Questions for all you revolver guys...

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Autolycus

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I am not very familiar with revolvers and have more experience with semiautos. I am looking at purchasing a revolver for CCW. I am looking at a snubbie.

Here is what I am looking for:

1. A snubnose revolver.
2. .357 / .38 caliber
3. Hammerless
4. Suitable for pocket carry in a decent holster.
5. Not an airweight. I would like something with a little heft to it.

Is this possible? I have heard that the Airweights are killers on the hand when you fire .357 through them. I would rather deal with the extra weight as I am a younger guy and can deal with it.

Thanks.
 
Ruger SP101

I would say a Ruger SP101. I recently purchased one myself and really like it.
 
The Hitman

Well,The One Of The Classic Is The Colt Detective Special,But You Say Hammerless And That Put Out Of The Game The Colt.There Are Many Snubbies,Try The S&W Centennial Model 640 He Has A D/A,38SPL,5 Shot,OL:6"5/16,20Onz.$375. to $400.:cool:
 
When I think pocket carry I think Airweight or Airlight series - 15 oz tops.
You can get a .357 this light but it'll be miserable to shoot. :uhoh:

But you want some heft so I'd say either SP101 Ruger DAO model or S&W 640, although either of these is closer to 25 oz and too heavy/bulky for pocket carry IMHO. Good luck!
 
Since I carry a snub in the front pocket I guess I will throw my 2 cents worth at this.

Every oz is a problem for pocket carry. The steel J - Frame size guns that can be carried comfortably in a belt holster will carry like a chunk of lead in the pocket. (IMO)

That said , everybody has to find what works for them. Both S&W and Taurus make a few guns that fit your criteria.

I would also consider an airweight shooting a good personal defense 38 Spl loading or a lighter bullet in the .357 Magnum to help tame some of the recoil - also a good rubber grip will help .

I carry a 13 oz gun and consider that about as heavy as I want to go for front pocket carry. Caliber aside , I have a Titanium in .32 Mag ., recoil is very managable and yes, it doesn't have the punch of the .357 mag, but it is close to a regular .38 Spl in energy and I consider it enough gun as well as having 6 shots vs 5 . Works for me and my peace of mind anyway.
 
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Just bought a Ruger sp101 and love it.

I had been looking for an polymer auto for carry, but found this Ruger and fell in love. Stainless so its easy to care for, and hammerless for ease of draw. 5 shot cylinder is compact for carry and the 2 1/4" barrel is short but not out of preportion. Mine has Pachmyer grips with finger grooves and feels secure in the hand. Shoots .38 and .357 so it can be economical to shoot and effective to defend. The mechanics are smooth but its built like a tank and can handle the .357 round forever without fail. Best of all the piece has some weight and actually feels good to shoot but its not too much to carry in the waistband. It is heavy in the pocket but thats for a different gun. Mine likes to sit on either side of my belly button, depending on the shirt. Left side for button up shirts tucked in and one button undone, right side for shirts hanging out.

I thought I would be an autoguy forever but this little powerhouse changed me for good.

It holds only half the ammo of an auto, but if 5 shots of .357 can't get you out of trouble, your in a lot of trouble.

Good luck with your search! Check google for reviews of the sp101.
 
The SP101 is even larger and heavier than the all-steel S&W magnum J-Frames. Meaning, that's great for taming recoil and fine for belt carry, but it's probably not going to work for pocket carry.

Try the S&W 642. Internal hammer, 1-7/8ths inch barrel, .38 Special cartridge, five-shot. Weighs about fifteen ounces empty.

You don't want a super-light magnum snub, like the 12-oz Scandium S&W .357s. I mean, I'm sure they're high quality, but the recoil is going to be so brutal you're not going to practice with them, and a snubby is a difficult enough weapon to master as is. You don't need hand-pounding recoil compounding the situation.
 
Here ya go..

J frame, .357 mag, stainless steel, hammerless............S&W 640-1

I carry it either IWB or in a pocket holster depending on the circumstances.
It is heavier than the airweights, but it makes a bunch of difference with .357's.

pocketgun.jpg
 
What Dollar an Hour said.

My preference is and always will be Ruger SP101 in a small magnum over anything Smith offers. The trigger might need a little attention, easy to do, cheap to have a gunsmith work it over and it'll slick up as good as any. It's a stronger gun than any J frame alternative just by design and the little extra heft makes it a lot easier to shoot powerful loads.

JMHO. I don't bow to Smith and Wesson or any other manufacturer.
 
i have a 19 nickle 21/2 inch its a good ccw and not to bad with hot loads , i love mine , but im a smith&wesson man any way *csa*:D
 
I know you said hammerless but the S&W 649 with shrouded hammer is tough to beat. You have that single action option if you need it but don't have the snag issues with a traditional hammer. I've never heard anyone say anything bad about this model. It's not a pretty design but it's very functional and easy on the recoil. A little heavy but you get used to it.
 
A note on recoil alone. I have a Taurus 85 and for ME, recoil of +.38's sucks, I can shoot maybe four cylinders of the little buggers. Regular .38 isn't to bad, I can shoot a box or a little more of it. I was hell bent on a snubby .357 just for options on what I wanted to shoot, I am glad I saved the extra $100 that it would have cost me locally for one.
 
The 640-1 looks to be just the ticket.

When I say hammerless I should have specified a shrouded hammer would be fine. I am going to go down to the local shop and see what they got. I am going to look into a 640 and I will try to rent some of the airweights. I just heard some bad things about them. I want something heavy and with a little weight. But I guess I should not judge until I try it out for myself.
 
The 640-1 looks to be just the ticket.

When I say hammerless I should have specified a shrouded hammer would be fine. I am going to go down to the local shop and see what they got. I am going to look into a 640 and I will try to rent some of the airweights. I just heard some bad things about them. I want something heavy and with a little weight. But I guess I should not judge until I try it out for myself.
 
*


Hi Tecumseh;
There first three requirements you posted are easy, but there may be a bit of mutual contradiction between #4 and #5. An all steel snubby will be quite a lot more shootable than an alloy frame, but will be too heavy for comfortable extended pocket carry. I have an SP101 that fits in my pocket just fine, but it is way too heavy for comfort and makes the pocket sag.

On the other hand, the alloy frames in .357 can be rather brutal to shoot.

My recommendation? Get an alloy frame .357. You can't shoot it when you need it if you don't have it, and you won't have it if it's too uncomfortable/unconcealable. Practice with .38 target loads for fun and marksmanship (challenging with a snubby!). Shoot enough .357 carry/defense loads for familiarization and sighting, and use these loads for everyday carry. Don't forget to clean the chambers thoroughly after shooting .38 loads.


*
 
Get a ruger sp101. it is a great gun and you will have it for life. It is reliable, and simple.
 
I have the Scandium 340 PD, and the previous posters are correct, .357 is not fun. However, it is so light, and 38 spl are not bad, even the +p. Any S&W snubbie will be good.
 
The Smith & Wesson M-640 with 2" barrel* meets all of your requirements. Mine drops rather unobtrusively into the front pocket of my jeans and it's not at all obvious I'm carrying a gun. I carry a reload in a Bianchi Speed Strip in my other front pocket.

.38 Special is plenty in a gun of this size. I've shot a M-640 in .357 and didn't care for it. Nasty.





*I specify 2" barrel because they were also made with 3" barrels. I got one of them, too. :D It's ok for belt carry but isn't good for pocket carry.
 
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