Current J-Frame or the Ruger LCR 9mm....Your Pick?

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Nalapombu

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Hey all.

A while back I saw a thread here where a member converted one of his AK's to shoot 9mm and he loved the setup. Now I found out that Ruger has a LCR chambered in 9mm and machined to use moon clips. Very interesting and tempting setup. I haven't seen one yet though.

So, I thought I'd ask you all if you'd rather have a current S&W J like the 638, 640, 642, M&P 340 or something else OR the LCR in 9mm?

I really wish S&W would come out with one. It couldn't be that much trouble to do so. The 9mm snub is an attractive option for me for 2 reasons. First I don't have to fool with stocking up on a different ammo like 38 special or 357mag and the moon clip option really cuts a huge chunk out of the reload times that J frames suffer from.

I had all but abandoned my plan to get a revolver for my primary carry gun because of how long it would take me to reload it if I were ever in that situation, GOD FORBID. Now that I know Ruger has the LCR in 9mm and it uses moon clips, the revolver is right back on the table for me. S&W could easily take a hunk of that business away from Ruger if they'd only chamber a 638 or 642 in 9mm and machine it for moon clips.

What do you think? Would you take the 9mm Ruger LCR over any of the current S&W J-Frames?

Thoughts please.

Thanks for your time.
 
No, because first of all I am not a 9mm fan. Next while Rugers are good guns I am a S&W fan. Reload times are not as important to me as using big bullets and making sure the hit something. If, I want more rounds and faster reloads then its going to be my light weight Commander length 1911. But, each to their own.

A LCR in 9mm would not be a bad choice, just not my choice. I currently carry a light 5 shot 44 special, either my S&W 396 or a CA Bulldog.
 
S & W did make a steel J frame 9 mm that takes moon clips, called the 940, which is available on the used market if you want to stick to the brand.

At the time it was produced it did not sell well and was dropped. Would it sell better now? Hard to say; I would guess someone in the marketing department is looking at LCR sales to see if there is a place to restart production. Contacting them wouldn't hurt if you want a new one, the worst they can do is tell you "no"...:)
 
The LCR 9mm is a nice gun and I don't plan to sell it, but there are a few minuses:

The recoil is pretty intense. Surprisingly so.

If you are recoil sensitive, it's not the gun for you.

I had to put on a bigger padded grip to make it usable.

The recoil also causes crimp jump in some brands of ammo.

I haven't had much problem with this, but I haven't tried that many different types of ammo yet either.
 
Consider this: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOXr43gelF4[/ame]
Geoff
Who notes S&W made a 9mm revolver without moonclips, but can make a J from with clips.
 
Well that's it for the LCR 9mm for me. Glad you posted the info on the recoil Cal44. I DO NOT like intense recoil or pain when shooting a pistol. The video was helpful too.

I didn't see any of these issues on the videos I watched a couple days ago.

Back to the drawing board. I'm looking into a 442 or 638 with moon clip capability.

Thanks all

Larry
 
I like my LCR 9mm. It's my BUG at work right now. But only until July when I buy a 640.

The LCR is great, shoots well, but does not fit my hand well. The grips leave a blister between thumb and index and on the last qual I shot caused it to bleed. Light, shoots well, good trigger. But just doesn't work for me. J frame it will be.
 
The S&W 940 also has a very "SHARP" recoil, and needs the right grips to make it tolerable. Pachmayer compacts do handle it reasonably well. The 940 has also turned into somewhat of a "collectors" model, with prices rising up in the $700 - $800 range.
 
Not even close . The S&W J frame has ALWAYS been the standard for small revolvers. You can do the research but there are serious reasons for that. Here are a few that come to mind.

Second, the great thing about J frames is your ability to select from a couple of hundred or so aftermarket grips to find that perfect fit for control-ability and comfort. The Ruger maybe has a dozen choices.

Third, whether you like the 9mm or not, spare rounds for reloads would need to be carried in fragile moon clips. With the 38, you can carry flat speed strips (or even loose rounds.). Simpler is better when you're talking reliability.

Fourth, 38 spl comes in more power factors, bullet choices (shot shells included) than 9mm.

Lastly, while the Ruger LCR is a functional gun. It's just BUTT UGLY!

BTW: I've had a (all steel, 3") Ruger SP101 in 9mm once. Never did like it much as i found it inaccurate and harsher to shoot than my mod 60/36 J frames in 38.
 
Last edited:
Many guns sell well, and at high prices, only after they have been discontinued.

The Ruger is likely a robust, quality revolver, like other Ruger products. If one considers resale value, however, a comparable S&W will generally come out ahead as the more desirable of the two.

Arguments based on campfire theory effectiveness of the 9mm vs. .38 Special can go on forever, but good ammunition is available for both. With such ammo, there is probably no difference.
 
I like 9mm revolvers, have a Taurus 905 and enjoy it. It's a full steel gun so it's heavier then most of my j frames and soaks up recoil. I find it is pleasant to shoot but it does recoil more than a comparable 38. Ballistics performance is better out of short barrels, but I'm not sure it matters that much. There is cost savings on ammo, but given the price difference of most guns (not the ruger) you'll need to shoot a lot to realize the savings. Mostly 9mm revolvers are a fun novelty. I like em.

As for the ruger, I got a change to shoot one (38sp) and it has a nice trigger. I think they are fine guns. Not the best looking of guns, but very functional. The one thing to note about the 9mm is it's heavier at 17oz, should be fairly comfortable to shoot
 
I should note that I don't carry a 9mm revolver. Maybe after I put a few thousand rounds down range, but my limited sample shows either difficulty with moon clips or extraction. I also favor ultralight weight revolvers and there is some question about bullet creep w/ ultralight guns especially. WC145 (I think) probably know more about this than any of us as he has shot one extensively, might be a good idea to search for his posts on the subject.
 
Had a 9 mm LCR and sold it because I couldn't stand the recoil on it. It felt almost as bad as the 357 LCR. In addition I found that there was a bit of bullet jump.
 
I know that the majority of opinions here are going to favor the S&W pistols, but I do believe that most members here have enough integrity to admit if a competitor has a better product.

I just don't want to be hurting at the range or when I go home from practicing with my carry gun. I'm not a young punk any longer and recoil bothers me much more than it used to. In fact I only have 9mm and 45ACP pistols....well I do have 2 semis in 22lr for range fun and future suppressor use.

Now I am thinking about checking into what it would cost to get a 442 machined to use Moon clips and whether S&W offers that service at an inexpensive price or they make a factory model 442 or 642 that already takes them.

Thanks again everyone for the help.
 
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