Well armed with five rounds of .38 Special?

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Fud,
The neat and nifty thing about those little J-frame type revolvers is there light enuf to carry two...fubsy.
 
Somebody just said this somewhere - duh - senior moment.

At a recent meeting of very top notch folks - who proclaim the glories of the 1911, Glocks in 40, USP in 45 ACP, blah blah, they were chagrined to find that most everybody there was carrying a J frame.

Great guns, too bad SW screwed the pooch.

They should sell the plans for the gun to Kahr or the like.

Hey, get one of the soon to appear NAA Guardians in 380 - one for each pocket.
 
FUD...just cause it got away don't mean that you didn't hit it good. Two loads of 7 1/2s and magazine of mil ball .45 killed one for me but took it a while to figgure out it was dead. My station wagon died before the gator did. You done good, small movin low down target with armour, unknown kill zone and short on brains hard to put down for anybody. Course if you got your day pre-planned, easy to dump one with .22 at base of skull from behind but only gator farmers get to practice that.

J frame is speed loader for my 686.

Sam
 
Yes, the J-frames are seemingly always with us, even when our other pets stay home. :) I personally feel that you should, whenever possible, carry something a bit more potent and user friendly. Be it your choice of pistol, or heavier caliber revolver. Both are easier to shoot, and both offer more power per shot. Like, for instance, your Kahr. You've got two more rounds of an arguably better cartridge, and it is likely easier to shoot than the snub. Please, correct me if I'm wrong?
 
FUD,how long ago did you post the gator story? I would like to read it. As to small j frames and alike esp. the alloy /ti type I perfer the 32 H&R MAG round, my feeling is you get 6rds, that are just about balisticly equal in the short barrel(I use fed. 85g jhp) with superior control for follow up shots. draw backs are ammo usually is not readily available in average shops, my dealier has been good to me and keeps plenty in stock.
 
When I got my Kahr K9, Momma inherited my M60 as her full time nightstand gun. Since she doesn't have a CCW, on the road I carry it for her. I agree with Victor Louis...9mm has a little more juice than the .38, seven shots instead of five, and a much quicker reload. Seems like 14 rounds ought to be enough to solve most problems, unless the Vandals are comin' through the wire, in which case it works to 'fight your way to the rifle'.

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If they take our guns, I intend to let my hair grow long and acquire the jawbone of an ass.
 
I agree with abruzzi. Most of the time I carry the S&W 642. The light weight and easy concealability make the difference. I have two LW .45 Compacts on order, one a custom, and I want to make them my primary carry guns. I suspect that there will always be the need for the J Frame, however. I think 5 shots are adequate, and I also carry the Bianchi speed strip for a reload. Jerry

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Ecclesiastes 12:13  ¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
 
I'd rate my M85 as being adequate against one opponent at close range. It would take a G17 or a G21 to make me not question the choice of sidearm (Beretta 96, Makarov, P32, SW686 don't make the cut, USP45 barely). If it is a quick stop you desire, five rounds of .38 might do the trick...and leave you empty for #2.
 
Just to clarify, I bought the M85UC/UL as a "around-the-house carry gun" because of it's lite weight and concealed hammer. The MK9 pulls down too much due to it's weight unless I'm wearing a belt. If I'm going to be more than 5 or 10 minutes driving distance away from home, I usually strap on a 9mm pistol (more rounds than the M85UC/UL and a more powerful caliber) -- either the 3913TSW (if I can conceal it based on the weather and my mode of dress) or the MK9 (which I can conceal under just about any conditions).

pocketman, I didn't post "the alligator story" as a complete story anywhere but I've made references to in bits & pieces in a few of the following trends (I'm supplying the links in case you want to read them): [Link to invalid post], [Link to invalid post], [Link to invalid postl & http://www.thefiringline.com:8080/forums/showthread.php?threadid=37167. The whole thing shuck me up quite a bit (especially since it involved my daughter's life) and made me realize [1] how quickly ten rounds disappear when you're shooting widely; [2] how important it is, especially in a panic situation, to use your sights (which I didn't do); and [3] how extremely difficult it is to quickly hit a moving target in a life & death situation when split seconds count.

Ever since then, I've had an obsession with gators and I've changed the way that I practise when at the range. Instead of taking my sweet old time firing at a target 25 yards away, I now bring it in closer (25-50 feet) and try to empty the magazine/cylinder as quickly as possible while keeping the hits within the X-ring (or close to it). Regards, FUD.

[This message has been edited by FUD (edited June 29, 2000).]
 
Don't know about you guy's and/or gal's; but
I always manage to keep a Smith & Wesson 5-shooter amongest my collection. On rainy day's is much easier to stuff the 5-shot
model 60 .38 Special in a trouser's pocket,
and be off to the races. :eek: Usually, it's
loaded with 125 grain Federal Hydra-Shok +P
ammunition. :) I feel comfortable with it; as I can hit center mass from 0 to 7 yards every time. :D Plus, I don't have to worry
about the weather conditions; or if it will
rust.

Regards,
Ala Dan, Life Member N.R.A.
 
The love of my life carries a second generation Taurus M85 Ultra lite .38spl and two Bianchi speed strips. I think that she is very well armed considering that with that gun, she can out shoot me, and my M85.
Now MY G26 is another matter...

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BOYCOTT SMITH AND WESSON!!!


Yeah, I got a permit to carry,it's called the friggin Constitution.---Ted Nugent

"Man killing is nasty business"---Finn Aagaard

Minor caliber my arse, 9mm rules the roost!!!!
 
Count me in as a believer. I carry a S&W AirLite Ti M342 (pre-agreement, of course) with Federal 125 grain Nyclads. I also have two HKS speedloaders in my back pocket as well -- competing in IDPA with the M342, where we don't have a backup gun division, has allowed me to get rather proficient at reloading. :)

Justin

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Justin T. Huang, Esq.
late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
 
The original question was if you are "well armed with five rounds of .38 Special?". No I don't think you are "well armed". If you place you shots well and the ammunition you have chosen performs adequately, you may stop an assault - but you might do that with a well thrown rock!

I tell my CCW students the best gun for selfdefense is the one you have with you. If all you are willing to carry is a five shot 38, then you will have to make do with that. Because you are not willing to carry a more effective weapon, doesn't make the barely adequate one you have chosen a good idea.
 
If the situation is that you cant carry a larger capacity pistol then you have to carry what you can, and if that 5 shots of .38s, its better then a Swiss Army Knife. If its the only thing you can carry, then go for it. Any amount of shots is better then none.
 
I like my lil Smif & Western Mod 642? Big enuff? Hell, their usually running by the time I present the piece. Guess it'll work.

Ain't big enough to use as a club, though...


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o I raised my hand to eye level, like pointing a finger, and fired. Wild Bill Hickok
o If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts... Wild Bill Hickok
o 45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
o It is not the function of our government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error. Justice Robert H. Jackson
o It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself. Tom Jefferson
o When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up. BigG
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by David Scott:
Five rounds of .38 Special should suffice to get you out of a sticky street situation on the way to your in-laws. [/quote]

Or maybe AT your inlaws, if you're unlucky. :)
 
With the right load, placed correctly a .38 snubby will do the job. Though I used to like to carry a charter arms bulldog .44 special as my hideout piece. Just liked the idea of the extra punch it delivered. I used to carry it in a side pocket holster made by Chick Gaylord. He called it the eigth ball holster.

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***Torpedo***
Life is great if you can survive it!
 
Guys,
Granted a big gun with lots of bullets is nice... But from 1970 to 1989, as a uniformed Cop on Long Island NY I carried a 4" 38 K frame with 3 speed loaders (24 rounds in all). Got real good with the speed loaders and never felt under gunned.

Fud, gotta remember that you are not going to "square off" with the BG like the last scene of High Noon. If you conceal that lil shooter real good, he won't know you even have it until he hears the first half of "boom".

Some one mentioned that 5 rounds are not enough, what if there are two or three assailants. Guess what… at 10 feet, it may very well be. Again remember that at that distance, you can get 5 placed rounds out to 3 targets in 4 or 5 seconds. I've done it (wonderful thing, that adrenaline).

When I go into NYC, I carry my Kimber Ultra Carry, or my Glock 33, but around town I carry either a little J or a Keltec p32, and like baby bear, I feel "just right".

Just my opinion.
 
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