Suggestions for a new bowhunting gun

[norad45]

It's legal here for permit-holding bowhunters to carry a firearm and I do so, more for human threats than animal. Up until now I've been carrying a Sig P239 in .40, which I love everything about except the weight (29 oz), which is a lot for a compact gun. This is what I'm looking for:

Snubnose Revolver
.357/.38
5 shot ok
Pre lock or no lock
Exposed hammer (SA/DA)
Ultralight (preferably under 15 oz. unloaded, the lighter the better)

I'm thinking that something like this must have been made in the relatively recent past, probably just a couple of years before the introduction of the lock. Can anyone steer me in the direction of the correct model number(s)?

 

[valkyriekl]

Sounds like a...
637 (.38 SPL, 5-shot, light-weight 15oz alloy frame, exposed hammer),
638 (.38 SPL, 5-shot, light-weight 15oz alloy frame, shrouded hammer),
60 (.357 Magnum, 5-shot, 23oz stainless steel frame, exposed hammer), or
649 (.357 magnum, 5-shot, 23oz stainless steel frame, shrouded hammer)...
will work for you.

The blued versions:
Model 36 (.38 SPL, 5-shot, steel frame, exposed hammer),
37 (.38 SPL, 5-shot, steel frame, exposed hammer),
38 (.38 SPL, 5-shot, alloy frame, shrouded hammer),
49 (.38 SPL, 5-shot, steel frame, shrouded hammer).

You could also look into the new scandium 3xx/Night Guard series of revolvers, but those will all have locks...

 

[RidgwayCO]

My M638-2 (no lock) weighs 14 oz unloaded. It's usually stoked with Remington .38 Special +P 158gr LSWC-HP ammo (or Speer's 158gr LSWC-HP loaded to similar ballistics). It's DA/SA, and with the shrouded hammer you can shoot it from your pocket if necessary. Nice pocket gun, if I don't want to carry the M296...

 

[norad45]

Looks like the 637 comes the closest because of the fully-exposed hammer. I would still like to get one in .357 though, darn it. Maybe the .38 in +P will get me close enough. Thanks, and if you can think of any others please keep 'em coming.

 

[Repellere]

You're not going to find any pre-lock 357s under 15 oz and none of the pre-lock 38s are going to be less than 15 oz loaded except for a 342.

 

[suckersrus]

I recently bought a 360PD. I replaced the lock with the plug.
I found it to be very accurate so I am glad I got the hammer model (340PD is the hammerless model) which allows single-action shooting.

It stings a bit with full 357 loads but I can shoot 2 cylinders full before it really hurts.

I can carry it in sweater pocket without it pulling it down. I wanted something so light I would never leave it at home but still have enough power for anything on the farm or in town.

I'm trying to locate a supply of the Gold Dot SB ammo.

I like this little shooter so much I am thinking of buying a spare.

 

[caribouhunter]

I went looking on a similar quest last year and ended up over-riding the same "no-lock" criteria. I also have a Sig 239 40S&W but wanted something more foot pounds of energy to protect me with. The S&W 357PD (41 mag) was what I ended up with. I found it worth while to look outside the criteria slightly and investigate some of the newer models with the lock but in the light weight frames.

 

[norad45]

Besides my Sig P239 (29 oz), I have a 29-8 MG (34.5 oz with the lock) or a Colt Combat Elite (39 oz) that I could carry. It sure seems like there are a lot of handguns with a ton more oomph!, as long as you are willing to pack the weight. In fact, it occurred to me that I'd be better off packing the 29-8 Mountain Gun I already own if I didn't mind the lock and didn't mind an extra 5.5 oz. But I want something lighter, and lock-less if I can get it.

 

[norad45]

I found it to be very accurate so I am glad I got the hammer model (340PD is the hammerless model) which allows single-action shooting.

That's what I like about the exposed hammer. Maybe I'm crazy, but there's something comforting about SA in the outdoors.