S&W for carry

[ptf18]

I have my CHL but rarely carry. Part of the reason is that most of my handguns are semi-auto (SIGS, 1911s etc) and though they are more than adequate for carry they are a...pain in the rear do to so...at least for me.

The wife has a 3" M65 which is a nice pistol and I carried it a couple of times. Seems comfortable enough but still a bit large.

Ive come to think of the revolver as a most reliabe and easy to use handgun. Point...pull trigger...BANG. No safety or decocker, no magazine issues, no...is the slide in battery, etc that you find with a semi.

So what I'ld like to know is what you all might recommend as a "handy" S&W revolver. I shot a light weight S&W revolver in my CHL class that was made of st...... something or other. With 357 mag rounds in it, it nearly broke my hand as well as the owners. So im leaning toward a 38 Spl.

Thoughts?

 

[Dragon88]

A nice J frame is exactly what you're looking for. I like my model 36, but you might also like a model with a dehorned or concealed hammer. You also can choose from good old steel or one of the alloys. Lots of choices for you.

I stopped carrying my 1911 for a day or two when it got hot and I was wearing t-shirts. A little harder to conceal without a coat. I thought, nope, this isn't going to fly, and bought my model 36. It is working out very well for me.

 

[JSR III]

+1 on an older model 36 with no lock

 

[vytoland]

i have a S&W model 649 (no dash), 1 & 7/8" barrel, 5 shot, .38 special, with a shrouded hammer, 21 ozs., stainless steel revolver.

good concealed pocket carry.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have used just about every common variation S&W has made over the past 40 years. There is nothing wrong with a good J-frame 2" revolver. For me, ammunition selection is critical.

I have an old Model 37 Airweight Chief Special, about 15 ounces. In that I use only standard velocity ammunition because of recoil and muzzle blast/flash issues.

I also have a Model 649 stainless steel, about 21 ounces. I have shot +P loads in it with no problems, but I prefer standard velocity stuff.

Out of a 2" tube there will be remarkably little difference in actual performance between hot-rod ammunition and standard velocity stuff, and that difference comes with big increases in muzzle blast and flash (neither of which is conducive to good shooting under stress).

 

[Dragon88]

^^ That is excellent advice. Find a good standard pressure load and practice with it in double action. You will be very well armed. Infinitely more so than if you had no gun at all, and still doing pretty well compared to someone with a high-cap semi auto that can barely hit the target. Bullet placement is key.

 

[PMRet]

Get an older Model 640 in .38 Special and order a pocket holster from Lobogunleather.

 

[Dale53]

My daily carry is an S&
W 642 with .38 Plus P Federal (158 gr lead H.P.). I carry in a Mika pocket holster. It is comfortable, and the 642 is alloy framed but stainless cylinder and barrel. It is light enough but not too light (it is Airweight). The "Airlight" revolvers produce abusive recoil and I am NOT particularly recoil sensitive but I do NOT want an Airlight! .357 magnum? Not you your life!! The Airweight is light enough, repeat after me...

Dale53

 

[ScottJ]

If you want to go a bit heavier than a J-frame .38 (and I do carry in my front pants pocket 90% of the time).

Today I was carrying my 2.5" 66 in holster style G from these folks and was amazed at how much more comfortable it was than even the Taurus PT745 I normally carry in it: In-The-Pants Holster - Leather - Ace Case

Concealed well under an untucked shirt too.

 

[brokenprism]

Not to second-guess your decision, but I'm wondering why a semi is ill-suited to your purpose, sitting, as it does, at the pinnacle of sidearm design. The SiG should be light enough (and has a revolver-type trigger pull)... the 1911 is plenty slim enough... both hold more ammo... reloads are easier to carry and faster to execute... neither is prone to malfunction... and accessory support is mind-boggling. Just curious. As much as I love my 629, I don't think the revolver has been made that's as well-suited to the self-defense task as a .45 auto; at least not in a package as easy to control and conceal. They come in a number of sizes, too.

And in a gun culture dominated by the semi, in the unlikely event you actually do encounter an armed opponent, the chances are pretty good he's brought 10-17 rds of something to your 6 before he has to reload. Odds are at least fair that he's part of a group, too.

Though we imagine we will prevail because we're the non-agressors and deserve to survive, tactically, we're at a slight disadvantage: The bad guy already knows he's going to strike. I say bring the most you can bring, not necessarily the most comfortable.

 

[murphydog]

You probably shot a Scandium or AirLite .357; as some writer noted about a lightweight big-bore rifle of the past, "kills at both ends" with full loads.

As others mentioned, hard to beat an aluminum alloy or stainless J frame .38 for convenient carry in a pocket (638, 640, 642), but since you already have the semi-auto pistols why not investigate different holsters for these?

 

[m41]

I carry a 340PD light weight in front pocket with 38 semi wadcutters and it weighs 12 oz and handles very good with the wascutters.

 

[ptf18]

Fellows: Thanks all for your advise. Im new to the S&W line of revolvers, other than the wifes M65, so all the Model numbers are somewhat daunting. I'll just have to look at them.

Brokenprism: Thanks for you input. The issue I have with my semis...for carry....is that for me anyways...they just arent...may I say...handy. Living in Texas its been a very HOT summer so far and to "strap on" a holster and pistol is...for me...down right uncomfortable. So I leave it at home and wait till this winter to start carrying again (and hope I dont ever need it).

Im not a big fellow, 5'6' about 160 lbs so I dont have alot of "room" to conceal a handgun. I addition my line of thought is that a revolver, although limited by round count, is just soooo easy to use. Point, pull trigger, bang. I dont venture into "dangerous areas" and stay aware of whats going on around me.

I get to the range once a month, sometimes more so I feel Im competent enough to handle a firearm BUT Ive never been in a situation that required me to use a handgun I "think" that the KISS principle would be most important.

Some thing that I could put in my pocket and know that its there. It might not lend itself to the fastest draw but at least I have a handgun with me.

Thanks again.

 

[cp1969]

Forget all the 'what-if' scenarios. If you don't, you'll end up with the conclusion that only a belt-fed M60 or a flamethrower will be enough to deal with multiple assailants armed with high capacity black plastic guns.

What makes a gun right for you is a.)the likelihood that you'll have it on you when you need it, and b.)your ability to use it to quickly place a shot within an inch or two of where you need it to go.

All the other factors are so small they can be ignored.

If you do happen to take on eight body-armor clad ninja warriors, all armed with 19-shot handguns, well, you're a goner. But you would have been anyway, no matter what handgun you chose.

 

[tocohillsguy]

Fellows: Thanks all for your advise. Im new to the S&W line of revolvers, other than the wifes M65, so all the Model numbers are somewhat daunting. I'll just have to look at them.

Brokenprism: Thanks for you input. The issue I have with my semis...for carry....is that for me anyways...they just arent...may I say...handy. Living in Texas its been a very HOT summer so far and to "strap on" a holster and pistol is...for me...down right uncomfortable. So I leave it at home and wait till this winter to start carrying again (and hope I dont ever need it).

Im not a big fellow, 5'6' about 160 lbs so I dont have alot of "room" to conceal a handgun. I addition my line of thought is that a revolver, although limited by round count, is just soooo easy to use. Point, pull trigger, bang. I dont venture into "dangerous areas" and stay aware of whats going on around me.

I get to the range once a month, sometimes more so I feel Im competent enough to handle a firearm BUT Ive never been in a situation that required me to use a handgun I "think" that the KISS principle would be most important.

Some thing that I could put in my pocket and know that its there. It might not lend itself to the fastest draw but at least I have a handgun with me.

Thanks again.

You're describing the need for a 642/442 revolver. They are basically the same gun. The 642 is silver colored, and the 442 is black (unless you find an older satin nickel version). My 442 (satin nickel) with Crimson laser grips weighs 475 grams loaded. I believe the newer ones are just a few grams more because the frame size slightly increased. These guns are chambered in 38spl and the newer one are rated for +p. They fit comfortably in many pockets, but they aren't as flat as the small semi's like the Ruger LCP. They are not particularly fun to shoot, but it is managable and doesn't beat you up like the 357 mag. in an Airlite (which is the same size as a 642/442 but lighter). The 642/442 is capable of impressive accuracy, but the sight radius is short, and the recoil stout enough that it really isn't very well suited for long range encounters. The laser is a great help in point shooting from the hip. You have only 5 rounds at hand, and reloads aren't going to be that fast, so spray and pray isn't a particularly good strategy (not that I recommend it for any gun). If you want a similar (albeit bigger) sized light weight revolver with 6 rounds you have to look for a discontinued Colt Agent (easily found), or a discontinued alloy J frame in a smaller caliber (not so easily found).

True be told, I suspect many 1911 and big bore fans on this site and others have and often carry a 642/442 either as a back up gun, or when the size of the bigger bore gun makes it unfeasible for the occasion.

Here's a picture of mine. BTW, the steel J frames are nice, but I doubt you will want to pocket carry it.

 

[H Richard]

A J Frame makes the ideal carry piece. While you can get a mod 60 in .357, it is a handful. A 2" stainless J Frame would suit the hot/humid environments best. Just be sure to wipe down and occasionally remove the grips and wipe under there also.

Mod 60 with bobbed hammer.

Mod 940 (9mm) Centennial

 

[brokenprism]

PTF18, you've obviously thought this through and I completely understand the challenges of concealed carry when you're a compact guy. I'm right in your height/weight ballpark, but I live where it rains a lot or is constantly cool and cloudy, so I can wear a flannel 'tent' over another shirt. If a semi is not concealable in your climate, that's reason enough to carry what is.

CP1969... You seem to have misread my intent, and severely -- and sarcastically -- oversimplified my point. Somehow the OP managed to take it in the spirit intended.

 

[cp1969]

Just telling it like it is. The OP already explained why he was not interested in an auto, yet you try to steer him to a hi-cap one. You said "bring the most you can bring, not the most comfortable" not "bring the most that you can deliver a good hit with."

That is not good advice. When I see bad advice, I tend to try to not let someone who may not know any better be influenced by it.

Sorry if that offends.

 

[surveyor47]

I dont trust Glock clones not to accidentally discharge due to their lack of decocker, thumb safety or grip safety or heavy revolver like DA trigger pull. Simply depress the trigger safety and BANG! Safety rests entirely upon a specially designed holster. I do trust the S&W 3rd Generation semi autos like the CS9, CS40 and CS45. In my opinion, daily safety issues far outweigh the marginal difference in effctiveness in the unlikely event of actually having to fire the weapon. I find the CS9 about equal in weight to the steel frame J frames. The CS40 and CS45 are far bulkier, unsuitable for pocket carry. The alloy frame 642 & 442 are about perfect for daily carry.

Yes, the criminals weapon will almost certainly be superior to yours. In fact, criminals choose to strike when conditions are to their advantage not yours. Since they know that they are going to pull a weapon, they will bring the most that they can possibly hide, which may in fact be a sawed off shotgun. About the best you can do is regularly carry a weapon that you are comfortable and proficient with.

 

[aquagear]

I too am in your size range 5' 8" 175, so size is a concern to me. I carry a glock 19 in Winter when a heavy jacket can be worn, a 2 1/2" model 66 in the warmer times, and a ruger LCP when in shorts and a tee shirt. In order to carry sometimes a different choice of clothing is required, a little baggier than normal. I chose these models because I can shoot them well although the LCP takes constant practice, it is a snappy little monster because of its size and weight. The bottom line is the one you carry is better than the one you leave at home, I also hope I never have to use mine, but if and when I want to have something I can handle and place my shots well. It took me a while to find the right combo for myself, if you can shoot some different pistols, and try out holsters to see what works best for you. Good luck I hope this helps.