I completely understand. In 1968 I entered law enforcement straight out of college. I was 22 years old and shooting handguns since 16. An early big bore nut, acquired a model 29 and Ruger first series Blackhawk 44mag as well. Still have both and LOTS more. 44 Magnum is the greatest handgun cartridge ever. Recoil is mostly in your mind, if you don’t fear it, you can shoot it extremely well.
Back to 1968, I bought my first ‘Chief Special’ model 37 for the job. The 37 is a lightweight 36. It was a different animal and I experienced the same exact issues you are having. It is arguably the least comfortable handgun to shoot ever. However, it is also nearly 100% reliable, fast handing, easy to conceal and all day carry is a breeze. 60 years later it is still my primary EDC
My ‘solution’ is there is none! All you can do is make modest changes and live with it.
1. As many have suggested here, use 148 grain target ammo exclusively. Yes it still kicks, but your gun weighs only a pound. E=MC2. Gonna happen. Two very good things about the fully flat wadcutter, it strikes full caliber, no expansion required, all energy expended instantly. It uses fast burning powder, little or no muzzle blast, a huge benefit if needed in the dark. I have three of these sweet little guns, my 68’ 37, a 642, and a 342 scandium 11 ounce, my full time ankle carry. These wadcutters shoot perfectly regulated to the factory sights on all three….out to about ten yards.
2. Grips. Larger grips allow a better purchase undoubtedly but you are defeating the reason you bought it and carry it. All mine fit in my front pocket of my jean as is. Larger anything will negate that. Carry in a holster? Might as well get a 2 or 3” K frame.
Solution summary. Your model 36 hammer is a pain in the posterior. Cut it off, or better yet save up for a model 642, arguably Smith’s do it all CCW masterpiece. Grip; best you can do for comfort and concealment. Finish perfect. And with hours of practice, dry firing at the tv, a callus on your trigger finger, you will be hitting center on a paper silhouette at 25 yards with easy. If you get an ankle carry, it will be unnoticeable on your leg after 15 minutes and you will regularly checking it to see if you lost it. De Santis lambs wool and wide elastic. You won’t lose it. You can get to it in five seconds with practice. Find some cover or just run from any confrontation until you can put it. Fast than you think!
Lastly. Don’t shoot it regularly. Why? I ain’t fun. Once a month, box of 50, AND regular dry firing, action smooths, concentrate on front sight….front sight….front sight! Then get a Smith model 29 for the fun range time, 44 specials are soft and accurate. OR the newer, sweet return of the 2 3/4” K frame ‘Combat Magnum’. It is magnificent. Holsters very, very well. Can pocket carry in Dockers, but tighten your belt. Jim
Great comments. The voice of experience right here. Old guys and old guns, making magic.
Very well said, almost a mirror to my life, law enforcement early, J frames, 1972, K frames on duty 1976, model 29 1981 and many bigger and better along the way.
As a young cop shooting full power 357s in a model 19, I asked a veteran officer for tips on handling the recoil of the full power ammo. He reached under the seat of the patrol car and pulled out a gun case with his back up gun, a model 29. You learn to shoot this, 44 mag, and the 357 is not a big deal, lesson learned.
I later carried a 3 inch J frame as a federal investigator, then and even now, I like to show how easy it is to hit gallon jugs at 100 yards. Lots of people are "surprised".
Today one of my favorites is the model 60, 3 inch adjustable sights, what could be more cool. I just put laser grips on it. CT laser grips are terrible for recoil, but as they say, the encounter with the bear, is only seconds, your hand will heal, your missing head, would not.
My point, I have CT laser grips on 4 SW wheel guns. A model 66, 2.5 inch I use to walk out of the woods in cat country at night, the other three, the model 60 and two model 637s, they are carry guns when we travel in the RV, welcome in all states. With critical defense, they kick, so what, we do not shoot them a lot.
Your point, 50 rounds of wadcutters now and again, I agree, but just as well, I have J frames in 22 long rifle, and a similar Taurus, take them the same day, and shoot them, a lot, along side the J frames. One can get very good with a J frame, and 100 yards is doable.
100 yard shooting is simple, me and Elmer Keith can do it, and anyone reading this can too. The trick is single action, of course, and knowing your ammo. I always use the Q load, for the 100 yards, the 130 grain ball ammo rated at 900 fps in a 4 inch gun. You simple learn that the elevation is 1/2 the front post sitting in the the groove. Breath slowly and fire. Before long you will be hitting the gallon jug about 60% of the time.
For $1,000 I will teach you in an afternoon, or you can teach yourself with a couple boxes of ammo the same afternoon. If you have a 6 inch or 4 inch gun, you can start there, or the J frame, does not really matter as long as you have a rest and eyes clear enough to focus on that front sight.
If you want to impress folks forever, take that ammo and some paint and mark the elevation on your front sight that hits the jug at 100 yards. All else equal, you will have about 8 inches drop, about like a 22 long rifle at that distance, maybe a little more. The blue paint depicts the hold for the 100 yards, you might want to use a thin line of gold paint and mark a 50 yard hold or 75 yard hold while you are at it. So, you can hit cans that need killing or impress folks at several distances with the J frame. It is hard to estimate and hold at range with the short radius guns, so little marks on the front sight are helpful, who knew. You only need them there for a half second, just the set the elevation, that's all, but it matters.
This is just the way I invented it for me, you invent whatever works for you. Just do not discount the J frame and 38 special, and any rational distance, such as 100 yards, they are a decisive defense round.
