Typically, when I decide to pocket holster a small 5-shot revolver, it's usually one of my 642-1's or M&P 340's. (I own a pair each model.) Sometimes my 37-2DAO or my older .38SPL 649 Bodyguard.
It's been a long time since I tried to pocket holster a 3" nickel 36 or a 2.25" SP101DAO, back in the day when I used to have a favorite insulated vest with large cargo side pockets. The SP101DAO went away, though, when I finally gave in to my brother, who's wanted to buy it for many years. A quick trip to a local FFL and it became his, and he's ecstatic to own it and carry it. It was (and is) a great all-steel .357MAG snub, but it was just too heavy for my retirement interests. If I want to carry something that heavy I'll grab my 3" 65 or 4" Service-Six.
Come to think of it, I also used to own and carry a pair of early production Charter Arms 3" Bulldogs (blued & stainless) in the same puffy vest cargo pocket back then, using a cutaway soft suede holster as a pocket holster. I eventually rid myself of both of the Bulldogs, though, due to some misc functioning issues. I kept the stainless the longest, but finally tired of letting the factory continue trying to resolve a basic functioning problem (hammer/trigger unpredictably seized in both live & dry-fire).
The M&P 340's are the lightest of my J's, which also means they have the most felt recoil. I seldom like to load Magnum ammo in them anymore, and mostly stick to some different P and standard pressure loads for both range and carry.
The standard pressure loads include Fed 110gr Hydra-Shok, Winchester 110gr STHP and Hornady 110gr FTX. I picked up some boxes of Hornady American Gunner 125gr a while back, as a backup because the Fed & W-W loads were getting harder to find. The standard pressure loads were mostly set aside for use in my pristine 37-2DAO, but they handle so well and produce such nice accuracy that I started using the latest version (Hornady 110gr FTX) in my 642's and M&P 340's. I'm of the "fast, controllable and accurate shot strings" philosophy when it comes to my 5-shot snubs.
Sure, I still have a stock of both Speer 135gr +P and Winchester RA38B 130gr +P (same as the PDX1 130gr +P load, but in a plain Ranger 50-rd box versus the glitzy 20-rd box). I even have a supply of older Rem & W-W 158gr LSWCHP/LHP +P put back, as it used to be my favorite load in Steel J's and 642-1's rated for +P, and some older odds & ends. (W-W 147gr .38 SPL +P JHP, Fed Nyclad 158gr +P and W-W 125gr STHP +P come to mind, last time I looked in my ammo cabinets. Might be some other leftovers from earlier times.)
Matter of fact, I'll be slipping one of my M&P 340's in a UM pocket holster into my jean's front pocket later this afternoon when I run over the hill on some business, with speedstrip of 5 extra rounds. Each time I take one of my J's to my former agency's range, I once again realize and appreciate why they've long been one of my favorite choices for off-duty, and now retirement, CCW use.
Gotta work at staying proficient with them, though. The very attributes that make them so useful and attractive for CCW also make them harder to shoot.
