LCRX vs Airweight

Not a revolver, but I use a LCP in a kydex IWB holster as a sweat/yard work gun. Light, compact, easy to clean. Not a great choice for bears and coyotes, but the noise might scare them away.
 
I'm somewhat disappointed (or maybe relieved) to here the report on that rattle because I was trying to convince myself I could live with the LCR and go to the .327. That rattle pretty much takes that option out
Click to expand...

I'm familiar with the regular LCR in a few different chamberings. A lot of guns will make noise when shaken about but I haven't had any specific problems carrying an LCR. Is this more of an LCRX issue?

If your hammer-requirement is flexible, then the .327 really should merit further consideration. For any of its supposed drawbacks, it's six shots on a five-shot frame, power levels between 9mm and .357 magnum, and recoil more on par with a .38 +p. Even without considering the other .32-caliber ammo it will fire, it is a versatile weapon that is well-suited to the circumstances you describe.

Versus a J-frame in general, I find the LCR more comfortable to carry and more comfortable to shoot with equal ammo. The Smith and Wesson family has a lot of options prettier than an LCR but new ones stifle that advantage with an ugly lock hole.
 
Lohman446

"My understanding out of a short barrel the difference between .357 and .38 is not as great as one is often led to expect. My further understanding is if we are discussing a 300LB bear or a cougar that the bullet construction will mean more than the velocity it is fired at - especially with minimal velocity differences. I own and have shot a .357 SP101 enough to know that I have no desire to maintain proficiency with an even lighter .357 revolver. "

357 Magnum is 400 fps faster than a 38 special +P in a snubnose revolver. That's HUGE! Watch the vid below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27wDLjY5JSs
 
I don't run, but I walk both before and after dark due to the desert heat. I have both an LCR and S&W Mod 40 in .38. The Ruger gets the assignment based on the better trigger and sweat resistance. My LCR has no rattle and I don't miss the hammer due to the superb DA trigger pull.

Besides protection against coyotes, dogs, and javelinas, I like the ability to make some noise if I get hurt.
 
The LCR in 357 is something like four ounces heavier than the LCR in 38. My friend has the 357. I have the 38.

Given the extra weight, the 357 is not hard to control four either one of us. I actually had trouble controlling the lighter 38, due to my extremely large hands, but putting the slightly larger LCRx grips on it solved that problem.

My LCR is what I carried this summer. The light weight and excellent trigger make it an excellent carry piece, IMHO.

My Airweight is my back-pocket piece for hiking. I prefer my LCR for most applications, but the Airweight sure does fit perfectly in the back pocket of jeans (which is a good method if you know you're not going to be sitting down).
 
The LCR in 357 is something like four ounces heavier than the LCR in 38...
Click to expand...

The original LCR was built around .38 special. As a smaller and lower-pressured round, that meant a smaller and lighter revolver. I think it's a good fit for caliber that carries well and is fun to shoot.

The bigger and heavier magnum frame is used for .357 magnum, .327 magnum, and 9mm. It's not a lot bigger or a lot heavier. It's just closer to other guns in its league. They still carry well. As with J-frames, .357 magnum can be a bit much. The LCR 327 manages to hit the same sweet spot as the LCR 38 when it comes to recoil.
 
357 Magnum is 400 fps faster than a 38 special +P in a snubnose revolver. That's HUGE! Watch the vid below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27wDLjY5JSs
Click to expand...

While that is true out of a 4" barrel, out of a shorter snub nose, it's not.
I already did range testing and although it's apples and oranges, I was able to get 1024 fps with the Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P outdoorsman out of my 1 7/8" LCR .357 and minimally better with store bought .357 like magtech, remington.
See this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh5hfPhfudU
Yes, apples and oranges, but who the heck is going to carry a steel 4" revolver while they are out running for exercise?

Yes I have carried the snub .357 LCR and the 3" LCRX in a belly band while exercising and it was pretty darn comfortable. I even taught a martial arts class wearing this rig without the students knowing I was carrying.

But stay tuned folks. tomorrow my brother and I are going out to the range with the chrono and doing a bunch of tests with my new supply of various BB loads including the heavy HC .357 loads out of both a Ruger 4" security six, AND the Ruger .357 LCR. And also excited to see what I can get from the .38 special +P Outdoorsman out of my 3" LCRX. I think this might prove to be a viable lightweight woods gun with this combination, being in the low end magnum range, but in such a lightweight simple package. What's not to like about it. Love the triggers on these guns, easily keeping 3 inch groups at ten yards with them.

I will be wearing heavy gloves and the big hogue grips when I try out that BB .357 load in the little LCR!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
Watch the whole video. He compared to both 4" and 2" revolvers. Go to the 5:00 mark and watch where he test the two in 2" snubnosed revolvers. Even if what you tested at +200 FPS over .38 special, that's huge and hardly insignificant.
 
old bear said:
Sadly, Smith and Wesson has a history of frame cracking with their Airweight revolvers. Not a huge number, but more than enough to create a level of worry.

If I were you, I carry one of the following: S&W model 640 or S&W model 36. Neither is a lightweight revolver, but neither is so heavy to slow you down on your run.
Click to expand...


Many guns have failures... again, not common, but it occurs on all guns. My 642-1, converted to 9mm, has been doing fine for over two years. Plenty of other shooters have done 9mm Airweight conversions... I've yet to see one cracked frame from that.

The problem with running is the mass of the firearm. When it starts moving back and forth, you have to stop it... either by stopping your run or grabbing the item (cell phone, insulin pump, or firearm). Ideally, you want a light firearm for a gun you are taking on a run... for comfort, not slowing you down.

bassJAM1 said:
If you have any desire to shoot .357 I'd go for the LCRx, it's a little heavier than the S&W Airlite's and seems better at taming recoil.

But for .38 only, go handle both and see what you like. I love my j-frames, but the LCR's I've looked at are pretty nice too.
Click to expand...

Anything LCR related in .357/9mm is noticeably heavier than a Airweight (different frame than the .38). My father has a .357 LCR that I compared to my 642-1 when I was looking at switching. I was considering the 9mm LCR over my 642-1, but decided to convert... saving weight and years of training on the gun.

If they did a LCRx in 9mm, I would have made the switch to get the external hammer.

Lohman446 said:
My understanding out of a short barrel the difference between .357 and .38 is not as great as one is often led to expect.
Click to expand...


Depends on the loads... I'm sure you can find exotic loads in either caliber to make the argument stronger/weaker.

How is energy figured out? Energy = Mass x Velocity ^2. So, increasing velocity has a more direct ability to increase energy. That is not arguable.

However, energy that isn't expelled into the target is included in that formula. So, even though you can sit down and figure out what a specific caliber is doing with a chronograph and a calculator, there is that other factor. A high velocity, low mass round may have a lot of energy, but if it goes through a target like an ice pick, no real use.

When I carried my 642-1 with .38s, I shot Hornady CD in 110 grain +P. Good enough round for defense. But when I converted to 9mm, I settled on Hornady XTP 147 grain (standard pressure). Muzzle velocity of the 9mm was identical to the .38 +P... pushing a heavier slug. Same exact gun, so numbers were as accurate as you could get.

Now, out of a 2" barrel... .357 isn't doing that much more than .38 +P. It definitely isn't doing 400 FPS more... in any common load. If someone wants to say that, post up some pictures of the muzzle velocity of a 2" .357 doing 1,200+. Realistically, probably in the 900s. But out of a short barrel, 9mm can edge out slightly in terms of velocity. Go out to 3" or 4" barrels, no contest with .357... but need to build up that speed.

So, yes, short barrel in those caliber is not that dramatic. If you compare .357 to standard pressure .38, yea it widens... but how many people carry it? With +P guns, that is what most people load for defense.
 
I went over my range testing videos from that day of testing the BB .38 outdoorsman in the LCR.
I only have a few example of off the shelf .357 to test.
The armscor .357 158 grain tested at the 950 fps range, BELOW what I got out of the BB .38 +P outdoorsman load from the same gun.
The Magtech .357 158 grain tested 1039,1054,1024 fps, so hardly any difference than the BB .38 special +P outdoorsman.

Yes, the guy in the video got into the 1200 fps range with his 2 1/4 inch barrel but are you going to run with a 1.6 pound steel gun strapped to your waist? Carrying is a balancing act betweenw what theoretical discourse and what you actually will do. Yes, I would and have run with my LCR so I know that is a reality. So 17 oz. LCR vs. 26 oz. Ruger sp101. In this case, 9 oz might be a ton of difference when you are running 3 miles versus the advantage of 200 fps when you may never need it.


For the results of today's testing go to:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/editpost.php?do=updatepost&p=6504502

If Ruger comes out with a 3" version of the .357 mag, I would probably have to get that though! And like the OP, I worry more about 4 legged critters attacking me in the rural area where I live than 2 legged at 6 in the morning!LOL
 
Last edited:
As others have noted the #1 primary concern is weight. I'm leaning towards a revolver for this because the weight is held, more so than a semi-auto, by the holster (all the rounds are "inside" the holster). I have snagged a belly band from crossbreed to attempt my SP101 in but as others have noted weight is such a concern I expect I am going to end up with an airweight before this exercise is done (I'm actually going to try it with a P938 as well despite the little revolver vs auto thing above). I'm trying to avoid the time it takes to stay competent with another firearm and am not willing to totally replace either the SP101 or P938 with an airweight (though the 938 was in danger for a few moments in my mind)

I plan on using Underwood Extreme Penetrator rounds because for any of these exercises I am going to be a bit undergunned in regards to four legged threats and will favor towards penetration over expansion (besides there is no bystander issue to concern me). Further any two legged threat I encounter is most likely behind the sheet metal and glass of a vehicle.
 
Given your choices I would go with the G36 carried in a fanny pack made for the purpose. I don't really run anymore, it's more of a fat man's shuffle, but I have tried a variety of methods and a fanny pack is my choice.

I usually carry a Ruger SR9c when shuffling the remote roads and trails in my neighborhood. I would agree that 4 legged attackers are more likely than 2, but I've had a couple of nonviolent encounters with people that has reinforced my commitment to carry. As you know, I generally prefer more capacity than the G36 or the small revolvers offer. With that said, I think any one of your choices would serve you well.
 
I generally prefer more capacity
Click to expand...

In this case I am going to agree with you and I tend to be the champion of not being over-prepared :). That being said my current plan, should I meet a dangerous situation involving people, is to remove my brightly colored running shirt and high-tail it into the woods (my wife always wondered why my running shorts are dark colored) and, in the case of four legged threats, see how quickly I can climb a tree and hope to fend it off until help arrives.

So it seems that any gun would be an improvement to the current plan.
 
I plan on using Underwood Extreme Penetrator rounds because for any of these exercises I am going to be a bit undergunned in regards to four legged threats and will favor towards penetration over expansion
Click to expand...

These Lehigh bullets intrigue me. With so many chasing expansion, even in calibers where it's a harder thing to chase, these guys took a novel approach to penetration that looks successful in the tests I've seen. The concept is basic physics. It just took modern manufacturing technology to take advantage of it.
 
As someone else posted above, the mass of the gun will be affected by the movement of your running, so a belly band keeps the gun tight, while a fanny pack will be moving more.

The Smith airweight weighs 14 oz, and the .357 LCR weighs 17 oz, only a 3 oz. difference, and wearing the piece in the belly band, you will not notice the difference. The .38 +P LCRx weight 13.5 oz and the 3" LCRX weigh 15. oz. if you feel you need one with a hammer. They are onlly +P, so the maximum load that you will get is around 400 ft. pounds ME each round.

In a situation where you will need it against a four legged creature, I doubt you will need that hammer, unless you plan on taking a shot from 25 yards or more. The triggers on the LCR line are so good that you can easily stage the trigger and be as accurate double action as single action.

With a four legged creature, what you need most is penetration, so mass is more important that speed.
So my test results gave me 612 foot pounds ME out of my 17 oz LCR with the Buffalo Bore heavy .357 180 grain cast bullets. If bear is what you are worried about, then this is the viable option. 5 rounds of 612 pounds gives you 3000 pounds energy in a 17 oz package that you can easily run with in a belly band.;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top