.38 spl 2" barrel

Any thing from .38 on make great self defense cartridges. As far as a snub nose or a 9mm, which one are you more comfortable with?

I would suggest that you not let cost be your deciding factor. If you are more comfortable with a semi auto, save your money and buy one. A CCW gun that you aren't comfortable with will end up being left at home or sold off to buy one that you are comfortable with.

Selling off a gun to fund a new purchase will generally end up costing you more in the long run than if you would have just bought the gun you wanted in the first place.
 
I have a S&W airweight that I carry on occasion.....the .38 special is plenty of whoop for me...........it will put down most anything necessary among humans no doubt.....

to about 10 feet anyway

:D

but it still comforts me at times. can't hit squat with it though
 
I'd go with the .38...particularly if cost is an issue (isn't it always). Revolvers will digest anything you feed them from light wadcutters for practice to snake shot, to plastic practice rounds, to plus-p's. When buying an autoloader you're always taking the chance that you'll have to go through several hundred rounds, and a lot of dollars, to find a load it will run reliably. I've owned 2 new Commander .45's. One was flawless with most ammo, the other a jamomatic--you never know. Five for sure beats 10 or 12 maybe for me.
 
SW 642

.38 spec hammerless S&W........... there's a model for everyone! I'm also a big fan of the original Bodyguard (humpback) model 38.

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I mainly carry a Glock 26 and a Taurus M85 stainless. I find the .38 far more comfy to carry IWB and I worry about printing far less. The 26 gives a little more confidence with the number of rounds and is a great shooter, but so is the Taurus. I tend to carry the snub when I dress lighter.
 
Ruger LCR .38 spl

This is what I decided to go with and no regrets this thing is awsome. If anyone could recomend a holster it would apreciated.
 

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LCR! Good Choice!

Have you thought about how you want to carry it? On the belt, inside the waistband, or in the pocket? Are you in a locale where your local gun shop has a good selection or will you be buying sight-unseen by mail order?

Ruger has severl choices on their web site: http://shopruger.com/Holsters/products/582/

I bought the Mitch Rosen belt holster first, and I think that's a good place to start. Make sure you also get a good belt though. I also bought a Galco fanny pack which is handy when travelling. My favorite though is a Lobo Gunleather inside the waistband style in horse hide with an offset clip. I wear it in the appendix posistion, which is right in front of the hip. Takes some getting used to though.

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I realy like to find one for the smal of the back...The one inside the waist band I dont thing I could get used to that. So more then likely a good pocket holster, hip or sob would be ideal.
 
willmc33 said:
Badge 851 I thought I was the only one to do my snubbie sites this way. That is awesome, same contrasting colors and everything. I use fluorescent nail polish from wal greens of my wifes. She got a newer orange that they came out with thought that is alot brighter.
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The stuff I use is from Walgreens® also; the brand is called "Sinful Colors". I use #53 "Summer Peach" for the front sight, and #56 "Neon Melon" for the rear sights. Makes a whole world of difference in the flash sight picture!
 
I'd say it's best to ask yourself how you're going to carry the handgun. You can either dress around the weapon or select a weapon for how you dress. I started out dressing around my handgun (platform first, then figure out how to carry it), that meant the pistol stayed home 9 times out of 10.

For me, pocket carry works the best, specifically with a J-frame Airweight. I now carry whenever I leave the house. Pocket carry works with 100% of my clothes and only requires me to slip a holster in my pocket.

I've decided that a j-frame in my pocket is my primary carry. Secondary carry, when wardrobe permits, will be one of my double stacked autos. That said, the j-frame will still be in my front pocket, even when carrying the automatic. That's between 18-21 rounds without reloading, depending on the automatic I carry.

Anyway, I went with an aluminum j-frame because...

- Easier adminstrative handling. (Easier to load, unload, safety check, can be locked in my glove box with nothing covering the trigger when I have to go into "gun free" zones like the post office.)
- Reliability
- Light weight
- I already reload .38 Special, so cheap practice ammo is no issue
- Doubles as a back up gun when I belt carry a large auto.
- Will not malfunction if fired from a front jacket pocket in the winter time, since I'm pocket carrying, it's important to me that the weapon work inside a pocket.
- Multiple close contact shots are possible without jamming.
- .380 seemed too weak.
- The 9mm pocket models around 15 ounces looked promising, while 20 ounce models were too heavy. They didn't offer much more in capacity, though, just two rounds. When it's 6 vs. 15, I tend to lean toward the auto, when it's 5 vs. 7, the argument is less compelling.
- DAO trigger with no safety. I like the trigger pull on my Glock and M&P, but when I carry in my pocket, I prefer a longer, heavier pull.
 
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A .38 cal is more than sufficient for self defense. Bad guys have been stopped by them for many years. Shot placement works.
 
I would go with a 642 or a LC9. It's a matter of preference as to which is better.You really can't go wrong with either. There are a quite a few other good pocket nines out there but they can get pricey.
 
I highly recommend pocket carry. It's the same year-round, so you can develop one set of motions. The best thing is that, if necessary, you can have a grip on your gun without anyone knowing. You're just standing there with your hand in your pocket.:cool:

Even with pocket carry, you still have to make some clothing choices. Tight jeans are OUT! Best are slacks or cargo trousers, but 'relaxed fit' jeans work as well. When you try on pants, be sure to see how well your CCW fits the pocket. Having it fall out or 'peek' is NOT comforting!:o

With planning, you can also pocket-carry in winter; just plan ahead. One thing I did with my leather 'car coat' was to have slits cut in the coat so I can reach into my trouser pockets without opening the coat. This is also useful to reach other pocket stuff.

A good holster is essential, both to protect the gun and to keep it in the proper position for drawing. Without a holster, the gun will rotate until the grip is down and the barrel is up. The holster should have a feature to keep it in the pocket when you draw. Some have a 'sticky' material such as suede to hold it in. Most have a 'hook' of holster material just under the trigger to catch the lower edge of the pocket opening and allow the gun to be pulled out.

Lastly, don't carry anything else in the gun pocket. Other items could hinder the draw, or (disastrously) snag the trigger, risking an intended discharge (guess where the round will most likely go?)

Others will have other ideas as well...NEVER STOP LEARNING!
 
great choice. ive been thinking on lcr for the longest. I always look at the smiths, then always seem to go back to the lcr but i know if i get one the wife will claim it.
 
Any sugestions would be well welcomed thanks in advance
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The difference in performance between 9mm and 38spl isn't enough to be concerned over, IMHO. I carry either a 9mm or 38spl regularly. I feel well armed with either. To be honest though, I'm partial to the 38 snub, a j-frame S&W. As they say, "five for certain."
 
As a member of SNM-Sons of Neanderthal Man-I always recommend steel frames, I prefer the feel and I think they hold up better over time, especially if you practice regularly.
 
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