Need advice on a CC

B

Big - T

Inactive
Hi, I'm a newbie and want some opinions. I'm wanting to buy my wife a light weight snubby and trying to decide between a LCR 357 ( or a good light weight 357) or a 38.

I'd like to have a S&W 342 PD (10.8 oz.), or a LCR 357 (17 oz). I've also looked at a Bull Dog .44 spc @ 21 oz. I know the lighter weights will probably have more recoil and won't be quite as accurate with a 1 7/8- 2" barrel.

So if anybody owns any of these guns I would appreciate your input. I'd like to have a S&W 340 PD 357 @11.4 oz.....but I don't want to put $1000.00 in one either! A little too rich for my blood!! :D

Thanks in advance!

Tony
 
Hi Big - T... welcome to the asylum.

You say this is for your wife. Every statement after that however is about what you want. What does she want? Has she handled or fired any of these guns?

Back to you...
C
 
Haha, she doesn't know what she wants nor the models that I listed would be totally foreign to her. But I do want her to have a small revolver so there's no chance of jamming. She actually got her permit with my auto! Yeah forget about the .44...I guess I was thinking of me, but I carry a .45. I am trying to get her some knock down power, but I know shot placement is #1. So as I was writing this, I think she might like the LCR 357. I know I could rent her a lot of guns but it would cost me a small fortune! :D So got any ideas?
 
Suggestions? Nope, not really.

Without knowing what she likes, is comfortable with, is willing to actually practice with and, if necessary use... it's sort of a wasted effort. Know what I mean?
If she permitted with the .45... why not a .45? I mean, she was comfortable enough with that to be willing to use it for the purposes of obtaining a permit, so why switch to a wheel gun?

But I do want her to have a small revolver so there's no chance of jamming.
Click to expand...
I don't subscribe to the "a semi-auto handgun is a jam looking for a place to happen" school of thought. The vast majority of autos I've owned have never once failed to feed or fire.
Besides, clearing a jam is part of good training. "Tap/rack/bang" drills are a way to increase knowledge and confidence in ones weapon, not in the eventuality of failure... but rather the rare exception.

Back to you again,
C
 
I say get thee to a range that rents and try a few out, preferably starting with a .38 with below-average or, at the most, average loads. My range allows you to switch out many different guns (one at a time) over a couple hours time for one standard rate.

If she doesn't have any experience, shooting a .357 LCR once could cause her to run to the car and vow to never touch a handgun again... .357 is just too much for MOST women.

She could get the slightly heavier LCR .357 but ONLY shoot light .38 loads through it. Quite a few people do it.

I have a Ruger SP101 in .357 but I almost always shoot .38's through it... Rarely carry it tho' 'cause it's kinda heavy.

I have a .44 Special Charter Bulldog. Once when I was at my range, a newbie middle-aged woman had just bought one for self-defence on some guy's recommendation and she was shocked by it's power and ready to trade it in already for something less powerful. I suggested she might try some light cowboy-action loads first, something like this (700 fps muzzle velocity):

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/33...4-special-210-grain-lead-flat-point-box-of-50

...but she was skeptical... I don't know if she bothered.

You and your wife will be able to make MUCH better decisions on the subject if you shoot a variety of handguns together... borrowed or rented... before buying.
 
A good Smith J frame airweight .38 is hard to beat for cc in a good pocket holster. When I feel like I need the big bore, this old cut SS CA Bulldog with an allow grip frame fills a pocket with about the same heft as a steel .38 snub.

ca44chop.jpg
 
Stickied post in this forum you'll find "The Revolver Checkout". Page 11 is a bonus feature: a rundown of what kinds of loads will be shootable in what size class of revolver, across the 38Spl/357 spectrum.

In my view, the LCR357 fits very well as a newbie's 38+P gun, and most folks will be able to upgrade to at least mild 357 loads that are about on par with a 9mm or 9mm+P.

In general, the heavier the gun, the faster you'll be able to work your way up the power spectrum and how far up you'll be able to stay. If you want to shoot the nastiest 357 full house stuff the LCR357 will be a wild ride and it will take considerable practice to get there if you ever do. A 3" or 4" barrel SP101 at around 27oz is really the starting point for the hotter loads and even then the very hottest 357 loads by some of the smaller more radical ammo houses will be nasty but doable in a pinch in experienced hands.

If it wasn't for the existence of some very good mild 357 loads I'd say the LCR357 was too light, but those loads DO exist and have merit for a lot of people.
 
I bought my wife a new S&W 642 that came with a S&W factory trigger job (makes a big difference in that little j-frame) hoping to get her to carry more often due to the light weight.

Her primary gun is a S&W Model 66 6-shot k-frame 2.5". It's rather heavy for her to carry but I can't get her to switch to that airweight to save my life.

I like the little 642 so it gets pocket duty with me most of the time. However, shooting it with +P loads (Buffalo Bore) makes it quite a handful.

When I took her to look at other pistols to see if there was something else she might be interested in, the first thing she asked to see was a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan .44 mag, so I just gave up on the whole "let her pick a snubby" and resigned myself to the fact that I'm never getting that model 66 back.
 
Somewhere-maybe on this forum

There was a link to a very good article comparing various self defense rounds. The author was good about testing with gelatin with denim in front. The results were really revealing. The 357's just didn'[t do much more than a good 38 +p. At the end, the author was fairly blunt about how a 38 +p from a snubbie would do as good as a full house 357 from a snubbie. The only downside of the 38 would be less muzzleblast, if that is important to you. :D

My wife shoots full house 357's from her Smith 66 with 4" barrel really well, but that would be tough to carry. I would agree with CWKahrfan. 38 +p is plenty for concealed carry.
 
Most of my guns are semi's, but I recently bought an LCR357 to have a revolver. It's a nice, very reasonably priced gun. Can load it up with 38's, or 38+P, or increasing combo mix up to 357 if she wanted. Start her off with 38's. I actually do a lot of hiking, and have snake shot in one of the cylinders as well.

I haven't even shot a 357 thru it yet, and don't know that I'd ever need to....but it's always capable if I got the bug to do so. 38+P is plenty for anything I'll typically run into where I am.

A revolver operation is just much simpler for someone to learn, and my late teenage girls have done fine shooting it.
 
1st Creeper, thanks for the welcome. I'm used to forums that have the quote option but I'll do my best.

No she didn't permit with my 45 but my LCP. No, we go to the range often and she's not scared to shoot any caliber! She shoots my 45s, 9, 38s and a 4" 44 mag. as well as shotguns and rifles. Most of mine are too big for CC. As far as "The vast majority of autos I've owned have never once failed to feed or fire.
Besides, clearing a jam is part of good training. "Tap/rack/bang" drills are a way to increase knowledge and confidence in ones weapon, not in the eventuality of failure... but rather the rare exception." I can't say that bc I had a few that didn't fire or jammed. And in real life situation I don't want her to chance it so I know a revolver is a better choice for her- a dud is the worst that could happen.

@CW, I wished she'd go for the Bull Dog but I know she won't...I'd like to have one! :D

@Chesster, Where is she chopped?

@ Jim, The more I think about it I think she'll like the LCR and besides, 38s would be cheaper at the range and load her with hot 357 for defense. So I'll let her try out the 38 snubs and the LCR. :)

JC, will be sure to check out the 642 @ 15 oz!

Colorado, I'd like to read that article. I woulda thought the 357 would have considerable more knock down than a 38 +P. :confused: :D
 
I'm used to forums that have the quote option but I'll do my best.
Click to expand...

There's a quote
quote.gif
capability, you may not have it unlocked. Check your options... and your current set of "posting rules" at the bottom of the page.

Code: 
Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may post replies
You may post attachments
You may edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Cheers,
C
 
Kiawah, You are right. The LCR is very versatile with 38s and 357. I've read it's pretty accurate too having a small barrel and as I said a lot cheaper using 38 target rounds. I believe if it came down to real life situation, she wouldn't even feel or think about recoil!
 
Never buy a gun for another person

Buying a gun for another person is like buying a pair of shoes for them. If you get a good fit, you are extremely lucky.

Best to let her pick her own with you just being a source of information.

One of the best references for such information is from a web site owned by one of our moderators going by the name "Pax"

corneredcat.com

Written by a woman, but equally good for both genders. The information is accurate and accessible.

I will note that small handguns are MUCH harder to use, much less learn with than larger ones that give your hand something large enough to grip with enough surface area to spread out the load and enough mass to soften the recoil. One of the fastest ways to get someone OUT of shooting is a lightweight, powerful handgun with primitive sights. Pain, noise and little in the way of accuracy to encourage practice.

OK, I am being preachy. Pax is the opposite of that.

Good luck to you and to your wife and thanks for asking our advice. Welcome to the forum.

Lost Sheep

Lost Sheep
 
Thanks for the info Lost Sheep but you're right about letting her pick it out. She has small hands so needs a small grip, and the larger the gun the more of a chance someone could take it away.

I'll check out the site and thanks for the welcome. :)
 
I would go with the 357 LCR. It will have less recoil when she is practicing/carrying 38s in it due to the extra 4oz. In the unlikely event she wants to shoot 357, she can. I definitely wouldn't recommend you to send her out with 357 loads regardless of the CCW you choose.
 
Yeah, we have reached a decision and the the LCR is the one. She will practice with 38s, but why do you discourage the 357 mags for defensive loads? That is the primary reason for the 357- more knock down power. There are so many on drugs, especially the new bath salts like the guy that was eating the guys face off in Florida. When the cop ordered him to stop, he just growled at him like an animal and continued to eat him til the cop shot him. So having said that I feel the 357 with a hot load would do the job. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top