It was quite a few years ago. Taking a moment to relax from the boredom of a conference on a now-forgotten subject, I gravitated to the lounge of the hotel hosting the event. At the bar, I sat down next to an older man who had the steel-eyed look of years of experience and miles of travel on him. It's not hard to spot the type - tanned, taut, alert and eyes deeply wrinkled around the edges from long days spent squinting into the sun. As we got to talking, he confirmed what I suspected. He was a retired peace officer, having served on the metropolitan police department in Phoenix, Arizona. As I am in the habit of doing, I wanted to talk guns, and I launched the subject of what he considered the ideal concealable handgun for law enforcement and self-defense use.
The old man rubbed his grizzled chin, thought a moment, and replied. "Well, that's a subject I've thought a lot about over quite a few years, and I'll say right up front that the ideal self defense gun should NOT be a semiautomatic." I asked about his reasoning on that statement, and he explained. "Now, some will tell you that the modern semiauto is quite reliable. That may be so, but 'quite reliable' just isn't good enough when your life is at stake. As they say, a revolver will give you 'six for sure', and six should do the job if you do your part." He went on, "Also, with a revolver, there's not much to remember. No safety to take off, no question about whether there's one in the chamber or not, no dependency on perfect ammo, and no decision to make about firing it double or single action. It'll even repeat fire through clothing. Just aim it and squeeze the trigger. It'll go bang, guaranteed, and that's what you want. Now if you get a bad round, and that does happen with any type of gun, all you have to do is pull the trigger again to fire a fresh load. No clearance drill to waste time on." His point being made, he pursued the subject further. "The gun you want should be a satisfactory compromise of a lot of factors. It shouldn't be too large for concealability, but at the same time, it shouldn't be too small, either. Itty-bitty guns are for backup or deep concealment. They're not going to be easily controlled with a powerful load. The ideal personal protection piece can't be too large or too small. It has to be just right."
I told him that I understood his point, and that I'd be interested in his opinion on what he would recommend as "a powerful load." "No question about it, son." he replied. "You don't want the .44 'mangle-um,' in spite of Dirty Harry. That's way too powerful to control. By the same token, the .38 special's just barely enough. In a just right revolver, you need a just right cartridge, and that's the .357 magnum." I asked about the .44 special, .45 Colt and .45 ACP cartridges, all with good reputations as man-stoppers. "Its simple, son. Those are good cartridges for bigger duty guns that you don't have to conceal. But those guns are too bulky for concealment. What you need is something just right for the more compact revolvers. The .357 will do the deed real well. It's not too powerful to control, but not a pipsqueak load, either. It's really just right."
I told him that I could see where this was headed. A medium-frame revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum. "OK, I buy your arguments for the type of gun. Cut to the chase," I said. "What's your personal pick?" He grinned and tapped his cigarette into one of the ashtrays on the bar. "I thought you'd get around to asking that," he said, "and I do have a couple of favorites." "Now, there are a lot of people who favor Colts like the Python and the Trooper. Sure, those are good guns, but I never found the Colt action to be quite as smooth as the Smith & Wessons. For my money, the hands-down winner will be the Smith Model 19 or the Model 66. They're exactly the same guns, only the 19 is made of regular tool steel, and the 66 is stainless steel. I favor the 66. It's easier to maintain 'cause it's harder to rust. I do love the blued or nickeled 19, though. It's a work of art if you choose that deep S&W blue. These guns aren't too big or too small, too weak or too powerful, too heavy or too light, too basic or too complex. They're just right." He fished out a new cigarette and offered me one. I thanked him and explained that I didn't smoke. After lighting up, he went on, warming up to the subject. "And I'd get the shortest barrel length, too, son. In those two guns, that would be 2 ½ inches. More concealable under a jacket and harder for a perp to take away from you in close quarters. Yep, I'd pick the 2 ½ - inch Model 66 or the prettier Model 19 as being just the ticket for an undercover personal defense gun. They pack easy, are reliable as my old coon dog, are quick into action with no fuss, and they pack a wallop without being uncontrollable. You asked and I told ya."
I thanked the old man for the conversation and bought him a drink as my way of saying thanks for his wisdom. He had his Sapphire on the rocks refreshed by the bartender. We made some further small talk, and then he looked at his watch. He put out his cigarette, excused himself and rose to go. We shook hands, and as we parted he grinned and said, "Oh, and just one more thing, son. Remember that with a revolver, you don't have to pick up the brass. I think that'd be a plus for ya." He winked, and with that, he turned and went on his way.
Smith & Wesson doesn't make these particular revolvers any more, and that's a pity. Every now and then, one or the other will turn up at a gun show. If you find one, I recommend that you check it out thoroughly, as with any used gun. If you find a gently used specimen, you couldn't ask for better concealment revolver. I have to say that the wise old cop I met long ago knew his stuff. His advice is as true today as then. I think either handgun is just right for concealed carry in today's dangerous world. How about you?
The old man rubbed his grizzled chin, thought a moment, and replied. "Well, that's a subject I've thought a lot about over quite a few years, and I'll say right up front that the ideal self defense gun should NOT be a semiautomatic." I asked about his reasoning on that statement, and he explained. "Now, some will tell you that the modern semiauto is quite reliable. That may be so, but 'quite reliable' just isn't good enough when your life is at stake. As they say, a revolver will give you 'six for sure', and six should do the job if you do your part." He went on, "Also, with a revolver, there's not much to remember. No safety to take off, no question about whether there's one in the chamber or not, no dependency on perfect ammo, and no decision to make about firing it double or single action. It'll even repeat fire through clothing. Just aim it and squeeze the trigger. It'll go bang, guaranteed, and that's what you want. Now if you get a bad round, and that does happen with any type of gun, all you have to do is pull the trigger again to fire a fresh load. No clearance drill to waste time on." His point being made, he pursued the subject further. "The gun you want should be a satisfactory compromise of a lot of factors. It shouldn't be too large for concealability, but at the same time, it shouldn't be too small, either. Itty-bitty guns are for backup or deep concealment. They're not going to be easily controlled with a powerful load. The ideal personal protection piece can't be too large or too small. It has to be just right."
I told him that I understood his point, and that I'd be interested in his opinion on what he would recommend as "a powerful load." "No question about it, son." he replied. "You don't want the .44 'mangle-um,' in spite of Dirty Harry. That's way too powerful to control. By the same token, the .38 special's just barely enough. In a just right revolver, you need a just right cartridge, and that's the .357 magnum." I asked about the .44 special, .45 Colt and .45 ACP cartridges, all with good reputations as man-stoppers. "Its simple, son. Those are good cartridges for bigger duty guns that you don't have to conceal. But those guns are too bulky for concealment. What you need is something just right for the more compact revolvers. The .357 will do the deed real well. It's not too powerful to control, but not a pipsqueak load, either. It's really just right."
I told him that I could see where this was headed. A medium-frame revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum. "OK, I buy your arguments for the type of gun. Cut to the chase," I said. "What's your personal pick?" He grinned and tapped his cigarette into one of the ashtrays on the bar. "I thought you'd get around to asking that," he said, "and I do have a couple of favorites." "Now, there are a lot of people who favor Colts like the Python and the Trooper. Sure, those are good guns, but I never found the Colt action to be quite as smooth as the Smith & Wessons. For my money, the hands-down winner will be the Smith Model 19 or the Model 66. They're exactly the same guns, only the 19 is made of regular tool steel, and the 66 is stainless steel. I favor the 66. It's easier to maintain 'cause it's harder to rust. I do love the blued or nickeled 19, though. It's a work of art if you choose that deep S&W blue. These guns aren't too big or too small, too weak or too powerful, too heavy or too light, too basic or too complex. They're just right." He fished out a new cigarette and offered me one. I thanked him and explained that I didn't smoke. After lighting up, he went on, warming up to the subject. "And I'd get the shortest barrel length, too, son. In those two guns, that would be 2 ½ inches. More concealable under a jacket and harder for a perp to take away from you in close quarters. Yep, I'd pick the 2 ½ - inch Model 66 or the prettier Model 19 as being just the ticket for an undercover personal defense gun. They pack easy, are reliable as my old coon dog, are quick into action with no fuss, and they pack a wallop without being uncontrollable. You asked and I told ya."
I thanked the old man for the conversation and bought him a drink as my way of saying thanks for his wisdom. He had his Sapphire on the rocks refreshed by the bartender. We made some further small talk, and then he looked at his watch. He put out his cigarette, excused himself and rose to go. We shook hands, and as we parted he grinned and said, "Oh, and just one more thing, son. Remember that with a revolver, you don't have to pick up the brass. I think that'd be a plus for ya." He winked, and with that, he turned and went on his way.
Smith & Wesson doesn't make these particular revolvers any more, and that's a pity. Every now and then, one or the other will turn up at a gun show. If you find one, I recommend that you check it out thoroughly, as with any used gun. If you find a gently used specimen, you couldn't ask for better concealment revolver. I have to say that the wise old cop I met long ago knew his stuff. His advice is as true today as then. I think either handgun is just right for concealed carry in today's dangerous world. How about you?
