Picking a new DAO snubbie in .38 Special

[Tallball]

I got the Taurus 85 with the light (alloy) frame about ten years ago, after my excellent steel 85 was stolen. It had a great trigger straight from the box. After I got my CCL a couple of years ago I went ahead and removed the hammer spur. I was extremely careful not to overheat the metal, and I worried about taking off too much, so I erred on the side of caution. It's still a great shooter, much better than I am. Here's what it looks like now:

 

[hAkron]

I'm a 642 fan. I have a 640 (not pro, just regular) that I bought as a backup spare (which I carried while my 642 was in for service). Both guns are great for pocket carry but the 642 is slightly better.

I like the fully enclosed hammer. Of the 642 I think the bodyguard could be rendered inoperable by a coin or other unnoticed pocket debris, though I think that situation is highly unlikely.

I have a shield 9mm that I bought recently to rotate into the mix as well.

 

[19-3Ben]

When my wife and I went down that road, we both chose the LCR.

It is lighter than the 642 (and just about any other J frame, short of the scandium/titanium models which can be cost prohibitive), with a trigger than is way better, and has a replaceable front sight. We loved not only that it beat every other gun in the price/weight/features comparison, but we subjectively loved the way it felt in our hands. The tamer grips soak up recoil very nicely. The recoil, as we felt it, was lighter than the 642 i used to own, and another one in our head-to-head comparison.

We really had a very very difficult time justifying anything other than the LCR.

 

[Gun Master]

To each his own.
It may look like a S&W, but it's not. The internals are different. I've heard too many complaints about Taurus. If you got a good one, and it works well for you, great. Otherwise, I don't think so.

Meant for posting # 26.

 

[herkyguy]

I swear that only a few years ago the S&W would have won hands down in this thread.

I'm a Ruger kind of guy and am grinning at the amount of positive feedback on the LCRs.

It's a winner in my book.

 

[Lucky Derby]

You specified NEW, so that eliminated the S&Ws for me. If used/older was an option, I MAY have chosen an S&W offering.
CA, is kind of a budget gun. Not a bad choice if money is tight, but I prefer someting more refined.
Taurus, I've seen too many QC issues.
That leaves the two Rugers. I chose the SP101, because it's heavy enough to shoot comfortably but not so heavy as to be uncomfortable to carry. I carry mine quite a bit, although it is a 3"
The LCR is an impressive gun. If pocket carry is what is needed, it would be a great choice. I have older airweight S&Ws to fill that roll, but if I were shopping today, it would be a top pick.

 

[mrglockman]

442 is nice and light to carry, but not real fun to practice with. Very accurate for a snub at 10 yards...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

442 is nice and light to carry, but not real fun to practice with. Very accurate for a snub at 10 yards...

Welcome to the forum...

When I practice with the M442 I usually shoot a box or more of standard pressure wascutters and before I'm done I will shoot a cylinder or two of my carry ammo.

As for the M442 being accurate to only 10 yards, it's not the gun but the shooter. Snub nose revolvers are more difficult to shoot well than larger guns but it's not the gun. Trigger control is key and dry fire practice will help a lot. I commonly shoot my snub nose revolvers out to 25 yards and sometime even 50 yards. It's not that I think I will need to shoot @50 yards but if I can shoot well at those distances closer up will be even easier.

 

[46Slick]

I have both the LCR in .38s&w, and the SP101 in .357mag. I usually carry the LCR in a pocket holster and/or the SP IWB. The SP is DA/SA so really doesn't fit the OP's criteria but is a viable snubbie.

 

[BlindJustice]

S&W Model 640 just shoot .38 Special +P

 

[WestKentucky]

DAO cuts out revolvers, and your speciation for 38/357 makes me very happy to say Coonan.

 

[dickydalton]

DAO cuts out revolvers, and your speciation for 38/357 makes me very happy to say Coonan.

Huh?

 

[WestKentucky]

Huh?

http://www.coonaninc.com/pistol-showroom

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It wasn't the Coonan part that was questioned, it was the DOA leaves out revolvers that was strange.

The S&W M442, M642, M640, M340, M43C and M351C are 6 examples and there are many more from Ruger, Taurus, Charter Arms and more...

 

[MrBorland]

DAO cuts out revolvers

Let's stay on-topic, please.

 

[ACP]

S&W 642. I've got two of them for EDC. Never, ever a problem in 10+ years. I've carried Colt Det. Spec. and Taurus M85CH and S&W 66 2.5" -- prefer the Airweight S&W. Fits in your pocket, IWB, whatever. Never leave home without it. Recoil is fine with any ammo, in my opinion. BTW I use Crimson Trace lasergrips on both of mine.

 

[ACP]

cluttonfred, to elaborate on my vote, let me say this:

The Colt, being all-steel, was too heavy for pocket carry. I did not care for the blocky grips or the trigger. It's not on your short list, just saying.

The Taurus 85CH I never should have let get away. I shot that revolver very well. But, it was heavy.

You are on the right track with a DAO snubbie. Pull and shoot, no fine motor skills necessary under an adrenaline dump.

The S&Ws have NEVER given me any problems -- and I do not baby them. They sit uncleaned and sometimes unlubed for months, summer and winter, in an Uncle MIke's or a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster (I am going to get two Robert Mika's one of these days!!). They ALWAYS go bang, rotate the cylinder, and eject the empties. I trust my life and the lives of my wife and children to these guns on a daily basis.

The 642 is light and small enough to carry everywhere, no excuses. There is one in my pocket right now, sitting by the fireplace. It went out to the coffee shop with me and to drive my daughter's friend home from a day visit. It is undetectable and very lightweight.

I carry 158-gr, LSWCHP+P. The recoil to me is not noticeable. I lift weights and do grip exercises (www.ironmind.com), don't know if that makes a difference.

The CT grips are a godsend, IMO. Expensive, yes. Worth every penny. SHTF, draw you weapon, red dot on center mass, pull trigger, repeat. Simple.

Again, the RELIABILITY, compactness and lightweight make this the perfect EDC, in my book. I have been carrying and shooting them for a long, long time -- never any failures of ANY kind.

Again, two thumbs up to S&W 642/442 (no locks).

And, yes, I have taken several classes at the S&W Academy and have "got the t-shirt."

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

My holster pocket carry is the S&W 642. Federal critical defense rounds.

Not a weightlifter but a IDPA, SASS, IPSC, and magnum handgun shooter. Recoil is never a problem.

I have a Security Six in 3" that was my woods cary gun for year. I used Skeeter Skelton's .358156 SWC crimped in the second groove Hercules 2400 load in a .38 case.

 

[PistolPete45]

101 yup yup yup I like everything about a sp101 Heft is one of the things I like .. We have a Smith ultralite bodyguard and a 10-7 but that 101 just feels so good in my hand .

 

[LongbowShooter]

I said 642/442. "No Lock" version of course. It was a toss up between that and the SP101. I actually think the SP is a better gun for shooting, but as others said, it is the 642 which gets carried most often. It is just so easy to slip in a pocket for a run into the store or walking the dogs.

The wife and I were shooting tonight. she's not too into shooting but realizes she needs to be proficient should she need to use one of the house guns. Started her with the GP100, then SP101, then Detective Special. All 125g 38's. She was most comfortable with the SP101. Weird since the SP and DS weigh about the same. I think it was a grip issue more than anything. Didn't have her try the 642.

 

[shafter]

I'm quite the revolver fan, and carry a snub nose a good amount of time, but I have to argue that they really aren't as simple as most people suppose. There is a lot of moving parts and if something does go wrong there is no tap and rack cure.

 

[tomrkba]

I'd choose a Kahr CM9 or PM9 over a snubby.

But if I had to choose a revolver, I'd probably go for the Ruger LCR because of the trigger. I'd swap out the front sight with a night sight and get the boot grips from Ruger.

 

[CZ9shooter]

I voted 642. Love me some Jframes. Perfect size for EDC. Simple. Light, but not too light. Handles quite well and put bullets where I want them..

I prefer the 637 though. I carry in a holster, rather than the pocket, so potential hammer snag does not worry me much. I actually do like to put the gun to use at the range so capability is nice to have. Plus, I just cant get over the looks of conceiled or shrouded hammer designs.

 

[Manny]

I voted LCR as that's what you had in the poll, but the .357 KLCR is the gun I choose, even though 125gr +p .38's are my load of choice. The couple extra ounces of the stainless frame make the gun pleasent to shoot even using the rather hard CT laser grip. Add a tritium or fiber optic front sight and you have my idea of pocket carry perfection.

 

[MCMXI]

I've had a pair of Ruger KLCRs for almost two years now and they're a game changer. By far the best CC firearm I've ever used. Great trigger, great sights, laser option, super reliable, great ergonomics .... perfect! I have an SP101 3" and it's not even close to the LCR/KLCR for CC.