Why NOT to Carry a .38 Snub

[NYlakesider]

long sorry!

I carry a dinky little .38. Heck is even a low capacity 5 shot and not loosing sleep over it. I'm 74 been carrying a gun for close to 50 years now. You know what I have never fired it in anger and good chance I never will. Yes I have been in a few rather interesting situations!

My now carried .38 is small light and I just grab it as I head out the door. If a situation I'm in gets critical enough that I shoot it hope my years of preparation and for the most part figuring out what I will do or not do will come in handy.

I'm not a cop, not going to jump in something I realy should not be in. Watch my six (and other numbers) as I have developed a good case of street smarts over the years. Yes all situations are different and I'm in the middel of something like a idiot shooting up a shopping center I might reassess my position.

I have carried well over 15 different guns as a CCW. That goes for my little Ruger LCR.38 that is right next to me as I type this.

Have carried 3 different .380s, a model 29 4''with reasonable ammo. A few other .38s K frame size and a couple .357s 4'' and two different full size 1911s .45s and a smaller one. I definitely have a lot of time "walking heavy"!

 

[Donn]

It isn't often when one post can trigger two groups, the snub fans and the capacity crowd. He is right in one respect. A D/A revolver, especially a snub, is a gun best suited to an experienced shooter. Even then, it takes time and effort to become skilled with one. Then we have the capacity crowd, who not only mock those who carry J frames, but also those who carry single stack autos. Personally, I haven't concerned myself with capacity since I left Vietnam. If a spare mag or two speedloaders isn't enough, I'd better not leave the house.

 

[hyena]

I will be leaving for my morning walk in a few minutes. Armed as always with my 642. My only regret is I'll be leaving five minutes later than I otherwise would have, because I wasted them reading that article.

 

[rich5674]

Not feeling undergunned

Whenever I do any kind of shooting I bring a snub nose to practice. I rarely carry but when I do it has +p 110 to 135gn ammo with proven track record.
I practice with this ammo too.
Many times just the presence of a gun stops the crime.
Once my 442 is in their face they can see the hollow points

 

[robertrwalsh]

I think it is a load of opinionated noise. ANY choice in a concealed carry SD weapon will have compromises. An INTELLIGENT evaluation of those choices will bring you to what is a reasonable conclusion for you under your circumstances. Generally speaking (obviously there are exceptions) a private citizen concealed carry is NOT going out looking for bad guys, unlike a cop. He is unlikely to come across a mob of opponents. Most people, including most bad people, don't want to get shot. A .38 out of a snubby will do the job IF you can hit with it. It can be reloading reasonably quickly IF you practice a bit. A MISS with a .44 mag is, IMHO, likely to be less effective than a hit with a .38 special. I carried a Colt DS for years, still carry it on occasion. I have pulled it twice, had to use it once. One shot did the job, because I hit what I was shooting at.

 

[oldiegoldie]

after looking at his picture and surmising i've go a sock drawer full of socks older than this guy, i moved on. i can remember being that age [most days] and full of knowledge that just wasn't true.

 

[Johnnu2]

Looking at his credentials, I would guess he doesn't have much 'combat' time.... )))
Somebody PLEASE tell him that you don't need accuracy in a real (civilian) life and death situation.
Personally, I feel more comfortable with revolver reliability .......
IMHO of course,
J

 

[lawandorder]

Bless that young Feller's heart. Maybe one day he will learn the truth about some things.

 

[K Frame Keith]

It worked! Mission accomplished! He needed to write an article, get it published and get paid. Larry

Exactly. Just like 99% of internet content.

 

[WCCPHD]

All about opinion

He has his, I have mine, everyone else has theirs. I doubt many people's opinions will be changed due to his article.

I had an old friend, who sadly is gone now. He worked as the investigator for the NC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner his entire career. He saw more gunshot victims than just about anyone in the state. He was also a gun guy. He had several opinions that I respected due to what he had seen.

First, you need a gun. Any gun is better than no gun.

Second, a small caliber, i.e. a 22, 25 or 32 will kill a person. The issue is how long it takes and how much damage can the person do while dying.

Third, when asked what caliber to use for law enforcement he opined that something that was reliable and fired a bowling ball. The larger the better.

Lastly, in reference to gun writers, he said that unlike academic research the body of knowledge is greatly limited and most articles simply regurgitate or repackage what is already out there OR it is simply an opinion. He said the most helpful gunwriter articles simply described new products, and these had to be taken with a grain of salt as many gunwriters are prejudiced or are paid/compensated to guide readers to their sponsor's products.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

My first instinct is to label him an idiot. However, I am going to just label him as inexperienced.

I have been shot at a couple of times and I have only returned fire one time. I don’t think I have earned the gunfighter status but I have experienced enough to know I must always be armed. I have been in the general vicinity of a shooting more times than I care for. Here is why I carry a 38 j frame. The old five shots for sure theory; five shots without a doubt. I know I am almost as likely to get five shots reliably from a Glock or even a shield but that is it what I am implying. I am more likely to have a 442 on me all the time. There is no platform I can as effectively put the first round on target as quickly as a j frame either. I have a 442 on my side and I have not even gotten fully dressed yet. I bet this fool only carries 75% of the time at best. I haven’t stepped foot outside my house unarmed in years. Even during undercover operations I have had a 442 in deep concealment. Ok, maybe the 38 is marginally effective but it is still effective. Even he compares it to the 9mm, I think the 9mm is more effective though, but the 9mm has a pretty good track record.

 

[growr]

Ken Hackathorn....known to many on the forum once told me that a J frame is a professionals gun.

Too many well meaning men introduce their ladies to the world of handguns with a J frame and then wonder why the ladies don't want to shoot it anymore....

I tend to agree with Ken on this.

Randy

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

grant.......is full of processed food.

 

[OLDSTER]

Another You-Tube expert. Police forces around the world, as well as armed forces carried revolvers in .38 Special for over a hundred years. The manufacturers and gun magazines love all the late gun hype ( the pistol per week crowd). But each to his own ( like all us old guys). I think I'll go clean my 1911 and Hi-Power. Seriously, I've carried either a CA Undercover or S&W Chiefs Special cross draw in this old Hunter, for years when driving. So I really show my age and get the "HUH ?" looks from the youngsters at the range

 

[BlackAgnes]

I wonder how many folks use their sights in a self-defense situation?

 

[OLDSTER]

I wonder how many folks use their sights in a self-defense situation?

IMO none ( that survive). In a panic driven adrenaline rush there's no time to use sights, unless you've got the demeanor and time to take aim at 20 yards plus; then ya go to jail.

 

[Old Corp]

I carry probably too many different guns - perhaps being a combo gun geek and a little ADD maybe, dunno.
But - having my own range, I'm fortunate to train and drill with all of them.

Will say that for me, and my experiences in LE and as an instructor, the family of snub revolvers are the least forgiving as far as training and practice go.

For most - go a long time without time on the range with your snub, and good hits in any time-set not using a calendar go way down.
That short sight radius, small frame and remaining adept at DA shooting all conspire to mess with you badly.

Apply some dedication to keeping up with range time with your snub, and they're great for what they're intended for.

 

[jimbo728]

Long before that guy was born the .38 spl was the mainstay of LE and civilians alike. That writer is a legend in his own mind.
Jim

 

[pawngal]

I do agree with him on one point. The double action only J frame (or LCR) is not an ideal first gun for a woman. Neither is a sub-compact nine. My recommendation for new women shooters is a Charter Arms, slightly larger than most J frames and the price point is good.
Myself I'm a revolver shooter but I don't shoot a J frame well, the old Model 36 was OK. But I'll put my skill with a 2 1/2 inch K frame far above any 9mm I have ever shot.

 

[BC38]

I think the article would have made a more compelling argument if it had been titled: "The .38 snubnose, a gun for skilled shooters"

IMO the .38 snubnose is not the ideal defensive side arm, if such a thing were to exist, but that doesn't mean that it won't do the job. I don't think it's the right choice for the low skills shooter for the very reasons that he cited.

Accuracy- In skilled hands the snub has far more accuracy than many claim and is certainly accurate enough at personal defense distances in skilled hands.

Ballistics - It's not the powerhouse of larger cartridges but with the right loads chosen it has sufficient penetration and at least some expansion to reach the vitals without overwhelming recoil.

Recoil- Again a reason not to chose it for the low skilled or person sensitive to recoil (same for the cartridges he recommends i.e. .357).

Reload speed - Yep, use a speedloader or speed strips and PRACTICE. He comments of reloading with "slippery" cartridges. That's very true of loose rounds. Solve that with the speedloader or speed strip.

There is no one perfect gun for everyone or every scenario. Not the 1911, not the double stack 9mm/40.

While my 642 has been relegated to "sometimes" carry and replaced with my Shield 9mm I am far from defenseless with the 642.

Well said. As the author states, the 38 snub probably isn't the best possible choice for new shooters, or even for anyone who isn't an experienced shooter.

For most people they take more time and practice to shoot well than one of the compact 9mms. Most compact 9s come with better sights. The snubs generally have a shorter barrel. It takes a huge amount of practice to even get close to being as quick to reload - no matter what reloading device you use. And he really didn't even make the capacity argument.

His only points that are really debatable IMO are the ballistics, and the recoil.

To me the key point to remember is he isn't talking about you old hands who've already got 20, 30, 40 years of experience shooting a J frame.

He's talking about new shooters and average shooters who would need years of practice to gain the proficiency you guys already have.

For those groups I think most of his article is right on.