too, prefer the .45 caliber in my Glocks, but would not want to mess with moon clips in a .45 revolver.
Like some others have already mentioned, the .357 pistol (SP101 in .357) does allow one to shoot both .38 and .357...that's what I went with.

While having just one caliber is nice for ammo purposes, it can be impractical when switching from Semi auto to a revolver. I'd pass on the .45ACP revolver and go with the .357. Depending on the size gun your looking for, if you looking at 4" barrel, I'd look long and hard at the Ruger GP-100.

I have been carrying a 10mm lately due to ammo price and availability. Who woulda thunk???

I've never wanted to limit myself to one caliber.

I've reduced and restricted myself to four(five) calibers, .22, 9mm, .357/.38 and .45acp. Of those the only one I don't carry for defense are the .22's.

I've never been on the "one and one only" caliber bandwagon. When I hit the lotto, I'm going to hire a professional staff to arrange the different caliber ammos under some sort of system. But if One and Done is your preference, get the .45 wheelie.

Mike1956 said:

I have been carrying a 10mm lately due to ammo price and availability. Who woulda thunk???

Click to expand...

:comeandgetsome: Just recently I watched "Pulp Fiction" and I was wondering what you might have written on your billfold? :rofl:

To the OP, I carried a S&W Model 19 on duty for a several years. I probably shoot that gun more accurate than any other I have? That .357 is no puny round, and easy to forget about in these days of 9mm, .40 and .45. Way back in the 70's we got some samples of "Second Chance" body armor and in an informal test, shot them ourselves with .22, .38, .45, and .357. The first three calibers essentially did nothing to the sample, but that .357 took a serious bite into it. Impressive.

.357 for me too. All my revolvers are .357, excellent round.

I've actually started to research holsters for my Model 65, considering that as another carry weapon. That is the bedside weapon right now, but I'm so darned accurate with it and it's so easy to shoot.

I like shooting it with .38 in it, makes it a lot easier to re-acquire the target after the first shot.

Coonan 1911, in .357mag. Here's a write-up on GunsAmerica: click.

Ruger SP-101 3", in .357mag

S&W Model 60 3" j-frame, in .357mag

Nothing wrong with simplifying your guns to two calibers. For my everyday go to guns, I have done the same, except for the G22 I am required to carry on duty.

Now here's the thing; you have a true big bore auto pistol. So IMO, while the 357 mag is undoubtably great, it sucks wind compared to a 44 spl or 45 Colt. Just no comparison.

Depending on your requirements, my vote is to a Ruger BH in either. Barrel length is left up to your likes and needs.

Either are much more capable of hunting, and both can be found in mild loads for plinking, but they beg to be handloaded for, which really brings out savings and versatility.
The 357 is really great, but its just not up to par with these two.