A little over a week ago I went hiking in KY, and when I was deciding what gun to take I settled on the 329PD. It's absolutely overkill for anything I might encounter in that environment, but it's so light it's hard to argue with when you're walking that far.

That got me thinking...how awesome would a 4" scandium J-Frame .357 be? I'm thinking a model 360, with a 4" barrel and adjustable sights...basically a baby version of the 329 in a more appropriate caliber for the eastern woods. Service-revolver performance in as light and trim a package as possible.

I figure it would come in around 15-16oz, so significantly smaller and lighter than the N-Frame, and the 4" barrel would provide significantly better magnum ballistics than the 2" snub version of the 360. Since it's not going to be a pocket gun, adjustable sights and an exposed hammer wouldn't be snagging on stuff but still give you the ability to dial in a specific load and shoot in single-action if you want to.

Am I crazy for thinking this would sell? Ruger has a 4" SP101, but it's all steel and a bit of a brick. S&W makes a 3" Model 60, but again it's steel not an airweight, and that extra inch of barrel makes a difference when you start shooting magnums. There used to be the 386 L-Frame, but I don't know as they ever offered a 4" variant. I don't think there's anything out there on the market like this right now.

Not currently offered and hard to find on the used market is the Smith 386. The Nightgaurd version was fixed sight with fixed sights and the Sc/S with adjustable both with 2-1/2" barrels and 7 shot cylinders and alloy frames.

I am intrigued (and leery, too) of this:
Taurus 692.
7 shot 3 inch .357 revolver. Also has a 9mm cylinder. 35 Oz weight.
Be pretty versatile and close to your wants.
But I want to shoot it before I buy and so far, no joy!

How about the 8 shot 327 PC? Def not a 4” barrel, but checks the other boxes I believe?

I'm looking for something smaller than the 329, so I don't want an N-Frame. An L-Frame 386 would be interesting if I could find one, but the last couple I saw on gunbroker had 2" barrels and they were $1400.

Seeing as this is more of a dream than anything that I actually think will get made, my mind is set on the lightest and smallest 4" gun possible. I have a 3" Model 60 that would do most of what I'm asking here...I just think a 4" airweight J-Frame would be a sweet backpacking/kit gun.

Yooper, I agree that the Taurus stuff is interesting. In addition to that 692, they also have a 3" 856 Ultra Light. Taurus seems to have the broadest catalog of revolver offerings these days, and honestly the newer Taurus revolvers I've seen haven't been half bad. I still would rather have a Smith, but I think they've come a long way from what they used to be.

How about a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special?


PC

quote:

Originally posted by PCWyoming:
How about a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special?


PC

I gravitated towards these. I grabbed the Bulldog with the bobbed hammer in .44spl and find myself carrying it frequently. It handles .44spl well and just seems to be good to go. I had a 325NG and even .45acp seemed pretty damned stout when shooting it. It was large for what you carried. They also bring a premium to collectors now. I sold my used 325NG for three times what I bought my Charter Bulldog for, and I feel just as well equipped and more convenient when CCW with it.

I was just thinking the other day how awesome it would be to have a 36-1 with four incher.

I guess it would't be a -1 if it had a 4" barrel, so a 4" Regulation Police .38 Special with a heavy barrel.

...and one in .32 H&R Magnum as well while we're at it.

quote:

Originally posted by PCWyoming:
How about a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special?


PC

I just got done with a foray into a Taurus 450 Titanium. It was actually a pretty nice gun mechanically, but not very accurate and only really viable with light loads and light bullets, which kinda defeated the purpose. I'd rather have a stout .357 than a powder-puff .45. I kinda feel the same way about the .44 Special. If I'm going big-bore, I might as well just stick to .44 Mag, and the 329PD is fantastic in that role. Yeah, it kinda hurts to shoot, but with the right grips it's more than manageable for the one cylinder or less that I'll ever have time to get through in an on-trail emergency.

My backpacking gun isn't something that I'm hunting with, or planning to shoot a whole bunch (if at all) on the trail. It's like my first aid kit...something I hope I don't have to use, but won't leave home without. Like all my other backpacking gear, weight is a huge factor, and I'm trying to maximize the capabilities of every item I bring. Hence the idea behind 4" ballistics out of a small-framed airweight gun.

I use this for my hiking/woods gun:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5431.html

If for whatever reason you feel the need for full house .357 magnum loads they have you covered:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5444.html

Mine is stock other than an XS front sight.

quote:

Originally posted by JonDaddy82:
I use this for my hiking/woods gun:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5431.html

If for whatever reason you feel the need for full house .357 magnum loads they have you covered:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5444.html

Mine is stock other than an XS front sight.

You know, I'd forgotten all about the LCR. You're right...that's probably the closest thing to what I want that actually exists. Does the LCRX trigger have the same goofy false reset as the LCR? I've never actually handled the exposed hammer model, but kinda gave up on the LCR after encountering that on the internal hammer guns.

Well, that and they're butt ugly, but I can live with ugly if it does what I need it to do. I'd still buy the 4" J-frame if they made it, but maybe I need to look at one of these next time I'm in a shop that has one.

Would like a slim, 4" stainless 1911 in 7.62x25. A gun that would actually be comfortable IWB and have field utility ... other than bear protection.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:

quote:

Originally posted by JonDaddy82:
I use this for my hiking/woods gun:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5431.html

If for whatever reason you feel the need for full house .357 magnum loads they have you covered:

https://ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5444.html

Mine is stock other than an XS front sight.

You know, I'd forgotten all about the LCR. You're right...that's probably the closest thing to what I want that actually exists. Does the LCRX trigger have the same goofy false reset as the LCR? I've never actually handled the exposed hammer model, but kinda gave up on the LCR after encountering that on the internal hammer guns.

Well, that and they're butt ugly, but I can live with ugly if it does what I need it to do. I'd still buy the 4" J-frame if they made it, but maybe I need to look at one of these next time I'm in a shop that has one.

Trigger feels totally normal to me. I have a snub nose LCR and much harder to make hits at distance with it of course. The wife already grabs the LCRx 3" at the range and has a blast with it.

92fstech - you have mentioned N frames and L frames. Probably heavier than what you are seeking, but 4” K frames seem to be easy to find. I have a Model 19 that is a tack driver with the stout loads. Just a thought.

Cheers -
OVW

Seems to me like this is a job for a Gunsmith. Buy the Model 360 that you want, new or used, and have a Gunsmith source and fit a 4" barrel to it.

Smith made the 360SC AirLite with a 3" barrel and adjustable sights. I have one, and it's a real handful with full power loads, but they are very nice to carry.

eg:

quote:

Originally posted by Old Vark WSO:
92fstech - you have mentioned N frames and L frames. Probably heavier than what you are seeking, but 4” K frames seem to be easy to find. I have a Model 19 that is a tack driver with the stout loads. Just a thought.

Cheers -
OVW

Yeah, they're a bit heavy. I have a 4" 66-4, a 2 3/4" 19-3, a 4" GP100, and a snubby Speed-Six, plus the 3" 60 and a 2" 640. Plus others in .38, .22, and .32. Suffice to say, I have a lot of options available...but part of the fun with revolvers is having one for every occasion!

quote:

Seems to me like this is a job for a Gunsmith. Buy the Model 360 that you want, new or used, and have a Gunsmith source and fit a 4" barrel to it.

The thought has definitely crossed my mind. I'm just not sure where they'd source a 4" J-Frame barrel in .357.

quote:

Smith made the 360SC AirLite with a 3" barrel and adjustable sights. I have one, and it's a real handful with full power loads, but they are very nice to carry.

Ok, that is awesome! I need to find one of those! Another member emailed me today and told me they also made a 337-1 in .38+P in an almost identical configuration to that 360SC. I'd be ok with the 317, but that 360 is almost exactly what I'm after!

quote:

The thought has definitely crossed my mind. I'm just not sure where they'd source a 4" J-Frame barrel in .357.

That would be the gunsmith's problem if they accept the job.

Can a shrouded barrel Smith be re-barreled? It was my understanding that the rifled portion of the barrel under the shroud was crush fit to the frame.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Can a shrouded barrel Smith be re-barreled? It was my understanding that the rifled portion of the barrel under the shroud was crush fit to the frame.

That's a good question that I don't know the answer to. Of it can, I'm sure it's not cost-effective!