Alternative to .38 Special Recoil

I have arthritis in my hands so I now shoot guns with less recoil.

If you reload, try loading hollow base wad cutters backwards. They will expand more than some hollow points. About 50 years ago, I shot a possum in the butt with one and it took off the lower half of its body. I shot a lot of wad cutters in my Model 19 and recoil was like a .22.

The 32 H&R Mags that I have have 6 and 8 3/8 barrels. 95gr wad cutters do not have a lot of recoil but they are not what I would call carry guns.

I have a Model 31-1 3" in .32 S&W Long. I do not find the recoil too bad in it.
 
Yes, try Wadcutters in a Steel Frame J.
And those other Lighter loads mentioned sound plausible.
And don’t forget to Fat up those Grips!
Recently did that to my 642.06DA21EF-628B-4754-9D8E-E4D4B964AEB7.jpeg
 
.32 ammo is not cheap. At over 50 cents a round it tends to keep paper punching and steel ringing limited. Buying a .32 can be expensive.

If you are going to carry a firearm in defense of self or others, you'll be so pumped with adrenaline when you need to use your weapon you won't notice the recoil.
 
URIT said:
If you are going to carry a firearm in defense of self or others, you'll be so pumped with adrenaline when you need to use your weapon you won't notice the recoil.
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That is true for most shooters.

But elderly shooters I have seen on the range tend to be the shakiest gun in the west. What about those who do not shoot any more but insists on carrying anyways? Nothing wrong with a .22 or a .32 ether
1748981117441.png
 
SGT ROCK 11B said:
That is true for most shooters.

But elderly shooters I have seen on the range tend to be the shakiest gun in the west. What about those who do not shoot any more but insists on carrying anyways? Nothing wrong with a .22 or a .32 ether
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I'm 70 this year. My hands hurt so bad, sometimes I can't open a bottle of water
Shooting heavy calibers can be very painful.

But I carry 357, 45acp or 10mm. Just stop the whining get the job done 😉
 
bigggbbruce said:
I'm 70 this year. My hands hurt so bad, sometimes I can't open a bottle of water
Shooting heavy calibers can be very painful.

But I carry 357, 45acp or 10mm. Just stop the whining get the job done 😉
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Same here. Do you need injections in your knuckles and joints monthly? Now that is painful especially if the Doctor drains the joint first.

Can you shoot a 50 round Qualification Course? :cool:
 
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otis24 said:
I was shooting.38 Special in a 4 inch Colt Trooper and a 2 3/4 inch Speed Six. I will try some 148 grain wadcutters.
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These are pretty beefy guns, so I'm not sure a small .32H&R will help much. An alternative to the wadcutter idea would be the Hornady 90gr "Lite" load. In a 686 6" they barely move the muzzle, though it's a heavier gun than your 2. When it served as a "house gun" I loaded it with these due to my wife's recoil sensitivity. Buffalo Bore makes some mild loads, and Underwood makes a 100gr all-copper that's relatively mild as well. I'd try some of these light-for-caliber as they have better energy than a 148gr wadcutter @ 700fps and probably kick less too.
 
SGT ROCK 11B said:
That is true for most shooters.

But elderly shooters I have seen on the range tend to be the shakiest gun in the west. What about those who do not shoot any more but insists on carrying anyways? Nothing wrong with a .22 or a .32 ether
View attachment 763990
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Yes - During the few shots fired in a gun fight you probably won't notice the recoil. That said, it is imperative you train and practice with a carry gun and the older you get, the more important that is. If a handgun hurts and isn't fun to shoot, the owner will more than likely not get his (or her) practice time in. That is a bad thing! A gun that isn't punishing on the old hands and is fun to shoot normally gets used more often.
 
You could try to find a Model 30 or 31 in 32 S&W Long. A steel frame 32 S&W Long would be a very mild shooter, and a much better trigger than the 351C or PD. Hight Desert Cartridge Company amongst others make a pretty good wadcutter round for the 32 S&W Long. 98 grains at around 800 fps out of a 1 7/8" barrel.
 
SGT ROCK 11B said:
Same here. Do you need injections in your knuckles and joints monthly? Now that is painful especially if the Doctor drains the joint first.

Can you shoot a 50 round Qualification Course? :cool:
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I don't do injections. I just live with it.

Sometimes I'll pull the trigger on my 45 and put it away after maybe 3 rounds. I ride the safety and my thumb screams STOP.

I'm in Arizona we don't need CC permits, no need to qualify.
 
chief38 said:
Yes - During the few shots fired in a gun fight you probably won't notice the recoil. That said, it is imperative you train and practice with a carry gun and the older you get, the more important that is. If a handgun hurts and isn't fun to shoot, the owner will more than likely not get his (or her) practice time in. That is a bad thing! A gun that isn't punishing on the old hands and is fun to shoot normally gets used more often.
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My hands hurt. But I take my Jeep and a couple guns out in the forest daily. Just some calibers more than others

Trust me I can hit what I aim at.
 
.38 Special Airweights have been my nemesis ever since I discovered them. My 432UC has MUCH less recoil than any .38 I’ve ever shot.
 
chief38 said:
I would urge you to try shooting a friends Sig P365, Springfield Armory Hellcat or similar Micro9 - there are plenty to chose from now. I understand that you wanted to return to revolvers, however as we age semi auto's just make so more sense. IMHO they shoot better rounds than a 38 special and hold at least twice as many round onboard. They have much less felt recoil, are more compact, easier to shoot accurately, have better sights and are usually 5+ ounces lighter, smaller and thinner than a Model 60/36 etc. I know for a fact the Sig P365 has the option of a manual safety because I own one. I believe the SA Hellcat has that option as well. Today's micro 9's are extremely reliable and no longer a reason to stay with a wheel gun strictly for that purpose anymore.
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I wish I could give this more than one thumbs up. If you purely want a revolver for fun, then knock your socks off, that's why I like them too. But if it's serious business we're talking about, a P365 would fill the OP's bill better than anything on the planet. And if ultra concealability is not required, I find the Glock 48 to be pretty much perfection, in terms of size, controllability, and ergos.
 
I put Hogue and Pachmayr grips on my J-frames. They helped a lot on the mod 36 and even more on the model 38. I shoot standard loads out of my J frames, I'm careful with ammo selection due to the short barrel, but several makes offer good performance.
 
otis24 said:
Recently, I decided that I would go back to revolvers for concealed carry. After a shooting session, I decided that due to hand issues the .38 Special recoil was too much for me. I’ve been thinking of alternatives to the .38 Special. I had a S&W 940 but dumped it fairly quickly do to extraction issues. I’m also concerned about bullet pull/separation in the 9mm. How does the recoil of .32 H&R Magnum compare to .38 Special in a J frame revolver? What early model S&W revolvers were chambered in.32 H&R Magnum? Were there any all steel models? All steel/metal hammer less models?
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Find you a nice M-19. With .38 special there’s really no recoil to speak of
 
rwsmith said:
I put Hogue and Pachmayr grips on my J-frames. They helped a lot on the mod 36 and even more on the model 38. I shoot standard loads out of my J frames, I'm careful with ammo selection due to the short barrel, but several makes offer good performance.
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I've got a 60-14 with the original Uncle Mike's. Fill my hand just right.
My gun currently has 357mag 180gr Black Talons loaded.
I haven't set any off. But I will if necessary.
 
My wife's carry load in her lightweight M&P Bodyguard .38 is ARX's fluted cartridge.
inceptorammo.com

38 SPECIAL 77 GR – INCEPTOR ARX 20rnd bx | Inceptor Ammunition

The ARX is revolutionary from the way it’s manufactured, to its shape, to the way it transfers energy to the target. ARX projectiles are injection-molded from a specially blended polymer-copper matrix that is designed to be tough enough for an all-purpose defense round.
inceptorammo.com inceptorammo.com
It has a very light recoil, similar to 148 gr target loads.

I urge you to at least try the 148 gr loads already recommended. Cheaper than a new gun!
 
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