[Randy3n1]

Hi all,
Im Randy, and I'm brand new to the forum. I hope to be able to learn alot from the vast knowledge base of real world information that is available here.

My question concerns the 360 Sc. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this little guy. I love the light weight and feel in my hand, and wanted to know what it's pro's and con's are. I'm actually getting ready to plop down my hard earned cash for it, and wanted to know if Im making the right choice. The gun will be used to carry and the 12oz weight is appealing. Thanks in advance.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Yes, I have some experience... too much in fact

If there is a more punishing, brutal handgun on the planet than this one- with .357 ammo- I have yet to find it.

Might not be the answer you want however...

Welcome to the gang...

 

[JRWnTN]

If there is a more punishing, brutal handgun on the planet than this one- with .357 ammo- I have yet to find it.

I was thinking about buying one of these ultra-light revolvers and tried one belonging to a friend. Before I finished the five magnum rounds, I decided it was not for me. I really didn't find shooting standard .38 Specials pleasant, either.

With a set of larger grips (or stocks) the revolver would be more tolerable to shoot .38's, but that would offset the size/weight advantage.

I figured that if I'm going to carry a particular handgun for protection, I need to shoot it regularly. That wasn't going to happen with this one.

 

[Charlie Petty]

That's why I like the 332 so much.

 

[JRWnTN]

I considered a Model 332, but it would have meant introducing a new caliber into the inventory, buying new dies and bullets, plus scrounging for another type of brass.

 

[Tim Burke]

If there is a more punishing, brutal handgun on the planet than this one- with .357 ammo- I have yet to find it.

Worse than the 500?
Worse than the 329?

Never mind...

 

[Charlie Petty]

IMO, yes to both.

The .500 is a big, heavy gun and even though the recoil is huge it doesn't snap your wrist and mangle the trigger finger the same way.

The 329 is an "N" frame so there is more to hold onto and it is also substantially heavier. I'm sure that if we ran the numbers it might have more recoil, but it doesn't "feel" as bad to me.

 

[Tim Burke]

Well, I knew I didn't want a 500 or a 329. I like my 342, but I'm not shooting +P. I don't even like 125 gr 357 out of a 640. Like you, I really like the 332. And it's a magnum cartridge!

 

[csmkersh]

Tim, if you don't like 125 grainers out of a 640, you would hate 158 grain .357 loads. I'll shoot one cylinder of those at a time, but no more. I really can't fathom the willingness to shoot magnum loads out of the super-lite revolvers. :shocked:

Rob may be right; the S&W M57/58 is the perfect revolver.

 

[Alarmed]

If there is a more punishing, brutal handgun on the planet than this one- with .357 ammo- I have yet to find it.

No kidding!

I sold a total of one. It came back the an hour later with 47 of the 50 rounds of ammo the guy bought. It only took me two rounds to figure out why, the second to confirm that I was holding on tight enough with the first.

They should include a warning to wear shooting gloves & prepare to feel pain in your wrist & forearm. I ask myself why S&W does some of this stuff. You would think they would learn after awhile.

 

[Tim Burke]

Tim, if you don't like 125 grainers out of a 640, you would hate 158 grain .357 loads.

Winchester 110 gr "white box" ammo was OK. The 125s were distinctly unpleasant. I made the extrapolation and decide I wasn't even going to try the 158s... and I'm glad I didn't. The 640 is 23 oz, and the 360 is 12 oz. mg:

 

[Tim Burke]

BTW, Charlie, I just noted on the S&W website firearm search that they no longer list either the 332 or the 342.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Heresy! But you're right it's not in the catalog either.

Freinds at S&W tell me that the .32 sales were a tiny fraction and on that basis it probably should have been dropped some time ago.

I guess, at one time or another, I've shot all of them and the 640 wasn't impossible with magnums but +Ps were much better. In the 360 I thought the the 125 magnums were the worst of all and IIRC the recoil calculations supported that by a small margin.

But there is one absolute truth here: S&W makes them because they sell. People who buy them are fixated on "power" and have little understanding of the relationship to recoil. I suspect a lot of them get shot not at all and people carry them because they want the "smallest-lightest" regardless of anything else.

Or maybe they are too ashamed to take them back so the gun and the box with 47 shells gets buried in a drawer somewhere.

I also marvel when I watch someone shoot one of those monsters and say they are having "fun." Of course their eyes were closed, jaw clenched and they burned a worm 6' in front of their feet. I guess fun means different things to some folks.

BTW: even now I am loading full charge 500 S&W ammo to bring to Gunstock :lol:

 

[JRWnTN]

I guess, at one time or another, I've shot all of them and the 640 wasn't impossible with magnums but +Ps were much better.

My 640 came with a good size set of Uncle Mike's rubber grips. They definitely help with recoil. The problem is that the grips are so big that pocket carry is out for me.

If I'm going to carry a handgun in a holster on a belt or inside my waistband, I might as well carry something more than a 5-shot revolver.

 

[Alarmed]

I couldn't remember earlier what I had shot, so I looked & still had the partial box. No wonder it was so bad, they were the Federal American Eagle brand, 158gr jobs.

I remember having some of the white box USA's, but if memory serves me, the Federal is what he shot in his GP100 I had sold him a month earlier. He got tired of lugging a 4" revolver around & wnated someting lighter & more concielable. It was lighter for sure.

We swapped even for a used but clean Glock 26 & he was happy. But I got stuck with that scandium thing. After I closed, I traded it off to a friend of mine's shop & he has sold it a couple times now.

 

[Randy3n1]

First impressions on the 360Sc

Well I picked up the little bugger two days ago and took it to the local indoor range yesterday. Yes, it's a handful. Put 50 rounds of the 124gr. .38 Golden Sabre's thru it. Now at least I know what to expect should I ever need it. Love the light weight and concealability of it, and for as little as im gonna be shooting it, I must say, Im a happy camper. To each his own I guess. ) Thanks for all your input guys...

 

[Alarmed]

Re: First impressions on the 360Sc

...and for as little as im gonna be shooting it...

I am sure I will be agreed with, but that is a bad decision for a carry gun. Your carry gun should be what you shoot the most, in my humble opinion.

I can think of nothing worse than needing to use my carry weapon & being so used to shooting something else, that I forget in the stress which one I have & fumble with it. It may only weigh 12 ounces, but if you don't shoot it enough to become proficient with it, you might as well throw it at em.

A carry gun, IMO, should be what you are MOST comfortable shooting, not what is most comfortable.

Like I said, this is only an opinion, which is what you initially asked for, so I hope you aren't offended.

 

[Charlie Petty]

If you picked it up two days ago was that before- or after- you asked about it?

 

[Randy3n1]

If you picked it up two days ago was that before- or after- you asked about it?

I actually had purchased it, and was waiting to pick it up when I posted.

 

[Randy3n1]

Re: First impressions on the 360Sc

Like I said, this is only an opinion, which is what you initially asked for, so I hope you aren't offended.

Not at all...I asked because I wanted and welcomed your opinion, but pretty much had my mind made up on it. I am really pleased with the gun, though. Like I said, it kicks a little strong, but it's still managable. I know what to expect when I shoot it now, but hope I never have to. If I DO, well, at least it wont go flying out of my hand. Take care and have a safe 4th.