need suggestions about what gun to carry

M

motherwithagun

Inactive
need suggestions on the following...should i carry an airweight and what kind...especially what brand name..I use to carry a S&W 357 M and loved it, but now i choose to go lighter..I do not want to pay 450.00 if i can help it. Next question what brand is inexpensive and hammerless thank you. motherwithagun.
 
motherwithagun,

I've shot .357's since 1961: Pythons, a Colt Trooper, Smith's, and a Taurus or two. My snubs are a Colt Magnum Carry and a Smith 649. Both weigh 23-25 ounces. They both have kick to them but are controllable.

My "always" gun is a Smith 340Sc which weighs 12 ounces. I use Crimson Trace over molded grips because of the laser and the rubber helps absorb the recoil. When I practice, I use shooting gloves and a band-aid on my trigger finger. If I don't, I bleed. (OK, I'm old and have old, brittle skin.)

I bought the 340 because of the weight. It carries very well in pocket, IWB, paddle, and ankle holsters. The recoil is very strong because it kicks like a mule. Somebody said "it was like shaking hands with the devil". I agree.

They are not cheap. Mine, bought NIB in Feb. `03, was a "gun show special" at $540.00, which was the cheapest price I'd ever seen.

If possible, try the gun you like before you buy it. Look for a used model or try to rent one at a local range. When you lighten the weight of a .357, recoil increases. That can't be avoided.

One of the good things about .357's is that you can practice with .38's. You can try various types of ammo to determine which ammo suits your needs.
I reload and have a round the matches POA/POI of the carry ammo, Federal 130gr Hydro Shok.

Light weight and inexpensive do not go together. Both Smith and Taurus make hammerless light weight guns. I've had two Taurus revolvers break on me so I stay away from that brand.

Good luck in your search and welcome to the forum.

John
 
I second the 340sc. Love mine. As an ankle or pocket hammerless revolver, there is no better gun, period. 5 shots of .357 in a reliable 11 ounce package. Can't beat it. Only downside is, as JCM said, that it kicks like a mule, especially with full house .357 loads. Again, like JCM said, you may have trouble finding one under 450.

If that doesn't work, try the 342ti (basically the same thing, but only shoots .38). Next step down would be the .38 airweights (a few ounces heavier).

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Galco Ankle Glove to carry it in. Trust me on this.
 
Re: J-frames...

While the titanium/aluminum AirLites are nice to tote, and the all-steel standard models are the most pleasant to shoot, I think the aluminum/steel AirWeights split the difference nicely. I carry a hammerless 442 AirWeight as a BUG (BackUp Gun) and find that the weight isn't enough to drag a pocket or purse down noticeably, but it's still tolerable to shoot with +P loads.

New ones are available in the low four hundred range with a little shopping around, and used ones are even less. :)
 
S&W is, or at least some dealers are, still offfering fire-sale prices on the 642; $350 is in the current ballpark. Saw them locally for $300 a month or so ago, but those days are gone.
 
I bought a 642-2 last fall for $330, and prices have come down a bit since.

Very close to the perfect pocket gun...

Joe
 
Some time ago Mrs. Meek bought us a Taurus model 85. It is a hammer version but I understand they also make hammerless. The nice thing about it is that even though it is titanium it is very tame to shoot because it has compensator ports on top of the barrel.

Their hammerless version is the model 850.
 
Check the used gun market for a Colt Agent or Colt Cobra and just use the standard .38 Special loads. You get six shots with Colt snubbies.
 
With the lighter snub revolvers stick with jacketed bullet loads. Sometimes the bullets of the heavy lead loads can back out under recoil. This can tie up a revolver in short order.
 
Don't forget the part about confidence; meaning Reliability and Accuracy in your hands. I have a number of smaller and lighter guns than the S&W 629-6 I carry. All are reliable (I have culled out any that failed to go bang every time), but I have such confidence in my ability to hit what I aim at with the big Smith, that I put up with the extra weight. Yes it gets heavier as the day goes on and yes there are times when I have to switch to a smaller gun, but if the S ever H'sTF, I want this gun near.
Steve
 
I agree with Tommy gunn. The Colt Cobra or Agent is a good choice. I enjoy shooting my Cobra and it is light to carry.
 
The Ruger SP101 and the S&W 642 are both excellant guns. My SP101 is best carried in a holster while my 642 with boot grips carries easy in a poocket.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top