This is why I don't hang around gun shops much.
Guys are opinionated-especially guys who are all ego and short on intelligence.
I'd probably get my ass kicked a lot.
Seriously?
Either you shop at some unsavory gun shops, you're buying out of someone's trunk in some alley in the hood or.....that's just so much empty bravado (the type you seem to object to in others)- - or ,,,
FWIW -I've never been in a gun store where I felt at all like I was physically threatened by anyone - staff or customer.
Any decent .38/.357 revolver is a serious weapon. If you can't shoot a short-barelled one at home defense ranges, you need LOTS of practice.
.38 Special-regular old .38 Special, not +P, you know- the weak .38 Special- is a fine round for home defense.
I don't really see anywhere in this thread where that's questioned at all.
I said I prefer something more substantial - but - that was more in reference to the small revolver, not the caliber.
Small frame revolvers and I don't play well together.
I'm delighted you can use one.
My first choice for HD?
Simple - - the neighborhood I live in.
I paid and continue to pay dearly for where I live because our crime index is a fraction of what the national average is.
We've lived here for over 30 years & it cost us everything we could scrape together to buy the place.
In the 30 plus years we've lived here, there has been a grand total of - 2 murders.
I view that as - - if someone is in my house, posing a threat to me or mine - - it's probably a very personal thing & that person (or persons) aren't going to run away at the sight or sound of a gun.