[Voodoo]

I hadn't given it any thought until tonight, but why not?

What do you think keeps it from being one's choice for a home defense gun? Capacity? Caliber? What?

Just wondering...

[Border]

Personally, I think it is fine and it was my choice last year to just plop down my carry gun by the bed. With the right ammo it will work if you needed it and the chances are better than excellent that just pointing the gun will be enough to send a perp fleeing if you ever need to use it at all! Now there will be those who tell you that they wear four major calibers to bed with a tactical knife clipped to their pajamas, but those of us who stopped pretending we were Rambo awhile back will say "fine!" That being said, I have a .357 686+ by the bed now. :D

[HSMITH]

A J-frame is a GOOD home defense gun provided you practice and shoot it well.

The J-frame is one of my favorites.

[MikeJ]

IMHO, a J frame is certainly an adequate home defense gun. I don't think anyone would try to argue that it is the best choice but with good ammo and its reputation for reliability it should do the job if needed. I have to admit that I am more of a revolver person when it comes to defensive applications anyway. I typically use a 2 1/2" S&W 66 for that purpose but have often used my 640 Centennial as well.

[Albert Shear]

My wife and I keep several J frames secreted around the house(no children). They are two 642s, two 340s and in the bedroom is a 640-1 357mag. Train with one and you have trained with all.

[ChristopherG]

I'm a little surprised to be the first to say this, but a J-frame is not the easiest gun to shoot--at least for me. I mean, it's small for a reason, and the reason is to make it easy to carry and hide. I do carry a j-frame, for that very reason; but I don't use it to shoot bullseye or IPSC, because it suffers disadvantages vis-a-vis other revolvers in terms of sight radius, capacity, power, and recoil control. The same disadvantages apply to a HD gun, don't they? Since an HD gun needn't be hidden in a coat pocket, I want to choose the one that's easiest to shoot and offers the best balance of power and control--for me, right now, a .45 acp 625.

Now, if you had to choose just one gun to serve for both HD and Concealed Carry, that's a different story. In that case, I'd probably still carry a J, and would use it for HD without too much concern.

[antediluvianist]

I think a J-frame 12 gauge shotgun would be the best .

[stans]

Practice, practice, practice! I carry a J frame, but I will admit it is harder to shoot accurately than a K, L, or N frame S&W.

[Stainz]

I like to keep an easy-to-use revolver handy. For me, it is both a 2" M10 and my CCW, a regripped (UM's Combat Grips - like that new M10) 296 loaded with Blazer 200gr GDjHP. I won't have a high speed round in my home... I like my ears - and my neighbors! I may get a 642... for CC only. Capacity isn't that important. My wife still has her CZ-75 and two loaded 15 rd mags by her side of the bed... she doesn't listen well anyway - or like our neighbors!

Stainz

[JoeHatley]

There is a loaded J frame in the nightstand right now...

[Checkman]

I have a Model 49. Great little gun.

[Viking6]

I use a J-frame now because it's my carry gun, it's easy to carry about the house and plop on the nightstand; and, as I have said on previous posts, I live in a pretty calm neighborhood. If the threat level changed, I have other more lethal handguns and long guns that could be bumped to the head of the line. This post did remind me to get back to the range, since I haven't put many rounds down range with the J-frame or my other guns lately.

[Richardson]

A .38 spcl J-frame would be so much better than any .22, if you practice.

But why choose a gun designed for concealed carry when you don't have to? I would not choose a J-frame if I had a choice between it and a 4" K-frame, or anything else with a decent sight radius, unless you're good enough to make accurate repeated shots at your longest indoor distances with full power loads with your J-frame.

Richardson

[Brian Williams]

When I go to bed I have any where from 1 to 8 guns near me. It all depend on what is in my range bag. I carry it up stairs and plop it next to my side of the bed. My carry gun, a S&W 940 goes between the mattres and box spring and the range bag will have in it a 60-4, 13, 586, k38, M&P 1905, along with beau coup ammo.

I keep my 1911 Sistema in a lock box under the bed with 3 8-round mags loaded and another 50 rounds.

My 1894 Marlin is hanging on the clothes tree and a Win1300 is in the closet.

[valnar]

J-Frame - good home defense, great carry.

K-frame - great home defense, good carry.

I see no reason to get a smaller gun since you don't need to conceal it. But will it work?... of course!

-Robert

[PlayTheAces]

I usually keep 2 to 3 in the house for HD, and tend to rotate them from time to time for no real reason. However, my J frame stays in the bedroom and is never, ever rotated. I just happen to feel very comfortable with it.

I also know it's small enough for the wife to handle, and simple enough for her to operate in the unlikely event she ever had to. She's not a shooter, but understands the point and pull trigger principle. She's handled most of my weapons, and I know a heavier/larger gun intimidates her.

[sm]

There is another place the J frame ( and snub K frames) really fill a niche in the home.
Answering the door.

[SnWnMe]

A K or L with a 3 to 4 inch bbl will be much, much easier to shoot than a J frame. I have a J but it's a secondary housegun. My main is a full size 5" 625. Oh, and there's the 20g 1300.

[Ultraman]

I carry a 1 7/8" Model 640 .38 Special.
My HD gun is a 3" Model 640 .38 Special.
It is a lot more "SHOOTABLE" with that extra 1 1/8"
It has a bit more knock down power too.

As my good friend Steve once said "Familiarity breeds contentment!"
http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Nov/200311264687063141823910.jpg

[Standing Wolf]

I carry a Smith & Wesson pre-agreement J frame: it's the best compromise I've found to date between size and power.

For home defense, my three primary considerations are accuracy, accuracy, and accuracy, so the J frame isn't the first I'd grab. It's a dandy little gun and surprisingly accurate for a snub-nosed five-shooter, but it's not a match quality revolver.

[SteelyDan]

Maybe I'm missing something, but a J-frame is one of the last guns I'd pick for home defense. They're great for their intended purpose, but I don't think home defense is anywhere near the top of that list. I understand you don't want to light up your neighbor's home with rifles or hard cast .44s, but there's an enormous middle ground that is a lot better suited to home defense than a J-frame.

[sm]

J frame I still think is good, not saying should be only or primary. Like Standing Wolf stated.

Earlier I said answering the door. I'm coming from the perspective "have a gun". Even in the home there is place for concealed means concealed. Yes I think larger frames ( snubby K frame for instance) are easier to shoot for most persons.

Home, mom has the kids in bed reading and J frame in robe. Hubby maybe is in recliner -recent knee surgery. Daughter whom is babysitting in her own home. Just examples of real instances of people I know that having a gun on person if something where to occur is good. Pizza delivery guy, the solicitor, Girl Scout cookies, UPS, neighbor brings a cassarole over...answering the door.

Just another tool in the toolbox, and IMO/IME a very good tool indeed.

[Kentucky Rifle]

For YEARS the only home defense/carry gun I owned was a blue steel J-frame. (Seems like a lifetime ago.) My father had had a .32 long Chief's Special that I liked very much and, when I could finally afford something else, they didn't make the .32 long any more. So, I bought what they had and loaded it up with 158gr lead round nose Hornady cartridges. (Hey! I was young!:) ) It does indeed make "a good answering the door at night gun".
I've practiced a lot with J-frames and I'm just barely OK. My wife on the other hand started out well and did nothing but get better. Hummm. I wonder what the determining factors of that were? An expert, the very first time out. When he as still alive, from 1950 on, my Grandfather was a great believer in having several J-frames stashed about his house. One always was behind the cushions of his easy chair. They were EVERYWHERE. None of us kids ever touched Grandpa's revolvers.

KR

[MAGNUM MAN]

i carry a smith wesson j frame model 60 3 inch 357 magnum all day everyday.i have other guns(semi autos),but i prefer a 357 magnum as my defense round.i also keep this gun next to my bed at night.i trust this to stop anyone who breaks in(no matter how big)2 to the chest from a 125 grain golden saber,and superman is nighty night

[10-Ring]

I do on occassion have a j-frame at my nightstand. It can sit indefinitely w/o no worries about ill affects on mag springs, easy to shoot, easy to pocket & very reliable.

[Litlman]

9 times out of 10 my 442 is on the table next to me when I go to bed . It comes out of my pocket and on to the table. I have alot of larger revolvers to choose from but, this one is usually with me.

[JohnGill]

Yes they do. Right now while my 2" M10 is in the shop my Wifes pined barrel M36 is doing double duty as ccw and bedside gun. So much handier
than either the 4" M10 or 19. In fact it's so nice I want one of my own.

Best,
John

[williegee]

For many years, a Model 640 was the only handgun I owned and using the best self defense ammo available I felt sufficiently armed. I've since accumulated more guns but the 640 is still one of my favorites.:D