Best carry revolver? On a search for smaller defensive pistol

[S&W Fan]

I never was very good with J frames though I did prefer the all steel models when I had them. I think that in a close-in real world situation I'd hopefully be ok but ended up going to a small 9mm 1911.

My favorite of the J frames was a .38spl 640.



99% of the time it's my Springfield RO Elite 9mm, now a discontinued model. Easier to conceal even under a t-shirt and I shoot it a lot better. To be honest I've been shooting/carrying 1911s of one sort or another about 52 years, 10+ more than revolvers lol.

 

[GT_80]

I like shooting my J-Frames. A little practice now and then keeps me in tune. With the right grips they are comfortable at the Range and for carrying. Lightweight’s have served me well. A 442 or my bobbed 37 is always in my pocket and a second lightweight or my 36 is usually in my belt.

Model 36 snubby is a great shooter, and reliable as heck.

 

[CaliTrav]

I really enjoy shooting my all steel 640-1, conceals well too.

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[old tanker]

JMHO: To me the best carry revolver is a 3" K-frame either .38 or .357. With the Colt Detective Special running a close second. Both are small enough for good concealment and carry, yet big enough for excellent speed and accuracy. When my primary carry is a revolver, its my 3" Model 13.

If it's going to be in a holster on the belt, I also prefer a 3 inch barrel. They are less likely to want to twist away from the body because the rig is top heavy. You gain comparatively more velocity from the inch between 2 and 3 than you do from the one between 3 and 4.

Pays yer money, takes yer choice...5 in the Model 36-1 or 6 in the Police Positive Special

 

[crazyphil]

Don't know if it's so or not, but I have heard that Model 642 is S&W's
best seller. I know a lot of cops choose 642 or 442 for their BUG.
Here is my 642-1. The knife is a very sharp Piranha.

 

[honu8019]

Not a true snubbie but....

A little extra goes a long way...adjustable sights and +P rated. I qualified with this for many years when in uniformed duty. I'll never get rid of it.

 

[quikdraw67]

I really enjoy shooting my all steel 640-1, conceals well too.

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I just changed my EDC from a 640-1 to a 442-1 no lock.

I know that the new Shields, Sigs, and Ruger 9mm pistols are the flavor of the month, but I'll take a J frame over them any day of the week.

You can't beat simplicity and reliability.

 

[SS57]

I really like the 642 with a bianchi speed strip for pocket carry. But if I go with a holster, the G23 with an xtra mag gets the nod. I don't notice either one when I am carrying them.

 

[geekeye]

i like the airweight 442 with hornady critical defense 110 grain 38 special for around the house and yard. recoil is manageable and i prefer DA-only in a defense gun because i never want to find myself in a situation where i need to decock over a live round when i'm full of adrenaline and might accidentally touch it off.


if you are coming from a .380 autoloader, the biggest thing to get used to will be the much, much, much heavier trigger pull. a spring kit can help a little (most carry gun spring kits are still relatively stiff for reliability) but expect to have lots of dry fire practice in your future.

 

[riverrat38]

......Smith and Wesson, we need a current manufacture jframe size and weight 44 special!!!! Hear me!!! Please!!!!

I think it would probably have to be a 4 shot 44SPL!
Not much room on the J frame cylinder!
It takes an L frame just to get a 5 shooter in 44 cal.

Best,
Rick

 

[31FordA]

I carry a 340 M&P a lot of the time, either off the clock or as a back up at work. I also really like my 12-2 snub.

 

[Bumpus13]

I like all steel J frames in .38 special for that purpose.

Mod 36 and 60 for me. (Pocket carried my 36 out to dinner this evening)

 

[BSA1]

I’ve been carrying a J Frame for over 50 years and recommend them w/one caveat. These are expert’s guns and require regular range time to ensure accuracy at combat distances. My EDC is the 340PD loaded w/+P, magnum loads are too difficult to get accurate follow up shots with, at least for me.

Well this is my suggestions from the Far Right;

I totally agree that the J-Frame is a expert’s gun. I also think the .38 Special is not the best caliber despite it’s popularity. The .38 Spl. does not perform well from a two inch barrel.

My picks are as follows for the J-Frame revolver;

1. 22 Magnum. Available as six round in the Ruger and eight rounds in the Taurus. Hornady, Speer and Winchester all make self-defense ammunition designed to perform from short barrel revolvers. As for recoil what recoil? I personally own a Taurus and am very satisfied with Speer Gold Dot.

2. .32 Magnum. With the J-Frame it has six rounds rather than the five from the 38. Good self-defense ammunition is made by Federal and Hornady. Being centerfire cartridge it may be more reliable than the .22 Magnum. It also has less recoil than the .38.

With the reliability of centerfire primer, increase of one more round, good choices in self-defense ammunition, less recoil than the .38 Special what is there not to like about the 32 Magnum?

 

[JDinAZ]

I have a lot of love for the humpbacks. Being able to get an SA shot off when you want is a big plus in my book. Least for me the nub hammer is easy to cock instinctively. Then again that’s in a distance scenario. Don’t care how far they are if they are launching lead at me I’m gonna return fire. It’s usually my BUG nowadays though

 

[nipperdog]

I own a S&W 640 Pro, but it isn't my EDC. My EDC is a Kimber K6S Snubbie. The 6 Round Cylinder makes the difference to me.

 

[eb07]

I think it would probably have to be a 4 shot 44SPL!
Not much room on the J frame cylinder!
It takes an L frame just to get a 5 shooter in 44 cal.

Best,
Rick

The bulldog is not that much bigger than a j frame. But you get the gist.

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

While, unfortunately out of production - my favorite carry revolver is my 432 in 32 HR mag - six shoots, light weight. I've spent some significant time mastering the J frames in matches and classes.

 

[xfarfuldog]

I purchased a model 60 in the early 80's. They were extremely hard to find back then. I fired it one time and got rid of it. It carried great but had terrible recoil. I then purchased an all steel Detective Special for my BU needs.

Today I own the DS still, and carry a shield or 3913. If I want to carry a revolver, it would be the DS or one of several K frames in 2 - 3 inch. They are much easier on recoil and give you a 6th round.

 

[rockquarry]

This is a surprisingly good thread on the subject. It pretty much avoids YouTube experts, gunfighting schools, wound analysis, and other extraneous and esoteric textbook matter yet has a worthwhile emphasis on shooting skills and practice with J-frame .38s.

I've been shooting J-frames regularly for a good while but still don't have them mastered. These incredibly useful guns are truly for the pros, but we can all be pros if we shoot enough to develop good skills.

 

[smoothshooter]

Taurus Model 85 Ultralite in .38 Special.

Better quality on average than Smith, lower price, and much better double action trigger.
Fits in most Smith J frame holsters too.

Don’t overlook the Ruger LCR’s either, even in .22 LR.

I suppose all this discussion is moot anyway, since there are no good revolvers to be had at the moment anyway. You may have to take what you can get, not what you want.