snub nose 38 for cc ?

+1 for the model 642 I carry one all the time with 2 speed loaders. Don't even notice it cuz its so light.
 
I like the M642, no hammer to snag, just double action only. The M638, "Bodyguard" you can thumb cock, and it is very snag free.

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Rebs said
Since the model 37 is not for use with +P ammo I have looked some more and found a new Smith snub nose 38 that is for +P ammo and its $100.00 more.
Just how important is +P ammo for CC in a snub nose 38 ? I mean a $100.00 is a good chunk of money to me as I am retired.
Is +P ammo that much better or necessary ?
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This just my opinion but here it is. I have an older model 37 and choose not to use plus p in it. My load of choice is the Federal 125 grain Nyclad. Mine is older stock but it has been re-issued, though apparently none too plentiful. There are other standard pressure loads from Hornady, Winchester, Federal and others. Many of them are a bit light at 110 grains but some believe that plain 158 grain SWC loads will do fine since few snubby loads reliably expand. None of the standard loads are as "good" as the best plus p loads but they are, I believe, better than any of the .380 loads from the ultra small pocket pistols around now.
Lastly, for me the recoil of the standard pressure Nyclads is optimum. Many plus p loads out of an airweight are nasty to shoot and harder to control. Not a thing wrong with using plus p but, in answer to your question, I don't believe it adds enough to the equation to worry much about it. I'm retired too, by the way. Life is good. :)
 
LCR

I carry a 38sp+p lcr easy to conceal at light wieght. I'm 71 yrs old and find simplicity of operation to be best for me. Being an old man I'm afraid to many safeties and other buttons and levers could be confusing. The lcr is easy just point and shoot.


Rich
 
Being an old man I'm afraid to many safeties and other buttons and levers could be confusing.
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I'm an "old man" too but the various appendages found on semi-autos have never been a source of confusion for me. But, then again, I shoot them a lot. On the other hand, the buttons on my computer can be perplexing at times. :o
 
I rarely carry only a J-frame - that would only be on shorts and t-shirt days, and even then it depends on the shorts and t-shirt. (IE, with belted shorts, I'll have an auto.)

But I often carry a J-frame as a BUG mode. This is particularly true in winter. I'll keep the 442 in an outer pocket of my heavy coat, typically on the weak-hand side. In many cases, it will be more accessible; it can be fired from the pocket if need be; and it's available in case my strong hand gets disabled or is required for fending off an assailant.
 
J frames are great guns. However, they are not the easiest to shoot well if the shot has some degree of excitement.

If one gets one - it is a good idea to practice and/or train with it.

I have 642 and 432 I carry a great deal. I also go shoot them to maintain skills. The semis are much easy to shoot with, unless you practice (as you should with any gun).
 
I really like the model 37 air weight , it is in mint condition and only a very very faint cylinder circle mark. It is still an older gun and I can get a brand new smith snub nose 38 for around a 100.00 more. Would you go for the Model 37 or spend anothe 100.00 and get a brand new gun ?
Also what finish is on the air weights with aluminum frames that makes them look blued ? The newer ones look like flat black, but this model 37 actually looks blued with an excellent shine to it..
 
I carry a 642, also carry an LC9 of recent. I shoot the LC better than the 642, who's a thunk it? The LC may become my regular carry gun if I ever come up with a holster I like.
 
My 38 S&W pretty much lives in my shorts pocket. Nothing wrong with a 38 for CC. I did some training this week on it, and finally masterd the sights.
 
Since the model 37 is not for use with +P ammo I have looked some more and found a new Smith snub nose 38 that is for +P ammo and its $100.00 more.
Just how important is +P ammo for CC in a snub nose 38 ? I mean a $100.00 is a good chunk of money to me as I am retired.
Is +P ammo that much better or necessary ?
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The issue with standard pressure .38 Specials is that it is difficult to get a hollowpoint bullet at high enough velocity to reliably expand while staying under the 17,000psi pressure limit without using a light-for-caliber bullet. Because of this, most standard pressure .38 Special hollowpoint loadings use rather light 110gr bullets which may expand reliably, but have problems of their own. The problem with light-for-caliber bullets is that even though they may expand, they often give undewhelming penetration.

.38 +P, however, has a higher 20,000psi pressure limit which allows the use of heavier 125-158gr bullets that have enough momentum to penetrate adequately at high enough velocity to reliably expand.

In a standard pressure .38 Special, the best choices are probably either Hornady's 110gr Critical Defense or Buffalo Bore's 158gr LSWCHP offering as those seem to be the only two that can both expand reliably and penetrate close to the FBI's 12" minimum. Be aware, however, that the Buffalo Bore loading will likely have very stout recoil in a gun as light as a M37 an will not likely be easy or pleasant to shoot. If those loadings are not available, there's actually a lot to be said for a good old fashioned 148gr HBWC loadings as, while expansion will be minimal, they do penetrate well and recoil very lightly.

In .38 +P, there are several good options. My two favorites are Speer 135gr Short Barrel Gold Dot and Remington 158gr LSWCHP. The Remington is my loading of choice for my all-steel M36, but I might consider the Speer loading for a lightweight snub because its jacketed bullet is less likely to jump crimp under recoil than the swaged lead bullet of the Remington LSWCHP.
 
Webleymkv - What is your take on the 125 grain Nyclad?
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While it's better than most of the 110gr JHP's like Winchester Silvertip and Federal Hydra-Shok, its penetration is still a bit shallower than I'd prefer in the tests I've seen (usually about 10"). Also, in an older snub, it would likely shoot at least a few inches lower than point of aim at any distance greater than a few yards because most older .38 Spl revolver had their sights regulated for 158gr bullets (that's the standard weight for both .38 Spl and .357 Mag). Overall, I'd rate it as very close to a 148gr HBWC loading with probably a slight edge to the wadcutter for penetration and POI.
 
I see I will clearly be in the minority with my choice however.

I have recently built an ankle rig for my SP101 stubby/spurless and even in a day long ware period, it simply isn't there most of the time.

I looked at what was available commercially for ankle rigs, and just didn't like what was available.

After a bit more use, I'd like to send it to a friend at Simply Rugged holsters ( look them up on the net) and have him look to refining it a bit more.

I am right handed, so this holster is on the left leg and the SP101 rides on the inside of the leg.

A belt or pocket holster might be nice, but not during Summer and lighter clothes.

Have used the holster off and on for a few weeks, and no one is picking up on it.

CDOC
 
The 130gr FMJ is close to point of impact as the Nyclad and makes good range ammo.
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I can believe that. I've also found that 130gr FMJ (I tried Winchester) shoots very close to the same POI as Speer 135gr Gold Dots and would also make a good practice counterpart to that. However, all of those loadings will still shoot lower than POA in a revolver with sights regulated for 158gr bullets, they'll just all shoot about the same amount low.
 
Considering that a self defense shooting will take place, or maybe better said SHOULD take place up close and personal. Likely 20' or much less --------

---------if you can get your shots into a saucer sized area, and do it rapidly, that is all you needed. Almost all firearms with almost all ammo will do that.

What your CCW firearm does at 50' or 25yds is totally un-important as you are now, in almost all cases, well beyond the self defense distance.

CDOC
 
Considering that a self defense shooting will take place, or maybe better said SHOULD take place up close and personal. Likely 20' or much less --------

---------if you can get your shots into a saucer sized area, and do it rapidly, that is all you needed. Almost all firearms with almost all ammo will do that.

What your CCW firearm does at 50' or 25yds is totally un-important as you are now, in almost all cases, well beyond the self defense distance.
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Just because most self-defense shooting take place at short distances does not mean that I will never have to defend myself at greater distance. Now, I don't shoot my J-Frame at 50-100 yards (though I do shoot some of my other handguns at that distance) but I don't think that training out to 30 yards is unreasonable. Training at greater distance does not hinder my ability to shoot at closer ranges, so I really have nothing to lose.

Also, even at what I consider to be short range, the difference in POI between 158gr bullets and 130gr bullets is still significant. From my M36, 130gr bullets hit 3-4" below the point of aim at 15 yards (the shortest range at my local facility). While 3-4" probably wouldn't be enough to make you miss the target all together, it could very well be enough to be the difference between hitting something vital or not.

Now, there are ways that someone could compensate for the difference in POI such as modification of the sights or simple "Kentucky Windage," but I find simply using ammunition which shoots to the sights to be the simplest and easiest solution.
 
Not meaning to rile up all you Smith lovers, but I've got a couple of snubby's that fill the bill for me.

1. A Charter Bulldog in 44 Special

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2. A Taurus Model 85 in 38 Special with the gold trim and Rosewood grips.

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Both shoot very well and do just fine when I need to keep one out of sight.
 
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