My J-frame Journey

[45sRfun]

Keeping it simple, I've found that using 110 grain .357's in a J-Frame is manageable, whereas heavier bullets - 158 and 180 grain, or Hornady's FTX rounds - are downright brutal! 110 grain JHP's are difficult to find, even online, but I prefer CorBon's 110 grain JHP (standard) and simply purchase straight from them!
Enjoy!

110-grain .357s will destroy the titanium cylinder. Gun has printed right on it, no less than 120 grain. Here is the story:

Titanium cylinder erosion in revolvers

User manuals are often like medicine “patient information leaflets”: very few read them, but sometimes they contain fundamental importance information. Not following them may lead to serious consequences. Let’s take a look at the titanium cylinder erosion case in revolvers

www.all4shooters.com

 

[45sRfun]

The 357 in JFrames contain the law of diminished returns. Percussion, recoil muzzle flame and equipment abuse take away any benefits of a faster bullet.

Simply, the .357 chambering in these small guns satisfied manufacturer ledgers and penis envy gun buyers.

This is evidenced by the small attendance of such a large crowd of JFramers who do not show up or do well in JFrame matches.

There is only one level of dead and skill set and practice with either 38 short Colt or 38 Specials loaded to efficient ballistics will do the job. Without the wasted overkill and problems.

Case in point, practicing with the number of rounds needed (Many Thousands) with your .357 rounds, mean you will need about 20 JFrames to get to the point where you can effectively carry a newer one.


You will need Wrist surgery and be deaf and still rely on luck if you can hit anything but I guess that is fun to some.

I’ve seen the wear and tear first hand on these sleeve barreled lightweight revolvers. Posted a pic years ago of one that came apart up in Bend Me Over In the River.

The short run of lands and high velocities of the .357 will result in less accuracy in flight comparing to service grade guns printing sub four inch groups at 10 yards.

Shooting Steel at 100 yards is a good test of marksmanship for these guns and the .357 does poorly out of these miniature guns. Always has.

See you on the Range


Trapper

I think you are right about the brutality of .357 in a 11.7 oz snubby. My Bond derrringer is 20 oz and .357s are brutal in it. Nonetheless, it is a cool gun and for .38 Special is a stronger frame than the 442/642. Some have shown wear on the aluminum frames of the 642/442 from excessive use. Also the 340PD has the insert to block flame cutting of the frame above the forcing cone. The ligher weight will be nice in pocket carry, but insignificant for appendix carry. If I really wanted to shoot a lot of .357s out of a snubby, the MP340 would be better, but I have a couple .357s to play with including the Bond and a Taurus revolver with a 12-inch barrel (hard to carry but fun at the range).

Still, I plan to try a couple cylinders or so of .357 out of it at the range soon.

 

[Amishman44]

110-grain .357s will destroy the titanium cylinder. Gun has printed right on it, no less than 120 grain. Here is the story:

Titanium cylinder erosion in revolvers

User manuals are often like medicine “patient information leaflets”: very few read them, but sometimes they contain fundamental importance information. Not following them may lead to serious consequences. Let’s take a look at the titanium cylinder erosion case in revolvers

www.all4shooters.com

The one I had, a 360-J, didn't have a titanium cylinder, and anything like that stamped on it. There was nothing in the manual either.
The 360J series were built specifically for the Japanese police, and probably had steel cylinders in them...???

 

[EODFXSTI]

The one I had, a 360-J, didn't have a titanium cylinder, and anything like that stamped on it. There was nothing in the manual either.
The 360J series were built specifically for the Japanese police, and probably had steel cylinders in them...???

I am pretty sure that 360J was for .38 special only. They did only have steel cylinders not titanium. It would be nice if they brought the 342 back which is rated for .38+p and brought the price down a little bit. Not sure what they would gave to change besides that little SS insert above the forcing cone.

 

[bgcatty]

J frames have earned their place in the history of firearms. Utterly dependable no matter what and always ready to defend the person holding one!

 

[Amishman44]

I am pretty sure that 360J was for .38 special only. They did only have steel cylinders not titanium. It would be nice if they brought the 342 back which is rated for .38+p and brought the price down a little bit. Not sure what they would gave to change besides that little SS insert above the forcing cone.

The one I had was stamped 360J and had an unfluted cylinder...I've got a picture of it somewhere but can't find it right now.
I'm back in school full-time, and needed the cash, or I'd still have it!

 

[92FSTech]

The beauty of the airweights is in the carrying, not the shooting. Those lightweight aluminum and scandium guns are less comfortable to shoot, and might not hold up as well to a steady diet of full-power magnum loads, but you can carry one anywhere and in just about anything, to include a gym shorts pocket. They're engineered for carry, not competition.

I backpack a lot, and have a 329PD that is absolutely brutal to shoot...it'll re-arrange the bones in your hand. But when I'm putting in 20+ mile days hiking up and down mountains, that 24oz gun is hugely preferable to a 43oz 629. It's not a great range gun, and wouldn't be my choice for a hunting revolver, either...but when the goal isn't to be out shooting stuff but you still want to have something for the small chance that you have to deal with an angry bear, it's perfect. It's accurate and reliable...just not particularly fun.

If possible, I'd say it's best to have both. Most of the shooting and training can be done with the steel guns, which provide the same manual of arms, and save the airweights for those carry situations where you want as little weight as possible.

 

[92FSTech]

I am pretty sure that 360J was for .38 special only. They did only have steel cylinders not titanium. It would be nice if they brought the 342 back which is rated for .38+p and brought the price down a little bit. Not sure what they would gave to change besides that little SS insert above the forcing cone.

The first run of 360Js was a scandium gun with a steel cylinder, chambered in .38 Special +P. My understanding was that they were built on the same frame as the 360PDs for the Japanese police, but chambered in .38 +P instead of .357 Magnum for PR considerations. I have one of those, and got it for a steal when they were selling off the overruns...$414 brand new, IIRC. It was the cheapest way I've ever seen to get into a NIB scandium J-Frame.

I believe there were later releases of the same gun with steel magnum cylinders...and there were definitely 360 M&Ps sold in that configuration. The "J" designation really isn't anything special...just some scandium frames that got stamped to go to Japan and didn't make it for some reason or other.

 

[EODFXSTI]

The first run of 360Js was a scandium gun with a steel cylinder, chambered in .38 Special +P. My understanding was that they were built on the same frame as the 360PDs for the Japanese police, but chambered in .38 +P instead of .357 Magnum for PR considerations. I have one of those, and got it for a steal when they were selling off the overruns...$414 brand new, IIRC. It was the cheapest way I've ever seen to get into a NIB scandium J-Frame.

I believe there were later releases of the same gun with steel magnum cylinders...and there were definitely 360 M&Ps sold in that configuration. The "J" designation really isn't anything special...just some scandium frames that got stamped to go to Japan and didn't make it for some reason or other.

Thank you for this. It does appear they did make some 360J to take .357. That is pretty cool and consistent with S&W being inconsistent!

 

[45sRfun]

Thank you for this. It does appear they did make some 360J to take .357. That is pretty cool and consistent with S&W being inconsistent!

Like the 1969 Model 28-2 that I picked up used and is chambered in .41 magnum. A Model 28 should be .357 Magnum. I sent info to S&W and their customer service rep was puzzled too.