Lightweight snubbies

i think light-weight snubbies are for desk jockeys and backup guns. For normal use, get a steel gun. training will be easier and you won`t pick up a flinch as bad.

I recently went through a series of guns for a woman older than 64. We ended up with a ruger single action .22. That is the only gun she had the strength to use.

Practice at 5 feet with a human size target and emphasize the triple tap. train for reality

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Ya any man worth his salt would choose a Single Action 22 over snubby .38 for defense.I am still trying to determine the "triple tap" method with a single action 22.:banghead:I actually can't. find the "reality" in this post

My mom can't shoot autos. She does just fine with revolvers. My wife can shoot either, but prefers a revolver. My wife prefers a Taurus 85 to an SR9c.

I shoot the Gold Dot 135g +p short barrel in my 638 bodyguard, it's brisk recoil, but not that bad.

Trail Boss makes good 38 sp loads.

My mom was shooting 38s the other day and I was surprised at the noise and flame. I forgot that the box she was shooting was 6g of Power Pistol. That's the same powder charge for a 9mm. She didn't seem to notice, so I didn't say anything.

My mom can't shoot autos. She does just fine with revolvers.

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Why can't she shoot autos?

My mother is 73 years old and can shoot her Glock 19 just fine.

My wife can shoot either, but prefers a revolver. My wife prefers a Taurus 85 to an SR9c.

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So your wife can't shoot an auto or a revolver, but prefers a 5-shot revolver with a 10+ lbs trigger pull over a 10-shot auto with a 6 lbs trigger pull???

This makes no sense whatsoever.

This makes no sense whatsoever.

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Oh I don't know about that. They're lots of folks that prefer revolvers. For example limp-wristing won't shut one down, and if you have to shoot below eye level you won't have fired brass peppering you in the face. You are unlikely to have an unexpected discharge which can happen if you have one of those shell-shuckers where the only manual safety is a little lever in the trigger's finger piece. For some, magazine capacity isn’t everything.

Have a little ol' grandma lady living nearby who just bought one of the new Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .38 Special's with a laser sight. Anybody who bothers her with evil intentions will likely regret it.

I'm with Old Fuff...match the power to the weight.

J-frame alloy - .22LR, .22 Magnum
J-frame steel - .38 Special
K-frame - .38 Special
L-frame - .357 Magnum
N-frame - .357 and .44 magnum

Incidentally, Bill Jordan - The Border Patrol's fast draw ace, recommended a lightweight J-frame chambered in .22 WRM as a back-up gun, and he had plenty of experience to back up his opinion.

Mr. Jordan was also very high on alloy framed revolvers in .38, notably the Colt Agent, as a pocket rocket when hot weather precluded carry of his full size revolver.

if you think a "J" Frame recoils try a .38 Special from a Remington style Derringer!
The Factory (Cobra) sells a nice set of Rosewood Grips with thumb/Index finger groovs that help maintain control.
ZVP

I had the occasion to shoot a S&W 342, a 637 and a Colt Cobra. The first was unplesant at best, the second was much better and with the Colt I had to adjust the grip after every shot due to its slippery wooden grips. Even the steel ones are not pussycats (I had a 649 Bodyguard and I currently own a Ruger SP101).

5-Shots, It's old school but try a Tyler T Grip on that Cobra. I have one on my Cobra and my Agent. Makes a big difference.

Several Durham county sheriffs officers went in together and made a bulk purchase of Ruger 357 LCR revolvers. I don't know what caused this to happen but the officers sold several of the Rugers with in a month or so. Every time I went to DCWC there was another sign on the board for a Ruger LCR with a deputies card attached to sign. Why did these deputies want to sell the LCR's? I have no clue. I called about 2 of the LCR's and I got evasive answers to my questions so I did not buy one. I have heard rumors (never saw damage first hand) about the frame not holding up to a lot of 357 rounds. They might have had problems qualifying with the LCR. I don't know.

Hi royal barnes, thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately the Cobra was not mine and it's a gun I regret to not have purchased from its owner that he is also a good friend of mine. Now it's long gone to someone smarter than me...

They might have had problems qualifying with the LCR. I don't know.

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If they had to use .357 Magnum ammunition they might indeed had problems.

The little LCR makes an interesting .38 Special, but the magnum version much less so. Here again we have a platform that isn't balanced for the round it's chambered in. The revolver would probably hold up, but the shooter might not.

Also for those who are claiming the J frames or snubbies are hard to shoot needs to shoot a few.

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I have owned several J Frames and I think they are hard to shoot in comparison to guns that are easier to shoot. I no longer even own a J-Frame because they are indeed difficult to shoot fast and accurately.

They are certainly harder to shoot than those with 4" and 6" barrels but they can be mastered with practice. I shot several hundred rounds through lw snubs before I felt confident in carrying one. Now I shoot 50 to 60 rounds a month as a refresher. I carry one everyday.

I once owned a scandium S&W 340PD

Great gun for carry, but absolutely awful to shoot. Put ~15 357 rounds through the gun before trading for an E-Series 1911.

Any normal man should be able to handle 38spl. In a airweight s&w

Any normal man should be able to handle 38spl. In a airweight s&w

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Unless you have a physical issue that prevents you from handling the recoil, then yes anyone should be able to learn to shoot 38 specials in a lightweight snubby. But it will not be an easy gun to shoot and will take practice and maybe even some coaching if you have not shot one before.

It will take a while before one is 'proficient' with it, and anyone carrying a gun as a concealed self defense weapon should be proficient with it.

Any normal man should be able to handle 38spl. In a airweight s&w

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There is a difference between being able to "handle" a lightweight snubbie and being able to "master" the revolver. I have nothing against a j-frame, but they are indeed difficult to truly master...in comparison to other platforms. Just my opinion.

Ankeny said:

There is a difference between being able to "handle" a lightweight snubbie and being able to "master" the revolver. I have nothing against a j-frame, but they are indeed difficult to truly master...in comparison to other platforms. Just my opinion.

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Fact!

In God and Glock we Trust

Ankeny said:

There is a difference between being able to "handle" a lightweight snubbie and being able to "master" the revolver. I have nothing against a j-frame, but they are indeed difficult to truly master...in comparison to other platforms. Just my opinion.

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Is a snubby harder to master than some other guns? Absolutely. But is it unusually difficult, in and of itself, to master? Not really. Like anything, it requires practice and proper application of the fundamentals.

A normal man without physical issues who practices normally should be able to handle a airweight snub firing standard 38spl.rounds.If not work on your hand and wrist strength or replace the stocks.My model 37 airweight with s&w rubber boot grips is easier for me to shoot accurately than a ruger lcp with 380fmj.

I posted a similar question looking for a handgun for my wife who has weak wrists and is recoil sensitive. Most of the suggestion were for a semi-automatic which my wife cannot operate the slide. Sadly I closed the thread when I was called a liar and other name calling.

Since that time I have been looking for a SD gun for her. Then the other day I saw a video on Gunblast.com of side by side comparison of shooting the Ruger LCR in 38 Spl vs 22 Mag. The 22 Mag was much more controllable so much that my non-gun wife said she liked it. The men-o-meno on THE are going to howl about using the 22 Mag for SD but see if you are not impressed after watching the video.

BSA1 said:

I saw a video on Gunblast.com of side by side comparison of shooting the Ruger LCR in 38 Spl vs 22 Mag. The 22 Mag was much more controllable so much that my non-gun wife said she liked it.

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I would've suggested a .22 semi-auto, but if it works, that's what counts.

Any gun beats no gun. I'd much rather someone be armed with a .22 they're competent with than any other gun they're afraid of.