Suggest a .38 home gun for older gentleman

[revolvergeek]

I like a 2" - 3" k or L frame for this kind of duty. A 2" 10/15/64 would be ideal; short enough to shove in a pocket if he had to, but with a bigger frame to dampen recoil, good trigger and way better sights than typical j-frame.

 

[Fchewy]

I would want something that i could have on me all the time because you never know when you are going to need it and there ain't no time-out's while you go to the other side of the house to get it. J- Frame.

 

[mbliss57]

4" model 10 or 64. Simple and effective.

 

[Super Dave]

Well, all our discussions didn't have one bit of influence.

He has decided on a Ruger LCR 5415.
Ruger® LCR® Double-Action Revolver Model 5415

I'll look forward to checking it out.

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[Cal44]

Well, all our discussions didn't have one bit of influence.

He has decided on a Ruger LCR 5415.
Ruger® LCR® Double-Action Revolver Model 5415

I'll look forward to checking it out.

Thanks again,
Dave

Still, he made a good choice.

I have an LCR also and it's a keeper.

Mine is a 357, buy I've only shot 38 special in it.

The LCR 357 is slightly heavier and has a stainless steel frame around the cylinder (plus a polymer grip frame).

 

[Mule88]

A 3 or 4 inch 13 or 65 would be more versatile as he could choose between 357 or 38.

 

[fdw]

Well, all our discussions didn't have one bit of influence.

He has decided on a Ruger LCR 5415.
Ruger® LCR® Double-Action Revolver Model 5415

I'll look forward to checking it out.

Thanks again,
Dave

Good choice, I own the LCR in 38 and 22. Very pleased with them!

 

[jtcarm]

I'm on board with the M10, but there is one advantage to a 2" vs 4": It is harder for a bad guy to snatch out of your hand.

Massad Ayoob once wrote that when training LEOs, he could snatch a 1911 that was pointed at him from just about any LEO by grabbing below the barrel and levering it up and back towards them to break their grip, then pull back, all before they could drop the hammer.

On the other hand, even the tiniest female officers could retain a 2" M36, because there's nothing to grab.

Granted, Ayoob is an expert who has perfected the move, but it may be a consideration for a gentleman whose reflexes and grip strength aren't what they once were.

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

I will be 70 in September, and every work day I strap up and jump(well get into) my 2013 Charger PPV and hit the road. Sometimes when some 30 year old kid asks where I got my sidearm, I tell him it belonged to General Custer and I was the only one who got away. Sometimes I think they believe me. M64 RB pencil barrel with the "FBI/Chicago" load 158 gr SWC HP +P. It has worked several times for me in the past, worked very well indeed. Used to pack a BHP but all that 9mm ammo got heavy after a while and over a half century career never used more than 4 shots in serious social discourse. Of course having an 870 and an M4(real one) sitting next to me in a vertical rack does provide a little extra comfort.

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

OK, I'll admit it, at the end of a 10 hour shift, I do creak a little getting out of the car.

 

[BingoFuel]

Scooter seems to me to have the exact correct answer. I'm about his age and definitely have seen strength and fine muscle control degradation as compared to my teen-age or twenty-something physique.
The 686 4" (either SSR or plain) has the mass to ensure greater comfort, surely is not a pocket gun but is small enough to handle and point quickly and stable enough to shoot without a learned hitch and to get a second shot on target with some reasonable speed. It is pricier than some of the other suggestions and I respect Marine family member but there seems to be a disconnect between defined use and recommendations.
B

I would suggest a 4 inch 686. Stainless steel so it has a higher level of tolerance for humid conditions. In addition you have the availability of the 7 shooter and in a house gun an extra round or two would be a bit comforting. Finally that full underlug barrel will reduce muzzle flip and it's weight will reduce recoil, both of which are likely to be critical to an older person.

Fact is that I can't think of a worse suggestion for someone in their 70's that one of the J frames suggested by others. What you can shoot with relative comfort at 20 or 30 is something that can feel like a wrist breaker when you get older. I also just don't understand the appeal of pocket carry. If you are in your own home use a belt holster and you'll have your weapon at hand in a holster that is vastly faster to draw from than any pocket.

Go ahead and call me "ageist". I don't know of one single 70 year old with the wrist strength they had when they were 30 or the ability to drive a golf ball as far as they could when they were younger. When you age your body changes in ways that usually mean you have limitations. I'm only 58 and I've already discovered that heavier handguns are a whole lot more comfortable to shoot and far less likely to lead to pain the day after a range outing.

 

[pace40]

I have 2 observations about this 3 page thread...

1st..........The OP specifically asked for a .38 not .38 special.
The correct answer is a 38 DA...

2nd....After said 3 pages of discussion on the S&W Forum, the gun of choice is a Ruger...

Geesh

 

[smokey04]

Interesting thread. I have been "researching" this problem for nearly a year[my wife thinks I'm crazy]. The problem I set out to research was for people that live in the "Badlands" of our country[usually big cities] who worry about home invasions.I'm nearly 70 years old and I am a great fan of the Colt[oh,dear, did I say that?]Commander[Lwt],CCO, Officers Mod. ,or Defender.But if a.38 is the desired gun I nominate any S&W with a shrouded or internal hammer or a Colt Dick Spl. If you live where you feel you need to be armed all day,every day, in your home, I have found the Colt Agent[the revolver,NOT the New Agent] or Cobra to be ideal in a Galco Miami Classic shoulder holster. Remember,we "oldsters" visit the toilet more than our younger friends and dressing down and back up gets old.Another option I really like is the S&W Mod. 60-15. [3" .357 Mag.] I don't like the "lock" but I've had no problems so far. You won't want to shoot this cannon with maggies but it gives you the option of everything from.38 target wad cutters up to +P+ and Mags., if you can stand it.I'm glad I don't live where I have to be armed every minute of every day but, the formula seems to be the heaviest caliber in the lightest gun, with the most convenient and comfortable carry system that will fit your life style. I do hope this is helpful, if not insightful.Regards, Nick