The process of choosing and buying your first handgun can prove to be a bit daunting more so when it is a revolver. This is because the market is flooded with different makes and models, each having features that are unique from the other yet all their manufacturers claim that theirs is the best. Before you take the move of going into a gun shop to buy a revolver, there are a number of things that you must consider. Below is a review of the best 357 revolvers that you can use in your quest to buy only the best that the market can offer and your budget can afford.
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The Top 5 Picks of the Best 357 Revolvers
Ruger LCR Revolvers
Through years of research and invested resources, Ruger came up with the lightweight LCR revolvers. In the revolver industry, this isn’t just a light but rather a super lightweight firearm that you will really want to add in you safe. Other features that make it to be a buzz that sells like crazy include it’s easy to control trigger as well as the resultant highly managed recoil.
Benefits of the Product
- Quality Construction: It features a potent .357 chamber which comes with a black stainless steel finish. This combination results in durable revolver performance
- Lightweight and Portability: The revolver is very small in size and super lightweight. This makes it one of the most portable carry guns you can get within its platform as it is easily concealable
- Accuracy: The accuracy of the gun exceeds your expectations. In fact, it is more accurate that it really should be. This is because the snub-nose revolver platform where it belongs to, are designed for accuracy only for short shots. This one is very accurate even for the long range shots.
- Impressive Recoil Reduction: With additional advanced recoil suppressing features such as the Hogue grips for taming recoil, shooting becomes more comfortable.
Drawbacks
- The revolver’s magazine has only a 5-bullet capacity.
The model features an aircraft grade aluminum frame construction and a black synergistic finish coat, which are credited not only for the durability of the rifle but also it’s lightweight. And together with a stainless steel cylinder and a friction-reduced cam that provides a non-stacking trigger pull, the KLCR 357 is one of the best 357 revolvers in the Global market.
Smith & Wesson 686 Centerfire Revolvers
Another great revolver in the 357 platform that the market has to offer is the 686 Centerfire that is designed and constructed by Smith & Wesson. Based on a medium L-Frame style, any licensed gun holder together with law enforcement officers will enjoy a different feel when they opt to use this gun. The market is all along talking about this gun because of the following reasons.
Benefits of the Product
- Popularity: Many people are buying this revolver today because a good number of the gun holders they know either have this revolver, or talk highly about it. Only its impressive performance can make it to be this popular
- 7-Round Magazine: The 7-round magazine capacity is one of the biggest capacities on the platform. This is greater than even the 5-round capacity of its smaller KLCR 357 brother above. A 6-round option is also available
- Quality Durable Construction: The frame of this L-shape style double-action revolver features a durable stainless steel construction
- Dependable and Reliable: A dependable wheel gun such as the 686 Centerfire is more dependable than the most dependable gun in all the other platforms. As long as the person behind this revolver is accurate, the resultant accuracy of performance will be unmatched.
Drawbacks
- A fiber optic front sight would have bettered the value of the revolver
Are you looking for the best 357 revolver that guarantees you shooting comfort without sacrificing on size? The 386 Centerfire comes with a rubber hand grip, a smooth trigger pull, incredible accuracy levels and a compact design, all of which combine to produce exactly what you are looking for.
F.LLI Pietta 1873 SA Revolvers
This is one of the best 357 revolvers for money, and probably the best bet for the budget buyer. The gun features some incredible performance even for that price. And if you aren’t so much crazy about gun a performance, which is a rare fit, the revolver’s basic matte finish will attract you. But what exactly do you expect in a gun that costs less than $350?
Benefits of the Product
- Aesthetics: The gun features an elegant blued finish that compounds with its handsome wood grips to provide one of the most elegant handgun designs to ever have been constructed within this platform.
- Price: It is not cheap but rather affordable. Affordability means that the price is low yes, but not at the expense of the revolver’s performance.
- Impressive Solid Construction: Pietta designed a solid frame for this revolver, which offers a lot of comfortable shooting
- A Legendary Return: The revolver is a recreation of the Colt 45, or rather the legendary Peacemaker revolver. The great news is that the unit is fully functional and draws almost the same craze that the Peacemaker drew.
Drawbacks
- It shoots somewhat low. The paperwork says the same
The small drawback is easily manageable as you can decide to file the revolver’s sight down a bit to the suiting levels. Alternatively, take some little time to practice compensation and the revolver will work well for you. In my opinion, if you do everything right with this brand, you can never go wrong with it.
Bond Arms Centerfire Derringers
Experts and gun owners who have been in this filed are aware of what the original Derringer pistols are capable of doing. The Bond Arms Centerfire is a descendant of that legendary pistol, no wonder it is capable of doing more than what its ancestor was capable of doing. A fast glance at its image and detailed review and you will be convince that it is probably the best 357 revolver to carry in your tackle box, pocket, pack or purse.
Benefits of the Product
- Durable Solid Construction: The Centerfire features a sturdy stainless steel frame design, with a handsome looking hardwood handle. A durable revolver is the resultant of the merger.
- Quick and Efficient Reloading: Automatic extractors have been factored in the design to facilitate for quick and easy reloading. In the middle of a shootout experience, this is exactly the feature you need.
- Portability: It is a double-barrel revolver that features a very compact, easily concealable construction, thus making it a top personal-defense weapon of choice.
- Efficient Personal Defense Performance: A much needed rebounding hammer system has been incorporated to facilitate for fast follow up shots. Together with quick reloading, you also need fast follow up shots when confronted by an aggressor.
Drawbacks
- It doesn’t have the best feel on the hand just out of the box. However, the feel becomes great with time.
With one of the best 357 revolvers in the Bond Arms Derringers, it will probably be the first time you understand the real meaning of a gun that allows shooting with maximum peace of mind. In addition to the features mentioned above, it comes with Crossbolt safeties and retracting firing pins that give you one of the smoothest shooting experiences.
Taurus Small-Frame Revolvers
It is the cheapest on this list of the best 357 revolvers thus out rightly qualifying it as the cheapest among the best within the platform. Tagged at a price less than $400, you couldn’t have expected that such a rifle would come with anything good that qualifies it to take a share on the list of the best revolvers. It really is a great little revolver even for its price.
Benefits of the Product
- Portable: With a size that comfortably and pleasantly fits in your hand, the model is also very lightweight making it a very portable and easily concealable revolver out there.
- Comfortable Feel: You will be surprised with the general feel offered by this little revolver. The comfortable feel is partly as a result of the small size among other great finishing features such as the hard-rubber grip that have been employed.
- Leading Warranty in the Industry: The gun comes with Taurus’ unlimited Lifetime Repair warranty or rather policy. No other gun within its platform, including the more expensive once has such a provision.
- Quality Durable Construction: Only premium materials have been used in the construction. When compounded with such a warranty, it is clear that the manufacturer is very meticulous in the construction process.
Drawbacks
- The frame may poorly be machined. This results in some thicker rims binding up around the mentioned areas.
The binding that results from the poor machining can be solved by simply filing the areas. Though this is quite irritating to do on a new revolver, if you are in need of an affordable 357 revolver that truly performs, you have no choice but to take this route. In a nutshell, with a lot of care on the thickness of the ammo’s rim you buy, you will enjoy your experience with this firearm.
Factors of Consideration
a) Caliber
Three main caliber sizes are available for semi-automatic pistol cartridges. These are the .45 ACP which is the largest, the .40 S&W and the smallest 9mm caliber cartridge. The cartridge of choice mainly always depends on tastes and preferences. However, it is important to mention that the bigger the caliber size, the more the stopping power. This therefore implies that the smallest possible caliber will produce the most lethal shots hence a reason why I would consider such caliber guns.
b) Trigger Pull
There is a misconception that in all situations and circumstances, a low trigger pull is a good thing. This is not the case when it comes to self defense weapons. Under such situations, it will be very unwise for you to consider anything less than 4 pounds of trigger pull. All weapons come with some technical production errors, with others having the error quite negligible. Only a heavy trigger pull always has the capacity of correcting such errors.
c) Price
This is yet another misconception that you must never give your ear too. Unlike most of the other products on the market, how expensive a 357 revolver is doesn’t mean that it is the best. In fact, be keener when choosing the more expensive versions as they may feature luxurious accessories that you really don’t need. With anything around $300, you can be able to procure an accurate, durable, reliable and dependable 357 revolver
d) General Features
There are some common and much sought for attributes that any gun test must include. These are the features that will make or break your decision of buying a revolver. Some of the best 357 revolver features include the magazine capacity. Ideally, the higher the capacity, the more secure you are, especially if the gun is a self defense weapon
There is also the aspect of quick reloading followed by fast follow up shots. The time taken between reloading your gun and firing a shot may make a great difference as to whether you will remain alive or not. This is the same scenario with the time taken between shots. The good 357 revolvers are therefore those that come with easy and fast to load technological features and can continuously be fired with only micro seconds in between one shot and the other.
e) Construction
The construction of the revolver will determine whether it will be able to serve you for long-lasting durable periods or it will be written off only after a few years or even months of service. It is important that you go for a gun that has a stainless steel barrel on the least, at least aircraft grade aluminum for other parts, with any wooden part featuring only the hardwoods.
Conclusion
All in all, choosing the best 357 revolver is never a tall order, but only if you are aware of exactly what you should look for and exactly what you need. Just don’t trust what a manufacturer tells you. Take your time to understand what to look for and Bang! You have a 357 revolver that you won’t regret having spent your money on.
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