all around handgun?

Status
Not open for further replies.
It depends on if he is doing more woods walking or spending more time in an urban setting.

For me, it's tough to beat a 3" .357 as a do-it-all piece. Personally, I gravitate toward a pocket .380 most days, but I have a camping trip planned in Kentucky in a couple weeks and my 3" gp100 is coming along in place of my bottom feeders.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RPZ
I would opt for an easy to conceal gun and use it for woods carry until he can acquire something more suited to that task. While a 642 or 442 would make an easy carrying gun, for a newcomer it won't be any fun to shoot. I'd opt for something with a bit more weight to it, such as a S&W 640 or 60, Ruger sp101, or Ruger LCR in 327 or 357.

A 3 inch Model 60 or 3 inch to 4 inch sp101 is probably the best compromise if a woods gun is required, but it won't exactly be pocketable given the hammer spur and a lack of 3 inch pocket holsters. IWB carry will be the route to go for concealing one of those and there are plenty of solid holsters to choose from.

Best of luck.
 
My first handgun that I bought myself 2.5 decades ago was a Ruger GP100 .357 Magnum. It was my triple purpose handgun. Target shooting, home defense, and possible hunting.

Once time had passed allowing me to save up more money and branch into other handguns, that's what I did. But until then, that GP100 was it and it suited me fine. I still have it.

So, I think it would be hard to go wrong with a good .357 magnum revolver whether made by Ruger or S&W.
 
BSA1

Have no idea if the person in question is new to revolvers or not; only that they were looking for one for concealed carry and other uses. Nothing wrong as far as I can tell with considering a S&W J frame for the job. I started out with a Charter Arms Undercover (couldn't afford a S&W Model 36), and I didn't have any problems with learning how to use it properly with plenty of practice.
 
One gun that can do it all? A 3" or 4" K-frame. Traditionally, the .357mag K-frames were meant for somewhat limited .357mag use. My understanding is the new M66 that S&W is putting out have strengthened key parts and the forcing cone is fully round and doesn't have the weak link flattened part of the forcing cone, thus fixing the cracked forcing cone problem some older K-frames had. So, I'd look carefully at the 2.75" S&W 66. Otherwise, maybe go $20-50 over his budget and get a 2.5-3" L-frame. A 2nd choice would be a 4" which is acceptable for carry and better in the woods.

If I had $650 to buy a gun that fit all roles, that is what I'd do, though two specialized guns would be a strong possibility as well. 1990's era Taurus revolvers were actually pretty good guns. I'd look for a used 4" or even 6" Taurus 65 or 66 from the 90's as a woods gun. Then, with current S&W auto prices I'd get a Shield 9mm or a M&P Compact in 9mm or 40. If he really wants a revolver, I'd look for a used 1990's Taurus 65 or 66 for the woods and a 1990s Taurus 85 or 605 for CCW and use the rest of the $650 for grips or ammo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RPZ
My "do everything" revolver is a Charter Arms Target Bulldog in .357 Mangnum. Has a 4.2" barrel. Weighs very close to a typical stainless steel snub nose but has a longer barrel. IWB it conceals similar as my snub with myself being 6'2".
I bounce between this and a NAA for CC.
For the price of a Ruger you can buy a Charter and get almost every holster and grip options you'd ever want.
For the price of a S&W you could get two Charters (.44/.357 and a .22lr). Or get a Charter and buy a nice reloading setup.

Also worth saying a snub nose can be a great shooter too. Easiest? No, but don't expect a pistol to do the job of a rifle without lots of effort (this is where reloading affords you the effort!).

I can hit a soda can nearly every time with my Taurus 85 out to 25 yards when rested and front sight nicely painted. That is good results in my book. 4" barrels makes that easier with less "cheating."
Sadly the Taurus 85 is awaiting for me to call Taurus for repair. It has lost some timing on two cylinders. Prolly put 2k or so through it.

For myself, I expected my "do everything" to fill the role of approaching rifle accuracy for small and medium game while serving as my full time CCW. This has turned out to be a tall order to fill. Lot of conservation lands are also removing permission to use single projectiles too around me with each passing year.

So after my "do everything" experiment for almost a whole year I'll likely stop reaching for that dream/goal once the 85 is fixed which will cause me to retire the NAA and 4" Charter to either long term storage or to the market.

If I had $650 and had to start over I'd go with a stainless snubby, reloading kit (I wish I got into this sooner!), and buy holsters (urban carry, desantis, vega) instead of reaching for "everything."

Hope you learned from my $pending and story!
 
Last edited:
In a different thread a Member said that he felt that a 4 inch .357 is about the best all around handgun made, and I agree with that statement. I would disagree somewhat with the idea of a dual purpose gun being hard to fill, at least in this case. Your average .357 revolver from a good maker is going to be able to handle such a variety of loads, including pussycat .38 special loads to raging hot .357 loads, that I believe that it can fulfill many purposes without really sacrificing anything along the line.

Personally, I have 3 .357 revolvers at present: a 4 inch S&W 66-I, a 3 inch SP101 and a 4 inch GP101, plus one old .38 Special M&P revolver. All of them are pretty robust, but the S&W is the one I think I would be most likely to consider as the best all arounder. The SP101 was bought as a carry/truck gun and the GP101 was a gift from my departed Dad but is to big to carry. The 66 is a decent size and weight for carrying, and I wouldn't hesitate to take it into the field as, again, it is lighter and less bulky than the GP101.

My favorite .357 was a Taurus 605 that was stolen last year (which the SP101 replaced). Say what you will about the Tauri, but that was a darn good gun that shot like a champ. I shot a ton of rounds through it, carried it daily for several years, and carried it in the field. I have shot others that were OK, but that one just had a little bit of magic to it, and I regret deeply that it was stolen.
 
My first was a S&W triple lock and wish I still had it, then a Ruger single six 22/22mag, then a Ruger 357. I still have all except the S&W and use the 22 to hunt rabbits. If I was going to try and start with one today and [already knew how to shoot] I would get 4" 357. I have not shoot my 357's for years but my wife does sometimes [mostly 38]. I like big holes so I go with 44 and up but that is not a good starting place.
 
One thing to keep in mind is the issue of noise and hearing damage. Living in the country and raising livestock, I've had to confront wild interlopers intent on eating my animals on several occasions, and almost always when I was least expecting it. I've delivered the demise to a few. Nowadays I am keen to keep hearing protection handy, but I also tend to gravitate more towards low-pressure rounds that might make the difference between whether my hearing is permanently damaged if a similar situation presents itself. For 9mm I tend to go for the 147 grain sub-sonic loads, and I am loving my .44 Special bulldog and generally leaning towards lower velocity and higher weight in all my defensive handguns.

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else views subsonic velocities or reduced report as an asset in a defensive arm, even without a silencer.
 
My "do everything" revolver is a Charter Arms Target Bulldog in .357 Mangnum. Has a 4.2" barrel.
If money's tight, Charter is worth a look, IMO.
American made :cool: and great service, by many accounts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RPZ
ok, he has narrowed it down because of price so he can buy ammo and holsters and possible reloading stuff. he said the ruger lcr either 3 inch in 38 or the shorter barrel in 9mm or 357, or the charter arms in 38 or 357? he has checked all the local stores with the recommended guns and came down to these, he doesn't want a new taurus and there were no used ones. so from these what would you recommend?, i've already gave him my advice but he wants to see what others say too. thanks
 
ok, he has narrowed it down because of price so he can buy ammo and holsters and possible reloading stuff. he said the ruger lcr either 3 inch in 38 or the shorter barrel in 9mm or 357, or the charter arms in 38 or 357? he has checked all the local stores with the recommended guns and came down to these, he doesn't want a new taurus and there were no used ones. so from these what would you recommend?, i've already gave him my advice but he wants to see what others say too. thanks

I wouldn't. I know nothing about Charter Arms other than they're apparently half the cost of a S&W, and "have great service". Not outstanding characteristics in a primary handgun, in my opinion. I have a snubbie LCR in .38 Special. It's okay for minimalist carry (like doing yard work or hitting the drive-thru), but not a good choice as a primary handgun. It makes a good BUG.

I would strongly encourage him to buy a used all steel Ruger or S&W. Failing that, I'd just tell him to buy a Glock G19. But I won't be carrying it, shooting it, or trusting my life to it.
 
Last edited:
ok, he has narrowed it down because of price so he can buy ammo and holsters and possible reloading stuff. he said the ruger lcr either 3 inch in 38 or the shorter barrel in 9mm or 357, or the charter arms in 38 or 357? he has checked all the local stores with the recommended guns and came down to these, he doesn't want a new taurus and there were no used ones. so from these what would you recommend?, i've already gave him my advice but he wants to see what others say too. thanks

My brain says I'd pick the 3" barrel LCRx with the adjustable rear sight and replaceable front sight. I'd likely change out the Ruger front sight with something from the ShopRuger LCR sight page.

If I could check out the Charter Arms in person I'd almost lean to that, except I'd want the 3" barrel, adjustable rear sight, and a better front sight that is possible with the Ruger.
 
Yeppers, and one of the old Ruger "Security Six" revolver line might work well too. The only drawback there is that I heard Ruger quit maintaining a parts supply for their "Security Six" line. Too bad - they were my favorite .357 DA revolvers.

I think the Ruger SP101 is a hell of a jack of all trades, and is the right price for the original poster's friend too. I've been very happy with mine, though my wife basically stole it as "hers." Big enough to be easy to shoot all day, but small enough to carry. People with big hands should get Hogue's grips for it, and small-handed people are well served by the stock grips.
 
I know your friend wants a dual purpose gun, but every time I buy a tool that's dual purpose I just end up getting frustrated and buy 2 tools for the right job later down the road and never use that dual purpose tool again.

But to answer your question for a true dual purpose revolver, I think the Ruger SP101 or a S&W 60 with a 3" barrel would do ok, or a LCRx with 3" barrel if he wants to save some of that money.

Personally, I'd spend $350-400 right now on a S&W 642 or Ruger LCR with a 1-7/8" barrel for concealed carry, and save up for a S&W K frame with a 4" barrel for the woods.
I lean this way too. Which of the "dual purposes" is more important to them? Concealability or ease of shooting (aiming)? For me, I leaned toward a house gun and woods use first over concealed carry and as a result went with a steel framed 4" revolver. But eventually I satisfied both niches multiple times. I like the 642/442 S&W in 38spl. I also like the LCR or LCRx in 38spl.
 
Much depends upon the shooter's hand size, which affects the choice of acceptable grip size range. I have skinny fingers, so I can get my middle, ring, and pinkie fingers firmly onto the OEM grip of an SP101. A 3.1" SP101 could serve quite well as a go-everywhere handgun, as could longer-barreled SP101 variants. The only defensive/tactical liabilities of the small-framed SP101 is five instead of six rounds in the cylinder, and less clearance for speed-loading. The grip material can be sculpted for more clearance, but the fact remains that larger-framed revolvers have more clearance for speed-loading. In addition, I would rather not remove any surface area from the tiny grip, as every bit of the surface area of its rounded contours mitigates recoil. When I have carried an SP101 as "primary," I have usually carried a second, and sometimes a third.

Two of my .357 SP101 revolvers were customized by Jack Weigand, back when he still did custom 'smithing. The other two have no custom work, and no aftermarket springs, yet I shoot them just as well. I selected them for smooth actions, new, out-of-the-box. Ruger can make a smooth DA action, indeed.

The GP100 may fit into the stated budget. I would not feel under-gunned if I still carried a GP100 in my police duty rig, on the sometimes-mean streets of Houston. (Admittedly, the usual back-up handgun and Benelli M2 would be part of the equation.)

S&W has good options, too, but well-preserved samples may be above the stated budget.
 
ok, he has narrowed it down because of price so he can buy ammo and holsters and possible reloading stuff. he said the ruger lcr either 3 inch in 38 or the shorter barrel in 9mm or 357, or the charter arms in 38 or 357? he has checked all the local stores with the recommended guns and came down to these, he doesn't want a new taurus and there were no used ones. so from these what would you recommend?, i've already gave him my advice but he wants to see what others say too. thanks

If the Charter Arms had a 3" or 4" barrel and/or held 6 rounds I'd suggest that. Especially if it will do home defense and/or hunting, a longer barrel and 6 rounds is important IMO. However, I don't think CA currently has a 6 shot or a 3-4" .38 or 357, in which case the 3" barrel of the LCR would win out IMO.
 
IMHO there is no all around gun for CC. CC requires something smaller and concealable. To me, "all around" means holster carry for various requirements; CC is not one of them.
 
To answer the original question, I'd suggest a 4" .357 (I'd go with the Ruger personally).

ok, he has narrowed it down because of price so he can buy ammo and holsters and possible reloading stuff. he said the ruger lcr either 3 inch in 38 or the shorter barrel in 9mm or 357, or the charter arms in 38 or 357? he has checked all the local stores with the recommended guns and came down to these, he doesn't want a new taurus and there were no used ones. so from these what would you recommend?, i've already gave him my advice but he wants to see what others say too. thanks

I wouldn't suggest moon clips for a first/only gun (but do see the appeal of cheap 9mm). I've never shot one, but suspect an LCR in .357 would not be a painless proposition-the 9mm is just about right. If he really wants a snubby and wants to shoot .357, I'd go with the heavier SP-101. Out of his choices that leaves the Charter Arms, which I have no experience with.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top