Glockstar .40
New member
Hey yall im lookin at getting a revolver for the wife. any suggestions? im really thing of getting the LCR in .357? Anybody have any issues with theirs? would there be a better choice around the same pricepoint?
revolver for the wife
- Thread starter Glockstar .40
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Depending on the skills of your wife and the curb appeal, I'd like to think that if you traded her for a revolver, you could at least get yourself something in a Smith & Wesson in return. 
But enough of the clowning around. Your question is quite vague, we don't know what your wife will be doing with the revolver you buy for her. I can say with confidence that most normal adult human people will be horrified at the very first time they actually pull the trigger on a live round of .357 Magnum ammo from a .357-chambered Ruger LCR. It's cheaper and easier to simply stick your hand out of a car window and punch mailboxes at 45 mph. Feels the same, anyway.
Many of your answers may end up with some variation of "what does SHE want?" rather than what you think you want to buy for her...
But enough of the clowning around. Your question is quite vague, we don't know what your wife will be doing with the revolver you buy for her. I can say with confidence that most normal adult human people will be horrified at the very first time they actually pull the trigger on a live round of .357 Magnum ammo from a .357-chambered Ruger LCR. It's cheaper and easier to simply stick your hand out of a car window and punch mailboxes at 45 mph. Feels the same, anyway.
Many of your answers may end up with some variation of "what does SHE want?" rather than what you think you want to buy for her...
Glockstar .40
New member
lol! it would be mostly a HD gun although she would carry it sometimes too. shes not a big woman so i was thinking something lightweight and she likes the feel of the LCR but after your description of what it feels like to fire maybe we should think of something else
Well, if you find some quality .38 Special ammo and stoke it with that, it'll be far easier to digest when it lights off. And better yet, if you buy the .357 Magnum version of the LCR, you'd get a slightly heavier (although slightly larger) handgun than the .38 Special LCR, and that extra weight will only help to combat the felt recoil. It will up the price a bit, however.
In my opinion, a home defense gun shouldn't ever be as small as an LCR. A larger handgun with more size and weight gives advantages in every possible facet except that it's far less concealable. For home defense where you'll never need to conceal, bigger is always going to be better.
A good four-inch Smith & Wesson would be a fine home defense tool if a revolver is what you seek. If she's going to carry on-person and concealed, it gets quite a bit more tricky.
In my opinion, a home defense gun shouldn't ever be as small as an LCR. A larger handgun with more size and weight gives advantages in every possible facet except that it's far less concealable. For home defense where you'll never need to conceal, bigger is always going to be better.
A good four-inch Smith & Wesson would be a fine home defense tool if a revolver is what you seek. If she's going to carry on-person and concealed, it gets quite a bit more tricky.
I agree with Sevens. For HD, a much better choice would be something like a S&W K-frme or a Ruger SP101- something with some weight to absorb recoil and provide for a more pleasant and successful shooting experience all-around. A .357 platform loaded with good .38 will be a pleasure to shoot. This is my bedside HD- 3" K-frame w/ Crimson Trace grips.
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One of my carry weapons is a SP101 in 327 Fed. Mag. It doesn't bite, (hard anyway), and I think it deserves consideration in her application.
The problem with "small woman=small revolver" is that the small .38 or .357 has a lot more perceived recoil than something larger and heavier. My wife doesn't even like to shoot my K-frame .38's because the recoil impulse is too unpleasant.
If you're set on a small frame, I'd get the heaviest available to mitigate the recoil impulse. If you're set on the LCR, perhaps the .22 magnum version would be a better "sell" (unless your little lady likes recoil!)
Best bet is to go to a range that rents guns, and let her try out a bunch to see what SHE likes.
Also, http://www.corneredcat.com/.
If you're set on a small frame, I'd get the heaviest available to mitigate the recoil impulse. If you're set on the LCR, perhaps the .22 magnum version would be a better "sell" (unless your little lady likes recoil!)
Best bet is to go to a range that rents guns, and let her try out a bunch to see what SHE likes.
Also, http://www.corneredcat.com/.
Glockstar .40
New member
thanks for the advice guys. She shot my buddies sp101 loaded with .357 and liked it. that may be the option we go with. its up to her.
thanks again
thanks again
Dave Chuppa
New member
I have put several thousand rounds through my LCR357. Full power loads such as a PMC 357 JHP, hurt me. Most 357 Self Defence rounds are a little less recoil and I will shoot 100 rounds in a practice session. 38+P is fun and it's easy to shoot. 38 Special got to be boring after a while but, was fun because it was so accurate. I carry mine in my pocket every day. Depending on how your Wife may carry it could work. The Tamer Grip is bigger than a J-Frame Grip and the J-Frame is 2oz. Lighter. I find the LCR357 handles 38 Special recoil better than the J-Frame but, it's probably the Grip and 2 extra oz. I think my 442 J-Frame carries easier than the LCR in a pocket. I would carry the 442 in the pocket but my Wife has snagged it while we are hiding from Ohio's Winter in Florida. I still get visitation rights when she is not carrying.
Waspinator
New member
It really comes down to what each individual can handle, recoil wise. Me, I would never own a LCR in .357 mag. I own a SP101 and , for me, shooting .357 rounds out of it is not fun at all... and that is much heavier then a LCR. I stay with .38 specials for my gun and I can handle that just fine. I'd say I've probably only put about 100 rounds of .357 thru my SP101, and that was enough to know I don't like it, lol.
My wife, she doesn't like my SP101 at all, she say's it hurts her hands. But, then she likes to shoot a full size 1911 .45 acp. She says the recoil feels different, more of a push rather than a punch like with my revolvers. That is how SHE perceives it. I would never be able to buy my wife a gun, because we are so different when it comes to how different guns feel in our hands.
My wife, she doesn't like my SP101 at all, she say's it hurts her hands. But, then she likes to shoot a full size 1911 .45 acp. She says the recoil feels different, more of a push rather than a punch like with my revolvers. That is how SHE perceives it. I would never be able to buy my wife a gun, because we are so different when it comes to how different guns feel in our hands.
The lcr will make it more probable she will have it on her at home all the time. This is a good thing. A home defense gun is more effective when it's right there in your reach. However if it's a case where the gun will be in a designated safe room in one spot. Not on her person. Then I would agree to up size to a six shot or more medium frame steel revolver with more barrel. I use a 3" gp100 loaded with quality ammo like hornady critical defense .38 +p or golden sabre +p.
That LCR feels pretty small in my hands, and my wife's too. She's carried a Smith M36 .38 special for better than 25 years now, but recently changed to a Smith M637 with Crimson Trace grips. Both guns fit her well, and she's very competent with either. Her 15 yard groups all in double action only, are the size of a tennis ball.
Which reminds me, I've got to put up some practice ammunition for our monthly woods walk, shooting when called on. We draw and fire on command from each other...makes it realistic in that you don't know how far, or when the shot will come. Lot's of fun too...and with all due regard to safe backstops etc. Sycamore leaves in the stream, thistle tops moving in the wind, knot holes...you get the idea. Best Regards, Rod
Which reminds me, I've got to put up some practice ammunition for our monthly woods walk, shooting when called on. We draw and fire on command from each other...makes it realistic in that you don't know how far, or when the shot will come. Lot's of fun too...and with all due regard to safe backstops etc. Sycamore leaves in the stream, thistle tops moving in the wind, knot holes...you get the idea. Best Regards, Rod
Micahweeks
New member
The LCR is convenient for carry because it's so lightweight. But, something a little more substantial is probably going to serve someone who doesn't shoot a lot a bit better. I'd look at a 3" SP101 if you can find one. It's still a pretty compact gun, but it's got a little bit of heft to it and isn't entirely unpleasant to shoot .357 mag out of. With .38 +p, it's actually pretty tame. I got the 4.2" version for a trail gun last year, and .357 out of it is actually pretty easy. I've shot the 3", too, and it's not too much more harsh, at least not to me. But, yeah. LCR is just so light. I don't like when newer shooters or people who do shoot but not a lot get those tiny little hand cannons and walk away from the range in pain. It makes them not want to shoot more. Then, we all lose. 
Mastrogiacomo
New member
The SP is a great choice. I have a SP DAO and I love it. In guns, weight is your friend, and it makes an enjoyable range day too. I never did understand the obsession with light weight guns that you just carry. If you can't use it all day at the range and enjoy getting good with it, why bother?
Laura
Laura
I understand both of the above two opinions, but I believe there is room in the world for a little more...
But consider that carrying (daily!) a horrendous looking hunk of ugly steel with a huge blob of plastic has a true value to someone who really loves all his "good lookin'" handguns: I don't have to care about the wear, use, sweat, dirt, scrapes, lint, or loss of finish on this 100% working gun.
To the OP, if it's for his wife and she's not a shooter or enthusiast and is unlikely to be shooting any handguns often at all, then I think you are very much correct: it's too light, will be horrendous to shoot and her ability with it would be suspect at best for her use.
But for someone who is well seasoned in handguns, this definitely has a use and a role. And it's kind of funny and worth noting that I defend this position... but it's not a position that I employ. I don't even own a back-up gun and I don't own -ANY- snub revolvers and no mouseguns and have no plans to. I have one carry gun, my EDC, and it's the only carry gun that I use.
But I can see where these kinds of guns fit in.
This pretty well describes why I own one Glock and in my perfect world, I'll never buy another. It's almost as ugly as a handgun can get and I absolutely LOVE for my guns to be physically attractive. "Good looking" isn't always a requirement for me, but I am absolutely drawn to the ones that are and I can say without reservation that handguns are a totally visceral experience for me and the way they look is a big part of it.
But consider that carrying (daily!) a horrendous looking hunk of ugly steel with a huge blob of plastic has a true value to someone who really loves all his "good lookin'" handguns: I don't have to care about the wear, use, sweat, dirt, scrapes, lint, or loss of finish on this 100% working gun.
I also get this angle, but I find it far easier to make allowances for a very wide range of familiarity, ability and expertise with a handgun. I shoot often and in high volume, and I shoot a very wide array of handguns on a regular basis, in a slew of different chamberings. I can say for sure that I would not spend a lot of time banging away on the range with an LCR (for many reasons) and that it's not very enjoyable to shoot these. However, I am still confident in my ability with one as a close-use defensive tool if I were in that position. And in many roles, it's simply a lot easier to carry something small and light and still have the confidence to employ it with skill and ability.
To the OP, if it's for his wife and she's not a shooter or enthusiast and is unlikely to be shooting any handguns often at all, then I think you are very much correct: it's too light, will be horrendous to shoot and her ability with it would be suspect at best for her use.
But for someone who is well seasoned in handguns, this definitely has a use and a role. And it's kind of funny and worth noting that I defend this position... but it's not a position that I employ. I don't even own a back-up gun and I don't own -ANY- snub revolvers and no mouseguns and have no plans to. I have one carry gun, my EDC, and it's the only carry gun that I use.
But I can see where these kinds of guns fit in.