J-Frame Primary CCW?

I carry a S&W 642 Airweight 98% of the time as my primary CCW. I have other options, but the 642 slides so comfortably into my pocket, whereby I can almost forget it's there.

Who here? I here. I carry the J frame because it is the easiest , most reliable handgun for me to draw and shoot in a hurry with reasonable likelihood of rounds on target.

I have confidence in the small revolver. As to the effectiveness of the .38 special caliber , my choice is based on the round with which I am likely to have success. Simple choice.

I do it every now and then, more out of nostalgia then for the platform itself. It's usually one of a trio of Charter Arms Undercover revolvers I own, none of which is less than thirty years of age (one of them was my dad's, and it's fifty years old.)

One of them is from 1987, and I bought it the day I was sworn in on the job. It rode with me as a BU/OD gun for quite a while after that.

I don't feel especially less-armed with the five-shot steel wheel, but I usually also have a second gun, albeit a NAA mini in .22LR, along as well.

Read some of the .380/.32/.25 threads-some of those guys will say you're overgunned.
Seriously, I carry a J-frame by itself often, though I do carry it as backup to one of my .45's also. They are handy for summer wear, cutting the grass, etc.

Started with a Charter Bulldog in 1976. Then a variety of 1911's then went back to J frames when I realized nobody was paying me to haul all the iron around my waist. 642 is my favorite, followed by 638's.

The last couple of months I have been carrying a Model 637 Airweight. Bought it towards the end of last year when the wife said she wanted a SA/DA J frame. After firing it she didn't care for it but I gave it a nice home in a Bianchi OWB holster on my right hip. I keep my .327 LCR on the night stand now but will probably rotate it out with the 637 once I get another decent holster for it. Obligatory pic.

I carry one often. IMHO it is just fine for an attempted mugging or carjacking. I am not going to worry about being attacked by a dozen shooters who open fire from 50 yards away and are invulnerable due to being "crazed on drugs".

I used to. Started with a 642, carried it for a couple of years, switched to a 438 for another couple of years, then moved on to a 640 because my hands got too old to handle the Airweights. I still carry the 640 occasionally, but mostly either a compact or CCO 1911, because I shoot those better than I shoot revolvers.

I still do sometimes. Started out with a Charter Arms Undercover then had a number of S&W Model 36s, with 2" and 3" barrels. Later got a nickel plated S&W Model 38 and use to carry it around in my coat pocket when I went on late night walks with the dog. Finally settled on a Model 649 and a Model 638 for year round carry. Have a DeSantis SOF-TUCK IWB holster for both of them.

primary

There are a few downsides to carrying a J frame size gun as a primary.

The first is too many are satisfied with pie plate groups at 10 feet. Some say that's all they're good for. That's incorrect. When I started as a LEO in the 70s a J frame was the most popular off duty gun and the primary duty gun for plainclothes. We had to qualify out to 50 yds with whatever we carried. Shooting a max score was not an unusual occurrence for me. J frames can shoot a lot better than most think.

Capacity is the other issue. No one would argue that it is not the ideal gun to have if you're find yourself in a Mubai type scenario. Thats very unlikely though.

What's likely is what happened to an off duty NYPD officer who found herself involved with 3 holdup men. She put 2 rds each in 2 of them and 1 rd in another. However one of the bad guys returned fire after being hit and she was shot. I don't think a backup gun could have been deployed in time. She recovered and all the bad guys survived to go to prison. This was one of the incidents that convinced the powers in NYC to permit semi autos although initially they allowed only 10 rd magazines.

I can still shoot a J frame well and acknowledge the ammo limitation. I still carry a J frame as a primary often. It will take care of nearly all situations for what a non LEO will encounter.

Waveski said:

Who here? I here. I carry the J frame because it is the easiest , most reliable handgun for me to draw and shoot in a hurry with reasonable likelihood of rounds on target.

I have confidence in the small revolver. As to the effectiveness of the .38 special caliber , my choice is based on the round with which I am likely to have success. Simple choice. View attachment 232587

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Nice gun. Love the Nill grips too.

I carry a J frame all summer long with no back up. I f I lived somewhere else I would consider more gun but I am in a small town, no gangs, 1 murder in last 40 years and I seem to recall an armed robbery once in the mid 70's.

Cooldill said:

Just bought a 638 for summer carry but not sure if it will be enough?

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Enough for what is what you need to answer. The fact that you're asking the question tells me you are not comfortable with the capacity, or maybe the cartridge. Your comfort level is what matters.

It's got to be based on your individual perception of possible threats. What anyone here tells you isn't necessarily relevant to your individual environment.

CCW has been legal here since 2011. Since my permit came that November, the only CWC weapon I have owned is a 637. Never have I felt undergunned. Doubt if I ever will. If I ever do, I will probably stay home surrounded by the rest of my guns.

I carry a S&W M442 daily. It is my primary SD handgun.

I carry a 642 almost all of the time.

Small OWB holster carry in cold months, and pocket holster carry in the Summer.

Accuracy http://s338.photobucket.com/user/joe1944usa/media/FirearmsReloading102/M60M337PD001.jpg.html

Back when I first started as a peace officer, I carried a .38 Charter Arms Undercover (same size as a J frame just lighter) and was never worried about weither or not it would do the job or not.

Now? Still carry it now and again, but I've also got a couple of Walther .22's (TPH & PPK/s) and a KelTec PF9

I do as my primary the 360PD .357 magnum pictured below. I carry it with 125gr. 357 JHP's and am fully confident in its ability to stop a threat.

Griz is right on, the little J Frames are actually capable of stellar accuracy. Even with the tiny 1 7/8" barrel - the bullet grips the rifling in the first 1/3" as I recall. Accuracy is therefore as good as longer barrel revolvers (some say possibly better - the shorter barrel may flex less than a longer one). It's more mind over matter. Tight grip, front sight, squeeze trigger, release, repeat. Don't think about the recoil. There's more to it than that of course, but the little guns can do amazing things. I enjoy shooting 8" round steel plates at 15 or more yards. Last time I was out, rapid fire unsupported (1 shot / second) I was ringing those plates 4/5 - and I was having a so-so day. The trigger on mine is as smooth as a coil sprung action is probably going to be (I can feel the coils binding during the trigger squeeze a bit), the break is very crisp and the over travel is minimal. Sure, it's heavy, but if you don't have arthritis and you have decent strength in your trigger feeling, it's really no problem at all.

I don't carry my 642 as a primary often as I did 10 years ago out and about, but I feel fine when I do carry it as a primary - I just prefer something like my 3" 686. I do carry it around my house on lazy days very often, when just tooling around.

When I carried a badge, my armament was a Model 19 (in uniform) and a Chiefs Special (Model 36) 3" barrel square butt off duty, two speed loaders with the Magnum, one with the .38. I never felt unarmed. It is easy to play mental "what if" games but there is no end - what if you have a Glock with two 17 round magazines, and there are 35 bad guys? Or you have 10 magazines and there are 171 of them? At some point, you have to use common sense or you can't move for the weight of guns and ammunition you are lugging around.

Jim

I carried a 642 for many years as my primary until purchasing a Kahr PM9. I never felt undergunned with a cylinder full of Speer Gold Dot 135 +P's.

I carry either a M49 (38 Special) or a M431PD (32 H&R magnum) as an only gun.

I'm retired, live in a nice area, and don't go into bad areas.

I only carry for protection of myself and family. If I see a crime going down, I plan to head the other way and call 911.

So for me, I consider it enough.

M49


M431PD