CC revolver questions.

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Kimio

New member
I know little to nothing about revolvers, but was asked by a friend of mine what he should consider for a CC firearm. He's pretty adamant about carrying a revolver, for some reason. This is not his first gun he's ever fired, having experience with his fathers .38 special and I believe a .44 magnum (he's only fired one once and it was too much for him at the tender age or 11)

This will be the first gun he's ever owned personally (though he has fired quite a few with friends and family. His father passed away recently, so tragically, he cannot ask him for advice)

His budget is between 800-1000 all said and done. I'm not sure what would be considered an adequate SD cartridge in a revolver, but he did as he'd like to keep the cost of ammunition down so that he can practice with some regularity.

I was thinking a good .357 magnum revolver might be up his alley, since it can accept .38 special cartridges, and when he builds confidence with it, he can then move up to .357 magnum if he so desired.

He expressed an interest in revolvers with a shrouded hammer, but was worried about malfunctions and was wondering if there is any advantages of having a normal in-shrouded hammer.
 
There are no inherent problems with shrouded or enclosed hammers, and a 357 or 38 small revolver works well as a carry gun for many people.
 
For 800-1000, I would recommend the S&W 627. Can't go wrong with 8 rounds of 357. If weight is an issue, spend another hundred or so and go for the S&W 327.
 
The Smith and Wesson models 637, 638, and 642 are great CC guns in .38 special. In order I listed they are: full hammer, shrouded hammer, and fully enclosed hammer. At 15 ounces, they are effortless to carry, but still comfortable to shoot. Plus, they retail for under $450, so he could buy lots of ammo and practice.
 
Consider,....

Hi. My favorite revolver for concealed carry would be ( with out doubt ) MK2 Colt Police Positive .38 Special. Interestingly, these command nearly the same price-tag amount as any larger caliber revolver by Colt. However, buying an MK2 used, in near excellent condition for your friend's price range seems fair!
 
Any time any one asks me what gun they should get for "protection". Home, car, carry. And, they are not really gun people, my stock response is a Ruger SP101.

.38's will do the job, magnums if you want to practice. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a perfect "I really need a gun, but, I'm not sure how seriously I'll take it" gun.

Not taking anything away from the SP101. I'm a "gun guy" and I think the world of those little guns. Own two of them.
 
A lightly used Smith model 60 or19 with a 2.5" barrel is a great cc revolver. I have them in my rotation. Can use either 357 or 38special....
 
All good suggestions above. I really like the S&W Model 60 Pro Series or the Ruger LCR.
 
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For belt carry, it's hard to beat a 686+, 7shot, .357Mag. with a 2 1/2" barrel.

For pocket carry, the standard seems to be a 640, 649 in .357Mag or of course a 642 in 38Spl. All have shouded or internal hammer and make drawing a very smooth operation.
 
Any j frame with a crimson laser grip...mines a 442 Cannot beat. My fave

But in light of recent events with protestors mostly , I have moved into a pt 111 since cap is 12-1 over 5. To me tho 9 mm is no comparison to 38+p. Just more rds


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For a shooter without a lot of experience I would suggest a J frame smith with exposed hammer and a set of laser grips. I would go with the model 360J which is a scandium frame, blackened stainless cylinder in 38sp rated for +p.
Smith makes runs of this revolver periodically and they are a real bargain. Can be found selling on gunbroker for right at $340 to $365.
I have one of the 360PD in 357 and it is nice but I carry it with 38 +P because it is too painful to shoot with 357. You also have to be careful cleaning the titanium cylinder. My 360J shoots just as well, no worry about cleaning, and was 1/3 the price. The exposed hammer on the 360J is low profile so no snags.
I'm generally not a fan of laser grips but with the J frames they are great.
 
weight is a huge issue to keep in mind. belts/holsters all generate weight or need to have as part of your carry due to the weight.
the pt111 I carry now weighs a ton more than my 442..and owb not nearly as comfy
 
The best answer - is whatever gun fits his hands the best...but in .357 Mag, my personal preference is for K frame S&W revolvers... model 19's or 66's are easy to find ...and reasonably priced. Model 686's are L frames and just a little bigger but fine as well. I also prefer a 4" barrel over a 2" or 2 1/2" barrel..longer sight plane makes a big difference to me.

Your buddy should go to the range and rent some revolvers....figure out what he likes, what fits his hands the best, the mfg with the triggers he likes the best...( there is a big difference between Ruger and S&W as an example ) in triggers, etc.
 
There are too many variables that aren't known, including the build of your friend and the style of clothing he wears.

Having said that, I regard the Airweights as guns for people who have had a fair amount of experience shooting handguns. They are not easy to shoot well and, with even standard .38 loads, they are not comfortable to shoot (at least with grips that favor concealability).

A 4" K-frame (10/13/19/64/66/67) will be very comfortable to shoot with .38 loads. A 3" Model 60 (J frame) with recoil-friendly grips offers a good compromise between portability and ease of shooting. An all-steel 2" 38, whether a J frame or a Colt Detective Special is easier to carry and a little harder to shoot with good grips.

I'd suggest a 4" K or a 3" J and get good with it before going to a smaller gun. If the first gun is bought used and in good condition, your friend won't lose a lot of money should he choose to later sell it and might even make a few bucks.

My $0.02.
 
I just got this one last Saturday

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...98654_798653_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

0711a--11.jpg_thumbnail0.jpg


it's a 5 shot and handles the 38 special +P rounds

.38's are the only ones I shot out of it so far but it handles real nice
I bet if he shopped around he could get one for $800 & tax like I did
 
357 in a J frame just flat out HURTS and is hard to control for follow up shots. 38, or 38+p will do the job in small frame revolvers. If he wants to go bigger, a K/L frame or the aforementioned Ruger will be better for firing hotter loads. A lot of that will depend on how he intends to carry - pocket carry means light J frame; good belt and holster means bigger and heavier guns are easier to carry.
 
Hammerless or shrouded hammer for sure. Murphey's law is a beast.

LCR's are awesome, but I don't know if the recoil would be okay for him or not.

Next would be something J-frame sized with an aluminum alloy frame. They are still somewhat challenging.

For me, 38 snubs with a steel frame aren't hard to shoot.

SP101's and medium frame revolvers are even easier, but the size and weight start to make CC annoying and cumbersome.
 
I carry an LCR .357 and love it, and the most noticeable difference between the .38 and the .357 is the noise. The recoil is slightly more but definitely doesn't hurt.

I put this smaller Hogue grip on but so far have only shot .38 with it. Not nearly as much to hold on to as the stock grip, but not bad at all. I put the stock grip back on until I can shoot some .357 with it, which I hope to do this weekend.

Yes, I know the listing says "Hog" and not "Hogue", but both the packaging and the grip are clearly labeled "Hogue".
 
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