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S&W 351C .22 magnum revolver short review


ChiefWPD
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I’ve wanted a S&W 351C for ages. Finally pulled the pin the other day. Here’s a mini-report on the handgun.

This is, as you might imagine, a very light weight revolver! I carry the handgun in an Alabama Pocket Holster (Kydex) and it’s both invisible to anyone looking at my pocket as well as being very comfortable for me to wear.

The action, when new, was “stiff.” The opening and closing of the cylinder was quite rough and took around 100 opening and closings to get it “right.”

I like the white dot front sight. Make no mistake, this is a close-up and personal handgun. No Olympic fifty yard slow-fire events for this little handgun!

Action is, shall we say, not too smooth. I came into this handgun fully aware that a J-Frame S&W rimfire, especially the newer, larger capacity versions, would have a tough, heavy, trigger pull. Not a biggie for me and I’m learning how to deal with the action.

I removed the stock rubber grips and put on a nice set of wood J-Frame grips with a Tyler T adapter as well, my favorite way to set-up my personal defense S&W J-Frame handguns.

A small piece of rough “grip tape” was added to the back strap.

My carry round is the Hornady 45 grain FTX, short-barrel cartridge. I have two boxes of this ammo and, for some reason, the round is now out of stock all over the place!! I’ll hoard what I have.

I’ve only put around 100 rounds of assorted .22 magnum ammo through the handgun to-date (I’ve only had it a week!). Can’t really comment on the handgun’s accuracy at this point, although it appears to shoot to point of aim (for which I am especially happy!).

I have tried one experiment that gonna raise some hackles, but I’ll share anyway. I read, in another forum, about someone trying .22 long rifle rounds in their .22 magnum revolver, and not having any problem with such a mismatch of rounds. I decided to give this a try.

Well, as far as I can tell, it worked out just fine. In fact, from the targets I fired on today, the long rifle rounds seemed substantially more accurate than the .22 magnum ammo out of the little handgun.

I’ve only tried two brands of long rifle; some cheap Peters standard velocity rounds and some CCI Maxi-Mag rounds. To my surprise, the Maxi-Mag ammo was far cleaner after firing. I note that the standard velocity ammo did not seem to bulge in the chamber, thus permitting burnt and unburnt powder to muck up the cylinder. Not so with the hi-velocity round.

So, feel free to yell at me, but I will continue to experiment and report back with my observations to the forum.

 

 

SW 351C open cylinder.JPG

Long Rifle ammo in .22 mag Revolver.jpg

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  • 2 years later...
On 11/5/2017 at 4:01 PM, Smith10 said:

What a cool pocket gun, and .22WMR is nothing to sneeze at.

Exactly.   Yeah.  I want one now.   What a pistol.   They make a model 48 that has a longer barrel.   There's something to be said about that .22 magnum round.

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  • 1 month later...

There are technically a bazillion people and kits for S&W triggers.

carrying it as always depends on what you think is the most likely use for it. If you think you may have to “Rambo” a mall shooter or take down some Tangos robbing a bank, maybe engage some jihadis. 
probably not the gun to carry

if the most likely (by a country mile according to statistics) is a personal assault or robbery, putting a couple in a guys face will make him stop doing what he is doing just fine. 22magnum, 25acp, 32acp will deter just about anybody but the most “PCP super pain tolerant bath salts zombie” stereotype attack.

I personally wouldn’t have a problem keeping that in an ankle holster as a back up

Nice gun, shoot the crap out of it

 

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Edited by Dric902
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3 minutes ago, DrB said:

OK , thanks.... now I want one...  Nice revolver.  Looks like there is a trip to the gun shop in my future...

My name is Dave and I am here at  this "Guns Anonymous" meeting to be cured of this evil addiction won't be in my future......I need another safe is all.

Dave..

Welcome Dave.  I think you got this group a little mixed up.  We don't cure this evil addiction, but encourage it.  We are also the anger issues group.

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1 minute ago, janice6 said:

Welcome Dave.  I think you got this group a little mixed up.  We don't cure this evil addiction, but encourage it.  We are also the anger issues group.

Yes I know, I have a safe full of surplus rifles and pistols still in the cosmoline.  Bought them cheap back in the day.  I still can see a couple of green bags with rifles from the CMP in the back.  Always said that safe is for when I retire to explore.  I look at it something like "King Tut's Tomb"Dave..

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45 minutes ago, janice6 said:

Welcome Dave.  I think you got this group a little mixed up.  We don't cure this evil addiction, but encourage it.  We are also the anger issues group.

Anyone know if that comes in a 4" barrel??  Just asking for a friend, I don't want to get hooked and all again...

Dave...

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  • 2 weeks later...
2 hours ago, railfancwb said:

High Standard made an interesting over/under derringer in .22LR and .22mag. Double action only. Understand a number of LEO carried one, usually the .22mag, for backup. Someone else licensed the design and made a larger one in .38 Special. 
 

 

A long long time ago i used to take a package of filtered king cigarettes.   I'd peal back about half the gold foil on the too and pull all the cigarettes out.   Then put a North American Arms .22 magnum inside the pack all the way to the left and fill it to the right with cigarettes.  

I could offer you a smoke and most people wouldn't have a clue there was some "onion field" insurance in there.

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