ON TOPIC - One more time, a question??

[rjohns94]

Penn's woods does not allow .357 for hunting small game, though I can use if for things bigger than bushy tails including deer. I have asked the question about .22 mag and its effectiveness and I have one in my aresenal now. I also have a takedown model 55 winchester with some nice upgrades, circa '25, in 30wcf that will be my primary deer rifle. I have gone to 9mm (because of a sub-gun SBR w/silencer purchase) as my primary self defense, have with me all the time caliber. I have one or two .429's of the special variety to carry as woods guns (an N frame and a K frame with night sights, both in simply rugged leather). I'm considering ditching the .357's (since I will be using the 9mm or 30wcf). { this means I will be selling my '92 NKJ duo tone, large loop carbine and j-frame 3 inch adjustable .357's, and thousands of bullets, loaded ammo}

Question is does this make sense? not needed for field or self defense, don't do target competition. Why keep it? I can't really come up with a good reason outside of just to have, and the money could go to good use paying off loans. your thoughts??? ( I will duck and cover while the beatings begin. )

[Hobie]

I think you need to move somewhere they have some common sense. That there is actually a place that the .357 Mag isn't useful just blows my mind!

[gimdandy]

Wouldn't bother me any to get rid of all but 1 of my 38's/357's , that one my brother gave to me . It's just not a cartridge that I have any use for.

[Phideaux]

I'm sure that each of us will have different opinions but the .357 is a great woods gun, if you live in the East. If I lived in the plains or Mt. West if would loose some of its luster. You're asking for opinions so if it were me, I would ditch the 9mm stuff, keep the .357 and carry the revolver.

Phideaux

[C. Cash]

OK I'll play Mike. You have a great EOTWAWKI rifle/pistol combo. You can carry alot rounds for it if your on the road and it will do about anything you need to do. Next to Gold and Real Estate, quality firearms are a good safe place to keep your investments. At least, that's what I keep telling my wife but she ain't buying it.

[madman4570]

Hobie dont think for an instant Mike is questioning that the .357 isnt a awesome caliber and its ability.
Think he is just trying to par down to the very very absolute amount of guns/ammo type he needs.

With that being in mind---------- Mike, My take is absolutely the 9mm will replace the .357 as a Self Defense round NOWADAYS.Though I carry that tiny Kel-Tec p32 around a lot(just cause its so tiny?)the gun that protects my house is a 9MM(Star P31) or could choose my Taurus PT 111 and I have .357's/.44's/.45's (both types).454's on and on?

The new loadings like from Buffalo Bore(115JHP @ 1400fps) or what you can load up coming from a fairly short barrel will do nicely.
I dont think a bad guy could tell much diffrence between that and the .357.
For you that 30wcf/9mm/decent shotgun/you sub gun should do ya fine! JMO


Honestly Mike----- For myself, I need a total of ???-----------2 guns! Period!
20" Ithaca 12ga deerslayer and my Taurus Millenium 9MM -----I would be fine,if need be!

[COSteve]

I don't understand your need to ditch the 357mag. Is it a case of needing money or is it just a desire to par down and concentrate on fewer calibers? If selling off is a financial necessity, then your idea is sound if you truly don't want a 357mag.

If it's just to avoid the hassle of another caliber, then I'd suggest that you just put the 357mags and ammo away for a few years instead of selling them off. You never know, you might want to go in a different direction in the future and you'll pay a lot more to reconstitute your current stable in the future if you changer your mind about them.

[mikld]

I don't understand your need to ditch the 357mag. Is it a case of needing money or is it just a desire to par down and concentrate on fewer calibers? If selling off is a financial necessity, then your idea is sound if you truly don't want a 357mag.

If it's just to avoid the hassle of another caliber, then I'd suggest that you just put the 357mags and ammo away for a few years instead of selling them off. You never know, you might want to go in a different direction in the future and you'll pay a lot more to reconstitute your current stable in the future if you changer your mind about them.

I fully agree. Unless it is a necessity to sell, keep them all. I once sold a Model 10 S&W, and a few year later decided I needed one, but the best cost was twice what I got for my first Mod. 10 and I haven't sold a handgun since...

[madman4570]

the money could go to good use paying off loans. your thoughts??? ( I will duck and cover while the beatings begin. )

What are you guys missing?

Mike, Pay off the frigin loans!
Come on Guys-----------This gentleman is in his mid-50's and would actually like to semi or fully retire some day. If he was rich there would be no loans??????????

I say, get out of debt!
Can only shoot one gun at a time? (dont need a thousand guns)

[firefuzz]

I think you need to move somewhere they have some common sense. That there is actually a place that the .357 Mag isn't useful just blows my mind!

(Hobie, hand me that stick!!!!)

I'd ditch the .44's long before I would the .357's. Light and easier to carry, cheaper to load for and just as effective. If things really got bad on the road you can buy .357 or .38 ammo anywhere, try that with a .44 special. (and I actually love a .44 special) Besides, you have a long gun in .357 already.

BUT....if you decide you're ditching these undesireable .357's give me a shout a couple of days before you tell these other goomers.

Rob

[firefuzz]

the money could go to good use paying off loans. your thoughts??? ( I will duck and cover while the beatings begin. )

I say, get out of debt!
Can only shoot one gun at a time? (dont need a thousand guns)

Okay, how about just 50 or 100? I understand and agree with being out of debt (the only entity I owe is the IRS and we pay them forever), I just hope some other arrangement can be found. Good guns are getting harder to come by.

Rob

[shooter]

I'm sure my opinions differ from many on here, but I don't find a lot of use for the .357. In fact, I just traded mine off for a .45 Colt. I'm not arguing the effectiveness of the caliber for certain uses. It is adequate for deer hunting, an exceptional self defense round, and a great choice for general woods bumming, outside of grizzly country. It's just that, for me, it's kind of an "in between" caliber. If I am hunting large game, I would rather have my .44 or .45, and if I'm hunting small game, I will carry my Single Six. On the other hand, I think it's an extremely effective and useful caliber out of a rifle, and if I had a .357 rifle to go with the Blackhawk I traded, I probably would have kept the revolver.

As to your question, it's really a matter of personal choice. I think paying off loans are a good idea, as I don't believe in debt. You can always pay off the loans now, and if you miss the guns, buy another later. I'm sure NKJ wouldn't mind doing another rifle for you. For me personally, I don't like getting rid of guns unless I'm getting another. My guns are too hard to come by, and unless I get in an extreme financial pinch, I won't be selling mine off.

[AJMD429]

If you feel you should keep the 9mm as your 'CCW' cartridge, that makes sense.

If you want a 'levergun-compatible' round for hunting, I see two 'levels of power' out there - the 'rifle-length' big-bores, and the 'pistol-length' ones.

If you have a .444 or .45-70, or similar gun(s), ANY 'pistol caliber' levergun/handguns will do for most stuff, as you already have a 'bear gun' when you need one.

If you don't have a 'big' gun, your 'carbine' levergun(s) need to do double-duty perhaps, so you might be better served with a .44 Mag or .45 Colt anyway.

No real reason to 'need' a .357 Mag levergun/handgun if you can easily handle the .44 Mag/.45 Colt ones. Most of the brands and styles are available in all those chamberings, so you can sell off one 'set', and still replace them functionally using another chambering.

[rimrock]

If you have enough guns to sell, and the anticipated funds will truly get you out of debt, then I enthusiastically support your choice to have fewer guns. If selling them won't pay off the debt then I'd say keep them awhile longer because they will just appreciate or become more valuable than the worthless paper money if this country doesn't turn around. I understand wanting fewer calibers because I have the same feelings, but don't make a hasty decision you might later regret.

I sold a Ruger Security Six to pay off debt, but it wasn't enough ended up in more debt and regretting the lose of that gun. The monthly payments are almost always gonna be there if you're part of the middle class which is fast disappearing. maybe your situation is different.

rimrock

[2ndovc]

Mike,
Do what you think you should. Sounds like you have a pretty good plan.

Let me know when you put a price on the NKJ!


jason

[olyinaz]

I need one for my kid for Christmas so I'm buying if you're selling. But, would you actually use the money to pay down debts?? Just sayin' the road to New York City is paved with good intentions.

Oly

[Haycock]

Mike,

If I were you I'd ditch the 9mm before the M60, and given that you have both the M60 and a slicked up NKJ M92 in .357 there is no way I'd sell either ahead of a more modern, tacitcal-ish 9mm.

Sell the 9mm rig, silencer and all... keep the .30-30 and the two .357s.

You're thinking of this like the .30-30 and the .357 M92 fit in the same niche... they don't... at least not completely.

The NKJ has a very respectable tactical dimension to it, for which role (Personal/Home(land) Defense) it is better than the .30-30. Though the .30-30 is clearly the better deer gun. If you have the PD/HD slot in your battery filled with a .308 or '06 semi-auto the comment doesn't really apply.

I'd still keep the .357 pair!!!

Now, having said all that... if you DO decide to ditch the .357s please let me DRIVE TO YOU AT YOUR CONVENIENCE AND PERSONALLY TAKE THEM BOTH OFF YOUR HANDS!!!!!! Assuming, that is, that the M60 is pre-lock! ;-} The NKJ I'd take on spec............


Haycock

[rjohns94]

Ok, guys. I appreciate your opinions. I am planning on being ready for this Global Missions director job should it become available to me. I hope to pay down another huge chunk of debt. So far this year, I've paid down and am on track to pay off, all credit card, all revolving credit, vehicles and son's school loans. To that end I have been selling off stuff I don't use, making choices about nice to have and need to keep, and weaning out things so I can live a simpler life, on a simpler pace, for the purpose of God.

For those that expressed an interest in the purchase of the 92 and smith, I will post them soon on this forum's classified. you can pm or email if your serious about getting them. I'm thinking the NKJ at $900, the smith at $650. I will also sell off the ammo and all the reloading components for thousands of rounds.


The comments were interesting. thanks for your opinions

[awp101]

It looks like I'm a little late and you've already decided but what the heck...

I'm doing something similar to what you're doing, albeit for different reasons. I'd keep at least the carbine just for good old fun. I have a couple of rifles that should be on the cut list because they either overlap the others I have decided to keep caliber or power-wise or they no longer "fit" the direction I've settled on.

The problem is, once I get them out to take pics and list, I remember just how much FUN they are. The more I thought about it, I decided to keep 1-2 just for plain, simple fun.

Just something to consider...

[Don McDowell]

Anything the 357 can do the ".429's" will do better.The last 357 I had got turned into a 44 special several years ago, and aside from having the dies, brass,bullets, and a couple boxes of ammo hanging around the cartridge just isn't missed.....
I'm not a fan of the 9mm at all, but for a "defense" weapon the short ranges involved and the "concealability" of the selfshucker , it has prooven itself for near on to a hundred years.
Outside of at some point in the future, regretting every gun ever sold or traded off, I don't see anything wrong with selling the 357's off and putting the money to good use.

[Steelbanger]

I hear you Mike with these PA rules. I used to hunt with a 30-30 Contender Carbine, cast bullets for squirrels and turkey, jacketed for deer and one bear. How long is it now, 8-10 years that we were restricted to rimfire for small game? I own a Marlin 25-20, the perfect small game rifle that I can't use here. Trying to justify why I shouldn't sell it is becoming quite difficult.

[tman]

The .357S&w magnum in a handgun and or rifle would be the perfect all around small/big game hunting round for PA. , except for long range big game. So it makes perfect sense for our excellent Game commission to ban it's use for small game.