Step up from J-Frame?

[31FordA]

A 2" or 3" K frame is a good choice. I carry a 2" 64 or a 3" 65 at work, and carry a 2" 12 off duty. I'm also a fan of the 3" GP-100, having carried one on the job for years. I recently saw a 2.5" GP-100, was tempted to buy it but I had just bought two 3" Model 65's. When I went back the GP-100 was gone. I think it was a TALO special run gun. A D frame Colt is also worth looking at, I carried a 1950 vintage Detective Special on and off duty for a while. I really like the SP-101 also, have carried one for years.

 

[MTKTM]

Probably my all-time favorite revolver for EDC is a 1980 vintage 66 2.5" Perfect balance, very accurate, six rounds, heavy enough to make shooting 38s like shooting a 22, and 357s manageable, but not so heavy it is unduly uncomfortable to carry all day.

I have a pair of K6Ss, a 2" and a 3". I like them both a lot too.

I got into a (relatively friendly) argument with a guy in another forum who wanted to ressurect the 100 year old semi-auto versus revolver debate with me. He claimed, among other things, that the cylinder of even a J-frame revolver created a "thick spot" making concealment difficult, compared to a small semi which was thinner than the cylinder. I tried to explain that my experience is that concealing a revolver is far easier because, even though you have that one thick spot, the whole gun isn't thick like most semis, and that is what makes them tough to conceal IMHO. I would reather try to conceal a baseball than a brick. I am gratified to see that others have experienced the same phenomenon.

 

[eb07]

I've been carrying a 642 appendix for a few years, it's comfortable and easy to conceal, I'm a decent shot with it, and it's been 100% reliable.

Lately I've been trying to carry my P30SK to have more capacity with something I shoot far more accurately. It's been incredibly uncomfortable and doesn't conceal well and I can't find a way to carry it that works.

Last night for ****s and giggles I tried carrying my 4" 686+ appendix and it actually was far MORE comfortable and concealable than any semi-auto I've ever tried.

I don't want to carry the 4" for its size and weight, but wondering what would be a better intermediate option between a 642 and a 686? I think the 2.5" 686 would still be too heavy for all day appendix carry.

I have been carrying a 4" model 19 appendix for the past few months. I'm sold on it.

 

[TomkinsSP]

^^^4" tube has a much longer sight radius than a 2", much easier to shoot accurately.^^^

 

[Flyingfool]

What statistics, do you have a link?

NO longer have the link. But it was a study done of poloce shootings in both PA and Detroit. Both were large studies. If I recall was well more than a year and over 1,000 shooting incidents.

Closer than 10 feet the hit lercentwge went up but still had more than 50% miss. Bu this time the distance was 20' or more it was higher than 80% as I recall.

I know a lot of police are not tun people and do not train more than absolutely necessary. But still the average poloce officer still shoots WAY more than average person who carries. So population wise I think the hit rate would be similar.

The difference is adrenaline. When that hits your body lots of physical reactions occurr. Of which NO one can control. Adrenaline WILL cause muscle tremors and shaking. Audio and visual fixation and exclusion occur.

Certainly the more training and muscle memory the better. The more realistic and stressful training to best simulate and induce stress and increased heart rate the better. But extremely small percentage of people train this way. The people who do, they will undoubtably have a much higher hit rate. But I would believe that is probably less than 5% of the people who carry.

 

[Mr. Blenderson]

I've been reading a lot about all these models, at this point I'm leaning towards either a 2.5" Model 19 or a 2.5" 686+.

The 686+ is only 4oz more though? Seems like a no-brainer over the 19 in that case.

 

[joespapa]

I'm surprised no one has recommended a Model 12 snubbie. They weight just a bit more than an Airweight J but carry an extra round.

You might try carrying the 686 for a week or two to see if you acclimate to it. I carry a 3" 629 everyday, and often I carry it AIWB. I know it's there, but it certainly not "too heavy".

I carry a 2" model 12 AIWB in a Bell Charter Oak and it's heaven!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bobbysixkiller]

A model 10 2 inch barrel. Mine has a bobbed hammer. I carry it most of the time. I would think a 13 with a 3 inch barrel would be nice too but I haven't got my hands on one yet to try.

 

[BC38]

If it doesn't have to be S&W then I'd suggest a Taurus 617Ti. It is a 7-shot titanium 357 with a 2 inch barrel. Lighter than your 686, and more concealable too. It is a K sized frame, with a J sized grip, and an L sized cylinder. Sounds kind of odd, but it works. I don't know if he still has it but Dr. Mordo had an all steel one he was offering for sale recently.

 

[EMP3]

Considering the purpose of a belly gun, I can't find a thing to not like about the Model 60. It's lighter & smaller than K-Frame revolvers.

If I were to buy another S&W self-defense handgun, it'd be a Performance Center 1911 3" 9MM. But S&W won't do battle with CA's handgun Nazis who determine handguns suitable for sale to We, the People.