Larger-than-snub revolver for carry

I've had no trouble carrying a 3" S&W M36 over the years...and really, it's no more difficult to conceal than my wife's S&W M637 with its 1-7/8" barrel. I'd opine that for the most part, it's the size of the grips on the gun, not the barrel lenght, within reason, say up to 4", that affect concealability and printing. The grips on this M36 offer firm control even with +P HD loads. I carry this scarred veterin in a close fitting, high riding, Tom Threepersons, open top holster, behind my right hip. I tuck the tip of the holster into my right rear pocket for better concealment. HTH's, Rod

3inchChiefsSpecial.jpg

P1020395.jpg
 
Last edited:
BerdanSS wrote:

P.S. Bob, how do you like that PS6-sa? and what color is that? It looks like a darker, more rich brown than is shown on the website.
Click to expand...

I have carried this rig just a month short of two years, and am very pleased with it.

The brown is mahogany brown, after two years of use.

Bob Wright
 
Charter Arms .44 DA Only Pug...

Did you look at a stainless Charter Arms Pug .44spl DA Only? :D

I've heard a lot of + things about the 5 shot Pug revolver.
Charter Arms QC has been +/- in the last few years but it's improved.
The .44spl DA Only model is a good value too.
For rounds, I'd check the Magsafe or Glaser Safety Slug, the Corbon DPX, the Buffalo Bore line, or the Speer Gold Dot 200gr JHP.

Clyde
www.Gunsamerica.com

PS: A stainless Rhino snub in .357magnum or a Ruger LCR .357magnum may work too(with a CT lasergrip).
 
Ruger LSR

The many suggestions for 3" guns are spot on. 3" J-frame, K-frame, SP-101, or even L-frame are good sizes for winter carry, but they tend to be pretty heavy.

They were talking on the Ruger forum about the possibility of a larger carry revolver built like the LCR. Maybe call it LSR for Light Service Revolver.

So instead of a steel framed gun weighing between 23-oz (J-frame M60) to 37-oz, (3" 686+), you could maybe have a K/L-frame sized LSR with a 3-4" barrel, weighing somewhere between 21-oz and 25-oz, depending on whether the cylinder frame is alloy or stainless.

The interesting thing is, with a larger frame and cylinder, they should be able to offer the LSR as a 5-shot .44 Special or .45 ACP, 6 or 7 shot .357/.38, and a 9 or 10 shot .22 Magnum or .22 LR.

I think a lightweight DAO full-size revolver would make a very good house gun and also be excellent for cool weather carry. Ruger has excellent reliability and it would be interesting to see what they could do with the cammed trigger group in a larger frame. Also there's no reason they couldn't build and market them for around $600 list and under $500 street price.

I'd be all over a 22-oz, 10-shot, 4" .22LR with a great trigger for $450. Ditto for a 7-shot, 3" in .38 Special +P if it used an alloy frame. I think the .357 and .44 models might have to use stainless steel in the cylinder frame for strength.

Let's go, Ruger! We love our steel Smiths but if you can make the LSR at half the weight and half the price, I might just have to buy several.
 
If you find your gun still too heavy with a belt and holster, consider suspenders. They will allow you to carry a heavy gun without strain, all day long. Use the belt and the suspenders. I pocket carry all year round with no belt, just suspenders. Works very well for me.
 
Raindog:

When I worked at a gun store I wore a Smith & Wesson four inch model 625 for eight hours a day. I wore it a little back of my hip in a raking forward holster. It was comfortable to wear; so comfortable that one dayI forget to take it off, I don't have a ccw, when my shift ended and I walked into a convience store carrying a concealed weapon.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
 
Yup. I used to carry a 5 in. 625 or a 5 in. 1911 all day when I taught on range days. With a good leather rig it is really not that uncomfortable. I carry them in the same spot you described. I have an old Ernie Hill speedleather belt with a steel insert sewn in. The only time it became a problem for me was if I had to constantly get in and out of vehicles throughout the day. (especially if it had those wrap around seat backs in it) Suspenders are a very good addition to your rig. I used them a lot when having to carry radios, Maglites and full size guns and reloads. They really help with all that junk.
 
Last edited:
I still pack my S&W four inch barrel Model 19 Combat Magnum on my belt some days. Mostly when I shoot revolver matches I wear the same guns for self defense the rest of the day. Many years ago the Combat Magnum was both my duty and off duty choice. No finer carry revolver made for the combination of quality, smoothness, balance, size, weight and power. :)

Easily and comfortably carried around all day in a quality belt and holster rig.
 
Get a 4" K frame smith & western and be done with it. The bbl is the easy part to conceal, the grip and cylindewr are the tough parts.
 
I have a 3" Model 13, and it makes a very comfortable OWB that isn't very hard to conceal.

I don't always carry a revolver, but when I do, it is usually a 3" Model 13.
 
drail; said:
A 4 in. GP 100 is too heavy to lug around? Good grief! You really need to go to the gym and work out more. I am 60 years old and retired on full medical disability and walk with a cane and I have "lugged" an L frame around for at least 20 years. You've been brainwashed. Buy a good belt and holster and you can carry any handgun (unless you're more crippled than I am)
Click to expand...

same here ... typically no cane but bad knees. The key is a good belt and good holster. I don't even realize my 4" gp100 is there.
 
Well, I have been pack'in a .38/.357 - SP101 stubby spurless in an ankle rig for most of the last 4 weeks. All day every day for at least 2 of those weeks.

All day every day on a 10 day 1700 mile trip, in and out of restarants, motels, Museums and steady for the 9 days since arriving home. The more I pack it, the less I feel it and no one has picked up on the fact that it is there.

Yes, I'd like to pack one of my other pieces, but the ankle rig allows for carry when the others would simply not be out of sight.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
I have a Pro Series S&W 627 and a 4" Python that I've carried. The S&W was a tank. The python was no bad.

I just scored a S&W Performance Center Model 586 L-Comp with a ported barrel and 7 rounds of 357. I cannot wait to receive it.
 
If a pistol won't do it remember what Clyde carried

Clyde Chestnut Barrow was rumored to carry a 1918 BAR or a12 gauge pump shotgun under his coat when he and Bonnie were out robbing innocent farmers and killing Policemen. He refered to them as his, 'whip-it', guns.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top