Snub nose revolver for self defense 9mm or 38sp

[haywood]

I Tried a 9mm Snub years ago. Absolutely hated the moon clips. They were a pain to load and a pain to carry. If you bent one, forget about it. I mostly shot and carried 357 snubs and lightweight 38 snubs. As my hands got old I quit the 357. Now the lightweight 38's aren't fun for long. So, I practice with my heavier snubs. I carry one of my lightweight snubs in my pocket, always. A month ago I started carrying the new Taurus 817 IWB. At around 2LBS. Loaded it is easy to shoot a full Range Session. It is also comfortable shooting +P. So, my EDC is one of the lightweights and the 817 everyday.

 

[Phenix]

Hello there,
A question for you good people. What do you think about this,
which caliber for a snub nose, 9mm or 38sp? I was carrying a 22lr revolver for a while, but the ammo was totally unreliable. And I used the "good" stuff CCI, Federal Punch and so on. So I need a center fire for EDC.
What's your opinion?

Thank You!

Go with .38 Special.

 

[Phenix]

Go with .38 Special. Makes life simpler. No moon clips, and tactical partial reloads are much easier.

 

[eb07]

Owned both. Stuck with 38.

Don't like moon clips. Sold 940.

K frame size not a j frame. Sold 547.

 

[Riposte1]

In run of the mill factory ammo, I can't tell you what to choose, other than go with whichever you think is better.

I only have one 9mm revolver at the moment and it does not function after firing 5 shots except with one load (but that load is a good one!)



Could be I just need to polish the chambers.

Still I like .38 for a "hide out" and have a bunch of J's, Ks and Colt D frames.

I once carried a 3" old model Detective spl as a BUG and had a home brewed load of a 200 gr Lead Hollow Point at 850 ffps from that barrel (it went 800 from a 1 7/8" SW). It expanded well and went deep.

But I quit carrying it after a while because the guns got so expensive I reverted to cheaper S&W which I do like.

Now my .38 carry load (remember this is almost always as a 3rd gun for me so not very high in the pecking order) is a Buffalo Bore 158 Outdoorsman in steel guns and a standard pressure BB 158 LSWHP in airweights and Cobras. A viable backup load would be any 148 WC that gets around 800 fps (that generally excludes Win., Remington and Federal since they get down around 700 and below form short barrels).

I often carry the speer 135 +P short barrel for a reload since it is easier to load under pressure. Then again, if I am down to my 3rd gun it is a really bad day

I do like .38 around the yard - and often substitute one for my normal BUG (which is usally a .44 or .45) while mowing, with a single shotshell up and some more normal .38 hollow points for the rest of the cylinder.

Mind you, that is just what I do, I'm not recommending it to anyone else.

Riposte

 

[Major 2]

I like 38 specials, I carry with Critical Defense and my own Wadcutters.
For years, I used my M-36, just last year I bought a no lock 642PC.
In my DeSantis Pocket holster.

I considered a 32 Mag. but the factory is seldom stocked and pricy.
still an interesting carry, 6th round lighter recoil.
But I have 38's so it won out.

 

[fatcat3]

Carrying a reload can be an issue as moonclips can be fragile and bend easy. They are also bulky unlike a flat speed strip.

THIS! .38 for the win.
rakall69 has someone monkeyed with your revolver? Sound suspiciously like someone has been playing switch-a-roo with the springs to get a lighter/better trigger.

 

[David Sinko]

I'm quite fond of my 2" 940. As long as I use good new or once fired brass and slow powder I don't have the sticky extraction. Also, there are pill bottles that hold two loaded moonclips perfectly either with or without the cap. This will prevent them from getting bent when carried in a pocket, though I never had that problem carrying just the moonclips. Regarding the .22 rimfire, I've been concentrating on my 43C for the eventual Steel Challenge match and I'm finding that ignition has been 100% for the first couple hundred rounds of cheap practice ammo. I use the factory heavy mainspring and I'm not getting any misfires.

 

[KenTheHunter]

The .38spl is a tried and true round inside a great J-frame or Colt DS. I always looked at the 9mm short-barreled revolver kind of gimmicky.

My two cents.

Dipped my toe, figuratively speaking, in the 9mm DA revolver realm, and then jumped back out ! I had a very nice Ruger Speed Six in 9mm, but the half and full moon clips were a major pain to load and unload. Went back to the.38

 

[Riposte1]

Dipped my toe, figuratively speaking, in the 9mm DA revolver realm, and then jumped back out ! I had a very nice Ruger Speed Six in 9mm, but the half and full moon clips were a major pain to load and unload. Went back to the.38

I bought a .44 Mag Mtn gun used that is cut for moon clips (and got several clips and belt carriers in the deal) - great gun but I could do without the moon clips - they bend easily and are just a bother - OTOH I love my .45 revolvers with moon clips - they are sturdier and I made a tool out a 1/2" copper pipe to take out the empties.

Riposte

 

[Borderboss]

Also, there are pill bottles that hold two loaded moonclips perfectly either with or without the cap.

This is exactly what I do as well for carrying reloads. It's easy and effective.

The complaining about loading and unloading moon clips is kinda boring at this point. For about $150 total from TK Custom, you can get great moon clip loading and unloading tools. It takes no time at all to do either.

 

[David Sinko]

My 9mm moonclip carrier and de-mooning tool. Didn't cost me anything.