S&W Model 66 Combat Magnum 357 Snub Nose
- Price: $769.99
- Caliber: .357 Magnum Cartridge
- Barrel: 2.75 inch
- Weight: 2.1lb
You have to be a special kind of zero tolerance person to carry a 357 Magnum round as your personal protection.
But you’re out there!
For others, you just kind of have to own one of these guns, or at least shoot one at the range, before you die. Try these other great 357 Magnum revolvers if you want a bigger range of guns.
A Great Last Line of Defense
A 357 snub nose wouldn’t be my regular weapon. But as a back up, as a last resort when you really need to light up the sky and unleash shock and awe, then there aren’t many that do it better.
I mean there’s a 44 Magnum revolver option, of course, but this is normally enough.
So, for me, the best place for a gun like this is in a single weapon biometric safe, close to hand in the bedroom. That way, you have a full-bore cannon to defend yourself in the worst possible scenario.
What About the S&W 500?
Now the .357 Magnum hasn’t actually been the world’s most powerful handgun since the days of Dirty Harry. It was outclassed by the competition and now S&W has come back with the iconic 500.
You can buy one of those with a four-inch barrel and that is an absolute hand cannon. With a longer barrel it’s a genuine big game hunter. In the shorter barrel configuration, if you have more than $1000 to spend, there is nothing more powerful for home defence.
But the ‘regular’ .357 Magnum cartridge is still a monster and Smith and Wesson have engineered it down to a manageable 7.5 inches. So it’s more or less the same length as a Glock 19 and just gives you a very real option for a daily carry.
You can even load this stainless steel 357 Magnum snub nose with regular .38 Special ammunition. So it’s a short barrel weapon that does have a certain appeal as a carry gun if you like 38 Special ammo.
The low profile hammer is designed to give you a single action revolver that is relatively snag free. You can get a similarly equipped double action revolver with an enclosed hammer, if you’re totally carry gun focused.
It weighs in at 2.16lb and it isn’t the flat piece of Polymer that you get elsewhere. This is machined steel and for some people the reassurance is worth the extra weight.
A Revolver is Reassuringly Simple
Some people simply prefer the simplicity of a revolver. These are the people that don’t worry too much about reloads in an ongoing firefight, but most self defense situations are over in the time it takes to draw a weapon.
Especially one with this kind of psychological impact. Smith & Wesson has etched its mark on the barrel and everybody knows what that means.
This revolver holds seven rounds, which should be enough when you consider the devastating stopping power. The 2.5-inch barrel means this won’t be the most accurate weapon at the range, but it will be fun to shoot and in a close-up situation then it’ll do just fine.
If a 357 Magnum isn’t enough for you, then check out the best 44 Magnum revolvers for sale in 2022.
Also, if you want something a little cheaper, maybe this Taurus?
S&W .357 Magnum Snub Nose
Need to Know
Caliber: .357 Magnum/.38 Special
Capacity: 7 Rounds
Weight: 2.16lb
Barrel: 2.5 inches
Length: 7.5 inches
Get Cheap .357 Magnum Ammunition Online
Buy rounds for the 357 Magnum for just 24c and up, depending on whether you can live with steel jackets, or if you want to go for the full-bore, highest quality brass hollowpoints.
You can find ammunition to suit every budget, including cheap .357 Magnum ammo, at Lucky Gunner.
Find more or less any caliber at Lucky Gunner and you can order thousands of rounds at a time, which can help you and your weapons bed in and get used to it.
