J-frame pocket gun musings... Finish wear, having to many, etc

[Dieselguy]

I'm curious what you guys think about some of my thought i've had lately. I love j-frames I have 2 now, a 638 i've had since i was 21 that my wife bought me (10 yrs ago)and a 340 m&p i bought.

To be honest, i've found the 340 to be a waiste of money, i mostly just shoot +p and can't feel the ounce difference in my pocket.

I mostly carry the 638 during the week and when i'm working and the 340 on the weakends and when in bear country w/357.
i feel that my job (farrier) is super hard on a pocket gun, it's rubbing against horses' legs and feet all day long through my pants and apron and i'm constantly moving around and have hooves on and btwn my knees and resting on the gun. In a year or 2 this gun's finish is going to look like ****!

 

[Dieselguy]

Oh yeah, so now for some reason i want a 442 too! How do you choose which j-frame to carry? At this point i'm on the look out for any used ones, i'd like a 60 to and maybe a 640.
I like having one go to carry gun- my 638- that i always go for no matter what (even though we have 20++ guns at a time) but still i bought the 340 when the 638 frame cracked and it was at smith and wesson for 2 weeks getting a new frame.

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I feel that my job (farrier) is super hard on a pocket gun, it's rubbing against horses' legs and feet all day long through my pants and apron and i'm constantly moving around and have hooves on btwn my knees and resting on the gun. In a year or 2 this gun's finish is going to look like ****!

Then it will have character all it's own......

EDITED to ADD:
Since we were "cross-posting" I didn't see your second question.

I currently have five J Frames in my carry mix, but this one is my "go to" gun,
probably because of it's "Character" from being carried around by at least one
MSP Trooper over the years. Based on the age of this gun I have a feeling
that it had been assigned to two different Troopers over it's working career.

 

[Imaposer]

Yeah, I figure a carry gun is going to look like **** after a while for me too. Especially an airweight, with their poor finishes. If it gets to the point that it bothers me I'll just have it refinished in Cerakote, or Black T, or something similar.

 

[Dieselguy]

I don't care about the finish but how do you guys with multiple j-frames choose bwtn them!?

I 'm thi king about taking a black magic maker to the grip frame of the 638 so it's not as shiny in my pocket if it ever peaks out.

 

[Dieselguy]

That gun is gorgeous!

 

[MaximumLawman]

I like the look of a blue J-frame, even with a highly worn finish, better than the look of stainless. Just keep the gun rust-free with the appropriate treatment on the worn areas...

 

[ogilvyspecial]

That gun is gorgeous!

Thanks, it's one of my favorites, which is saying a lot, considering it's "competition."

 

[hotrod150]

I had a modern 442-2 but sold it off. For carry use, I like a bobbed-hammer 2" round butt Chief. I have two, a blue 36 and a 60, both pinned barrel models with uncle mike boots. Also have a square butt 36 & another RB 60, both 2", both pinned barrel models but with unbobbed hammers. . The blued bobber gets the nod most often, just because.

 

[snubbyfan]

My 442's My go to gun for concealed carry, either on my belt on in my pocket. I like the enclosed hammer dao simplicity of it.

 

[snubbiefan]

You just can't have too many J-Frames in 38. I have two 649's and one 640...all for pocket/coat-carry. I prefer the concealed/shrouded hammer models for that. You can still find the hump-backs (649's) for close to $400 in lock-less SOLID stainless steel. You never have to worry about the finish on an all stainless one.

 

[dscampbell]

my go to pocket gun 36 no dash. Just added lazer grips to make up for aging eyes.


Scott Campbell Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Old cop]

I finally sold my M&P 340 in favor of my older 442, I just could not tell the difference in my pocket between the two & I shot both very well. I was able to use the money from the M&P 340 toward a stainless Ruger Vaquero in .357, something I've wanted for quite awhile.

 

[wrangler5]

I worked with a farrier a loooong time ago - I pulled the old ones off and he put new ones on. I can imagine the abrasion from a horse's leg on pocket lining would take an Airweight finish off the high spots in a couple of weeks. If your finishes last longer than that they're tougher than I thought.

If it were me, I'd go for the brushed stainless of a 649, if you can handle the weight in your pocket. Same size as your 638, more pleasant to practice with (speaking from experience - I've had both) and you know the advantages of having the single action option in a no-drag platform. Most important, the stainless won't wear off.

FWIW, I also have a 442, but haven't carried it since I got the 638. If you like the humpbacks as I do, I'd stick with the platform. Get a 649 in 357, if you just must have a magnum snubbie, although I fired ONE magnum round out of mine, just to say I'd done it, and it was +P 38s after that, because even with a big rubber grip on a steel gun that one magnum round HURT.