Alright, interested in getting a good carry revolver. Ideally, a snub nose .357 (but minimum .38+p), 6 rounds, and as lightweight as possible. No one of these is “must have”, but all are considerations. I am finding out how variable the range out there is, from weight to price and everything in between.
Oh! And as budget friendly as possible!
Basically, for any snub nose aficionados, what are you all carrying? What is most important to consider? Can I get a decent one for sub $500?
You are not going to get a cheap, lightweight, snubnose with 6 shots in .357.
Are you going to carry in a pocket or on your belt? Most revolvers small enough to be carried in a pocket are going to be 5 shot.
Most revolvers light enough to be carried in a pocket are very, very uncomfortable to shoot with .357. Even .38 +P is uncomfortable in a 16 oz revolver. Also, the lightweight revolvers chambered in .357 are more expensive than the ones chambered in .38 +P.
For pocket carry, I suggest that you look at 5-shot revolvers chambered in .38 +P. I suggest you consider S&W 642/442 and the Ruger LCR.
You should realize the snubnose revolvers are very hard to shoot accurately. In addition, you will need to spend a lot of time training with dummy rounds in order to learn to reload with any efficiency.
Speedloaders that require you to turn a knob, like HKS, just suck. Get Safariland Comp II instead.
All that said, I sold my 642. My Kahr PM9 is easier to shoot, holds 6+1, is easier to reload, and is chambered in 9mm. I carry and shoot my PM9. I gave up on the 642.
I suggest that you consider a Glock 43 or SIG P365 instead of a snubnose revolver.