What S&W do you trust your life with at home and/or on the street? And why?

I have a Model 10 forever at ready for home use. Revolvers can be safe queens; fully loaded for decades, be brought into service by anyone in the family (any skill level) and still be effective.

On the street I find myself grabbing my 340PD very often. I have other more potent fighting guns but being light and easy to carry results in more frequent use of the 340. And 5 rounds of 38 sp +P with 5 more in a speed strip will work in common SD situations for me.

Even of your choices aren't S&W's share your thoughts on home and on-the-go defense.



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M&P40 with an attached Streamlight TLR-3 secured in my bedroom for HD. I also use a 9C and carry it infrequently. I don't have pistols that have a frame safety, so I use other pistols as my single-stack CCW.

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M&PC FS BG Shield+ 642 686+

Either my 4566 or 6906. The 6906 gets the carry duty, but the 4566 is on the household go-to list.

I keep my S&W model 66 snubnose on me in the street (off duty) and next to my bed at home. For being a young Officer (only 30) I have always preferred my revolvers. In my truck I always keep my glock 30 ready to go.

66 , 642, 640
Home or on the road.
1200 Winchester riot close at hand too.
Others available.

Regularly cc my M&P9c. When we go camping, I have the M&P in the truck and my 686 and 500 mag. In the trailer.
FWIW, I am qualified to cc all three.

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Not enough space

36, 37, 342, 49, 60, 649, 624 snub, 66 snub, 19 snub, 686 snub ... The list is large, and every revolver does its job as asked.

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I'm with the banned ...

All of them! Each and every one of them is a tack driver and reliable. But I favor my 686 7 shot a lot around the homestead. Nothing like a 357 for punching holes without the punishment of a 44. The little J-Frame is nice for a backup but at my age I need a little more sight radius so I often carry the old 645. It weighs a ton and is larger than my 1911 but it is a DA/SA so it and my Beretta M9 go with me on the road. I leave the J-Frame home for the wife. I carry a 15 round FNP 45 with night sights and a flashlight on the rail in a shoulder holster for night work. You know the dogs are out barking and you need to check the property... etc and too lazy to lug out the Mossberg 500. But I hate plastic guns and that is it's sole purpose for hanging around. The tritium sights on the 645 have gone dead after 10 years so that is why I don't use it and a hand held flashlight. The AR is just a fun toy for long guns but I cut a tree down with the Marlin 30-30 lever action when I stapled up a target to it on my range. It was hilarious I chambered another round looked through the scope and the target was moving! I pulled back to see what was going on and my son was laughing as this 12 inch tree was falling over on the range! Maybe the AR would have done that too but with only 20 rounds? Kind of made made me think AK instead might be a better tool. It is not so much who makes the gun as what it puts down range for me and how far I can reach out and touch someone without them touching me.

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Jason Adams

I carry a 642 or 442 and have a 4"686 for home.

M&P 9 full size. Used twice with dog issues. Once I was woken up at 2AM. My neighbor was gone but had a half blind 16 year old boxer. Wild dogs were attacking it. I ran next door in the dark and ran the wild dogs off. These shots were meant to kill. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. They had chewed a huge chunk out of the hip quarter and the dog died the next day. I don't know if any of the intruder dogs got hit and later died.

The second incident was in my own yard with a vicious dog which came into my yard. I fired the 9mm about 6' from its face directly in front of me. I have never seen an animal do a 180 and run 200 yards away so fast in my life. A dogs hearing is very sensitive. I would guess the muzzle blast and noise from 6' directly in front of it changed his mind about aggression. I wasn't trying to kill it, only scare it away.

After these two incidents, I am fully convinced I could shoot to kill an intruder, carjacker, etc. Target practice and actually pulling a weapon and firing with the intent to kill are two completely different mind sets.

I know that most people THINK they could pull a gun and fire it and kill, but many will choke. They would hesitate and that might cost them their families lives. Hunters would call it "buck fever".

In a way, I am thankful for these two incidents. It has given me non-human chances to verify my ability to function and fire under stress. LEO's train for this constantly.

NC has over a half million concealed weapons permits active. I doubt if more than a few thousand have actually fired their gun with the intent to kill.

Like many members on this board I have had an opportunity to pack and shoot many models of handguns for many decades.

For me it's all about compromise.... There just isn't any such thing as the "perfect" single handgun for every use. Reliability, conceal-ability, and effective stopping power have been my main focus and concern.

All issues considered there isn't any handgun that fits the "compromise" issue better than a S&W Mod. 66 or 19 in a 2 1/2 or 3" barrel length, especially true of the earlier models.

They aren't the smallest, lightest, most powerful, most easily concealed or provide the most rounds. They simply can get the job of self protection done in a manner acceptable in most every necessary category, and do it with confidence.....

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Terry

The you never should have introduced a gun into the situation.

So is drawing on a dog V. drawing on a human being

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Retired Career Security Guard

Depending on the circumstances, I either carry a 6906 or a 4006. When I’m at home It’s usually the 6906 and usually that’s the gun I stick in my pocket when I walk the dogs.

The one that isn’t in the safe at bedtime is the one that ends up on the night stand

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Retired Career Security Guard

4013TSW for carry and on the nightstand. My wife has an M&P 9mm; if I could only get her to carry it, too!

You fired your handgun at aggressive dogs on two separate incidents, hit nothing, yet you are "fully convinced that I could shoot to kill an intruder, carjacker, etc." This flawed logic is extremely dangerous to maintain as confidence, and smacks of false bravado or simple ignorance of reality. Additionally, shooting to "scare" as you detailed in your second dog encounter is a tactic known as the "Joey B." It is as foolhardy as it is contrary to the core fundamentals of unholstering and firing a handgun or long gun in a defensive scenario.

No offense intended, but you should seriously reconsider your potential ability to react with deadly force on two-legged predators based solely upon a resume of warning off dogs twice.

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I'm with the banned ...

[QUOTE=mc5aw;137857553]Additionally, shooting to "scare" as you detailed in your second dog encounter is a tactic known as the "Joey B."


I see what you did there



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Three guns for home that rarely leave the house. an 870 20 ga,
a Smith 19, and an M&P 9.

870 under the bed. Smith 19 in my Gunvault. And the M&P in her Gunvault.

Several reloads and flashlights nearby.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Pocket-carried no-dash 640 loaded with either Buffalo Bore standard-pressure 158 grain LSWCHP-GC (currently) or the older Remington +P "FBI load". In my pocket if I set foot outside my apartment, and within reach indoors.

Head of the bed, Model 10-5 4" standard barrel, same loads.

They're the only handguns I still own in my old age. I trust them both implicitly and am comfortable with their ability to protect me if needed.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Pugsters keeps a 65 on her desk at home. I carry a 642 now and then.

60 for CCW due to size and reliability.

Ruger Service Six at home.

4053 WHILE WORKING, A 642 OTHERWISE. JP

I don't leave the house without either my 696 concealed or if I'm headed to the ranch a 657 4".

Why 20 ga. instead of 12 ga? I know either will work, but people have reasons for preferring one over the other. Just wondering whats yours.

Recoil. The 20 ga can do anything a 12 ga can do at short distances. Like around the house.

And, I have short arms. My 870 is a youth model.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Gotcha. I'm looking at a Mossberg 500 20 ga. myself.
Same reason: Recoil. I want something my wife can handle too.

Compact 9, Shield or Model 36. Today it's the 36.

Home protection = M13-3 four inch loaded w/FBI +P 158 grain .38, pocket carry 442 loaded the same way.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Have a few rifles, but am pretty light on SD guns, so right now my Shield 40 is my "do all", on my hip in the daytime, next to the bed with a tac light at night.

637 with CT grips in an ankle holster or IWB. I have an LCP, but it sits home most of the time. It does fit in some pockets when the ankle holster will not work for my day. When I THINK the 637 is kind of big, I carry a 3" Officers Model 1911 for a day. Then the 637 is great!
David

These days, its usually either a S&W 337 with bobbed hammer and fiber optic fromt sight or a Kahr P9 Covert. I also carry the 640-1 or a Rossi 720C in .44 spl...Its one of the good Rossi revolvers...For the nightstand, a Beretta 92 FS with night sights is the usual...my old Remington 870 that my new wife gave me for Christmas in 1978 it parked in the corner. The best night defense weapon is my big old Doberman that sleeps on his bed next to our bed.

On and off duty...

An official red ryder carbine action 200 shot range model air rifle.

My backup gun is a 586.

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Just pretend this is witty.

Smoke, Mc5aw, Pmosley: I gather that none of you approve of what I did. I am not trying to start an argument, but I sincerely ask what YOU would have done in these situations. Please tell me your reaction to each incident.

2AM: Dark yard in a very rural area. Lit enough to see my neighbors dog being attacked and about 4-5 wild dogs running frantically around the old blind dog being attacked. I might have hit one, I don't know. All I know is that I stopped the attack. I really want you guys to chime in and say what YOU would have done. Let the dog get killed on the spot or???? After the first shot, they all scattered fast.

As far as the daytime incident, I assume all of you would have preferred that I immediately kill the other dog belonging to a neighbor down the road. Am I right or am I misreading your responses? I have never heard of a "Joey B", but will go Google it later. In this case, I clearly had a choice to make. Kill or scare. I chose scare. My wife or grandkids were not in the yard. It was me and dog only. So the standard response should be "kill the neighbors dog immediately"??

And for those of you that answer "kill the dog immediately", then what would you do afterwards with a dead dog in your own yard? Do you leave it there on the front lawn, go quietly dispose of the body or take it down the road to the neighbor that owns it and hand him a corpse??

Model 65-4 4" is the best hitting gun I have. Probably my 65 4".
peace,
gordon

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better have that checked

Smoke, Mc5aw, Pmosley: I gather none of you approve of my actions. I am not trying to start an argument, but I really do want to know what you would have done in each incident.

2AM: Dimly lit yard in a very rural area. Neighbors old, blind dog is being attacked by 5-6 wild dogs. I fired intending to hit one. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. They all scattered. Would you have let the dog get killed on the spot??

Daytime incident: I was at my mailbox about 150' from my front door. Rottweiler comes running towards me aggressively. I start heading for the house. By the time I get half way home, the dog is within 10', growling, teeth bared and hair raised. I yell, wave my arms and the dog still keeps closing the distance. The dog is normally chained 24/7 outside 365 days a year with no shelter at the neighbors house. I had a choice to make. Kill or scare. I intentionally chose to scare to use that option first. I never heard the phrase "Joey B", but will Google it later. I can only assume you guys would have killed the dog immediately. Neither my wife nor grandkids were in the yard at the time. It was only me and the dog.

If yes, please tell me what you would have done with a dead dog. Leave in in your front yard for the neighbor to eventually discover, dispose of the body discreetly or take the dead body to the neighbors house and say here is your dead dog?

If you wouldn't have shot at all, what would your plan be with an overly aggressive dog? Just get mauled??

Smoke: You must be an EMT in great shape and can run fast since you say you wouldn't have introduced a gun. I'm 58 years old and I know I couldn't out run a 100# vicious dog those last 75'. No one else was home so if I had been attacked, no one would have known

I have a 20 ga. Mossberg 500... and I've had a 12 ga. Remington 870 Wingmaster for many years. I bought the Mossberg a year ago because it weighs less to carry while chasing rooster pheasants. IMO the Mossberg doesn't kick one bit less than the 12 ga., probably because it weighs less. If recoil is an issue for you - I recommend you get an auto-loader and/or shoot reduced recoil ammo, which BTW is easier to find in 12 ga.

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M&PC FS BG Shield+ 642 686+

Gordon, I think that the statement that you are now confident against people after having confronted dogs doesn't make sense to most people. I've confronted both, and they are quite different.

As for the OP's question, I am still required to carry the duty issue Glock for work. However, a 3" 657 rides night stand duty on occasion. When I hunt, the Glock is in the safe and a 657 or 629 plays ride-a-long. I trust them all. My first LE rig was a 27-3 and it is still a favorite.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

GORDON21

You NEVER shoot to scare or wound EVER. That goes for animals as well as people.

In case #1 the wild dogs, shooting to kill is a no brainer, wild dogs are dangerous especially in a pack and they could have easily changed "victims" and gone after you.

In case #2 It is fairly obvious to me that the dog wasn't coming to wish you a good day, if you shoot to kill and MISS that's one thing, but to use a firearm as a noise-maker is dangerous to everyone in the area, what happens if there is a ricochet? If you had killed the dog your next course of action should have been to the police to report the incident.

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Don

ON Topic ... I have carried several S&W semis for duty/SD.

A model 39-2, a model 915, and a 645. I currently carry a G21 (on duty) and a 9c when off.

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Don

DR505: My son in law is a LEO in the states now and has done civilian police training in Afghanistan. He has told me horror stories about USA LEO's and foreign recruits who have faced situations and they hesitate or freeze. They train and train, but when it becomes a real situation, they hesitate. And as you know, that is not good.

I think the point I was trying to make but got misconstrued was that I had learned I was able to unholster a gun, aim and fire it in a situation that lasted only seconds and could have turned out very badly for my own safety (incident 2). I certainly wasn't trying to brag, but had come to the self realization that I was not one of those people who carry a gun and would never know if I could draw and fire as needed.

There was no planning like a SWAT team does. I was innocently getting my mail at a rural area mailbox right after getting home from work and literally seconds later I was afraid for my safety.

I do not have the luxury of extensive LEO or military training. I am a plain old civilian who reacted as needed and gained confidence in the process. The whole incident took less time than I spent writing the last couple sentences.

I have always asked for advice my whole life and have no issues with admitting I have done something wrong. I try to learn from my mistakes and experiences. I will be curious about what the responses will be from the people who frowned on not killing the dog.

Don73: You are completely right about not scaring or intentionally merely wounding a HUMAN. That was drilled into us during the concealed carry class. The instructor (local police chief) made it very clear. If you feel threatened enough to pull your weapon, you should be planning to kill. No ifs, ands or buts.

As far as animals were concerned, I never really considered that that should apply too. I assumed other options were available and prudent. From the comments so far, I guess I need to change my mindset.

In 42 years of shooting them, I've never had a S&W Model 19 fail to shoot when it was loaded and I pulled the trigger.

My experience with my Glock Model 19 I've had for about 25 or 30 years is similar.

So I guess I'll say, "Give me a Model 19!"

I've felt very comfortable carrying either over the years.

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Made my dog proud

My Model 36 "no-dash".

I wasn't planning to buy one, but a lawyer friend had a client going up the river who needed to get rid of it. It's now the gun I carry the most, always in one my handmade pocket holsters.

Attached Images

m36.jpg (234.7 KB, 50 views)

I mentioned the dog because no matter what the 'hostile' is coming at you: dog, human or rabid chipmunk, using deadly force is using deadly force.

Other options are pepper spray, a big stick or a good kick in the chops.

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Don

S&W M&P9. Accurate, reliable, tough.

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I find that a revolver is actually harder to use for "any skill level". Between the small black sights and the trigger pull ifs harder to hit accurately. I have proven that twice by letting my father and sister shoot my revolvers. Having never shot one neither of them could consistently hit the target at any range except point blank. Even at 10 ft away the shots were all over the place with the first few being close but complete misses. When switching over to semi autos they were not able to get any kind of groupings but we're able to consistently hit the chest and stomach area with only an occasional flyer.

Semi autos can sit loaded indefinitely as well, have better sights and triggers.

My carry guns have to have night sights. A revolver in the dark is not a good idea. And be reliable. I carry Glocks and HKs.

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This one...



...for both.

For home I have a Model 19 with Crimson Trace laser, loaded with 38+p Hornady. For carry, mostly a 642 loaded with the same +p. On occasion, I carry a Ruger LCP with Hornady Critical Defense 380acp.

I have several and trust them all but my 640 has made more road trips than any of them by a large margin. Don't even carry extra rounds for it anymore.

Not really, the 20 gauge will throw less lead since it is smaller, so it can't do as much as the 12. Whether it be buck or slugs, it is not as effective IMO. I get the fit issue though, that's totally understandable.


This. If you have shot both, you soon realize the 20 gauge kicks nearly as much as the 12 and it's really more about the weight of the gun. Bottom line, if you want a shotgun for HD, you want it to throw as much lead and the largest lead possible.

For me, on the street it's either my Shield 9mm or my 642. As much as I love my Shield, someway somehow I still trust my 642 more. For HD my 4566TSW will do exactly what I will ask of it.

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Still carrying my S&W 642