[Flipper]

Been looking at snubbies for months... 637..SP101..85CH..Bodyguard..Airweight..CIA..and so on. Can't seem to make up my mind. I hear good, bad, pros, cons on all of them. What do you think? I'm a big guy looking for a "concealed carry" hopefully in 38special or larger in need of guidance. :confused:

[Ade]

My preferences:

Colt. Agent or Detective Special. Look at gun shows.

Of the ones you mentioned (in order):

Smith and Wesson J frame (Bodyguard or Centennial/ AIRWEIGHT version of either. I don't care for the steel framed or the new superlight alloy versions), either in .38 Special.

Ruger Sp101 (hammerless, 2" barrel, .357 mag)

I don't care for the Taurus brand.

Take care,

Andy

[stans]

I have carried and continue to carry a S&W 640-1, it is a J-frame, 2-1/8 inch barrel, all stainless 357 magnum. And yes, I carry it with magnum ammo. Would I trade this for something else? No way!

[Stainz]

I like the 2" M10 I recently bought. Six rounds, capable of +P .38 Specials, been around for ever (The old M&P model!). A bit heavy and larger (K vs J frame), it had great UM's combat grips as delivered (I bought it new from a closeout dealer for $280 in September.), you can shoot it easily... try one of those boot-gripped 637 or 642's for a hard-to-use grip. Realistically, you want a CCW - those Airweights are hard to beat for CC. I'd also trust a Ruger...

Stainz

[badgerrr]

Lemme 2nd Ade's recommendation of Colt Agents and Detective specials. That should be at the top of your "A" list.

Snubbies like to hop around a lot. S&W often have a cylinder release latch that will eat the flying Farkle out of your thumb when this happens. Don't happen with some folks - but does with others. Taurus has that same #@*&!!! Cylinder release latch.

I'd put a Ruger 101 on my "B" list. That's a release latch you can live with and it's built good & stout.

[tbeb]

I recommend an airweight Smith & Wesson J frame .38 special with an 'internal" hammer--like a model 642 or 442.

Having said that... I am a big guy and I carry an older Charter Arms Undercover .38 (which has an exposed hammer) in my front pants pocket in a Mika pocket holster. You can buy this gun in excellent condition for $150. You can have the holster delivered to your house for a total cost of about $15.

[Majic]

I like the little Colts. They are size efficient compared to the J-framed Smiths or small framed Taurus, but have the 6th shot.
Any of the models in steel frames are good bets and the Smith's aluminum models have been excellent. I tend to shy away from the models made of exotic metals as both Smith and Taurus have had minor problems with them.
When you move up the the .357mag in the little revolvers they can turn into nasty little beasts. There I prefer the little Ruger as it's heavier and make shooting them alot easier. I have a Limited Colt that would compare with the Ruger, but it was never a production run so only a few are available with the expected price increase. The short S&W K-frames would fall in this catergory also, but they also are limited in availability.

[berto]

I have owned the Smith 36,Taurus 85CH,Smith M-60 Target, Sp101 DAO . I have settled on the Taurus 85TT.

The Smith 36 and Taurus 85CH weren't +P rated and loosened up pretty quickly (-my bad,being I used plus P's)
The Ruger had a terrible trigger pull,the cyl binded when it got warm and it was too heavy for my carrying needs.
The Model 60 Target was a jewel,but again too heavy with the full bbl shroud-weighed the same as SP 101.
The Taurus I have now is holding up well to hot loads,weighs 14oz,is ported and fairly easy to shoot for it's light weight.I get good accuracy all the way out to 25yrds.Some folks don't like the porting issue,but from what I've seen,all snubbies tend to throw a big flash ported or not, with hot loads.

[Brian Williams]

S&W 940
Centennial frame
5 shots
9mm
Moon clips
2" barrel - equivalent to a 3.5 Semi-auto

[MikeJ]

If you are going to pocket carry I like the S&W 642 Centennial and if you plan on holster carry I recommend the 640 .357 Centennial. I have the 640 as I only carry this in an IWB holster. These two are the ultimate snubbies IMO. Mike

[usnavymasterchief]

FLIPPER, be careful when considering the older Colt Detective Specials, they are great guns but some of the older ones can't take a steady diet of +P ammo which is what you will probably want to use in a .38Spl handgun. Just for what it's worth, given the choice, I would opt for a Smith & Wesson snub nose in .357 Magnum, a Model 60 for example simply because the .357 is built a little stronger and you can keep it stoked with .38Spl +P, also you can shoot .357 Magnum when and if you want to. The Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum is a great gun also, solidly built and as rugged as they come. The SP101 is a little on the heavy side but that's a good thing as weight adds to controlability and helps to reduce perceived recoil. If this is your first handgun, I would stay away from the ultra light Titanium and Scandium Smithy's and Taurus'. They are more suited to experienced shooters and don't make a good first gun. I own and carry a S&W Model 340PD and I can tell you how uncomfortable it is to shoot but it is a great CCW. Good luck in your search, you can't go wrong with a late model S&W, Ruger or Taurus in that order.
As far as porting goes, most experienced shooters agree that porting in a CCW is not desireable because of a possible night blinding situation from blast out of the ports. Also it is very highly unlikely that you will ever have to shoot through a jacket pocket BUT if you did, a ported barrel can burn you or set your clothes on fire. Finally ports slightly reduce your ammos velocity which has already been reduced in a 2" barrel. Lots of things to consider.

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

While my preference won't be quite as diverse as some,
I would consider a snubby from these three group's:

a) Smith & Wesson J-frame

1. original model 60 chambered in .38 Special, indicated
with the letter "R" serial prefix

2. new model 60 chambered for the .357 magnum


b) Smith & Wesson K-frame

1. model 19 or 66 chambered for the .357 magnum, with
a 2.5" barrel (19 is blue or nickel, 66 is stainless)

2. model 13 or 65 chambered for the .357 magnum with
3" barrel (13 is blue or nickel, 65 is stainless)


c) Colt firearms

1. old model Colt Agent .38 Special w/o ejector rod shroud

2. old model Colt Cobra .38 Special (1 oz. more than the Agent)

3. old model Detective Special .38 Special (21 ozs.)

4. new model Detective Special .38 Special w/ejector rod shroud

5. Colt Magnum Carry chambered for the .357 magnum

6. Colt Python chambered for the .357 magnum, with 2.5" barrel


d) Ruger firearms

1. Ruger SP101 in .38 Special and/or .357 magnum (choice ?)


With all these aforementioned firearms, I chose the S&W old
model 60 in .38 Special, with the letter "R" serial prefix. Why?
Because it was the very first all stainless handgun to hit
the market; way back yonder in 1965. Reason #2, this little
gem made for a very valuable life insurance policy tucked
away in a solider's rucksack, in the hot and humid jungles of
southeast Asia.

* FootNote- Taurus firearm's were omitted on purpose!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[Flipper]

Thanks one and all for your valued opinions. They have been enlightening and should facilitate my eventual decision. Keep 'em comin'!

[P95Carry]

Welcome here Flipper! :)

I still have an M85 Taurus snub .. which was my summer carry .. a lot! It has sweat corrosion to prove it. Good lil gun and no problems. Good price too.

I now tho have and prefer my SP-101 ... I have nothing against Smith's at all .. but am not a fan of lightweights . plus, Smith prices are awful high for most part.

The SP is ideal for me ... being .357 it has the capacity for heavy stuff, tho I carry 38spl defensive loads. Biggest single factor for not only liking it a lot and actually right now using it for carry all time, even in winter ...... is I fitted CT grips .. and cannot praise them highly enough. Makes a great combination for me.

[JCM298]

Flipper,

In the past 40+ years. I've owned and carried Charter Arms, Colt, Taurus, and Smith snubs. I've never owned a Ruger snub.

I now own a Colt Magnum Carry and two Smiths: a Model 649 in .357, and a Sc/Ti 340SC. The most accurate is the 649. The Colt is a close second, but it may equal the 649. (I'm still testing loads for the Colt.)

I bought the 340 because of its weight. It is not fun to shoot but it is my "always" gun. It serves my purpose and is accurate enough to give me confidence in my ability to hit what I aim at. I have Crimson Trace overmolded gips on it and I'm considering a night sight to replace the factory front sight. At my age, I will use any tool that will help old eyes.

The 340, even with the larger grips, is carried in pocket, IWB, paddle, and ankle holsters, depending on how I'm dressed and where I'm going. I only have to be careful when I use it in a pocket holster. The grips are about a 1/4" longer than my other grips.

If you can, try to rent the various types and shoot them. If you can, go to local ranges and talk to shooters. You'd be surprised at the number of shooters that will let you try out their equipment,

John

[ruger fan 101]

Just look at my screen name. Need I say more!!! I also have a Taurus 85. Wife has taken it for her carry gun.. I don't think you can wrong with any of your chioces..

[V-fib]

Had the same dilemma as you when I first started to look for a CCW. I settled on the Ruger SP101 3” for its durability, reliability, and the price was right. It a great shooter, and it can handle any .357 load I try with it. I also added a pair of CT grips. Good luck on your hunt. :cool:

[Rob96]

Ruger SP-101 all the way.

[chaim]

It depends upon how you see yourself using it and your budget. All are good.

-Ruger: It is the heaviest of the group. If you get this you are pretty much limited to belt or IWB carry. To me it seems you give up too much of what the small frame snubs offer with the weight of this one and I'd prefer to step up to a 2" or 3" K-frame and get an extra shot. However, that is a bit bigger and if you like this size and don't mind the weight Ruger does make a practically indestructable gun. Also, with the extra heft this is pretty much the only way to go if you see yourself getting a .357mag and you plan to practice with it very much.

-S&W: These are the smallest and lightest of the bunch (though only a little smaller/lighter than the Taurus). The .38s are a little smaller than the Taurus and both the .38s and .357s are lighter. As such, it is probably the best for pocket carry.

-Taurus: A little bigger than the S&Ws in .38, a little heavier than the equivelent S&W. Still, they (at least the steel 85 and 731, and the alloy guns) are light enough for pocket carry. These are a bit less money than the others.


If you need maximum concealment, then S&W is the way to go since it is smaller and lighter. If you need maximum strength and weight (esp. for magnum loads) then Ruger is the way to go. Taurus is the budget choice, but don't let that fool you- they have some very nice snubs and they are small and light enough to work well in the same roles as the S&W.


I have the Taurus 85CH. I bought it used this past year and it was made back in 1991. No problems, works great. I absolutely love this gun. I plan to buy at least one or two more Taurus snubs in the next year or two (the 9mm 905 for certain, probably the .22lr 94, and maybe another 85, probably in alloy, and maybe also a .32mag 731). I also plan to buy a S&W or two since: 1) they are the standard, and 2) they are a little smaller/lighter than the comparable Taurus.