Revolver for the first time buyer.

M

Martov

Inactive
I joined up on this forum and I've lurked a little bit but life got in the way, so here's the story. Late last year/early this year I purchased a Kel-Tec P-32 which I've been more than pleased with over the past few months, but my fiancee has taken a shine to the gun and I've decided to let it be hers--kind of an engagement present from me I guess. Well, what with my state coming into a hair's breadth of passing a constitutional carry bill, I've decided to pick out a new carry gun for myself, a sort of wedding present.

I've got some pretty specific needs, however, and I thought I'd ask for opinions from ya'll first. Here's what I need:

-Something with the ability to be cocked by hand rather than a DAO. I've got rheumatoid arthritis which make it difficult for me to pull a double action trigger if the weather is too hot, too cold, or too humid.
-Something with relatively low recoil(.38 special or .327 magnum maybe) for the same reason.
-Under $500(I'm broke, with student loan payments on the horizon and a career of adjuncting to look forward to)
-With plenty of aftermarket support for holsters and such.

I've done my own research, and I'm considering either a Charter Arms Undercover, the Undercoverette, or the Ruger LCR. Ammo recommendations would be very appreciated.
 
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The Ruger LCR is double action only but would be my choice of the revolvers you listed. The LCRx has an exposed hammer and may fall in your price range.
 
+1 for the LCR. I have the .357 LCR and have shot both the .38 and the .327 and about to order the .327

I love the .327 due to the flexibility of shooting multiple calibers out of it so if your recoil sensitive you will be able to find a round that works for you.

I'm not recoil sensitive but in my mind the .327 does give you more options than a .38 does in terms of mitigating recoil. Some people seem to think the LCR is a pussycat in the .38 and some people finds that it hurts to shoot. Recoil is such a personal experience that it is hard to discuss individually.

Fair warning I am a Ruger fan boy so will not hesitate to recommend a Ruger.

I have fired a fair share of other snub nose revolvers and for the most part feel you get what you pay for but Taurus, Charter, Ruger, and S&W will all fit the bill depending on what you care about.

If you are extremely concerned about fit and finish I think S&W is better than the rest. If you care about durability I would say Ruger and Smith are on par with each other but better than the other two. If you care about affordability then Taurus and Charter have you covered. For me Ruger checks off all the boxes to the point that I never feel like I'm breaking the bank but still getting a solid tool that is good enough in the fit and finish department that I'm satisfied with it.

While I think some of my Rugers are lookers the LCR will not win any beauty contests but as my primary carry I never worry about it protecting me or my family.
 
This one:
http://www.ruger.com/products/lcrx/specSheets/5460.html

And shoot .38 out of it. You do not want the LCRx38 if you want lower recoil. You want the steel frame and non-magnum cartridge. Likewise, you do not want the .327 unless you're going to shoot one of standard pressure .32 loads, but that would not be my choice for a defense load.

There are plenty on gunbroker for $480 so you should be able to find one locally for close to the $500 mark total, maybe a little over.
 
Based on your issues with RA, I will recommend the LCRx. The double action is one of the smoothest out there in this category, which will be easier for you to manage. The hammer gives you a single action option. Grabagun has three options in .38 sp ranging from $339-$379, depending on your preferences for barrel length and cylinder finish.
If recoil is an issue, then Slimjim9's suggestion of the .357 model loaded with .38 is a good option .
 
A good used gp100 or sp101 in .357 mag would be my choice.
Most double action .357 magnum revolver are capable of being shot single action and use .38 special ammo too.
I've have a .357 mag Security Six, mostly shoot .38 special ammo and shoot it single action all the time. I doubt I've shot it double action more then once or twice in the 4-5 years I've had it.:D

* I also have arthritis......one of the main reasons I shoot my S6 single action! ;)
 
Thank you all for the recommendations. I quite like the LCR with the copper washed cylinder. It's a gorgeous gun, but the Charter Arms Undercover is slightly heavier, which might make it for me. I'll have to find a range that has both which I can try out.


RE: Carry and such...

I've debated a lot as to how I play to carry the gun. Given my career choice, I usually wear slacks, a buttoned shirt and undershirt tucked in with a belt, and a cover garment(either a tweed blazer I'm fond of or a large military surplus bridge coat). When I lecture I usually stand at the podium the whole time or at the computer to manage the PowerPoint. I've got a few options of course for carry, but I'm debating largely between small of the back or standard IWB. The shallow pockets of my slacks don't really make pocket carrying an option.

RE: Ammo options.

My grandfather carries a Smith Airweight everywhere he goes(gorgeous gun, stainless with rosewood grips) loaded up with wadcutters which he swears by and has sworn by as long as I've known him. Most of the .38 special I've fired from this or his other Smith(the gun he carried in the service as an Air Force noncom) were also wadcutters and I found those to be relatively comfortable. My experience with this caliber, however, has been limited to trips out to the woods with him in my teenage years. What better options are there available, especially as recoil is a significant issue for me?
 
I carried a Taurus 85 revolver for about a year before upgrading to a SA/DA pistol. It handles +P 38's and for a snubbie wasn't too bad regarding recoil. Also, read up on the legalities of cocking a revolver in defensive situation.
 
I very much prefer a DAO/hammerless revolver for carry, but to each his own.

I have an LCR in 38 special, Taurus 85ul with hammer spur removed in 38 special , Charter Arms Undercoverette in 32 H&R magnum, Charter Arms Bulldog in 44 special, Ruger SP101 in 327 magnum... and maybe a couple more. For easy recoil and maybe an extra round, the 32 magnums are nice. For the nice warm fuzzy feeling of making big holes in things, I am a big fan of the 44 special. For easy availability of ammo, 38 special wins hands down.

All of those revolvers go bang every time. The best triggers I have ever felt on revolvers have been nice older S&W's. I pretty much only buy used guns these days. If it is described as "locks up tight" by a reputable seller on Gunbroker, or passes the used revolver checklist at a gun show or pawn shop, I will buy it without concern. Getting a used snubby in good shape for $200-$300 is no problem. If you don't mind the weight, my friend got a brand-new SP101 at a gun show for $320 last year. Getting something that functions well and that you like for under $500 should be no trouble at all.
 
Please reconsider small of the back carry. Spinal injuries are often cited as a reason not to carry in that means, but even without that risk, it takes a great deal of care to draw without sweeping one's lower trunk, plus it is not at all rare for one's cover garment to get caught on the handgun and expose the gun without you knowing it. I tried it when I was new to carry, and will never go back to it. IWB at 3:30 or 4:00 is far better for me.
 
If you are wearing a coat, then a shoulder holster should be one of your options. However, the skimpy fit of today's tailored clothing not only looks silly; no socks, brown shoes and all; but allows barely enough room to even button the coat. Look for a more relaxed fit, maybe in a thrift store. You'd be surprised, if the staff hasn't picked it over.
 
I would advise patience, till you can save more money.
Once you get to the $700-1000 range, a whole world of
possibilities opens up.

And you are a lot less likely to be looking at that gun,
two weeks, months, or years down the road, and thinking
"Yanno, I wish I'd gotten this _________________."
(fill in the blank) You don't want to be that guy.

IME, buying a great gun is like giving birth. If you leave your tears
at the register, you will have a joy you can hold for a lifetime.
 
I hate to be that guy who suggests someting else than what you are looking for, but with your specific needs in regards to your condition, are you really sure that a DA revolver is what you need? You could get a SAO semi-auto pistol and never have to worry about cocking the hammer under stress, and even get to discharge your gun multiple times without hassle if needed. And if you have your heart set on a revolver, and need to manually cock the hammer before fireing anyway, why not choose a SA revolver that is designed to be used as you intend?
 
For a first revolver it will be hard to beat a Ruger GP100 or a used Security-Six with a 4" barrel. I will suggest a 357 magnum which can be used with 38 special until you out grow it. Then you can go to 357 Mag without buying another gun.
There is also the S&W revolvers and clones. The Colts are more money new than they are worth in my opinion. You are paying for the name more than the gun.
All of the off brands will be cheaper and you may find that they are worth less than you pay.
 
My grandfather carries a Smith Airweight everywhere he goes(gorgeous gun, stainless with rosewood grips) loaded up with wadcutters which he swears by and has sworn by as long as I've known him. Most of the .38 special I've fired from this or his other Smith(the gun he carried in the service as an Air Force noncom) were also wadcutters and I found those to be relatively comfortable. My experience with this caliber, however, has been limited to trips out to the woods with him in my teenage years. What better options are there available, especially as recoil is a significant issue for me?
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If the Airweight and K Frame Smith with wadcutters worked for you, why not consider one of those?

A used K frame like a model 10 would be heavy enough to mitigate recoil and should have a good trigger. If the recoil of the Airweight was fine with wadcutters, that would make a good carry gun. The LCR you mentioned in the OP would also be easy to carry.
 
You might consider the S&W 638 BG.

SA/DA
Airweight
.38 Spl +P capable
The only difficult part would be finding a holster with the retention strap across the trigger guard, but they're out there, or a holster w/o a retention strap.
 

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In your situation, I might consider rimfire for low recoil. The Ruger LCRx is available in an 8-shot .22lr version. Likewise, S&W makes the 317, a lightweight 8-shot .22lr, and the 351PD, a lightweight 7-shot .22 Magnum. All are SA/DA.
 
As you said you need to get to the range and shoot the guns your interested in. We can recommend any and all guns, but only you know what your limits are.
 
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