J-frame: Enough?

Is a S&W .38 Special Snub Nose enough for concealed carry?

  • Yes

    Votes: 131 91.0%

  • No

    Votes: 13 9.0%
  • Total voters
    144
  • Poll closed .
None of us have reported our own experiences when the j-frame wasn't enough.
Maybe those guys are dead, or maybe j-frames actually are enough.

I suspect any gun is usually enough, in the right hands.
 
A friend of mine manages a Liquor store in 'indian country.' A few months ago guy comes in and starts shooting at EVERYONE in sight. My friend pulls his 10mm
and puts 5 rounds in his chest. Bad guy KEEPS on shooting so he puts 3 more in his head. That puts him down.

Corner said he has so much heroin in him it would have killed 5 normal people.

Moral: Yes I carry a 2" S&W 60-3 with laser grips but it isn't always the answer to every problem.
 
M37 works for me. Not a carry revolver but sits in a desk bedside. I prefer .38 wadcutters in the "delicate" revolver. Practice, just pull the trigger from time to time at the club. Works!

.02. David. :)
 
I shoot steel pins once a week. I use my 637 a couple times a year and my Bulldog 44 sp. I can hit the pins at 25 feet but not near as fast as with my K38 with a red dot.

Both guns are stainless. The front sight gets lost. Pins are painted white, but become grey after being shot a few times. I smoke the sights black with a lighter for some contrast.

David

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
luger fan said:
A friend of mine manages a Liquor store in 'indian country.' A few months ago guy comes in and starts shooting at EVERYONE in sight. My friend pulls his 10mm
and puts 5 rounds in his chest. Bad guy KEEPS on shooting so he puts 3 more in his head. That puts him down.

Corner said he has so much heroin in him it would have killed 5 normal people.

Moral: Yes I carry a 2" S&W 60-3 with laser grips but it isn't always the answer to every problem.
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Not surprising, especially if someone is desensitized to pain and damage to their vital organs due to being under the influence of drugs, and/or some serious anger & fear may be involved.

I remember as a young cop learning of various shooting incidents where a magazine load of COM hits from a MP5 ... 6 rounds of .41MAG ... a .308 to the COM ... and even a 12GA slug through the chest/heart ... weren't enough to immediately incapacitate different armed suspects.

Unless the central nervous system (and its ability to send signals to limbs) is "shut down", some people (and animals) have an amazing capacity to continue volitional action and function.

Then, there were times when 1-2 solid COM hits from any handgun caliber dropped and stopped armed suspects.

Even having learned of all those (and other) incidents, it didn't change my mind when deciding to leave the work hi-cap 9 or .40 in the locker or safe, and carry one of my low-cap 5 or 6-shot revolvers, or 6//7/8rd .45's. Still doesn't.

I'm under no illusion any of my handguns will necessarily have enough "capacity" or "caliber" to prove sufficient in all circumstances, but them neither am I certain I'll never be in the wrong place to avoid being hit by an unexpected speeding motorist while I'm on some sidewalk, or in a parking lot, at the wrong time.

Can't lock myself away against all possible dangers and threats. ;)
 
While I have one and would slip it into a pocket and carry it under some conditions I prefer something I'm proficient in reloading like my Sig P290RS. Needless to say I voted no.
 
How can a 5-shot J-Frame be a "Specialist's weapon"??? I mean, isn't it the same type of gun that is continually recommended for inexperienced girlfriends, wives, sisters, & mothers???!
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I get the satire of your post, what makes it funnier is that it is true. A Glock 19 would be a better gun than a snubby.

I was on the computer last night and had my EDC Gock 31C and J frame 357 mag laying on the desk. It is amazing how much similar size and weight the Glock and J frame are. Of course the J frame is easier to conceal in HOT weather.
 
It sure doesn't seem that way from the poll results.
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Of all the people in the poll, how many have either shot people or seen people shot with 38 snubbies? Have you? Not to mention the lack of capacity.

You have the voice of experience VS the voice of the amateur. Which would you rather base your life or death decisions on? I certainly am not going to base decisions on 50 random people on the internet, especially when I know the opinion is not based on fact.
 
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Nanuk said:
Of all the people in the poll, how many have either shot people or seen people shot with 38 snubbies? Have you? Not to mention the lack of capacity.

You have the voice of experience VS the voice of the amateur. Which would you rather base your life or death decisions on? I certainly am not going to base decisions on 50 random people on the internet, especially when I know the opinion is not based on fact.
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Well, if that is the case, what do you recommend??
 
Statistically, yes its enough for most situations...

I carry a SW380 with 7 rounds. I wish I could carry 15 rounds but tried and just never left the house with the gun because it was too much of a pain. Now I never leave home without my bodyguard because it fits into any pocket/outfit. Its all about what you want, feel comfortable with, and practice with. Jframes have protected tons of people, are reliable, and great carry guns. Just make sure you practice with it a lot. I know I am better protected with my 7 round bodyguard than my 15 rounder sitting in my safe.
 
Well, if that is the case, what do you recommend??
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For who? For most people a Glock 19 sized pistol and an extra magazine loaded with premium HP's is a pretty solid choice. A J frame 38 makes a nice BUG, but I would only carry one as a primary if in an NPE or it was all I could physically carry. It has a dismal record in actual shootings. I don't go for the talisman philosophy where you wave your gun and trouble disappears. I want to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

I also keep a blow out kit and TQ in my car (s).

I carry a Glock 31C +2 reloads and a S&W 640 357 magnum.

A Glock 19 or similar is just as easy to carry as a J frame and much easier to shoot well. I carry the fullsize with a (grip force) beaver tail because the compacts are too small for my hands.

I recommend people carry the largest, most powerful pistol they can conceal and shoot well. Whatever you carry, you should master. By that, I mean operating it, reloading without conscious thought. Be able to make hits @ at least 25 yards. I practice out to 100 yards with my handguns, but also up close running and gunning.
 
Statistically, yes its enough for most situations...
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What happens when the situation you find yourself in is on the opposite side of the bell curve from the one you expected?
 
Nanuk said:
For who? For most people a Glock 19 sized pistol and an extra magazine loaded with premium HP's is a pretty solid choice. A J frame 38 makes a nice BUG, but I would only carry one as a primary if in an NPE or it was all I could physically carry. It has a dismal record in actual shootings. I don't go for the talisman philosophy where you wave your gun and trouble disappears. I want to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

I also keep a blow out kit and TQ in my car (s).

I carry a Glock 31C +2 reloads and a S&W 640 357 magnum.

A Glock 19 or similar is just as easy to carry as a J frame and much easier to shoot well. I carry the fullsize with a (grip force) beaver tail because the compacts are too small for my hands.

I recommend people carry the largest, most powerful pistol they can conceal and shoot well. Whatever you carry, you should master. By that, I mean operating it, reloading without conscious thought. Be able to make hits @ at least 25 yards. I practice out to 100 yards with my handguns, but also up close running and gunning.
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I understand and respect you as a man and U.S. veteran. Thank you for your service.

But in no way shape or form is a Glock 19 as easy to conceal as a J-frame. That is just nonsense, I don't care who you are.
 
I carry a Glock 31C +2 reloads and a S&W 640 357 magnum.

A Glock 19 or similar is just as easy to carry as a J frame and much easier to shoot well.
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Out of curiosity, why do you carry a J frame 640 instead of a G19 or G32?
 
"What happens when the situation you find yourself in is on the opposite side of the bell curve from the one you expected?"

Well in all honesty Nanuk, if I'm not outmanned and outgunned, it ain't a fair fight for the poor bastard(s).

And yes, unfortunately I have had the occasion (as with the .22 lr and .22 magnum) to see what a .38 out of a short barrel revolver can do to a human head. Best I could tell, it killed the individual lickity split.

I do respect your preference to go reasonably well healed though. Good luck with that.
 
I understand and respect you as a man and U.S. veteran. Thank you for your service.

But in no way shape or form is a Glock 19 as easy to conceal as a J-frame. That is just nonsense, I don't care who you are.
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Concealment relates to manner of dress, manner of carry and holster.
 
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