J frame for Home Defense?

[kahrnivore]

I am thinking about getting another J Frame for a bedside gun. A 638 with 2 1/2 barrel and laser grips would be my consideration.

Anybody feel that 5 rds of plus P is sufficient?

This would also be easy for my wife to use when I am traveling. Her Beretta is a bit too little in my opinion and my current Glock 17 is too much for her to handle.

Interested in opinions. Thanks

 

[Az Rick]

Have you considered a 4in. Model 10? It would be easier for your wife to shoot especially with +P ammo. A bigger gun also has more intimidation factor, even shooting the same round. Concealment isn't a factor with a bedside gun.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Best, Rick

Good older used 10's are a real bargain!
I have several.

 

[Helderberg]

[/IMG]

I have a similar idea only the 637 is my house gun and I carry the 638.
That was then now I have a 686 4" for my house gun but I have not gotten rid of my j-frames. The laser grips are coming soon.
Frank.

 

[1sailor]

I keep a j frame for home defense. My feeling is that if I awoke in the dead of night and had seconds to get to my gun I want to keep it as simple as possible. I don't live in an area plagued by zombie hordes and so I feel confident that 5 well placed rounds is sufficient. I understand though that in some areas home invasion could be by multiple gang members. In an area like that I would probably keep two guns. My first go to in the dead of night would still be my J frame though.

 

[steamloco76]

There is nothing wrong with a laser grip J Frame for home defense as long as your wife practices with the gun enough to be comfortable with it.

My recommendation for a drawer gun is a 4 inch barrel model 10 or 64 with a laser grip.(Or Ruger Security Six/GP-100) 6 rounds vs. 5, heavy enough to tame .38 Special +P recoil and easier to handle under stress.

 

[Doc TH]

I don't believe that would be insufficient, unless you're expecting a home invasion by a drug gang. If you look at the annual reports by the NYPD and the (fewer) from the Miami PD re. police-perp gunfights, the average no. of shots fired before the fight was terminated was less than 3, even in the age of police hi-cap semiautos. Most important factor was not caliber but shot placement. I was recently researching lethal gunshot wounds from ER data, and the vast majority of lethal injuries resulted from a single or two hits. Almost all lethal injuries from > 2 hits included many non-lethal hits in the extremities. So, if you can hit what you aim at, a simple and reliable J-frame should be good unless you have reason to anticipate multiple assailants.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

The house gun is a four-inch Model 681 L-Frame with Crimson Trace grips loaded with Speer 135 grain GDHP .38Spl +P "Short Barrel" loads. My wife likes it a lot. Recoil is negligible; flash is low; and it's accurate.

I'll either pick up my four-inch Model 10-5 or three-inch Model 13-3 with the same loads. The 1⅞-inch Model 37 loaded with Buffalo Bore 158 grain LSWCHP-GC standard pressure loads is available too. If I'm dressed, it's on my belt.

ECS

 

[Ashlander]

Like Az Rick I suggest a Model 10 or 64, or other comparable gun. I have an old Riuger Speed Six with the small round butt grips on it that fit her hand perfectly. Loaded with 38 Special +P.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Not my choice-then again, I don't own one. One of my bedside guns is my 4" M-27. I second the choice of a 4" M&P, I think they're more easily handled under conditions of stress, low light, etc. Better Pointers, IMHO.

 

[Ralph G. Briscoe]

Here's another J frame possibility. I recently bought my recoil-sensitive wife a 632--6 shots of .32 HandR or .327 magnum equal or surpass .38 power with less recoil. She's very happy with the gun. My nightstand gun is a 642 which, should the need arise, I plan to hold while retrieving the 12 ga from under the bed.

 

[rilkil23]

I would recommend you letting your wife decide which gun she is comfortable using. My wife tried a Taurus ultralite in .38 special and found it to be painful to practice with, she now has a Ruger SR9C that she chose. She picked out both guns since she had to be comfortable with the weapon if she did have to fire it.

 

[elkhunt]

Stumbled on to this one today for my wife. 60-4 3". Small enough for her to grip and control, enough heft to manage recoil, CT grips to intimidate and aim, under priced by at least $200 at my local Cabela's, value will only escalate... bought it. (I had the CT grips on a 642).

 

[ContinentalOp]

Presuming both you and your wife can shoot it well I see no reason why you can't use a 638 for a home defense gun.

However, I think there are better choices. Like others have said, a good 4" K-frame in .38 Special is a solid home defense gun.

Of course, it's possible that even a K-frame grip may be too big for your wife. You may want to consider splitting the difference and getting a steel J-frame, like a 640, 649, or 60 (I have a preference for low-maintenance stainless steel guns). It should work well for either of you and be easier to practice with than an airweight gun.

But the most important thing is that it should be something that both of you can shoot well. My suggestion would be to take her to a range that rents guns and try out a variety to see if you can find something that works for both of you.

 

[BCDWYO]

Here's another J frame possibility. I recently bought my recoil-sensitive wife a 632--6 shots of .32 HandR or .327 magnum equal or surpass .38 power with less recoil. She's very happy with the gun. My nightstand gun is a 642 which, should the need arise, I plan to hold while retrieving the 12 ga from under the bed.

Not to get too far off topic from the thread but I sure disagree with the 327 mag having less recoil than the 38. I own both in J frames and to me the perceived recoil with the 632 327 mag is MUCH sharper than a 38 special...but as to the OP's original question I agree with the others that the best bet for a HD gun is a heavier, longer barrel model. Concealment isn't an issue for HD, and it is simply a fact that snubbies are not easy to shoot WELL compared to longer barrel revolvers, so why give yourself a handicap?

 

[MichiganScott]

If it's for your wife, let her decide what she wants and put aftermarket Crimson Trace grips on it. Surprisingly, my wife (5 foot tall, 115 lbs.) prefers a 4" Model 28 N-Frame over any smaller revolver.

She currently has a M&P9C with attached light for her bedside gun.

 

[AirForceShooter]

A snubby is fine.
You're not going to be shooting beyond 20 feet.
I'm not a fan of +P. It doesn't give you a lot more than standard ammo and it makes a follow up shot more difficult.
Take a hard look at the .327. It's almost the perfect night time gun

AFS

 

[RHINOWSO]

No, it's not.

 

[Old cop]

FWIW I keep a Model 10 4" for HD and I own two hi cap semi-autos. It is the platform I am most familiar with in an emergency and my wife, although not a shooter, knows how to handle a revolver.

Best,
Old Cop
LEO Ret.

 

[Lenny_D]

I couldn't agree more with the choice of a K frame 3 or 4 " gun in 38 or 357. Shooting a J frame airweight accurately takes alot of practice. A K frame with the smaller magna grips will fit most smaller hands and recoil is lighter due to the weight. Lighter recoil means more practice. More practice means better accuracy. Good hits are what counts in stopping a bad guy!

 

[kahrnivore]

Thanks for all the replies

My wife is small and has tiny hands. A J frame is easy for her to handle but I think a steel frame makes more sense for recoil control. The air weights have nice price points but you will pay the price I recoil. I will keep my eyes open for a nice clean J in steel, like a 60 maybe.

Thanks again!