The Ruger LCR is even pretty nice looking. I'm just looking for opinions good or bad.
Hello Mike, new member here just sign up and your thread caught my eye cause it mention the LCR, here's my story.
A couple years back after I took my courses to get qualified and permitted to carry concealed in my area I got sucked in by the hype, I had bought a semi-automatic but never shot it because I didn't feel comfortable enough with it not to shoot myself with it so I sold it and used the money to buy a Ruger LCR .38 special.
When I took those courses I was the only one in the class who qualified using a revolver. It was a big class and even some of the NRA instructors gave me the look, the fire line boss on the day of shooting qualification was an active detective and he let me use one of his revolvers to do the shooting course. Problem was it was a big heavy S&W .22 LR.
Like shooting peas from a spoon.
Fast forward I buy that Ruger and it was pure 'brutality' ! Never even got to 40 rounds, got home cleaned it up and sold it.
Since that time I have own several S&W J-frames and what I discovered was despite what some may think or even say polymer does not work the same way as it does on an auto-loader. It doesn't flex. And it sure as hell does not absorb recoil, all it is is lighter weight.
A 642 S&W is only 1.5 oz heavier and yet it's night and day. It should not make a difference but it does, because even aluminum does better at control than polymer, however polymer will out last aluminum. If you can take the beating.
Now, get ready for this. Fast forward again a few years and I decide to get another LCR, because no revolver out of the box has a better trigger, that's important for me because I only shoot one handed and from both sides.
I bought the .357 magnum version which is constructed differently then the .38 special version only.
But not to shoot .38 specials, strickly .357, not full house loads but never the less you know you got a hand cannon.
So what changed, a few years shooting some real blasters and I understand recoil better and how to roll with it. Don't get me wrong, a .357 magnum out of a 17.1 oz snubby is not for everyone.
https://vimeo.com/259112815
I just wanted you to know that LCR .38 special will kick like a mule and if you ain't use to it will shock you, the old line about carry often shoot little is b.s., if you buy it you better be shooting every chance you get because snubby's are hard to master to begin with, but more so you don't feel afraid of it because of how it kicks.
Good luck in you decision, hope it helps some.