I'm thinking that I might switch to a Model 36 for summer carry. I'd like to hear from those here who do. Pros/Cons - whatever you want to add. I'm thinking front pocket carry in an Uncle Mike's sidekick.

Thanks guys.

Not a bad choice, but with the exposed hammer it can be tricky drawing from a pocket holster.... And it's a bit heavy, a M37 would be lighter (but same issue with the exposed hammer)

My preference would be an internal hammer (M442/642) or shrouded hammer (M38/638) version of the J frame.

__________________
.............SmithNut

I guess I'm a sissy.

At 6'4" and 250 you'd think I wouldn't even notice a loaded Chiefs Special in my pants pocket, but I've tried and tried, and I can't do it.

Summer for me is probably mild compared to most of you. I wear a vest of some sort every day of the year. I don't even like a carbon steel Chiefs Special in a vest breast pocket. A Model 37 is okay.

I still prefer my Centennial 640-1 Pro in the Lobo Gun Leather Enhanced Pancake at 4 o'clock.

Best of luck with your decision.

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Another vote for the 640-1 Pro. I carry mine strong side front pocket in a Desantis Nemesis year round. Hammerless is the answer for pocket carry.

Well I’ll be a “Debbie Downer”.

I think the J-Frame 38 Special is a generally poor choice for self-defense. The very features that make it easy to carry and conceal make it hard to shoot accurately.

The small grip make it hard to grasp completely. A larger grip makes it easier to hold and control but at the cost of concealment.

The .38 Special is a marginal performer. Hollow points need more velocity to expand than you get from a 2” barrel.

The Model 36 (and most J-Frame) have small sights that are difficult to see.

It’s lightweight means more recoil which means practice to truly master the gun.

Hammer will snag.

What’s the deal with pocket carry anyway?

My J-Frame 38 Special is used for fishing. I consider the 32 Magnum and 22 Magnum to be much superior performers for self-defense. I love revolvers. Just not a fan of the J-Frame 38 Special.

I have had some experience carrying a Colt DS with a hammer shroud in a pocket holster when out for walks in the neighborhood during the summer. It wasn't my favorite mode of carry, I almost always carry at 4:00 with an OWB pancake and a light weight cover-up shirt. But it did work, it was reasonably comfortable and gave pretty good access while being very discrete. I used a DeSantis pocket holster. I am unsure I would carry an exposed hammer gun in that fashion.

Welllll, I guess the .38 Special might be a tad better than launching nasty curse words at an assailant....

.22 Magnum a better stopper than a .38 Special.... huh??

__________________
.............SmithNut

What’s the big deal about pocket carry?

1) With an J-frame it is comfortable and convenient.
2) No draw is faster for a pedestrian than from a pocket. Your hand can already be on the weapon if you perceive a threat. You don’t have to clear a covering garment. You don’t have to bend over to access an ankle holster. And you are not making an overt move if the threat doesn’t manifest.
3) You can carry a handgun as powerful as a .357.

I’ve pocket carried everything from a LCP to a Glock 26 to a .357 SP-101. For the last several years I’ve carried a 442-1. It’s the best compromise for me between power and weight. Most of all with pocket carry it provides immediate accessibility.

Best Regards,
ADP3

I am a fan of carrying a J-frame for self defense. In the past I carried BHP's or full size 1911's. Got old and decided I am not going to cure any street problems, and focused on defending myself.
My carry piece is a Model 649 stainless, no snag, SA/DA, 2" J-frame, in a Mika holster in my front pocket. Give it consideration.
.38 Spl. is great for self defense close range situations in my opinion. I will not be taking any 50 yard shots. I do recommend practicing with a J-frame to reach a high level of proficiency. I, and others, have learned to use the tool, and it can serve you well if you give it some range time.
(If you have the time, check out what Jerry Miculek can do with a 2" J-frame. The potential is there if the user puts in some practice time,)

__________________
NRA Endowment Member

Really like the Model 36 and most of the J Frames. Regularly carry a Model 36 or the like, appendix carry. The carbon steel / blued J Frames get a quick wipe every day or so with a lightly oiled (CLP) microfiber cloth. My “appendix” area gets a little humid during the warm NC summers. Never had a corrosion issue. Speed strip reload in the pocket or on belt.

I use a good Kydex appendix carry holster. Pocket carry usually does not work for me. Not comfortable except for short trips. The Airweights are better for pocket carry.

Exposed hammer is a no go for pocket carry. Any of the shrouded hammer guns would work.

Model 642 would be perfect as it’s small and light. Would load with 38spl wad cutters.

I prefer a model 649 because it’s built to shoot 357 and heavy.
Shooting 38 spl +P ammo is tolerable.

Normal denium jeans (Levi’s or wranglers) have small pockets.
Deluth Tading co fire hose shorts and pants have bigger pockets.
But be careful, as different types have different pockets.

I just bought an Sig P 365 for pocket carry but it’s still in my trial / review stage. Tridium night sight fell out front sight in first 400 rounds. So waiting for slide to be fixed and returned.

__________________
2B1ASK1

I have 3 of them in my carry rotation a 2 in and 2 3inchers.I pocket carry almost exclusively in shorts in the summer and find it both very comfortable and easily doable.

Been carrying J frames for fifty years. I call B/S on the hard to shoot accurately too. I have a 36 but that's my range J frame. My carry is a 442. Much lighter, no hammer to snag and you can still shoot it from inside a pocket if you had to. .38 spl +P's are way the **** better than a .22 mag. Any day, any time.

I put a set of 442 grips on my 36 for practice sessions. I found years ago that my gun grouped tighter with Silvertips. YMMV. Test carry ammo for your tightest group. I know there's better loads out now but this is what I'm comfortable with.

Five shot revolvers aren't for everyone. You have to dry fire a bunch and shoot even more. You want a grip that fits your hand. It should point like your index finger. A dab of orange paint on the front sight and you put the orange spot center mass. You don't need no stinkin' rear sight. Practice, practice, practice. And set your grip before you draw.

My 3” with factory bobbed hammer solves the sharp spur issue

My first Model 36 was a 3" square butt with a nickle finish. I eventually sold it to a friend's father who wanted it for his saltwater sailboat. I also couldn't find a set of J frame rubber grips for a square butt.

A few years ago I tracked down a round butt 3". It's now my nightstand gun. With rubber grips.

The only problem with a model 36 or any J frame really is it's round capacity. 5 rounds are probably enough, probably. I have no problem shooting them, I really don't find them hard to be accurate with. With the right ammo a 38 is plenty, as good and perhaps better than a lot of 9mm rounds. Easy to carry and conceal, I carry OB, no problem. The detective special holds 6 rounds but a bit pricey and hard to find. My wife has one, she loves it. I am partial to a model 36 but to be honest, there are better choices out there for S.D.

I carry a 642 from time to time in rotation, I carry it in an Alabama pocket holster. My carry load for that revolver is the old Federal 158 gr +P LSWCHP, I'll throw a speed loader in the other pocket.

i tried to carry my 640 and 642 in a pocket... could not draw the gun when seated with any semblance of ease, then went to iwb... very uncomfortable. Went back to owb many years ago and never looked back. To each his own and what works for them.

Can't dig anything out of the front pockets of my Wranglers.

Cargo short with a 337PD (11oz) is my "I can't conceal anything else revolver....... my other choice is a Colt Pocketlite .380.

Generally try to dress around my 3913NL

The beloved model 36....

Not designed as a target gun.
Not the best for protection from home invasions.
You're not out stopping bank robberies.

Model 36 is a "get off me" close quarters
revolver.
Go with nickel....

Who knows how many LE carried Smith Chiefs and Colt Detective Specials on and off duty, worked for them, will work for you.

Carried the lightweight version today. Early 80s Model 37.

As majik4 said, worked for LEOs for a long time. I am not out lookin for trouble. This will suffice most of the time. Everything is a compromise. Not much of a compromise though. I have become quite proficient with these little snubs after a lot of practice. It is what I prefer inside of 20 meters.

90% of the guys I worked with in my 29 years OTJ. I started in '73 and it was 100% then. Then after 15 years we moved to Sig's, most kept the J frames as BUG and for off duty. I sure did. Retired 21 years, it's still there.

And I'm with Devil Dog on this, OWB . A DeSantis three slot for me. Strong side with cant and if on a long drive I go to cross draw straight up & down.

WHAAAAAAATTTTT????

Is 5 enough? 50? 500? What if the Chinese army invades while I'm picking up a gallon of milk? You can talk the ammo capacity/reload thing into oblivion. The fact remains that the 5 shot J frame has probably been successfully used for self defense more than all the other sub compact guns combined. They just work. Even after the transition to self loaders by LE, most of the people I worked with used some variation of a J frame for off duty. This includes the present generation of peace officers. And it always goes the same way. The latest auto comes on the market and everyone buys one to replace their J and after a couple of qualification cycles pass, they're looking to sell the auto and buy another J.

As far as the 22 mag being superior to the 38 for self defense, what can you even say about that?

I’m sure you have heard it all by now but, I like the light guns in my front pocket. This 442 fits all my pants pockets. I need soft grips for my old beat hands. They make for easy practice.

Attached Images

C8EF0A32-ABBC-4042-AB18-49DCA3E907E6.jpg (59.1 KB, 34 views)

__________________
Two Handguns every day

Sounds like your problems with the gun are personal and perhaps those of an armchair gunfighter?

Learn to shoot the gun and you won't need hollowpoints.

Small sights? It's not a target revolver.

Lightweight? Recoil? Try practice.

Hammer MAY snag, not WILL.

Pocket carry is very convenient and, for many, very discreet. Practice your draw.

You will really like that gun. I have a 3" model 36-6 with adjustable sights and a matt blued finish similar to the finish on my model 28. I think its an excellent field and trail gun with the adjustable sights.

My favorite gun writer wrote an article many years ago about a 3" model 36 he had open sights added to. He dubbed it the "Trail Masterpiece". Thats as good a name as any

You think a 22 magnum is superior to the 38 Special for personal defense??

The shortcomings of the 36 are obvious. You only get five shots.

Between the short sight radius and typically stiff DA triggers, they can be tough to shoot well without a lot of practice.

The exposed hammer can get stuck in clothing when drawing from concealment.

With all that out of the way, the 36, like most J frames, is a great gun and will serve you well if you put in the effort to master it.

I vote for the 442-1 with factory loaded standard pressure 158 gr SWC

Model 36 was my first S&W back in the early 80's. Haven't owned one since the middle to late 90's.

I carry a 642-1 these days, when a revolver suits my purpose.

__________________
642-1, M&P15 TS

OP could keep an eye out for a set of vintage Pachmayer rubber grips that shrouded the M-36 hammer if he wants to pocket carry. Pachmayer made them for both the Smith J and K frame in black and brown. If you think 5 rounds is not enough consider a Colt Detective/Cobra/Agent with 6 rounds and not much bigger in dimensions. Countless grips holsters ammo available, choices are almost endless.

Might I suggest that ammo versatility favors a revolver. I live and hike regularly in a National Forest and having a few rounds of snake shot in my model 37 or Colt LW Cobra is comforting. Not all threats are two legged. I strongly recommend practicing with a lightweight, short barreled revolver to be proficient if/when you need it. BTW - I don’t like rattle snakes. They can really mess you or your dog up!

Last year I replaced my EDC 2” RB 36 with a Sig 365. The 36 rode in my front right pocket for years. The 36 never let me down. My eyes did. If I could still shoot it well I’d still be carrying it. I kept it stoked with Federal 158 gr FBI load. Plenty accurate and plenty of punch. I just needed better sights. That’s not the guns fault.

I carried a 36 for backup to my BHP for many years but about 10 years back I changed it to a 649-2 because of the hammer issue.

Was that gunwriter C.E. Harris?

That one lost me as well.

IMO a M36 in pocket is OK. An M60 is better - for its corrosion-resistance.
The potential snagging issue is easily overcome by simply putting your thumb on the hammer spur while drawing it from your pocket.
FWIW, for the same approximate size and weight I'll take my Sig P365 with more than twice as many rounds, and roughly equivalent ballistics.
As always, YMMV.

__________________
Send lawyers, guns & money...

I pocket carried a light weight J Frame for years, the M36 was just too heavy for a pocket, at least for me. These are experts weapons w/limited capacity which means you cannot waste shots & that means lots of range time. Recently I p/u a LCP Max and after a range session have retired my 340PD. There are better choices out there.

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Have a Model 36 and a Model 49, (same gun, hammer shroud). Don't carry either all that often, but practice with both regularly, double action only. Put a Hogue Monogrip on the 36. Bought the 49 used, it had Pachmyr grips on it. Both are much easier to shoot with those additions. Both are loaded with Federal 130gr HST. Not gonna comment on the caliber/capacity issue. All I'll say is I can hit what I'm shooting at. As my old DI used to say, "That's the object of the exercise."

You should have chose a 22mag. If it’s better than a 38 it’s definitely better than a 380

The J-Fame is not for everyone. You must practice with it. You have the proper Grips to make it fit you and be comfortable for practice. You must dry fire until the action is smooth, you can obtain a good grip with out having to think about it, and you must be able to get your sights on target and keep them there while shooting. I practiced regularly until I could draw from the pocket and make the shots. It’s not a target gun. It’s a get off me gun. It’s not a multiple attacker gun. It is a gun that is in my hand in my pocket as I walk to my car in a parking lot, or waiting my turn at the cash register in the convenience store. If I run into a problem bigger than the above, I have a high capacity 9mm in my waistband that I have also put some practice time in. I consider my J-Frame, the first responder, and my waistband 9mm backup troupes.

__________________
Two Handguns every day

I got this 360 when they first started using the titanium and scandium. It has been with me for many miles, mostly in some type of IWB holster. I never really used it for pocket carry. It's just a bit too bulky for that in my opinion. I will say that I had an opportunity to get a Sig 365 for a ridiculously low price and I have been using that as an EDC these days also in some type of IWB holster. I wouldn't say it's replaced the 360, it's just the "gun de jour". It is roughly twice the weight of the 360 when it's loaded so it's no pocket pistol either. The 357 is no joke in this gun and it really is better with some type of good 38 although those rounds in the picture are 125 grain, Federal's and that's what gets carried with the gun.

Well, I’ll bump this thread today. Carrying this 1980s Model 36 with factory combats like an old school pimp. Looks a bit odd in a Kydex appendix carry holster.

“To each his own and what works for them”

Can’t be repeated enough.

__________________
I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

The little one you have with beats the big one you left home.is it the rule of 2s or 3’s ,seconds,yards,shots?As far as comfort goes , think about a sharp stick in your eye or a pistol in your pocket.

Solves the problem of snagging when drawing from a pocket. Keep the stock hammer should you decide to sell or trade it.

For a holster you can't go wrong with those made by Mr. Mika. I've had one for years toting my bobbed hammer 60-7 and it's still like new (the holster).

I carry a 642 with lazor in a pocket holter in deluth fire hose cargo pants. Best fit for me works great

+1000%
We all have to do what works best for us individually.
What works for me, may (or may not) work for you...

__________________
Send lawyers, guns & money...