Looking for a good carry revolver

S

SteelToe

New member
As the title says I am looking for a good revolver to carry. The only hand gun I currently own is a sig p226 9mm. It is a little large for concealed carry. I was at first wanting a new auto to carry but I feel a little worried abotu misfires and jams. I like the idea that if in tight spot and a revolver did misfire i can simply pull the trigger again.

I have been looking at tuarus but I know absolutly nothing about revolvers. I have shot 9mm 32 38 45 and so on. Is a 357 like a hand cannon? Will it hurt my wrist to shoot? I am not a big guy. 170 lbs at 6 foot tall. It seems everywhere I look 357 mag revolver is the smallest calibur in a small frame. How much more does a 357 kick than a 45 auto? Is there a good 45 revolver that is well liked around here? Thanks all for any info, links, and pictures.

O and also is a 38 special near the same as a 357 mag or what is it comparable to? thanks all
 
SteelToe - They definitely still make some .38 revolvers, but I'd suggest getting a .357 Magnum. Just a lot more flexibility there than with a .45ACP revolver (or straight .38). .357 Magnum revolvers can also shoot .38 Special and .38Special +P rounds, and I'd guess that's what most .357 owners actually shoot, btw.

.38Special +P is a little under the 9mm, and .357 Magnum can be anywhere from a little more than a 9mm to a whole lot more than a 9mm ;-).

Well designed .38Special +P rounds are tuned such that they still perform adequately.

At least in the S&W lineup, most of the .45ACP revolvers would be also be kind of big for concealed carry... FWIW, they do have this model though, the 325PD:
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wow

Wow thanks for the info! So you said 357 (standard load i assume) is only a little more than a 9mm? So would a 357 revolver have more kick than a 45 auto? Cause I shoot those no problem. Also what brand name is that in the picture? It says 45 apc do they make 357 as well? And I was surprised to hear that 38 special +p is less than 9mm WOW. so it goes 38 38 special 9mm 40 S&W 45 then what 44 mag? so 357 is between 9mm at 40?

please forgive my total lack of caliber knowledge. (why I am here ;) )

update.... I just saw you said that pic is S&W sorry i read it quickly.
 
so it goes 38 38 special 9mm 40 S&W 45 then what 44 mag? so 357 is between 9mm at 40?
Click to expand...

Hi Steel Toe - it's a little more complicated than that - because revolvers don't use a recoiling slide mechanism, they can have a lot more variety in the load powers. So the strongest .357 Magnum factory loads have more than 2x the kinetic energy of the lightest .357 Magnum factory loads. Because the revolver loads can vary SO much, it's hard to really position them between the semiauto loads... but here is an approximate ordering (always possible to find violations if you check the right supplier, so these are only approximate ;) ). Also, if you are considering terminal ballistics on people, you need to look at more than kinetic energies... but, with those caveats:

LIGHT
.38Special light load
.38Special std load ~ .380ACP
.38Special +P
9mm std
9mm +P ~ .357 Mag light
.40S&W std ~ .45ACP
.40S&W +P ~ .45ACP +P
.357 Magnum Std ~ 10mm Std
.357 Magnum heavy/+P ~ 10mm +P ~ .41Magnum std
.41 Magnum heavy/+P
.44Magnum
HEAVY

Ammunition companies like CCI, Speer, Federal, Winchester, Remington, Corbon, Buffalo Bore, ProLoad, Georgia Arms, etc publish online ballistics tables where you can get more information beyond my rough ordering here.
 
I suggest used revolvers. Shop locally but, you can buy anywhere and have it shipped into a local FFL for a transfer fee. My local FFL charges $15.00. FFLs can charge a percentage or a higher fee though. Where to look on-line? www.coalcreekarmory.com www.jgsales.com www.simpsonltd.com www.oldguns.net There are many more. I find S&W M10 2" or 3" 38 Specials to be great CCW revolvers. A smaller option is again S&W, the varied J frame 2" or 3" barrel 38 Specials. I prefer all steel blued or stainless steel models. I like Pachmayr rubber Compac grips for recoil control. I suggest that you look around locally and try to shoot different models and frame sizes before you purchase anything. Rugers are thought well of by their owners. The SP-101 or GP-100 are two Ruger models that conceal well. 38 Special revolvers are in demand and if you buy one and want to trade or sell it, name brands bring a higher return. A used Taurus M85 38 Special will be less for that reason. They are good quality and will give fine service in blued steel or stainless. 45 or 45 ACP revolvers are a niche market. If you don't like it, you could have trouble selling or trading it off. 357 Magnums are good options but, they usually sell for a higher mark-up. Look on-line and come back again to ask questions about specific models.
 
Steeltoe,

I think most of us would urge you to follow the path of a .38 Special/.357 revolver because it is the most commonly available and ammunition is readily available too. There are other calibers, of course, but this would probably be the best for you to start with. For a first gun, I'd suggest sticking with one made of carbon (blued) or stainless steel for recoil control.

For a CCW gun, you'll probably want something with around a 2" to 3" barrel. With your physical size, you should be able to handle and carry most small and medium frame revolvers okay. Other factors, such as your planned carry style (belt holster, IWB, shoulder holster, etc) may gravitate you towards specific models, such as hammerless or shrouded hammer designs.

The used gun market offers plenty of choices in .38 special guns, usually at a lower price than the .357 Magnum guns. In revolvers recoil is a factor of the cartridge's power and the weight of the gun. "Airweight" (alloy), Scandium or Titanium guns carry well, but can be difficult to shoot. Lightweight guns can have felt recoil substantially higher than firing the same cartridge in a steel framed gun.

Take a look at the S&W "K" frame guns (six shot, medium frame) and decide if these are small enough for YOU to hide. Good reference CCW guns are the 3" barreled Model 65LS or the 2.5" Model 19 or 66. Other similar sized models are the Model 10,13,15 and 64 which can sometimes be found with 2" barrels.

M65_3in.jpg

Model 65LS .357 Magnum 3" barrel.

SW66_01b.jpg

S&W Model 66 with 2.5" barrel - .357 Magnum

If the "K" frame is bigger than what you had in mind, then the Ruger SP-101 or a used Colt Detective Special (if you can afford one) is a slightly smaller gun. After that, you end up in the S&W J-Frame (5-shot) category such as the duo shown below.

jduo03.jpg

S&W .38 Special Model 42 and a .357 Magnum Model 649.

Just FYI: Most of the folks here seem to carry their .357 "snubbies" loaded with .38 Special +P because the .38 is more controllable in rapid fire.
 
Like you I am a Sig fan and have a 228 that I will carry most of the time during our cooler months. I also own a Mod 66 2 1/2 inch and a M85UL. During the summer months I carry the Taurus most of the time. While it is true that there is more felt recoil with the lighter gun, the fact of the lighter gun being easier to carry and conceal with shorts and summer wear make it a big factor in me choosing it. I think I would leave a heavier gun in the car most of the time during the summer months and the point being is to have a gun on hand when you need it.

Another thing to remember is that the 357 has more powder in it and is made for longer barreled guns most of the time. You will get a lot more flash from firing the .357 then you will with a .38. This could be a bad thing in a dark ally or room. You would have a more likey chance of being blinded by the much larger flash. If you would check the different in ballistic out of your very short barreled gun, I think you would find that the .357 in not giving you that much more then your .38 if it is even matching it.

So the bottom line is do you carry a smaller lighter gun that maybe a little harder to shoot or a larger heavier gun that is easier to shoot? I like to carry my lighter gun. I sometimes wear the new baggy type cargo shorts with large cargo pockets and can just drop the Tuarus in the cargo pocket. With my other shorts and jeans, I just wear a long loose t-shirt over my Tuarus in a older pancake that keeps the gun tucked real close to my body. I can not do this with my larger guns. But that is just what works for me.
 
For mostly carry, you can't go wrong with a J frame size revolver from Smith or Taurus, or a Detective Special from Colt if you can find one.
However the smaller medium frame guns are more practical for all around shooting. The three inch K frames are probably the best all around for carryable guns that are easy and fun to shoot.
Recoil in a revolver consists of several things. How heavy is the weight of the bullet. What kind of grips are you using.
If you put rubber grips on a .357 it won't hurt near so bad if you use 125 grain bullets as say a stock model 19 with 158 grain ammo, which can cause your hand to sting.
Porting also takes some of the kick out of recoil.
I can shoot a snubby or 3 incher with 125 grain ammo all day comfortably with a set of well designed rubber rips. But I would rather shoot full power ammo through a .44 than fire 158 grain ammo through a model 19 with the old target or service wooden grips on it.
 
For a carry revolver, I look for four things: reliability, concealability, function and price.

Reliability.......... Smith & Wesson. There may be others that are good, but very few people will try to argue the reliability of a S&W.

Concealability..... J frame. K frames can be found in a snubbie, but they are a bit large for pocket carry. Pocket carry has a decisive tactical advantage, giving you the ability to have your gun in hand before the BG knows you are armed.

Function........ Needs to be snagless, so a shouded hammer, concealed hammer, or bobbed hammer. .357magnum is effective, but difficult for me to control in a j frame, so I go with a .38spl in a good JHP.

Price.....There is one way to get all three of the above on a budget, buy used. Use Jim March's Revolver Checkout to find a good one at a good price. There are many good ones available on the used market for a song.

Other people's ideas may be different yet equally valid, but that is the carry revolver formula that works for me.
 
Thanks

Thansk everyone for all the great info! Yeah I was considering a consealed hammer for pocket carry for the no snag but I love my hammers. hehe so much to think about.
 
I carry a Taurus 85 Ultra-Lite, .38Spl.+p, 15oz, in a pocket holster in any pocket available at the time. It is small, light, reliable, pretty, and it comes in various frames and grips.

Oh, I shoot +p through it everyother week with no problems... :)

My Pimp Gun
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Nice

Very pretty indeed! I like that alot. now does a 38 special have all the same versatility ? can it shoot 357 mag? Cause I know before someone said 357 mag can shoot 38 special. Anyway what is the price on that? I like it alot!
 
It's a cut under a .357. It's a .38Spl.+p, which is probably all you would need or want in a small frame gun. You should be able to buy this for about $300.00 NIB depending upon gun prices in your neck of the woods.

This model is a little bit heavier, but good for carry. Also a .38Spl.+p... :)
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In addition to all the worthy suggestions above, you might also consider a Charter Arms Undercover in 38 Special or a Bulldog (same make) in 44 Special. Both are snubbies (2in barrels), the 38 weighs 16oz while the 44 is 21oz. Charter has gotten bad raps for quality in the past, but I just bought a 38 that I consider a quality firearm and I carry with +P ammo (Charter doesn't recommend +P on a regular basis, so I practice with non +P).

The 38 can be had new for about $240, the 44 somewhat more.

For maximum flexiblity if you have the extra money I'd buy a Smith snubbie 357 magnum, where you could practice with 38 special. The 357 magnum has quite a recoil, particularly in the lightest snubbies, but is much better for self-defense.

Lou
 
My top votes go for the 642-1 for pocket carry and the 640-1 for heavy pocket/mexican carry in the SOTB and/or holster. They offer just the right mix of reliability, power, concealabiliy, and tactical advantage (carried in the pocket ready-to-fire-from-within-the pocket).

642_L1567.jpg


642_R1568.jpg


640_LF2677.jpg


640_RF2675.jpg


The ability to be fired from within a coat pocket is, for me, the MOST important feature of these guns, as most often you wouldn't even recognize a threat until they are standing two feet in front of you and suddenly your world turns to s#!t and you only have time to pull a trigger! There is NO time to back away, draw a gun from a concealed holster, and then pull a trigger. Of course, these guns are not made for precision distance shooting. For all these reasons, these guns are DAO.

For a midnight walk on the beach, a walk in the remote woods, through an urban downtown district... you can hold a 442/642 in your hand inside your coat pocket and look perfectly natural without giving anything away, and yet, if you had to, you could fire it in defense of your life right through your coat pocket, instantly! That capability does inspire some degree of confidence when you find yourself in potentially very spooky circumstances.
 
Dhart,

I just follow your posts around this website. I know I'm always gonna see some BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL guns! Love those pictures.
 
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