Would You Ever Swap Out your "J" for One of the Small Autos?

Have switched to a small auto for pocket carry several times, and have always switched back to a J frame. Just my kind of gun.
 
I'll switch to a PPK/S or PP now and then (mostly with a suit and a shoulder holster.

But for anything smaller the answer isn't just no but "hell no".
 
I have a five gun rotation that includes a couple autos. It all depends on where I am at..... home, work, desert, mountains, suburbs, city, high crime area, place where I need to be discrete..... to work with what manner of dress I have on at the time..... When I am home in my day to day it is usually whatever tickles my fancy for the day because all of them are lightweight. I prefer the Cobra or the P3AT but all of them are so easy to grab I never leave them even if I need to run to the store for milk or something.

All loaded weights:

Beretta Nano = 23.3 oz w 6+1 rds 115gr Corbon DPX +P 9mm

Ruger LCR = 19.7 oz w/ 5 rds Speer GDHP 158gr 357

Colt Cobra = 18.6 oz w/6 rds Speer GDSB 135+P 38 special

Keltec P3AT = 11.4 oz w/ 6+1 90gr Buffalo Bore Speer GDHP "+P" .380

Charter Bulldog = 21.7 oz w/ 5 200gr Speer GDHP 44 Special


Right now I am getting ready to go to the big city a few hours away for the weekend so the 6+1 Beretta Nano 9mm and a couple 8 rd backup mags will work for me.

I do not own any J-frames but I consider the Charter big bore, Colt D frame and Ruger LCR 357 pretty much in the same wheelhouse.










 
I love J frames, but they have been relegated to "nostalgia" with the development of the reliable small 9mm auto and the latest generation of really good 9mm ammo.

Here is a G19 and a 642 compared. And, the G19 is capable of accurate firing at longer distances and carries the same amount of ammo as three J frames. If the G19 is still too big, you still get better capacity, etc., with the Shield/G43 class of pistols.
 

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  • Glock 19 under S&W 642.jpg
    Glock 19 under S&W 642.jpg
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I would have said no until I bought a Kahr CW 40. It shoots as well as my 36 and recovery time is minimal between shots.
 
I love J frames, but they have been relegated to "nostalgia" with the development of the reliable small 9mm auto and the latest generation of really good 9mm ammo.

Here is a G19 and a 642 compared. And, the G19 is capable of accurate firing at longer distances and carries the same amount of ammo as three J frames. If the G19 is still too big, you still get better capacity, etc., with the Shield/G43 class of pistols.

Aww, let's be fair. Here's another view of the two. Let's do three dimensional if you are going to talk comparisons. Magazines have grown bigger, and the mythologies that surround them.

64019pb_zpspjvtst4k.jpg


What is one's nostalgia, may be another's reality. In terms of carrying size, my Colt Commander beats that G19 hands down. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the G19; I carried one in Iraq and was impressed. I carry one today. I often carry my Commander, and even my old Granddad's Government model from time to time. But I still love my 640 and carry it most often!
 
I love J frames, but they have been relegated to "nostalgia" with the development of the reliable small 9mm auto and the latest generation of really good 9mm ammo.

Here is a G19 and a 642 compared. And, the G19 is capable of accurate firing at longer distances and carries the same amount of ammo as three J frames. If the G19 is still too big, you still get better capacity, etc., with the Shield/G43 class of pistols.

Shawn, as much as I enjoy your posts, I must respectfully disagree.

J-frames have not been relegated to the status of "curiosities" by the advent of pocket autos. Quite the opposite, in fact. With a much simpler manual of arms and the ability to fire heavier rounds if desired, the snub nosed revolver is versatile and still holds its own in a world now arguably dominated by more "tacticool" handguns.

I would also like to point out that the G19 is a compact, not a pocket auto. As a matter of fact, it qualifies as a service-sized pistol. It's also a double stack design as opposed to a single stack, which adds considerably to its bulk. I can tell you from personal experience that having carried both a G19 and a J-frame, the former can be a pain to dress around even with a proper belt and holster. Not so with the venerable J-frame; for me, just a T-shirt is more than adequate. If you can carry a G19 without these issues my hat goes off to you, but what works for one does not necessarily work for everybody.

Like the snub nose, pocket autos are a compromise. Yes, you're gaining a few rounds, but you're doing it at the cost of diminished terminal ballistics. That "3 inch" barrel is actually closer to 2" by virtue of the fact that part of that length includes the chamber. Additionally, like the .38 Special, there are not very many 9mm rounds specifically designed to expand and adequately penetrate when fired from shorter than service length barrels. As I've said before, it's really a matter of six of one and half a dozen of the other.

So take your pick. Snub nosed revolver or pocket auto? Both are easy to carry but each has its own drawbacks. It all boils down to personal preference and what "works" best for the individual.
 
j-frame or small auto

The j-frame is a great, easily hidden revolver. I have 2, and carried one every day of a 30 year career on PD. Owned many different ones over the years. It's tough to beat. But there are good small autos out there that are just as good, based only on your needs or preferences. My favorite is the Glock 43. Although sometimes hard to find, it is an excellent and easy to conceal auto in 9mm. However, the j-frame is still a great standby and always dependable. Although not great at long distances, for personal defense, it really is hard to beat.
 
While a 3913 is my everyday carry.......95% of the time......... if I have. and have to go to my 337PD..... I will be in a SLOTrouble...... and I "trust" 5 rounds of .38s in a J-frame revolver...... more than any pocket .32,.380 or 9mm I've owned or can buy in today's marketplace.
 

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