Need an Education on Snubbies

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Peter M. Eick

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I have been thinking about getting a snubby. (or is it snubbies...) My interest has been in a 3rd generation Detective Special or Agent, but I am thinking I am missing the boat by not looking at the Smiths. For the last year I have been collecting N frame 5-screw Smiths, so I thought I should reconsider this.

My situation is simple. I want more power for CCW carry around the sub-division and on short trips around town. My P7PSP is my standard carry gun (9mm, 9 shots) but during the hot summer down here (Texas) it is a bit big and heavy for shorts without an odd looking belt to carry it. Thus I have been carrying my Colt Gov 380 (8 shots, 380 auto) which is nice and small, but I decided I want more power and would like a revolver. This gun will be carried a bunch, shot occasionally but I don't want to carry more then a 38 special. I would prefer nice blued (hence the Detective Special) but from a sweat and rust standpoint Stainless, Alloy or TI-SC sounds pretty darn good.

So all of you snubby owners. Give me some advice and suggestions. This is for shorts carry, not fighting gangs (most likely mongral dogs and rabid skunks!) light, small, and 38 special.
 
Hard to beat the J Frame.
You know this already , since you are familar with MOA ( cyl rotates the same...etc) you would not have to think or re learn anything. I realize the chance of speedloader and having to re-load are slim in original post, just a consideration.

Partial to the model 36, 37, and 042 myself...
 
This is for shorts carry, not fighting gangs (most likely mongral dogs and rabid skunks!) light, small, and 38 special.
Click to expand...

The .357 magnum cartridge will take care of an attacking dog much more effectively than the .38 special.

My good old Colt Detective Special takes up space in a bank box. It's a dandy gun with a fine single action trigger, a pretty good double action trigger, and an amazingly accurate barrel—but I carry a pre-agreement Smith & Wesson model 60.
 
See my thread on "Belly Guns". That might just be 'EXACTLY' what your looking for. I carry a S&W mod66 snubby in +P Hydroshok and have NO fear of What I COME ACROSS.
 
I own two Smith .38 Special snubnoses, an M38 with alloy frame and a stainless M649. I also have a Colt Cobra and a Charter snub.

Despite the fact that the Cobra has the best sights and holds six rounds, the two Smiths are my primary carry guns. I usually carry the M649 although it is heavier than the M38.

The Charter is a touch smaller than the Smiths, but I don't like it as well.

The 649 is my most accurate snubnose. I shoot it to 25 yards regularly, and have shot silhouette targets with it at 50 yards, occasionally.
 
Right now the S&W 642 and 637 are the best buys in the snub nose market. I have seen the 637 for as little as $289 and the 642 for $309. Expect to pay more with transfer, shipping, tax or whatever but they are still a bargin at anything close to those prices.

When I bought my 642, S&W had a thing going that they would send you a fleece for free also. Nice S&W logo fleece for free! I paid $369 +tax for my 642 but I think that is fair. It is a fine revolver and weighs only 15-16ozs. It is the hammerless version, the 637 has the hammer. My dad just got the 638 and I think that is the best of the bunch. I wish they were on sale when I bought my 642 because I would have got one of those now that I have seen my dad's.
 
I have a S&W model 60, three Colt Det Spec and a Colt Magnum Carry.
Of all of them, the best feel and trigger action goes to the Colt Det Specials.
Smooth as glass. The actions are near 100 year old design. It's unfortunate Colt could no longer produce them economically.
 
The last edition of the Dick Special was made in SS, but may take a little looking to find one. The older models also came in nickel. The Cobra and Agent were alloy framed revolvers so they weighed less. All the D-framed Colts gave you the extra shot over the S&W J-frame for about the exact same size.
The different actions giving two different trigger feel is subjective to the shooter wants. Some prefer the feel of the S&W and others the feel of the Colt. Try both and see what you prefer.
 
My 2" M10-11, the good old 'M&P' is a keeper. It was bought new as a $280 closeout last year - and it is +P rated - and a six-shooter. It is the old rookie M10, just in a 2". It and my wife's side 'home defense', a 3" 65, share the same size HKS speedloaders and Remington 158gr LHPSWC +P rated ammo. For more discreet carry, I'd have to consider a 642 - great bargain - and the same ammo.

My CCW is a 2.5" .44 Special 5-shooter 296 with 200gr GDJHP Blazers.

Stainz
 
My dad and I both carry Smith 637-2's... alloy frame, stainless cylinder & barrel, 5 shot 38+p guns, with factory rubber boot grips... they weigh in at a nice light 15 ounces empty, and are a JOY to shoot (with everything except full-boat +p's with heavy bullet weights) and even those are managable...

the 637 is an exposed hammer DA/SA gun, and the 638 is the same gun with a semi-shrouded hammer for deep concealment options where an exposed hammer might catch on cover clothing...

the J frame Smith is a hard gun to beat, for decent firepower small revolvers...

they are also available in .357 chamberings, and in Titanium, all stainless, or blued versions, under various model numbers... something for every taste!
 
Magic- "About the exact same size?" I think that about and exact are mutally exclusive. The Colt is a tad bigger than the J frame Smith, in fact.

My all time favorite carry revolver is the Centennial series. The later guns in stainless make a lot of sense but the older ones with the grip safety have more panache. About as small as you can go in a .38 Special, the smooth design ensures snag-free carry and draw. Just my 1/50th of a buck.
 
Sorry you folks felt the need to delete my post recommending that the individual making the initial request for information check out Ed Lovette's THE SNUBBY REVOLVER. Seemed to me to be a useful approach to getting a quick study rather than opinions that are all too often based on no more than "I own this and you should to." Would say the same about Rex Applegate's comments on training OSS, MI, and MP's to use the snubs in his posthumous CLOSE COMBAT FILES OF REX APPLEGATE, but it requires more digging to focus on the snub guns.
 
Thanks much, 4thHorseman,

Seems like a pleasant and non-hostile sort of place. Never know about computer glitches or whether one has trod some unclear line. Ed's book is pretty useful as is Applegate's...the latter is especially worth noting for his observations about the 38 Special being a bit too heavy recoiling for most of the fellows who passed thru his training. Makes an especially interesting caveat in this day when so many folks tout and profess competence with 357 and heavier calibers in silk-handkerchief weight handguns.

By the by, don't know the origin of your call sign, but my father served in the old 4th Cavalry just after 1941. Always had an interest and affection for the 4th Horse, though I opted personally for Infantry and SF.
 
S&W makes some great snubbies. I have a 642 and it's a great pocket gun. Taurus also makes some nice snubbies. I have a Charter 2000 Offduty that weighs even less than the S&W 642. Any of these would make a good pocket gun.
 
The easiest snubbies to actually shoot are the Ruger SP101 and Colt Detective Special/Cobra/Agent, although there is a small size and weight penalty. The Smith snubbies, particularly the shrouded or concealed hammer Airweights, are easier to secrete on your person in unconventional locations, but are more difficult to actually shoot.
 
.38 or .380

Getting back to the original post, I don't find enough difference in .38 from .380 to make a change. I would go to .357 mag as a step up for more power (and a sturdier frame if you are convinced .38 spl is your round.)

The Colt Agent you mentioned is not a good shooter to me. Go with more weight, even for pocket carry.
 
I disagree. I feel the .38 spl +P (loaded with some good, heavy 158-grainers) penetrates much better than the lighter .380s, and - in every handgun killing case I've worked on (a lot) - penetration has been the key to stopping the decedent (not necessarily the key to killing, but to stopping).

The Colt Agent shoots just fine for me, too.

I will agree that the .38 spl +P is marginal for stopping humans (esp. out of a 2" bbl), but I believe that it is noticeably more effective than the .380 - if for no other reason than that it's more likely to get to those hard-to-reach areas.
 
The 38 snubbie makes follow up shots easy. It may not be the premeir stopping caliber for the first shot like the 357, but you have a lot more control over the gun after the first shot if you need the second shot.
 
Another J-frame fanatic here...

Just picked up my second 642. There are my "anywhere and everywhere" guns. The first one replaced my beloved .380 Mustang. They will be handed down to my daughters when they get older and leave home. I am convinced that they are the perfect pocket gun (and I've owned pretty much any and every pocket/belly/BUG available) - IMO, they are that good.
 
I've always been partial to the 640s. The snag-free enclosed hammer is exceptional for pocket carry. I have a detective special that is in like new condition. I haven't shot it and I don't know if I will. While I like the gun, they have a reputation for a somewhat dated, rather light duty lockwork. The S&W J-frames are up to date. You lose one round compared with the Colt. My latest snubbie is a 642-2 and it tends to accompany me more and more (I lusually carry semi-autos). It resides in a Hedley pocket holster. Not pleasant to shoot, but I have an all stainless 640 in .38 special to practice with. As far as the Ti-Sc models go, if you have the money, go for it. For me the additional ounce or two of the 642 was not relevant. I bought my 642 and a case of ammunition (ambitious, but I also have an SP-101 to break-in) and still only paid about 75% of the cost of one of a 342 (or is it 340, I forget) or 342PD.
 
I have a detective special that is in like new condition. I haven't shot it and I don't know if I will. While I like the gun, they have a reputation for a somewhat dated, rather light duty lockwork.
Click to expand...
Then by all means please sell it to me!

I have seen many (and I mean many) that were worn, but as yet I have never seen one that was worn out.
 
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