Switched to a revolver for ccw...

LCP in strong hand pocket 90% of time.

When it comes to revolvers, I either shove this one in my pocket,

or this one in a good holster.

SteadyD said:

And without the lock as well. If they had fiber optic or night sight options I would bite. I might anyways... but, I’d really prefer Ruger and Smith to get in on this.

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In jacket weather, my K frame M64 carries as easily as my old SP101 did, with an extra round on tap too. For even less weight, there are snub nosed M12s out there with aluminum frames too.


The other 10 months of the year here, though, its a pocket .380 or nothing- too hot for anything else.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

In jacket weather, my K frame M64 carries as easily as my old SP101 did, with an extra round on tap too. For even less weight, there are snub nosed M12s out there with aluminum frames too.
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The other 10 months of the year here, though, its a pocket .380 or nothing- too hot for anything else.

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What would be a fair price for one with an aluminum frame?

SteadyD said:

What would be a fair price for one with an aluminum frame?

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A nice M12 around here will be in the $400 to $500 range. Im not sure if they are currently in production, but clean used examples not too hard to find- there are always some on Armslist and GB.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

A nice M12 around here will be in the $400 to $500 range. Im not sure if they are currently in production, but clean used examples not too hard to find- there are always some on Armslist and GB.

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Is there anything that designates an aluminum frame? Do you by chance know the weight of the aluminum frame models?

ETA- Just saw they are designated as airweight.

Sorry for interrupting this thread!

SteadyD said:

Is there anything that designates an aluminum frame? Do you by chance know the weight of the aluminum frame models?

ETA- Just saw they are designated as airweight.

Sorry for interrupting this thread!

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The Model numbers really tell the story. The M10 is the basic blued k-frame 6 shot .38. The M12 is the same thing with anodized aluminum frame. The M64 is the same in all stainless, and the M15 is blued with adj. sights. All of these were available with a 2" barrel and were also square and round butt versions of most of these.

An M12 weighs about 19oz, compared to an SP101 at 25.

AFAIK, they never made a stainless/aluminum k frame snubby, though there were nickel plated ones. Dont know why Ruger never offered an aluminum SP either......

To get somewhat back on track, I currently own a 2.25 inch sp101. It’s the gun I was carrying the day my son was born. A few years back I cleaned it so well you can’t even tell it’s ever been shot, and put it away. I get it out and wipe it with oil every so often.

I’ve also owned a 3 inch that required several trips back to Ruger because the trigger wouldn’t always reset, and a 4 inch 22lr that also had to go to Ruger for a trigger that wouldn’t always reset... I’ve had some bad luck with new guns made post-2012.

Ridgerunner665 said:

I don't see your post at interrupting anything....this thread is about switching to wheel guns for ccw, so any discussion about carry revolvers is fine by me.

That said, I myself do not understand the push for the lightest gun... I know they're easy to carry, but they're hard to shoot.

21-28 ounces empty is about as light as I want... I like to shoot the guns I carry... And I like to carry powerful rounds (45acp +p, 357 Sig, 10mm, and now 357 mag are the rounds I've carried over the years).

I guess everyone has their own idea of where the perfect balance of weight vs recoil is.

Bill Rugers vision was to build the most durable revolvers he could...guns to be shot to hell and back and then shot some more without shooting loose.

As someone who likes shooting powerful but not painful guns, I'm glad he built them from steel, even if it is cast.

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The weight is why I ever bought an SP101. I was tired of getting beat up by the light ones. Shooting the SP regularly helped me develop better technique to handle the recoil in the lighter guns better.

The Evangelist Cowboy said:

I carry my M249 for just such occasions.

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You're just as good as dead. There's no way 5.56 can kill bear.

SteadyD said:

The weight is why I ever bought an SP101. I was tired of getting beat up by the light ones. Shooting the SP regularly helped me develop better technique to handle the recoil in the lighter guns better.

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Well shoot, then the 64 is perfect for you! Weighs about the same as an SP, 6 shot, stainless. With aftermarket grips, they are just as comfy to shoot as an SP.
You do give up the extra power of the magnum capacity, but I never feel undergunned with 6 125gr +p JHP on tap.

I thought the 64 was over 30 oz?

SteadyD said:

I thought the 64 was over 30 oz?

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Bout 25 empty with the 2" barrel

30 is for an older 4" and the new production ones are around 35 thanks to the heavy 2 peice barrel and thicker frame needed for the internal lock.

My CCW is a Ruger Police Service Six. Tough as a tank. She is a .357 but I keep her stoked with 38+p.

Good thread. I tried semi-autos when I first started to carry. Always came back to Revolvers. Snubs are my favorite carry guns. That’s all I carry and shoot these days. I carry Two of these daily. I rotate guns and grips. A Boot Griped 442 lives in my off hand pocket and one of the others is in the waistband.

The new Ruger LCRx 357 mag with the 3" barrel looks like a good ccw option. Nice sights and sight radius, after market fiber optic and night sights, 21 oz or so weight.

Seems like a winner

Zendude said:

Taurus heard you. They brought back the 856, both in ultralight and steel frame. Same frame size as the 85.

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I finally got to handle a stainless one a few weeks ago at my LGS. Felt.nice and solid with a decent trigger for a j frame sized revolver.

I regret not pulling the trigger at the time and someone else grabbed it

Just a question. Since when is 1 o’clock “appendix” carry? Isn’t that more properly known as “right cojone” carry?

OP, I wish you joy with your new guns. I couldn’t disagree with you more about everything you postulated about revolvers vs. semi-auto pistols re: shot precision, recoil, comfort of carry, etc., BUT we each like what we like. I’m glad you found yours. Stay safe.

Ridgerunner665...Thanks for your confession! About 6 months ago I came to the same conclusion. Even more so since I purchased a CA Undercover Lite which weighs in at 12 oz. I bought the CA from a pawn shop in Las Vegas off of gunbroker for $200. It was advertised in "good condition". Pics showed it looked better than good. When the day of reckoning came at my FFL I was ecstatic! The revolver looked like it had been barely fired! Good deals are possible, even off of gb & pawn shops!

My semi's rarely make it out to the range. I also have 2 Taurus Titanium 85's with ported barrels. These are circa 2001. One matte blue and the other matte gold in finish.

I'm on the hunt for a minty Rossi 68 or 88. Life is good!

I too evolved from semis to revolvers for all of my concealed and recreational needs.

I started handgun shooting with revolvers and even went through the academy with a M28. Once off probation I switched to the Government Model Colt and carried one model or other of 45 ACP semi auto for 50+ years. Severe arthritis in my hands has made manipulation of the slide of my Glock 30S difficult so I started carrying a 386 Night Guard a few months ago. Last time I shot it before yesterday I put 70 rounds of my 38-44 hand loads (158g @ 1125) through it and have been dry firing it extensively with snap caps.

Got to the range for some practice yesterday and on the 3rd shot the gun's cylinder froze up. Neither the trigger nor the hammer would turn it. After some examination I found the bolt was not moving far enough down to let the cylinder rotate. The most sobering thing about it was this was the gun I had been carrying and depending on to defend my wife and myself. Driving home all I could think about was all those people I've heard say that a revolver will always shoot unlike those terrible semi autos. Yea, right!

I'm back to carrying the Glock. I will get the S&W fixed (if I can't do it myself by replacing what ever is broken) but I will not have the same confidence I've developed over the many years of carrying and shooting semi autos.

Dave

That’s one down side of a revolver, they don’t often fail but when they do it isn’t simple to get them back into action. A semi might jam but it is usually a quick fix. Having said that I do carry an LCR when I’m not carrying my Smith 3913 or LCP.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

In jacket weather, my K frame M64 carries as easily as my old SP101 did, with an extra round on tap too. For even less weight, there are snub nosed M12s out there with aluminum frames too.
View attachment 829195

The other 10 months of the year here, though, its a pocket .380 or nothing- too hot for anything else.

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I was wondering when that one was gonna turn up in a picture here. I remember you saying you'd put it on layaway. I now understand why you needed to pay more for that shorty barrel. and a round butt too. That's a beaut!