Best .357 Magnum Hammerless

[PriestTheRunner]

Hey guys,

Google and paid articles (or so it would seem) are not doing me any favors. When I look up "Best 357 Magnum Hammerless" it seems like every gun recommended on the resulting articles is brand new when this cartridge and design has been around for a VERY long time. Hence the suspicion on the authors of having their guns selections bought and paid for

What would yall recommend I take a look at for a backup gun? Normally a semi-auto guy but there is some convenience to having a pocket gun and pocket holster.

I'm pretty set on .357 magnum. Being able to shoot .38 special through it would be great for introducing revolvers to students and I like it to have a bit more umph when carrying as my main gun since I'll be limited on rounds.

I'm also looking for easily concealable, (backup gun). I know small gun means way more felt recoil. To stay easily concealable I'm thinking hammerless and about a 2.5" to 3" barrel. A lot of the results pulled up 4.5" or more and 8 cylinder which isn't at all what I was looking for. I would actually be ok with 5 cylinder though.


Yall got any thoughs? Gotta be completely reliable, but new or used and manufactured within the last 30 years or so.

[carlson1]

I have a S&W 340PD that I have had about 20 years now. It is very light and easy to carry. However it is hard on the hand with 357 magnums.

I recently bought a S&W 640 Pro that I love a lot. It is stainless steel and although 357 magnum load still have a bite it is very much easier than the 340PD. I pocket carry the 640 Pro just about daily.

[PriestTheRunner]

I have a S&W 340PD that I have had about 20 years now. It is very light and easy to carry. However it is hard on the hand with 357 magnums.

I recently bought a S&W 640 Pro that I love a lot. It is stainless steel and although 357 magnum load still have a bite it is very much easier than the 340PD. I pocket carry the 640 Pro just about daily.

Thanks for the tip! Even with the 5 or so articles I read, I didn't even see the 640. Its on the shortlist for sure

Edit to add: Now I'm down the rabbit hole to see how easy it is to self-blue stainless steel... I love the blued look but I haven't seen a single hammerless with that feature.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

Ruger SP101 .357 mag 2.25" checks all your boxes except one. It's not available in 'hammerless'. Comes in (compact) full hammer, or a bobbed hammer version.

[The Annoyed Man]

I have a S&W 340PD that I have had about 20 years now. It is very light and easy to carry. However it is hard on the hand with 357 magnums.

I recently bought a S&W 640 Pro that I love a lot. It is stainless steel and although 357 magnum load still have a bite it is very much easier than the 340PD. I pocket carry the 640 Pro just about daily.

Thanks for the tip! Even with the 5 or so articles I read, I didn't even see the 640. Its on the shortlist for sure

Edit to add: Now I'm down the rabbit hole to see how easy it is to self-blue stainless steel... I love the blued look but I haven't seen a single hammerless with that feature.

What Carl said. I have a 340 M&P in .357. It’s a scandium J-frame…weighs about 13 point something ounces. I have fired 158 grain white tail loads in it…once. I’ll never do that again. However, you CAN do it if that’s all you’ve got. It’s just not very pleasant. I carry mine with 125 grain Hornady FTX Critical Defense. It stings the hand a little bit, but it’s not that bad. I’m not afraid to fire it like I was with the 158 grainers. Hornady USED to have this information on their website, but I think they’ll give it to you over the phone if you call customer service…and that was the muzzle velocity/energy for a 2" barrel. At that time, the claim was 1200 fps/400 lbs-ft. I think they were saying something like 1500 fps from a 5 or 6 inch barrel. Any who, I’d recommend it as an option. I also own a plain Jane 640, and it’s nearly twice the weight of the scandium gun. OTH, it’s less harsh with recoil.

Kinda depends on what you want for a BUG…a solid chunk of stainless steel that’s (IMHO) a bit heavy for a BUG, but is more comfortable to shoot, or a scandium gun that’s real easy to carry, but may sting your hand a bit when you shoot it. The 640 is a nice pistol, but I never carry it, while I do carry the 340. I figure that the odds of having to actually NEED the gun are low enough that weight considerations win the day for me. Of course, you can alternatively geld the gun and keep it loaded with +P .38 Special. Your choice. I stick with .357. The 125s are a known quantity with very good performance that won’t make you afraid to pull the trigger if you ever have to actually use your backup gun.

Also, FWIW, for me, I rarely carry a revolver all day. Mine is more typically for the walk down to the mailbox, or the quick trip to the corner store, or to have in a back pocket when I don’t know who’s at the front door. YMMV.

[RPBrown]

We moved my wife into a 640 when her arthritis wouldn't allow her to rack a slide on her semi. Although she shoots .38 in it, I have shot it with .357 and it's not too bad. She couldn't handle it with 357 but she can shoot the eyes out of a gnat at 10 yards with the 38 . BTW, we got the 640 on Carlson1's recommendation, Thanks Carl.

[PriestTheRunner]

Also, FWIW, for me, I rarely carry a revolver all day. Mine is more typically for the walk down to the mailbox, or the quick trip to the corner store, or to have in a back pocket when I don’t know who’s at the front door. YMMV.

Thats exactly what I see mine usually doing. A jacket gun come fall for too-burdensome-to-throw-on a holster short tasks, as well as a BUG. Weight will probably win the day.

I did see the 340 mentioned once (and at the bottom of the lists) but wrote it off as too light. Thats probably better considering how little shooting this would get.

We moved my wife into a 640 when her arthritis wouldn't allow her to rack a slide on her semi. ...

I also burnt my hand pretty badly picking up a wrecked motorcycle a few days ago, and I see the benefit of not having any weapons manipulation concerns if you are down a hand. I wouldn't want to have to go semi-auto on a daily carry if one of my hands was in a cast....

[PriestTheRunner]

Ruger SP101 .357 mag 2.25" checks all your boxes except one. It's not available in 'hammerless'. Comes in (compact) full hammer, or a bobbed hammer version.

https://www.ruger.com/products/sp101/sp ... /5720.html

Thats also a really good option that I didn't even see. I wouldn't mind a spurless hammer. Thank you

[carlson1]

… She couldn't handle it with 357 but she can shoot the eyes out of a gnat at 10 yards with the 38 . BTW, we got the 640 on Carlson1's recommendation, Thanks Carl.