Which S&W Revolver Do You Carry Most?

[Harkrader]

In Wisconsin, weather is a factor that dictates frequent changes of clothing. Clothing often dictates type and size of firearm.
Someone else said the nature of the situation can influence what to carry, and someone else poo-poo'd that. Well, I have news for the poo-poo'ers. If they day starts with a meeting in an air conditioned building in downtown Milwaukee and then proceeds to some suburbs on the north side, a change of clothes may be called for, and I would definitely change - and even add - guns.

This time of year in Wisconsin it can be low 40's F in the morning, 60 to high 70s at noon (80s, last year), and drop rapidly into the 40s again as evening arrives. So, I have jackets, sweaters and even pants to suit in my car, and guns that suit the clothes.
The further north one travels in WI, the greater the possibilities become due to weather and even circumstances.

I am mostly retired, now, but previously worked with people who ranged from avidly pro-firearms to rabidly against. I packed accordingly.

When I carry a revolver as primary, it is one of these, in approximately this order of preference:
S&W 386NG
S&W 520 of 2005
Colt Python
Colt King Cobra
Colt Police Positive
Colt Detective Special
S&W 29 - yes, I do. Just need the right holster and ammo. Which I have.

As Number 2:
S&W 642 - first choice.
S&W 37 w/ Lasermax grips.
Colt Detective Special.

A revolver is my primary about 30% of the time. Rotating gives me plenty of motivation to practice at the range.

Here are some of them:

 

[Harkrader]

And here are a few other CCW revolvers

The forum won't allow more than five pix with a post, so here are the rest I mentioned.

 

[HarrishMasher]

2.5 inch 315 NightGuard with Ahrends. My favorite K frame.

The Ahrends Cocobolo finger groove grips look awesome on the Night Guards. I ordered a pair today for one of my NGs.

Have a pic of yours to share?

 

[HarrishMasher]

revolver carry only. Used to be my 66-1, 2.5" but now it is my 60-10, 3". I shoot the 60 better and it seems to carry a little easier as well.

Nice grips on the 3" 60. Looks awesome.

 

[HarrishMasher]

The forum won't allow more than five pix with a post, so here are the rest I mentioned.
View attachment 166857View attachment 166858
View attachment 166859

Your 386NG seems to have a titanium cylinder? Is it a 386PD, or did you install a titanium cylinder?

 

[HarrishMasher]

Unfortunately, yesterday I had to send my 386NG back to S&W because the timing is off. I picked it up LNIB a few weeks back and it has quickly become my primary.

Not sure how long it will take for S&W to return it, but I bought another 386NG last week that showed up this afternoon. So I had to decide what to carry until the new NG arrived and I could test fire it.

Since the holster for my NG was already on my shorts, I decided to grab my 686 Performance Center 2.5" (same dimensions as my NG).

The 686 PC is quite a load to carry for an extended period. It is totally doable, but not ideal. It's about 38ozs loaded!

Fortunately my new NG arrived mid-day and functioned perfectly with the 70 rounds I fired. Sights were dead on as well. Slapped it right in the holster and took a load off

 

[Harkrader]

HarrisMaster:
I installed the titanium cylinder on the 386NG. It has had no effect on being able to control the gun, so I feel the weight reduction was worth it. I also sent the rear sight to Cylinder & Slide for tritium tubes. Also worth it.

 

[lawandorder]

HarrishMasher sorry just now answering you about the 649. Cylinder & Slide did the following modifications;

The dove tailed gold bead post front sight
Opened up the sight channel
Did a light carry melt treatment on the sharp edges
Smoothed up the action
Smoothed and radius-ed the trigger
Bead blast

and later a friend who is a local Smith thinned the front of the trigger guard for me.

Very, very pleased with how it turned out and how it performs.

 

[hittman77]

I carry a revolver about 90 percent of the time. And, most of the time an LCR followed by a Model 60. I like the wheel guns in a good Galco ankle rig.

Otherwise, it's a LC9 in a Hide-It IWB I recently picked up from a gentleman on another forum.

 

[Jimmyjones]

Why thank you. I found that old fellow at an estate auction several months ago. Told myself I wouldn't go over $500...but I lied. The other guy stopped at $500, I went to $520. It was in it's "second original box"; a very, very old Dutch Masters cigar box and wrapped in oil cloth. It had what looked like ancient cosmoline under the side plate, I think it had been kept far more than used. Is my baby.

That is a very handsome snubby you have yourself. Love round butt K frames of any barrel length.

Thanks, the only RB K's I own are that one and a 2.5" 19-5, but I do have a 2" SB 10-5, these don't see much carry time.

 

[Hook686]

95% M&P 340
5% 3913 TSA

5% 329PD

 

[HarrishMasher]

95% M&P 340
5% 3913 TSA

5% 329PD

Wow living life to the max! 105%, Must be nice!

 

[rwt1405]

S&W revolver I carry most, easy, a 642.

 

[luangtom]

Revolver 100% of the time. Generally, my 340PD. Otherwise, my M&P340.

 

[Harkrader]

"rotating" guns; I'm with you, HarrishMasher.

HarrishMasher, I'm with you.

Posted by clevolver:
"Why would you rotate your carry gun? I'd want to carry the same thing always, the same way always, so when it comes time to use it, I don't have to think about what I'm doing or what day it is."

HarrishMasher:
"Maybe rotate is not the right word. I have four J Frames. All basically the same, feel the same, handle the same, shoot the same ammo. I like to carry all of them, so I rotate them.
Same with my K Frames.
Basically you will find me carrying a J Frame or a K frame. Not a huge difference.
I also shoot a couple of times a week. And train with some shooting buddies once a month or once every two months. They are ex military and we train hard with rifles and handguns. I am very intimate with any gun I carry and would be 100% comfortable using whatever I am carrying in any situation."

Moi:
My military and professional training was to be able to effectively use anything I picked up or that was handed to me. While it was obvious that guns differ from each other, we were expected to be able to use them without preamble. No whining. The only gun I ever choked on was a bizarre Star chambered in 9mm Largo. Looked like a Transformer missing some parts.

I choose guns for reasons stated in my previous post, dictated often by weather as well as circumstances. When carrying for duty, I carried what was issued.

As for practice:
I shoot Cowboy, IDPA. IPSC, three-gun and subgun. In any given week I might shoot a Colt SAA, one with 5" barrel, the other with 7.5" barrel. Also my double-barrel shotgun or 1897 Winchester, Henry .44 Big Boy, Marlin lever-action in .45 Colt and a .38 derringer. Sometimes I'll take my Vaquero or LeMat, and will shoot my 1851 and 1860 cap-and-ball revolvers just for fun. And that's just Cowboy.

Specifically for CCW I may shoot any of the revolvers I mentioned along with a selection of 1911s by Sig, Colt and S&W. My primary carry semi-auto is my S&W M&P357, which I fire about 120 rounds through a month.
Then there is my Springfield M1A, and WWII Thompson.

Sooo, among my own guns, in any month I'll shoot .38 Special; .38 Special +P, .357 Magnum in barrel lengths from 2.5" to 6"; 357-Sig 229; 9mm from a Sig 228 or 226 Tactical, S&W M&P9mm Pro, and just for the halllumph of it my Vector CP1; .44 Magnums in loads ranging from "Mosquito Killer" to 300-grain Hammerhead bear killers in my Mountain Gun and Lew Horton 29; .45-Colt from the Colt SAAs and my S&W 25-5s and 25 Mountain gun; .45ACP from anything ranging from a Sig 220 through the 1911s I mentioned with "Commander" and 5" barrels, or my OM.
AND a virtual hailstorm of .22LR.

When our Charming Children come to visit, there's no telling what they'll bring, but Glocks prevail in .40S&W, 9mm and .45ACP. One son is a "gun snob" and will bring his Wilson, sniffing at my "stock" 1911s.
One of our favorite contests is something like musical chairs. We'll put a variety of guns on the table and start walking by, each of us taking turns calling "STOP!" At which point each of us has to pick up the gun in front of us, load it and make more hits more accurately in less time than the others. They know all my cheating tricks, so I rarely win any more.

I know all the benefits of sticking to one gun and caliber. I have to say, though, that I never bought the saying "Beware the man with one gun. He probably knows how to use it." Certainly there are many for whom that can be said. I can only say that the author of that has never been to an IDPA match. Or been standing on the bank of the Jordan River and being handed a Galil. Heh.
We should be proficient with any gun we carry. Though my wife has had the "paranoia" talk with me since retiring, I still feel I should be able to proficiently shoot any gun I pick up.
And I feel I have to keep up with our sons. Even if I can't cheat.

 

[DR505]

Well, I carry my duty weapon on/off duty just about all the time...a Glock 21 in a TT Gunleather (Tim Thurner) rig:

When I'm out hunting/camping/hiking the back country, one of these gets the nod:

625-7 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt

Model 657 .41 Magnum

 

[.45mtngun]

Gentlemen,
My 90% carry gun is a Kimber Commander size Stainless Pro Carry loaded with Ranger 230 grain HP ammo. With the alloy frame it is easy on the back and has always been a very reliable and accurate gun. It has seen alot of miles. My other favorite for any other times is a 442-2 loaded with Speer 135 +P Gold Dots. That gun sees a fair amount of range time also with 158 grain lead reloads and is also very accurate. Both guns have spare ammo when carried.
Jim

 

[buckeyejake]

My model 60. A new 640 is trying to make the team .
Jake

 

[PatAz]

The 642 CT

 

[devilfrog1911]

It's typically one of these three:

The 4" Model 15


Model 10-6


Model 27