J frame for pocket carry

[hotrod150]

I have vintage bobbed model 36, pre-37, and 60 revolvers and would recommend any of them for yiur intended use. The airweights are lighter, but the heavier guns are a bit easier to shoot well and the stainless 60 will hold up better to sweat & wear.

 

[kaaskop49]

Amazing (and perhaps reassuring) how many posters before me admit to carrying a J-frame in their pants/shorts pocket while in the home. I thought I was alone in this practice...

Sad they mention the reason being home invasions. Funny we have all types of heavy sidearms and shotguns available, yet the weapon to be relied upon first would be a pocket snub...

Last week, a home invasion took place in Vegas one afternoon with the home owner shooting the BG. The owner ran from the home to notify police from an outside phone. While he was out, the wounded BG used the house phone to dial 911 for an ambulance!

You can't make this stuff up! Stay safe people.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Mister_Smith]

J frames are like gloves or shoes, they work better in pairs. Do a google search for "Melinda Herman Georgia housewife shoots attacker five times", she was the mother whose home was invaded in Georgia some months back and she and her two kids were attacked. She fled to a closet if I recall, and shot the attacker SIX TIMES, FIVE shots of .38 Special hitting him in the face and body.

The attacker walked away, got into his car, then drove away, finally crashing some blocks away. Will you entrust your life to a 5 shot J frame loaded with .38 Special? She did, luckily, it stopped the attack, but that bad guy had enough "fight" left in him to walk away and then drive away, had he chosen to take her with him, she and her kids would not have been so lucky. And what if he had a knife or gun? .38 is nothing to sneeze at, but history is loaded with bad guys who did just that, sneezed at the .38's entering their bodies and just laughed it off as they killed their victims. The Florida FBI tragedy of the 1980's was a sad example of that.

I have TWO J frames in my pockets at this time, loaded with .357 and yes, I know I may lose hearing if I ever fire .357 indoors, but one J frame is loaded with Golden Saber .357 which is supposed to be a .357 "Medium" and spare our ears.

Last year the guys living in the apartment within spitting distance of my apartment experienced a home invasion and we'd had plenty of home invasions in my area. The attackers are brazen, kicking in doors, day or night.

Nope, nothing weird about walking around your home with a J frame or any gun in your pocket. Not when I consider that not only was there a home invasion, which happened right under my nose by the way (my door was open and they walked right past me but I was not facing the door), there was also a shooting with a few guys shot on my block, also within the year.

Don't feel weird keeping a J frame in your pocket, like I said, keep two, one in each pocket!

I forgot to add, pocket guns work best with bobbed hammers, I've done this experiment many times, and when hammers snag, oh boy do they snag, I've fumbled terribly, my "hammerless" snubs are preferred any day. Those night sights? They cause a "hiccup" when I draw fast, not what I'd call a snag, but they do catch the lip of the pocket sometimes, but nothing serious, though I should practice much more to ensure they don't snag at all.

 

[mkk41]

A lightweight J-frame is a great housecoat/bathrobe gun. I usually wear sweatpants when lounging around in the evening and my Kel-Tec P3AT .380 in the pocket doesn't make 'em fall down.

 

[Lobster Picnic]

I like the steel J-frames with .38 Special, but they are really too heavy for pocket carry.

The alloy J-frames are okay with .38 Special but I tend to require a larger, cushier grip for recoil control, which makes the gun too bulky.

One solution may be to load the alloy .38 Special with mild 100gr "cowboy loads" or the new 90gr Hornday "ladies" defensive ammo.

My answer was to reduce weight, size, power, and recoil, and to increase capacity from 5 to 7.

The Model 351c only weighs 11-oz and hold 7 rounds of .22 Magnum.

The recoil is minimal, so I can carry it with the smallest grips and shoot it with no pain.

This gun is the perfect companion for a comfortable pair of baggy shorts.

 

[cs45pilot]

Model 60

I used to pocket carry a 340PD but found it to be perfect for carry, brutal to practice with it. Switched to a Model 60 in 357 Mag. Though a little on the heavy side, I get it to the range more frequently.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

337 loaded with 148 gr Fiocchi HP's . 13.5 oz LOADED.
Class dismissed.

 

[microgunner]

I often carry a S&W 340PD .357 mag J-Frame in a pocket holster.
At only 11.7oz you don't even notice it's there.

 

[BJoe]

It ain't the gun it's the HOLSTER. In my right front pocket is a 9mm S&W 940 J frame in a Uncle Mikes #3 holster. Sure I LIKE fine leather holsters, they are great for SHOW but for pocket carry they just add bulk.

 

[microgunner]

It ain't the gun it's the HOLSTER. In my right front pocket is a 9mm S&W 940 J frame in a Uncle Mikes #3 holster. Sure I LIKE fine leather holsters, they are great for SHOW but for pocket carry they just add bulk.

I take it this photo is a reverse image taken in a mirror and your right pocket is on the left in the photo.

 

[civil1977]

For pocket carry I don't think you can beat a Centenial J Frame and there are lots of good options out there. After firing a friends 340PD I realized I would not be firing 357 mags in such a small, light gun. So I focused on and ended up finding a prelock 342PD which is the lightest Centenial J Frame chambered in .38 special. Enclosed hammer to prevent snaging on the draw and prevent lint from getting into the action, 10.8 oz unloaded, black finish which hides well in a pocket and a red ramp front sight. It fit all my requirements.

 

[snowman.45]

I often carry my 340 Sc pocket carry during the hot months. It is light, accurate and effective. My round of choice is usually the 158 gr. Buffalo Bore +p at 1000 fps. It barks some, but far less than .357 mag. This little pistol had some finish wear and I refinished it in KG GunKote Titanium Grey. I also installed a stainless cylinder, Apex trigger kit and Big Dot front sight. Since the photo was taken, the lock has been removed and replaced with the plug.

 

[vegasgunhand]

As a former Federal Agent, I carried a bobbed hammer Model 60 for many years. When I was stationed in Reno, Nevada it was a cooler climate. During the cooler months, I carried the 60 in the "hand warmer" pockets of the jacket. Being cold, I almost always had my hand on the revolver. If need be, I could always get the first round off without having to come out of the pocket.

Later in my career, I transferred to Las Vegas. Being a much warmer climate, the jacket pocket carry didn't work so well. I carried the 60 inside the waist band with an untucked t-shirt covering it.

 

[jtcarm]

Funny we have all types of heavy sidearms and shotguns available, yet the weapon to be relied upon first would be a pocket snub...

Well, it's been said the best use of a defensive handgun is to fight your way to a rifle or shotgun. Much as I love handguns, it's true. But at the extremely close quarters of your home, the long guns are too easy for a bad guy to get past the muzzle or grab onto it.

 

[jwk]

JT, I live in central Texas just having moved to Stephenville from San Antonio. I run a casual dress office and other than when I am in Court there is almost always an alloy J frame Centennial in my front pocket. An added benefit is that my wife who works in my office also carries. She carries an older J frame with the old style 3" skinny barrel. That gives us a common speedloader for a reload even though I prefer carrying speed strips.

When it is cold enough for a covering garment, a full size 1911, Glock or S&W full size revolver is a comfort. For when it is too hot to wear a covering garment, a J frame in your pocket beats anything at home in the safe.

 

[Tennjed]

J frames are like gloves or shoes, they work better in pairs. Do a google search for "Melinda Herman Georgia housewife shoots attacker five times", she was the mother whose home was invaded in Georgia some months back and she and her two kids were attacked. She fled to a closet if I recall, and shot the attacker SIX TIMES, FIVE shots of .38 Special hitting him in the face and body.

The attacker walked away, got into his car, then drove away, finally crashing some blocks away. Will you entrust your life to a 5 shot J frame loaded with .38 Special? She did, luckily, it stopped the attack, but that bad guy had enough "fight" left in him to walk away and then drive away, had he chosen to take her with him, she and her kids would not have been so lucky. And what if he had a knife or gun? .38 is nothing to sneeze at, but history is loaded with bad guys who did just that, sneezed at the .38's entering their bodies and just laughed it off as they killed their victims. The Florida FBI tragedy of the 1980's was a sad example of that.

That story was everywhere I read it on multiple sites. I have never seen a confirmation of exactly where the bullets hit. Shoot 5 times in body and face (written by the media) could mean lots if things. A graze across the check? A graze across the shoulder? I see no reason to assume she would have done better with a 357 (or 44, 45, ect). In fact I believe it she very well could have done worse with a higher recoiling 357. 1 badly placed 357 is no better than 5 badly placed 38s.

 

[Eddy's Shooting Sports]

+1 for the 340PD

although I wish S&W would reissue the 332 as a .327 Federal...

 

[flyrobb]

Pocket carry a 638 in an Uncle Mikes #3 with a 5 round speed strip in the L pocket. Other than at work it's in the cargo shorts or jeans weather waking the dogs, mowing the yard, etc. I often forget it's there. Kinda like the credit card, never leave home without it.

 

[microgunner]

J frames are like gloves or shoes, they work better in pairs. Do a google search for "Melinda Herman Georgia housewife shoots attacker five times", she was the mother whose home was invaded in Georgia some months back and she and her two kids were attacked. She fled to a closet if I recall, and shot the attacker SIX TIMES, FIVE shots of .38 Special hitting him in the face and body.

The attacker walked away, got into his car, then drove away, finally crashing some blocks away. Will you entrust your life to a 5 shot J frame loaded with .38 Special? She did, luckily, it stopped the attack, but that bad guy had enough "fight" left in him to walk away and then drive away, had he chosen to take her with him, she and her kids would not have been so lucky. And what if he had a knife or gun? .38 is nothing to sneeze at, but history is loaded with bad guys who did just that, sneezed at the .38's entering their bodies and just laughed it off as they killed their victims. The Florida FBI tragedy of the 1980's was a sad example of that.

An aquaintance of mine shot a home invader once in the chest with a S&W mod 60 .38spl and the invader turned, took one step and dropped dead on the spot.
Sometimes those .38s work just right.

Three sentenced for death in Carrollwood home invasion | Tampa Bay Times

 

[jbs292]

Here is mine in Kydex. Works great for pocket carry with my 442.