choosing a s&w revolver for a female marine for ccw

[mg357]

Dear Smith and Wesson Forum i am an amateur writer and i have this idea for a writing project its a love story between a female Marine and a handsome law enforcement officer. The Marine character carries a s&w revolver as her ccw weapon when she is not in uniform. but i am not sure which one to chose any and all help with this would be greatly appreciated sincerely and respectfully mg357 a proud member of the Smith and Wesson Forum.

 

[cowboy85306]

Howdy
You will have to write a justification for your character's choice, as there are many suitable models to choose from. My wife initially chose a model 640 ( J frame, internal hammer, .357 magnum, stainless steel round butt ) after having rented a light weight variant to "try before you buy", and was put off by the greatly increased recoil and muzzle blast. AFTER a bunch of range time ( AND carry time), she did see her way clear to getting a model 642 Airweight in .38 special, but +P rated. Yes, it bucks and barks, but then, factory .357 mag loads not specifically loaded for short barrel guns are to some great extent little better than +P .38s, with a huge muzzle flash and blast to boot, when fired from short guns.
Her prior 640? It matches my own, and shoots well for those who stay up on training. As with all "snubnoses", they are not a gun for the inexperienced nor casual, and require considerable range time to maintain skill with them. Add to that the limitations of 5 round capacity, and you have a tool for the experienced. We use all the same speedloaders between them, loaded with identical ammo, for carry. We also have the "advantage" of the "New York" reload, by taking up another gun of similar or identical handling characteristics, if it should come to that.
Just my 0.02

 

[Stu454]

Dark horse choice: an old M12 with a 2" barrel. Aluminum medium (K) frame. Hasn't been made in decades but it carries like the little J frames and shoots like a K frame.

 

[Iggy]

Another vote for the Model 12 2". My wife carried this one on duty as a Deputy and in holster in her purse when off duty.

She carries a 642 now when she is out shopping or walking.
When fashion prevents carrying that one, she carries a Seecamp.

You don't want to mess with that ol sister, no way, no how!!:evilgrin:

 

[GatorFarmer]

Usual caveat - carrying can be problematic unless someone lives off base, even then don't take it work.

Quantico wouldn't sell concealable revolvers at the Exchange. I don't know whose policy it was. P.I. does sell them. .38 and .357 ammo seems to rarely be in stock though.

But the J frames are sold mainly to dependents. It's considered a wife's gun. The pistols that Marines buy for themselves lately are various 1911s, FN 5.7s, Glocks, and the expected mix of Sigs and XDs. The M&P .45 is also popular. Oh and the Taurus Judge is still apparently popular. I saw two K frames, a latter day Model 10 and a 64 for sale at Quantico before we moved, but they'd sat there a while.

Used guns are not sold via base exchanges, though apparently some will act as transfer FFLs, others won't. Anything carried would probably be a current production item.

I suppose someone might have a 442 or 642 kicking around. Perhaps a gift from someone that didn't know better. It really depends on individual preference or build and their personality. Honestly I'd expect to see a Glock or chopped 1911 long before a revolver. Glock even has special deals for Marines and discounted prices. Plus R. Lee Ermey will show up to promote them.

Folding knives are pretty universally carried.

Marines assigned to work on a Navy base or living on one are even less likely to carry a handgun, even off work. The Navy really tightened up restrictions for guns on base and moving them around. The Marines are still somewhat gun friendly and encourage hunting and shooting, whereas the Navy now seems to discourage firearms ownership.

 

[borntoraisehogs]

N frame (pre model 25?) in .45 Colt , just like ***** Galore , of Goldfinger.
It is far better to make acccomdations in clothing and carry devices than it is to have an inadequate weapon when you decide to start shooting. Yes, your character has the ability to predict the future. She knows when shooting is going to start. She then makes her prediction come true by shooting first. What a gal.

 

[snub56]

Perhaps you should look at any of the classic S&W snubnose revolvers. Something that could have been passed down from father to daughter.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Since this is to be a work of fiction and the character is a Marine, I would recommend a S&W M1917 .45acp with the barrel shortened to 3". Put a good backstory to the revolver, like it was one carried by her Gandfather (great grandfather?)in WWI. He had the barrel shortened to 3" when he was a cop in the '30s. Or something equally interesting that us gun nuts would love.

 

[stantheman86]

Yeah, I like that idea, she could find some dusty old 1917 in a shoebox or an old M&P 4" from the 30's.........

 

[borntoraisehogs]

.45 Colt or ACP all good.

Even though the measured difference , between a .45 and a .44 (.429?) is small, it is noticable. The larger hole just has a sincere no nonsense look.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Since this is to be a work of fiction and the character is a Marine, I would recommend a S&W M1917 .45acp with the barrel shortened to 3". Put a good backstory to the revolver, like it was one carried by her Gandfather (great grandfather?)in WWI. He had the barrel shortened to 3" when he was a cop in the '30s. Or something equally interesting that us gun nuts would love.

Great idea, but she's going to have to round-butt that gun to get it to fit her hand. Maybe get John Jovino into the story, although anyone with a hacksaw, a file, and a set of K RB grips could do it.

 

[Combat_Diver]

Either the 1917 mentioned above or a Smith Victory K frame from WWII. Marine Embassy guards were also some of the last to use Smith revolvers. The Frankfurt Consulate in Germany still had a few 2.5" M19s when I was there in 2003. Last Smith revolvers my unit had were a few M10 2" which were replaced by the SIG M11 (228), thus was a Army SF unit in the mid 90s.

CD

 

[mod34]

N frame (pre model 25?) in .45 Colt , just like ***** Galore , of Goldfinger.
It is far better to make acccomdations in clothing and carry devices than it is to have an inadequate weapon when you decide to start shooting. Yes, your character has the ability to predict the future. She knows when shooting is going to start. She then makes her prediction come true by shooting first. What a gal.

.....and who doesn't like "***** Galore"........with an SW?

 

[lagavulin62]

.....and who doesn't like "***** Galore"........with an SW?

we all love "*****" dearly. but it's a true shame we never had a second night with Jill Masterson. what a beaty!!

 

[lagavulin62]

here, drool on this.

 

[Birddog2]

If your female Marine is an officer or SNCO, she will have qualified with the 9mm Beretta on an annual basis.
A small semi-auto may well be her choice fo CCW.

 

[Old cop]

My vote would be for a vintage Colt Cobra .38 (I admit to prejudice since I have one). It is a six shot lightweight, no longer produced by Colt, and makes her more interesting. You might include she got the gun from her father, a former LEO, who carried it on the mean streets of wherever. Just my two cents here . . .

 

[lebomm]

As both a fan of such literature and the son of an old Pacific War Marine, I gotta go along with Andy Taylor on her great-grandaddy's 1917 with appropriate CCW mods. Marines and .45s have been friends for a long time.