What's your Ultimate 3 Inch Carry Piece??

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

I just finished checking out several threads that were chock full of 3 inch wheelies. So many beautiful pistols out there and so little cash..this sucks.

Anyway, I started thinking about what I would carry if I were going to carry a 3 incher. My only 3 inch revolver is a 65-5 that I like a lot. So that would be mine. If I could pick from any that I have seen, it would be tough to choose between the 696, the 627 (close enough to 3 inch,) the PC640 (that looks sweet too,) the 586 L-Comp and the 66 F-comp. All are sweet revolvers for sure and could hold their weight against any of the mini-autos that are so popular today.

The only thing is that the steel framed 3 inchers weigh quite a bit and at the end of the day you'd certainly know that you had something hanging o your belt. Some of those weigh as much as a full size 1911. With a good belt and holster it can be done comfortably though.

So what 3 inch revolver would you carry if you could have any of them?

PICS are also HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.

Thanks

Nalajr

 

[nrb]

Ruger SP-101

Best carry 357

 

[47D]

19-7 Performance Center K-Comp. It's similar to the F-Comp you mentioned, but without the internal lock:

 

[ContinentalOp]

This is my 65-3. It's had an action job done and has been converted to DAO with a bobbed hammer. It's also had some of the sharpness taken off some of the edges. It's wearing Ahrends smooth boot grips in cocobolo with a tung oil finish. The only additional work I'd like to have done is a DLC finish and either a tritium dot or gold bead front sight, but I'd hardly consider them necessary.

 

[Steve_NEPhila]

My ultimate 3 inch carry piece is my 7 shot S&W 386 Mountain Lite in .357 Mag. It weighs about 20 ounces with a scandium frame and titanium cylinder, chamfered charge holes, smoothed action, bobbed hammer, hideout grips, cylinder and slide fixed rear sight and xs standard dot front sight. I have never shot full house magnum loads in this revolver, and do not plan to. She is a fine and accurate revolver that I carry the majority of the time...

 

[bamabiker]

Well there is the M625 that I really like.

The M65 Ladysmith that's no lady from the business end.

The M13. That's all for now but I'm looking.

 

[SgtSam]

I only have two 3" revolver models that I would consider carrying. One is a Ruger SP-101, .357Mag; the other is a S&W M632 Powerport, .327Mag. I have a third, but it's an older Taurus 85, not certified for +P, and I just don't feel that the 38Spl, even when +P'd, and especially when not, has enough umph behind it.

I have a couple of really nice compact 9mm autos that I also have in my carry arsenal.

All of that said, when and if I carry, I prefer to carry a full size auto, Hi-Power or 1911 (9mm or .45ACP). But, as we all know, that's not always prudent or possible. Hence the small 9mm autos and the 3" revolvers.

 

[WC145]

Hmmm.... If it has to be 3" I'd go with my 586-L-Comp. It's a very nice gun, very accurate, terrific action. I had the charge holes chamfered a little more aggressively, the front edge of the cylinder broke, the trigger rounded and both the trigger and the hammer bright polished, and the gun parkerized. I hate the cheesy black finish that they come with. It's not too fancy looking but it's a gun that I'd trust for any kind of business that I'd ever need a handgun for.

Here's a few pics-

 

[LOBO]

When I carry a revolver IWB this 65-3 3" is my gun of choice. The holster I use to carry it in is a Milt Sparks VM-II.

 

[off road]

Got to say that I am not a big proponent of 3" revolvers. After owning several, I found that it is 'to much and not enough'. A little to long to be a great CC gun (especially any type of pocket carry), and not long enough to be a full on 'hunting' or dangerous game gun. Kind of a tweener in a precarious place.

 

[WC145]

The M65 Ladysmith that's no lady from the business end.

Love that holster! Who made it?

 

[Al56]

I only have 1, 3" revolver and that's this 36-1,, CC in a custom Keeton holster.

 

[kbm6893]

Got to say that I am not a big proponent of 3" revolvers. After owning several, I found that it is 'to much and not enough'. A little to long to be a great CC gun (especially any type of pocket carry), and not long enough to be a full on 'hunting' or dangerous game gun. Kind of a tweener in a precarious place.

The 3" was never considered to be a hunting revolver. I think the 3 inch is a better length than the 4" for non-uniform carry. Full length ejector rod, usually round butt (that's enough alone to disregard the 4" for concealed carry), and just handles better. I just got a 65-3 3" yesterday and I am about to Flitz it up. It feels so nice to hold and point it. Much nicer than my 686 or my 19, both 4" square butts.

 

[CigarGuy]

Are "we" in agreement that a 3" is NOT a snubby? Have to be less then 3", right? Or not?

 

[SOUTHPAW]

As of now....It would be my 3" 681PC....With my 13-2 3" next in line.
Sure wish I had a 625 3"....Just a matter of time.

 

[bamabiker]

Love that holster! Who made it?

Thanks, I made it for the gun.

 

[GF]

Mod 13's and 65's always get a thumbs up...

... and I've carried this Mod 60-10 some...

... but since I've got this Mod 337...

...it's been my favorite .38 spl to pack around on the trail.

GF

 

[bamabiker]

GF, is that a couple of tiny drops of water on the M337 handle? Your pics are too good.

 

[DCWilson]

If I were going to carry, I would probably go for something less than three inches. Of the guns available to me now, that would be either a 2" M&P or my newest love, a 2-5/8" Performance Center 627 that I picked up Friday. Big weight difference there, so I imagine I would favor the M&P.

But voting just on 3" guns, I would have to express my appreciation for one of two .44 Specials -- a 696 that is easy to shoot, and a 24-3 Lew Horton model. I would feel well equipped with either of these on my belt.

 

[feralmerril]

This is a one of 300 model 66-3 lew horton carry comp. Two days ago a friend, and my wife and I took a long very hard quad trip over the mountain range from near us in cedar city utah to panguich. We put on about 65 miles of primitive very bad trail to do it. (Theresa is almost bed ridden from it, says never again will she ride with me across boulder fields etc). Anyway as I wrote on another thread, that country has been in the news a lot with finding marijuana fields lately. All arrests so far have been illegals from mexico sent here by the drug cartels. We decided to carry protection so I wore the 66 and also had a puma 92 carbine also in .357. We got to panguitch and decided to eat at the cowboy smokehouse, a good BBQ place that was crowed with locals and tourists from bryce canyon NP. We were dirty as you can imagine, and didnt have a way to lock our guns on the quads in the busy town. I had theresa go in and get permission first, then we went in carrying our rifles. That surprised another group of tourists that also came in on quads from bryce canyon across the other mountain range to the east. One young guy admired my 92 and wanted to know if it was hunting season. We said no they were for protection and about the cartel MJ plots hidden alround being found.
Anyway I found I have to start wearing a heavier gun belt like I did for 35 years on my job. The model 66 is just too heavy to pack on a light pants belt, wants to pull my pants down even with suspenders. Okay rideing but not walking! I seldom walk.