Strongest 357

[jwp475]

The question was "strongest" IIRC. Dale and I called it, frankly there is no contest for
strongest - it is the Redhawk. All the other stuff is valid opinions, but not particularly
related to the original question. I have lots of different .38/.357s and like different
ones for different things.

Bill

The question from the opening post is NOT which is Strongest, the question was which one will shoot loose first and the answer is the double action


The opening post

I am wanting to know which pistol will last longer shooting full house 357mag loads as far as shooting loose?Will be running 180 at 1400 fps Factory Buffalo Bore ammo and will start the hand loading as well.I had read on some other forms that the Smith just wouldnt hold up and wanting to know before we start running a steady diet through the gun.Also several said a gp 100 would be better than the smith?

So would the Smith 686 be stronger than the 357 caliber Stainless Ruger Blackhawk



Jason

[Ekalb2000]

Don,
I have both the GP100 and Blackhawk. I love shooting single action revolvers. Bet every time I go to the range, the GP seems to find its way into the bag. But if I was shooting heavy boolits and loads form one, I think I would do it from the Blackhawk. This is strictly my personal preference. No scientific data included.

Have you thought about a 357 carbine? They have near zero recoil. And with the loads you are talking about, would be a real handy firearm for pig hunting at pistol distances. Just a thought.

andy

[harvester]

A Colt King Cobra in stainless.

[Bullshop]

I have a Ruger Bisley 357 mag. The frame and cylinder are the same as a 44 mag or 45 colt. I am pretty sure the cylinder is the same diameter as the SBH 357 max only shorter. It is maybe too heavy for a 357 but if anything it is stout. It handles hot loads better than my Marlin 357.

[44man]

It is always a hard question for me because i have owned many,
many revolvers of all makes. I have shot hundreds of thousands of hot loads and with proper lubrication I have never harmed a single gun. I have never seen "frame stretch" or any of the other problems.
The S&W can not take heavy recoil from heavy boolits but can take high pressure loads.
The only S&W I had to fix was one where the jerk snapped the cylinder shut by the TV method and bent the crane. I bent it straight by hand! It was an early .38 before better steel.
I don't think you can harm a double action with a double lock up for the cylinder as long as you don't try to shoot real heavy boolits.
Can a Ruger take more? Sure, but then you are over normal loads too. If I want something with more thump, I use a bigger gun.
If you want to use heavy boolits at the limit, get a single action.
Then, there is the SRH, hurt that thing and you are trying to shoot to the moon!

[Char-Gar]

IN spite of my love for the N frame Smiths, if I wanted a brute strong pistol to fire super charged .357 magnum loads it would be something on the New Model Riger BH frame. A few years back, Paco Kelly loaded some blistering loads for a Bisley Blackhawk in .357 Mag, with great results.

[txbirdman]

My strength comparison is based on two revolver I once owned at the same time. One was a Blackhawk and the other a Model 15 DW. I got a load from a well know gun magazine and tried it in the Blackhawk. It shot very well and had substantial power. In fact, I used that load for a couple of years with no problem whatsoever. One day I load and fired 3 rounds in the Model 15. The brass had to be pounded out of the cylinder. Eventhough no apparent damage was done I discontinued the use of that load and concluded that the BH was a stronger revolver.

[derek45]

Does anyone remember the S&W 686 vs Ruger GP-100 magazine ads from the 1980's ?

Ruger claimed to be stronger because of it's thicker topstrap.

S&W replied that there 686 was Forged steel, not investment cast like ruger.