[kevinjameswalker]

Couple of things to keep in mind; S&W revolvers in 22LR & 22Mag have heavy trigger pulls in double action..Some women and kids don't have the strength to operate them.

The other thing to consider is a Ruger or S&W revolver in 327 Federal or 32 H&R Mag. If you buy modern defense loads for them in 32 S&W Long, the recoil is minimal and hard cast bullets penetrate deep in humans.

 

[Dem27]

J frame S&Ws usually a little stiffer than K frame in DA mode. K frame 22/ 22mags are no different than 32-38-357 as far a DA pull. It’s same running gears, same main spring. Ks & Ns also easy to tune for DA if that is you main purpose for gun. In Js I’ve not had a .357, nor shot one. Have had 22, 22mag
32, 38S&W and 38sp and they are all the same or close enough I can’t tell. I will say the 22s, 22mag and 38sp in the stainless models seem to have stiffer triggers

 

[Truck]

38 special horribly underloaded. even the +P rounds are moderate. when S&W was looking for heavier loads for the 38/44 they asked winchester I think to come up with a heavy load. they got 1550 with 158 gr bullet out of the 38 so seeing that S&W asked them to add to the length of the 38 and the 357 mag was born

Phil Sharpe was the biggest driving force behind the development of the .357 Magnum, just as Elmer Keith was principle behind the .44 Mag. This was after the 38/44. The .357 was introduced in 1935.