S&W J frame vs. Glock 42

[rockquarry]

I have a glock 42 and a ruger LCR, I want to get a 642 soon. I started off carrying the glock but recently switched to the revolver. I have only had a limp wrist induced malfunction once or twice out of thousands of rounds, but I think under stress and maybe shooting after being knocked down it could be more common. I carry the revolver because it's more reliable, no limp wrist, no stove pipes.

Good for you. Can't go wrong with a J-frame; only disadvantage is they are more difficult to shoot well. Once you get past that, you'll be all set.

 

[Malkovich]

I carry both revolvers and semi autos, and when small size matters that includes J frames and .380s.

But...care needs to be taken to ensure a hollow point will perform well in both .38 Special and .380 ACP, particularly in short barrels.

.380 ACP takes a big hit in velocity as barrel lengths get shorter, far more of a hit than 9mm Luger. Similarly, a 2" .38 won't produce the same velocity as a 4".

In general most hollow points designed for .380 ACP that will both expand and penetrate 12+ inches (90 gr XTPs, 90 gr Gold Dots, 90 gr V-Crowns) need a muzzle velocity of at least 1000-1050 fps for reliable performance and adequate pentration.

Consequently, if I carry a .380 ACP it iss far more likely to be a 3.8" Beretta or a 4" Baby Rock, than a 2.75" Kimber Micro or 2.7" Sig 238. At 3.2" the Glock 42 falls on the short side of the aisle.

The longer barrels will give a solid 1025-1050 fps with reliable expansion and 12-13" penetration. The short barrels top out around 950-975 fps and that is just not quite enough.

Similarly, .38 Special loads that do well in a 4" revolver often don't impress in a 2" revolver. You can get by with a bit less veliocity in the .38 Special hollow points but in my personal experience you better have 900-925 fps, regardless of brand. In a 2" barrel that means .38+P, and then at least check to confirm your velocity with a chronograph if you cant do gel testing.

A 3" barrel really helps, and it's the sweet spot in my opinion for a concealed carry revolver. (For .357 Mag you really need a 3" barrel for enough ballistic efficiency to exceed .38+P velocities by enough to matter.)

You may be right about the science, however the purpose of a short barreled 380 or snubbie is the concealment aspect. One cannot argue concealing 4" barrel on either (380 or 38) is not practical for most.
Therefore maybe the argument could slant towards ammo choices and which ammo better serves the carrier of the shorties.