First Revolver

I carried a SP for nearly 20 years. The bottom of my carry side pants leg was always frayed from that side riding lower due to the weight. I didn't notice the gun being there, but undoubtedly it pulled my pants down a bit...lol.

I would get the SW Model 649 SS pre lock 'Bodyguard' in .357 mag. The 442 is a good choice but I would not want to give up my SA capability. It has to be all around good right?- Can't have that without the satisfying single action shot. Its has been a great and faithful companion.

Im not much of a Ruger fan. Smiths are my favorite.

If I were looking at something comparable to the Ruger, Id look at a 3" Model 65 (or even a 2"-3" Model 10 or 64) if you can find one. Its a couple of ounces heavier than the SP, but they are great guns and shooters.

I dont have a 442, but I have owned a number of 642's, and still have one. They are good guns, if youre willing to practice with them, but the K frames are easier and more pleasant to shoot with, and also have an extra round to boot.

One thing you might want to consider with the Airweights is, the finishes dont seem to hold up real great to even moderate use. The 442's are a lot more noticeable too, as the contrast between the black finish and underlying aluminum shows a lot more.

My one buddy carried one for a number of years and looks beat to hell. My 642 has its share of nicks and chips, but doesnt show them near as bad. My sons 642, on the other hand, it considerably more beat up and really shows it. Not really an issue with function, but it something to consider if youre going to be using it regulalry.

Another option if it has to be a J frame, are the 60's. The have steel frames and are a bit softer to shoot. I still prefer the K and L frames over then, but Ive owned a couple of those too, and they are good shooters as well, but not as easy to shoot as the K frames.

Mr. Mosin said:

After much deliberation and study, I’ve narrowed my first revolver purchase down to either a S&W 442 (no internal lock), or a Ruger SP101 (3” barrel, .357 Magnum). Uses would be concealed carry, home defense, trail/kit gun and general do-all gun. A buddy has a 637 he will let me shoot (I figure it’ll give me a taste of what the 442 is like). Opinions ? I know the 442 is the far superior *ccw* gun, but I want a gun that is actual somewhat enjoy shooting.

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Your description of a multi-purpose gun describes a 3 inch LCRx357. I just purchased one. It comes in at 21 oz which makes it more suitable for carry compared to the 26 oz of my SP101 2-1/4"...I believe the 3" is 27 oz. It has an adjustable rear sight so you can dial it in for your favorite round. It has a shorter, smoother pull than the SP101. It has a stainless steel frame for years of abuse. It makes great all around revolver.

I have a 442 and a 3" M60 (as close to the 3" SP101 as S&W makes). If it were for STRICTLY everyday CCW the 442 is hands down a better choice, it's probably the easiest 38 revolver to carry ever made. The 3" all steel 357 covers MUCH more bases and still carries very well.

If I were to have only one revolver, it'd more likely be the 3" SP101 than the 442. Take a look at the 3" M60's, I'm a sucker for good adjustable sights like they have.

Little revolvers are not much fun and hard to shoot, compared to the full size revolvers. I conceal carry a 442 . For the trail/kit-gun I go K-frame and when I want to have fun it's an N-frame.

I have a 3" SP101 357 and a Smith 642 38. Between those two I would choose the SP101 if I could only keep one. I do carry a J frame 18 hrs a day 7 days a week though. The J frames are way easier to carry. For a " Do All" the Ruger would probably be a better choice.

I have had a 2.25 inch SP101 for 6 years, a S&W 638 for 4 years and a no lock 442 for 5 months. The airweight J frames win hands down for carry comfort. The Ruger with 38 specials is the most comfortable to shoot. Plus P ammo in the S&W or 357 in the Ruger are both uncomfortable. I shoot the J frames better than the Ruger and honestly the Ruger is just too heavy for pocket carry . If I am going to carry a 27 ounce gun, I want more than 5 shots and the 15 ounce J frame is just so convenient and so easy to drop in a pocket that my Ruger just sits there at home

The 442 is a great carry gun, but it's hard to shoot. Not a great choice for a 1st revolver, IMO.

Consider a M60 with 3" barrel instead. Or perhaps a 686.

Larger, heavier guns are easier to shoot and learn on.

A 3" M60 can also be concealed, if you go in that direction.

Same the 442 for your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th revolver.

FWIW my choice for pocket carry is a S&W 640 no dash in a Bianchi 152 loaded with standard pressure 158 gr lswc and wearing the old style Pachmayr Presentation rubber stocks and accompanied by an HKS speedloader.
That is my formula for quick and accurate follow up shots with acceptable penetration out of a 1-7/8" barrel.
YMMV of course.
Good luck!

For a pocketable ccw revolver that is also fun to shoot, perhaps also consider the 327 LCR. With 32 H&R Magnum and 32 Long it is actually fun to shoot. Most people do not enjoy shooting 38 specials in the lightweight snubs. Just some food for thought.

The sp101 is certainly a much more enjoyable gun to shoot 38s from than a 442, but the triggers aren’t nearly as nice, particularly for a newcomer to double action revolvers. And while the extra weight of the sp101 makes it more enjoyable to shoot, it also makes it less convenient to carry. I don’t know that there is a good option in the “do-all” category for small revolvers, assuming your definition of do-all involves pocket carry. The sp101 is fine on the belt, but a pocket gun it is not. If I were wanting some weight to tame recoil while retaining the ability to pocket carry, all while sticking with 38 special, I’d opt for a Kimber K6s.

Good luck!

Sp101s dont do this-

but Airweights do with disturbing frequency. I vote for the Ruger, or a steel J-frame.

The SP will be easier and more pleasurable to shoot. It would also be the better “do all” of the two. I keep a 642 in my pocket. I’d rather shoot my GP100 or my 629 all day long with hot magnums than I would fifty rounds in the 642.

Edit: my model 10-6 K frame is hands down my best shooter. I didn’t want to deviate from the OP parameters but so many others have mentioned a K frame I thought I’d cast a vote for it also.

In my opinion, if you're not going to pocket carry, the new 2.75" M66's would be a VERY good "do-all" gun. If it's in your budget that is.

It's not very much larger or heavier than the SP101, but you get a better trigger, great sights, better and more grip options, a million speed loader options and plenty of holster options. Oh, and a sixth round.

The 442 is still one of the best deep carry guns, but as a one and only revolver, it wouldn't be my choice. They do one thing very well. That's conceal. The SP101 or M66 are much more flexible.

Any steel revolver is going to be heavy. An alloy frame is going to beat you up with full-house 357 Mag.
Here's my compromise - a steel, cop trade in 640-1 loaded with +P .38 Spl


The SP is a 5 shot, a Smith J-frame is 5 shot. A k-frame (M-66 or the like) is 6 shot.

Were I to be looking for a one-of carry gun, I would look hard at the Ruger LCR line, specifically the .38 Spl version. Smaller and lighter than the .357 version, and it won't make your ears explode when you shoot it.

Mr. Mosin said:

Uses would be concealed carry, home defense, trail/kit gun and general do-all gun.

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Handguns are specialized tools, just like hammers, saws, and wrenches. Would you go to a hardware store and ask for a hammer that was also good for sawing lumber and turning nuts? Trying to find a handgun that is good for all the jobs you listed is an exercise in frustration.

You want your concealed carry gun to be easy to carry and capable of saving your life. Don’t compromise on those requirements.

For your fun gun(s), define fun anyway you want and go for it. The good thing about recognizing the differences in functions is you wind up with more guns!

Stay away from the airweights.accurate

I Had a SP101 I loved but swmbo claimed it.

another choice is the 3 inch Taurus 605. Mine has been flawless and scary accurate

I would have to go with what some others have already suggested and that is to check out a Ruger LCRx in .357 with a 3" barrel.

Taurus 605 and spend the rest of the money you planned on a good holster and some ammo. Based on your choices I would go with the SP101.

I would buy something like a 4" medium-framed 38 or 357 first. They don't have to be expensive. There are usually police trade-ins out there that were carried a lot and shot a little. A lady I used to know in HS (we are in our 50's now) got as her first handgun a police trade-in Model 10 for a little over $300 a year or two ago. It was her first firearm. I think it's still her preferred HD handgun, and she learned to shoot revolvers with it (quite well, I might add). Later she added a S&W Ladysmith J-frame to her collection as a CC piece.

After you have gotten pretty good with something like a K-frame, then look into something smaller for CC. I've owned pretty much all of them, and prefer my LCR (in my pocket right now), due to weight, accuracy, and extremely nice DA trigger.

I have not cared much for the SP101's I've owned. The J-frames are nice. I had three Taurus Model 85's: one was great, one was pretty good, and one had a miserably stiff trigger. My Charter Arms have been pretty good; I carry my CA 44 Bulldog in my coat pocket in the winter sometimes.

IMHO, it's difficult to find a revolver that's really good for HD & training, and is also good for CC. They are different jobs with different requirements.

PS: As someone else said, the revolver that would probably come the closest to doing both jobs decently would be a 3" fixed-sight SP101 in 38 or 357. If you fondle enough of them, you might find one with a decent trigger. Aftermarket grips are usually helpful also. I was disappointed in both of mine, due to poor DA triggers and not fitting my hand well... however, I have a friend with small hands who likes his a lot. It's his only firearm and seems to serve every purpose well enough for him. I must admit that the trigger on his is pretty decent. I gave him a set of Hogue Monogrips I had, and he likes them a lot better than the original grips.

Mr. Mosin said:

What is that; a cracked frame ?

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Yep. Google Airweight frame crack. S&W will replace them free, but you will get a current production model with a lock.