Printing with a 6 shot vs 5 shot.

Way to much is made of printing. Most people pay no attention and see nothing. My M10 is no harder to hide than my M36.

Howdy

I don't know anything about Charter Arms revolvers, but looking at the photo of the Undercover model on their website it appears to very closely resemble a J frame Smith and Wesson Model 36 (Chiefs Special).

Here is a photo of the cylinders of a S&W Model 36 (5 shot 38 Special) and a Colt Detective Special (6 shot 38 Special)

The diameter of the Model 36 cylinder is 1.307. The diameter of the Detective Special is 1.404.

A S&W Model 10 cylinder is 1.445 in diameter.

^^^^^

Yup, it is not just the cylinder but the fact that the frames on the two are quite different sizes. But understand that in general, most folk simply are not looking at anything.

Case in point. Not too long ago I bought a little Taurus PT-22 from Academy as a plinker. Academy has a policy that a "Customer Service Representative" must carry any firearm to the front of the store before handing it to you. The CSR came back to the counter while they finished filling out the paperwork and we were all talking, myself, the CSR, the Manager that had to check the paperwork and the salesman. Once they finished the CSR took me to the register and I paid for the gun. She then walked me from the very back of the store to the front doors. On the way she asked if I had any other guns and how many (Yes and a few old ones), told me her son-in-law had two guns and finally handed over the box with the gun when we got to the very front doors.

Now it's getting into warmer times down here and the temperature outside was in the mid 90s F so I was wearing the normal t-shirt and shorts with a light unbuttoned seersucker shirt. And a S&W M&P Bodyguard 380 in my pocket and a S&W 469 in a Fobus paddle holster on my hip. Even though we had been standing around talking for at least ten minutes and walking together the full length of the store she was still unaware that I was carrying and still asked if I had any other guns.

Some other gun owners may notice but the vast majority simply don't see you or your gun.

jar said:

Some other gun owners may notice but the vast majority simply don't see you or your gun.

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This is true just like I said in Post #2. It's especially true with guys. Most guys don't look below the belt of other guys lol.

Get over yourself nobody is looking at your butt enough to notice. Unless you knock their phone out of their hand you could probably have a Deagle hanging out without them noticing.

Kimber makes a beautiful 6 shot revolver that is the same size as S&W or Ruger five shot versions. Mine has been flawless.

Less may be best for concealment but it is not best for self-defense.

Think about it.

The 5 shot CA .38s are about as thin as a 5 shot J frame.

I carry a .45 Pitbull. It's about as thick as CA guns come as it's a 5 shot .45 on a bigger frame than their Bulldog.

The thinness of the gun isnt a big of an issue as the width/height for printing on me. I keep mine owb in a leather pancake, but I did put some Off Duty micro grips on it. I won't win any bullseye matches with it, but it's a yank and dump 5 at bad breath range kind of gun.

If you keep your shirt untucked, you'll be fine with pretty much anything. I think I could hide a snub nose 7 shot GP100, to be honest.

I think too much is made of printing. I've carried as a LEO and a civilian concealed for 45 years and never had been questioned about printing. I've carried just about everything up to a 4" L frame, full size 1911, Beretta 92, and other full size handguns concealed with no issues over the years.

Be more concerned about carrying something you shoot well and less concerned about how big it is.

My CA bulldog xl in 45 colt has a cylinder diameter of 1.6" (5 shot). Iwb or owb, it conceals easy enough.

GRIZ22 said:

I think too much is made of printing. I've carried as a LEO and a civilian concealed for 45 years and never had been questioned about printing. I've carried just about everything up to a 4" L frame, full size 1911, Beretta 92, and other full size handguns concealed with no issues over the years.

Be more concerned about carrying something you shoot well and less concerned about how big it is.

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Exactly. The older I get, the less I stress about anyone noticing. During the winter, I'll carry a SIG P-226 or Beretta 92 without a care. Even in summer, under a loose tee shirt, a P-229 conceals well in a pancake OWB. Below is my mowing-the-lawn carry … yeah, it's only six shots.

I carried a 38 special revolver in a shoulder holster for thirty years,, Since retiring, well actually since last summer I have started carrying a Berretta 92F....on my waist in a barely there holster. I love this gun and it never prints.... I think because it is Italian.

Started out with a Charter Arms Undercover, moved on to S&W J frames and even tried some Colts (Detective Special and Agent), along the way but I always felt the most comfortable carrying the J frames. Not so much a concern with printing (both shoulder and IWB holsters), but more like I simply preferred the smaller frame and cylinder size of the S&Ws. Didn't really concern myself with giving up a round to the 6 shot revolvers and I typically carried a couple of Speed Strips if the need ever arose (never did but it was still nice to have the extra rounds along).

GRIZ22 said:

I think too much is made of printing. I've carried as a LEO and a civilian concealed for 45 years and never had been questioned about printing. I've carried just about everything up to a 4" L frame, full size 1911, Beretta 92, and other full size handguns concealed with no issues over the years.

Be more concerned about carrying something you shoot well and less concerned about how big it is.

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It's been my experience you can walk down the street with anything smaller than a 155mm howitzer, and no one will notice. "Printing" is a non-problem, and probably a throwback to the days when if you carried you had to do so illegally.

ArchAngelCD said:

Way to much is made of printing. Most people pay no attention and see nothing.....

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Totally agree with that assessment. When I first started carrying I was really subconscious about it...but it reached a point where it didn't matter anymore. Most times I pocket carry my LCR in a Desantis pocket holster...it looks like it could be a wallet. When I carry in my IWB in warm weather I just untuck part of my t-shirt and drop it over the handle and no one is the wiser.

I actually open carried a 4" S&W N-Frame in an OWB holster all day at a family 4th of July celebration. It was only after dinner that evening that my Dad mentioned that he didn't realize that I was carrying until then. No comments from anyone else either, including those that might be a bit hoplophobic. As has been said, most people don't notice.

Before Texas had open carry it was illegal to “print” when concealed carrying. There was even a definition of printing in the law. But printing has never been a problem. I have carried a S&W model 69 2.75”. .44mag under a light knit shirt and no one noticed or cared. I have had occasion to pass or chat with LEO’s in stores and none noticed my CC firearm. Unless you draw attention to yourself it shouldn’t be a problem.

Actually, printing can be to your advantage. To cool weather outdoor gathering where I can wear a full length jacket I often drop a 2nd Model hand ejector with a 6.5 inch barrel in a Tom Three person's holster. To add a bit of spice these festivities are often infested with academic liberals. And the women insist upon hugging. Touchy, feely, seems resurgent.

Invariably, the woman recoils at what clearly isn't fat, steps back, looks up, and large eyes ask for an explanation.

"Years of hard work under the sun." I do my best to sound modest.

"You're not like the other men here."

"No, Ma'am, I'm not."

I spent a couple of hours recently near a national park visitor center. Noticed a young person open carrying a handgun on one hip and a big knife on the other. I passed by him several times. When I later asked the hoplophobe friends I was with if they had seen the gun or knife, their answers ("what gun....?") showed that they were completely oblivious.

I doubt that they would notice a gun in the hand of an armed robber until it was pointed directly at them and the robbery announced.

Experiences like this have led me to not sweat little things like 1/8" of increased cylinder diameter or an extra inch or two of barrel length. The clueless never notice.

As I said, you could be towing a 155mm howitzer and 99% of the people would never notice it.

I've found that if you wear a print overshirt it breaks up the contour and you can carry any width on your hip.

Blue Brick said:

Is there a 6 shot 38 that is small enough to wear in an ankle holster in a open boot?

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I have no trouble wearing my Colt Detective Special like that -- but then I wear a size 13 boot.