.38 snub or .380 pocket

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Tonight I was wearing an XD9 service AIWB under a shirt, a sweatshirt, and an open winter coat while out and about for a spell after work. When I got home, I unloaded the XD and reloaded it with dummy rounds for some draw practice. Every draw involved clearing the coat with the strong hand and then lifting the two shirts with the weak hand to expose the handgun. Then grip and draw, of course.

I suppose all of this could be fast-ish with practice, but it doesn't feel fast to me.

However, drawing a snub-nose revolver from the outer coat pocket when your hand is already in that pocket? Blindingly fast.

When my preferred handgun is buried beneath layers during the cold months, I carry a snub in my outer coat pocket that I can keep my hand on while walking around if I choose.
 
Stats and stress are meaningless if youre not prepared in the first place.

Hey I am a classic - :rolleyes: another word for old I guess. Read up on the 1986 Miami gunfight between 8 trained FBI agents and 2 guys armed with a Mini 14 and a shotgun. They were ready, and still... You must be a pretty awesome gunfighter; as for me, I've practiced since the 70's with everything including Class III stuff, but as Eastwood said - "a mans got to know his limitations". I understand mine. I hope all the good guys carry guns of some type.
 
I carry Buffalo Bore standard pressure 158gr LSWCHP in my 442. It should clock about 850fps out of the snub; lead bullets of that weight expand well enough at that speed.
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That's consistent with my chronograph.

+P Buffalo Bore 1004 fps from 640-1 2 1/8" bbl.

standard vel. is 876 fps.

From my 3" M66, they chrono at 932 and 1071 respectively.

From the 1 7/8" 640 or 442, 850 fps would be about right.

Note that standard pressure Buffalo Bore 158 LSWCHP is still hotter than the +P loads from Winchester and Federal back when they were the standard. Winchester +P 158 gr. produced 886fps from my 4" 586 and 932 from a 4" Python.:cool:
 
My little pistol is a Glock 36. Fits my hand nicely, points easily and I like the 45ACP. I carry a Semi-auto on duty, so semi-autos are what I practice with all the time. I even sold a Rohrbaugh because it was too small and trying to bring it on target, in a hurry, under stress was tough. So I decided if I did not own it, I would continue to find a way to hide a bigger handgun.

If I needed to carry something smaller and perhaps in a pocket the 38 snub with concealed hammer would be my choice. I like the data on the Speer Short barrel 135 gr ammo.
 
They were ready, and still...
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Yea, maybe a little over ready and over confidant (cops over confidant, can you imagine that?), some laying their guns on the seat before they came to a stop, and then loosing them when it was a sudden one. Oh well, so much for intense and thorough police training. I suppose they left out the part about people who arent impressesed with badges, were ready, willing, and committed to actually fight, and did things the other side thought would never happen, because you know, according to the stats, they never do. Hopefully, some learned something from it.

You must be a pretty awesome gunfighter; as for me, I've practiced since the 70's with everything including Class III stuff, but as Eastwood said - "a mans got to know his limitations". I understand mine.
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Awesome, maybe, compared to some, more like dedicated to it at a more fanatical level than probably most. Youre absolutely right about knowing your limitations, but that in itself is only limited by you yourself. If you dont push yourself to know what they are, how can you ever know where you stand? If all you do is stand at a bench and shoot little groups at bulls eye targets, I hope you know yours.

Ah, the wonderful world of the NFA. I'm lucky enough to have, and have had a number of squirt guns myself, and got to play with lots of others. The prices these days have really put a damper on things though, havent they? It was so much nicer when they were more reasonable and readily available to everyone. The MP5 is probably the easiest for anyone to shoot and learn to shoot on (kids love it), but the MP40 and M45 are still my all time favorites. Belt feds are a blast too, but arent they all. Great fun and handy tools when you know how they work and when and how to use them. Isnt it amazing though, at how many who claim to have been trained on them, dont have a clue how to use or shoot them? Such a simple technique, yet so hard for some to grasp and understand.

However, drawing a snub-nose revolver from the outer coat pocket when your hand is already in that pocket? Blindingly fast.
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Same goes for the autos. The only disadvantage to them is the function issue if you fire through the pocket. They may or may not work, where the hammerless revolver probably will.

One thing here though, if youre planning on using this method, you have tried it out and do practice it, right? You also have to keep in mind real world distances and reaction times, and if you have allowed the person to get close, draw or try to shoot through, a hand stuck in a pocket, isnt a good thing, and easily avoided and controlled. If you think I'm full of it, get a buddy and try it.

I know we're all "gun people" here, but believe it or dont, there is more to all of this, than just "guns". If you arent up on other things, like your grappling skills, etc, youre going to be behind the curve.

ETA: Not all pocket guns are created equal either. :)

ry%3D400
 
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I like the power/size ratio that a j-frame offers. This is what I carry the most. I'm not really a fan of the .380, especially the pocket sized ones that have both reduced velocities due to extremely short barrels and low capacity. I do carry a .380 on occasion, but it's a Walther PK380 which offers 8+1 and a few other advantages such as low recoil and good handling. It's not a packet though.
 
I own a 442 and an LCP.
I fell "well" armed with either one.
I feel "more" armed with the 442.
However, I feel "even better" armed with my CW9.

The LCP (for me) serves a different purpose than the 442. It's more of a gun for "when you don't feel like carrying a gun" or when other factors prevent you from carrying a different.

All three get carried (one at a time) in my rotation depending on where I'm going, what I'm doing, how I'm dressed, et cetera. The 442/CW9 have alot of cross over but the LCP is different and fills it's own niche.

If I could only have one of them, it would be the 442.
 
Originally posted by AK103K
And I'll bet you practice with that a LOT too.
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Just out of curiosity, where did you find a ready supply of 127grn +P+ Winchester Rangers at a low enough price to practice regularly with? I haven't been able to find any of that particular ammo in two or three years, and even before that it was usually $30/box or more.
 
I tend to prefer a J-frame over any .380 pistol.

Then again, I can shoot the J-frame relatively well, being a long time revolver shooter.

The relative merits and disadvantages of the various models & weights of the J-frame, and other brands of 5-shot diminutive revolvers, is something for folks to carefully consider. In the S&W line you can go from steel, to aluminum Airweight, to Scandium aluminum frame/titanium cylinder Airlites ... and the shooting experience & overall controllability can vary quite a bit.

Now, factor in the difference in shooting standard pressure .38 S&W Spl, or +P, or even .357 Magnum in some models, and the experience can really start to vary.

Personally, I prefer to carry +P in the J-frames I have rated for it, even in my M&P 340 (although it's chambered for Magnum). Why? Because I can shoot various +P loads quickly, with good recoil management, with good accuracy and fast followup shots in various demanding drills. It's harder using the magnum loads, so I like to stick with +P loads (although I use standard pressure loads in a 37-2 Airweight I picked up a few years ago).

Now, while I won't commonly disparage another individual's choice in lawfully carried concealed handguns, I will offer the strictly personal observation that in the 20 years I've worked as a firearms instructor I've seen far more feeding & functioning issues occur with folks using .380's than I ever have with folks using 5-shot revolvers. Far more.
 
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Just out of curiosity, where did you find a ready supply of 127grn +P+ Winchester Rangers at a low enough price to practice regularly with?
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For practice, I mostly use reloads that are loaded pretty close in power. They shoot same POA and the gun feels the same when you shoot either of them.

I do shoot a box or so of the Winchesters each month too. Lately, Ive been getting them here at a good price and so far, they have been steady. Good to deal with too.

www.sgammo.com
 
Granted, it was only 5 yds...

.... but still, a 442 can do this (50rds)... and I have very little time shooting snubbies (I've only owned this one for about a week).

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This group was fired using the iron sights, not the laser.
 
AK - I surrender - it made me tired just to read about all that.
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"If you arent up on other things, like your grappling skills, etc, youre going to be behind the curve."
What curve? As busy as my life is, and at my age I'll leave the grappling to the young Rambos. I'll just carry my little gun, practice when I can and hope I never need to use it; I don't need a rope or hook to shuffle in and out of Burger King. If things get that bad I'll throw up the Batsignal - maybe one of you guys will drop out of the sky and save me? :rolleyes:
 
Its been awhile since I fell out of the sky, although, of late, I've been wanting to try out the snowboard thing. Always looked like fun. :)

As far as the curve thing, like I said earlier, this is a gun board, and guns seem to be the only answer when it comes to solving everything scary. If you really believe that..... dont worry about it, have another double Whopper.

Oh, you want fries with that? Super size, right? :)
 
Not a pocket gun fan but i did have a S&W 442 with crimson trace grips for awhile & it preformed 100% - I guess if i wanted to carry one that one would be way up on my list :cool:
 
snowboard thing

:eek: - AK I'll stick to safe activities like guns, motorcycles and jet skis - for physical stuff - tennis anyone? (hey I told you I would run :))
 
Im better off with the parachute and snowboard than I am with motorcycles. Hope youre wearing your leathers and full face, they work, trust me on that part. Still hurts though. :)

Oh, and you can go faster on the bike than you can fall out of the sky, but bullets will beat both. :D
 
AK - you crack me up - I get on my old Harley and just putt around town - I ain't jumpin out of a perfectly good airplane
 
I do shoot a box or so of the Winchesters each month too. Lately, Ive been getting them here at a good price and so far, they have been steady. Good to deal with too.

www.sgammo.com
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You must have ordered a large quantity a while back, they don't have that particular loading now.
 
I ordered 5 boxes about a month or so ago, and they still had quite a few boxes listed at the time. Then again, they are one of the few places I've found that will sell them to the general public, and Ive seen others list them on the different boards, so maybe thaey had a panic run. :)

Keep checking back, they've always seem to have it when I go there, I'm sure they will have more soon if they are out. Price is pretty good too, about $25 for a box of 50.
 
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