Home defense revolver (first bought gun)

C

C.M.Burns

Inactive
Hi everyone,

First post here. I am a rather novice shooter I guess, as I have not owned my own gun. I have family that work and own a local gun shop and range near me and have been shooting for the past 2 years ever since I went one day and got the serious itch. Since day one, I go at most once every 2 weeks.

Been shooting lots of different guns but feel most comfortable with revolvers, most recently worked into some S&W 629 in 4 inch barrel and was having some serious fun.

I am buying my first gun, a revolver most likely, for home defense and just wanted some opinions. I am moving into a row home in a not-so-nice area. Would a 44 be too much? I am going to be living in a row home and some of the guys at the counter told me too much lead going too fast is going to go through walls.

The best revolver I have shot so far was a S&W 627, 4 inch 357 magnum 8 shooter. It was really beefy and solid and I like the idea of having a few extra shots, even though I know 1 or 2 would scare most.

I should also mention this will be my back up weapon to a Rem. 870 shotgun which my dad gave as a gift last year. This revolver will mostly be for practice at the range and also because I will not have free rental costs at my family owned range (going to go broke...) so ammo costs are also swimming through my head

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

C.M.Burns
 
Nearly any common handgun cartridge will be capable of penetrating multiple interior walls in a modern house (sheetrock and pine 2x4's). While the recoil of a .44 Magnum may be a bit much for most people to be able to shoot both quickly and accurately, a .44 Magnum revolver can also chamber and fire .44 Special ammunition which, ballistically, is quite similar to .45 ACP, and will offer lower recoil, flash, and report.

The 627 you mention is also a fine revolver that is well suited to home defense. While .357 Magnum makes an excellent self-defense cartridge, .38 Special ammunition can also be used in a .357 Magnum revolver should the shooter prefer a cartridge with lower recoil, report, flash, and/or cost.

Truth-be-told, both the 629 and 627 would be great revolvers, pick whichever one you shoot the best and are most comfortable with.
 
Since you liked the 627 so much, get that. It's an awesome gun, and you are already familiar with it. Your target won't likely know the difference. If you do lean toward the 44, try to shoot one before buying.
 
I would choose a fixed sight 4" 357 or 38.
LE trade ins of S&W 65's (357) 64's (38) and their blued model of cousins can be picked up online for $200-250. Fixed sight model seem to always be less than adj sight models and for home defense in close quarters adjustable sights are irrelevant.
I have bought several of these LE trade ins and all have been in very good mechanical shape and most with very minor wear and will last a lifetime.
 
I would buy a 357 in a K or L size frame but load it with 38 spl for indoors self defense. IMO the pressure levels of a 357 indoors are just too much for me indoors. I have heard of folks shooting a 357 in a room and having their ears bleed. As already suggested, if you do buy the 44 Mag I would also load it with 44 Spl.
 
If you have kids or nephews or nieces

Get a box for your home defense gun that will be kept locked ALL the time. And then take it out to the range and shoot it a lot. :D
 
A hot 38 Special is plenty of medicine for bad guys, and is much easeir on the ears and eyes than a 357 maggie. I feel the 44 Special is a near perfect defense chambering. Cowboy loadings will put a serious hurtin' on a BG and don't have the crack of the 357's. The 45LC would also serve well.
 
you said you had an 870 as a back up. I would view my 870 as my primary HD gun and my revolver as a back up. as you mentions ammo cost are an issue. my .45 ACP hardly gets shot because ammo prices are so high. If this is primarily a range gun I would get a 686 you can shoot .357 and .38's. Will meet any need you have in a revolver. oh and if you live in a row home a .44 will go through your neighbors walls.
 
I think a .44 mag is a little too much ...but because follow up shots are a lot slower with a .44 mag than a .357 mag with the same length of barrel.

My opinion is a S&W K ( mod 19 or 66) or L frame ( 686 ) ....are your better choices ...in probably a 4" barrel. But it depends on what fits your hands the best ...and what you shoot the best...not what fits my hands or what I shoot the best. I have 3" .44 mag's and they're a little more difficult to shoot in tactical situations than any of my .357 mag revolvers in 2 1/2" or 4".
 
A 686 would be a very good option. Thing is, shooting 38 isn't much cheaper than 45, and much cheaper than 357. The price of 44 special and magnum is insane. A good 38 +p is definitely enough, and won't cost too much, or kick like a 44. Its all up to you but I would go with a nice older Smith 357 for what you want.
 
I have heard of folks shooting a 357 in a room and having their ears bleed.
Click to expand...

I Accidentally fired my .357 in my room with a girl there too(dont ask my roomate took it out and left it loaded, guess i should have checked... also my fault) besides the point our ears did not bleed and we were both fine besides a little ringing of the ears.
 
however i agree with most of the posts here. if your comfortable with a revolver, get one. For home defense between the shotgun and revoler you will be fine. I'd recamend though that you get a .357. I dont think the .44's recoil will be too much to handle but if you are concerned about ammo prices. .44 is very expensive and the .357 is more than powerful enough as a bg stopper. .38 special is debateable depending on who you talk to but firing .38 down range is considerably cheaper. Hope this helps.
 
ACCIDENT?????

I don't believe that there is any such thing as Accidently shooting a gun in your room, doing so is -in my eyes- :eek::eek: is irresponsibility at is greatest . You may want to rethink owning a firearm until you are more mature and better schooled in safety. Please take this is the spirit of relief that you and your girlfriend are still alive.
 
anything that comes from a barrel will penetrate. I saw an interesting articleon loading for the charter arms 44 special, out of a 2.5 inch barrel the author was getting 19 inches of penetration through hard pack newspaper, just a good general idea of what can be done.
 
I like the idea of an M-29 loaded with 44 Specials-the Spirit of Jeff Cooper will be with you. However there is a much wider selection of ammunition for the 38/357. I prefer a target sighted gun, you can get it adjusted just right for you, and in subdued light, stressful situation, glasses missing no Kentucky windage to worry about.
 
1984 it was a Smith and Wesson 686 with a 6" BBL, RRWO and I still have it to this day a great Handgun, the action is so smooth you would think it has had a trigger job.....
 
Smith and Wesson M&P 8 shot .357magnum...

Howdy;
If you have the $$$ and the resources, I highly suggest the big S&W Military and Police 8 round .357magnum revolver.
You can train with cheap/light weight .38spl rounds, then pack .38spl +P or full power .357magnum loads for protection.
The M&P would not need a lot of custom add-ons or work and it would hold up under most conditions. A CT Lasergrip, or a Viridian white-light/green laser could be smart.
The .357magnum recoil & muzzle flash wouldn't be major issues due to the big revolver's size. It might have a practical intimidation factor. The M&P .357magnum could be fired or re-loaded one handed too(faster than a 12ga shotgun).
To my understanding, many S&W 8 shot .357magnum M&Ps are in service with the elite ESU or Emergency Services Units in New York & New Jersey.
The ESU cops use the M&P revolvers with lasers/white light units when they deploy body shields/body bunkers.

Clyde
 
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