Smallest/lightest 9mm revolver

Typetwelve said:

You know...this whole topic brings up some great points, and some great questions.

Personally, I have a Charter Pitbull in 9mm. According to my scale, it weighs in at 20oz. The thing is a bit of a handful, especially with NATO or +P rounds (we're talking about chamber PSI of 35-38K here...WAY more than 38 spcl and +P) . I did a lot of testing with various rounds and did find that with most, there really is a notable amount of "crimp" jump. The round being hotter didn't make the difference, the brand did. I also findthe revolver to be snappy, even given it's weight.

Either way, I'll say that to be 100% honest, I'm not convinced that 9mm in a small revolver is a good thing. I really need to do some testing on this to see how it performs vs 38 special in a short barrel revolver...the gains may be small enough that it simple is not worth the effort it take to shoot 9mm in a revolver. I'm having difficulty finding much online considering 9mm revolver ballistics...I may have to do my own testing.

There is this write up:
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/review-ruger-lcr-9mm/

I kind of mirrors my thoughts, they are snappy little guns.

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This may be of some insight.

Typetwelve said:

You know...this whole topic brings up some great points, and some great questions.....
Either way, I'll say that to be 100% honest, I'm not convinced that 9mm in a small revolver is a good thing. I really need to do some testing on this to see how it performs vs 38 special in a short barrel revolver...the gains may be small enough that it simple is not worth the effort it take to shoot 9mm in a revolver. I'm having difficulty finding much online considering 9mm revolver ballistics...I may have to do my own testing.

There is this write up:
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/review-ruger-lcr-9mm/

I kind of mirrors my thoughts, they are snappy little guns.

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Personally I think the single biggest advantage of the 9mm in a small CCW sized Revolver is for the shooter who has a larger, service sized 9mm auto, who wants a CCW Revolver & doesn't want to have to buy/reload/stockpile another caliber of ammunition.

Lucky Derby said:

The 9mm cylinder should weigh about the same as the .38 Special cylinder that it replaced.

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I thought the .357 cylinder was beefier than the .38 Spl.

How about this, but a Lee FCD which can be used without a crimp groove and if the post sizing worries you remove the carbide ring. Problem solved.

It has to fit inside the same window in the frame. In some cases a .38 cylinder could be shorter and have a different heat treatment. Theoretically, a 9mm could have a shorter cylinder, but I don't think they do.

I have an LCR 9mm.

I wouldn't want a lighter revolver than the LCR in 9mm for a couple reasons:

1) The LCR recoil is painful enough. More than a similar size and weight semi.

2) Crimp jump would be worse with a lighter revolver. It's not a huge problem with the LCR at 17 oz, but that's as light as I would want to go.

KevininPa said:

I'm an old fart who still likes SA capabilities. I just put my thumb over the hammer when drawing like all the old farts before me. No problem.

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Me too

Lucky Derby said:

Personally I think the single biggest advantage of the 9mm in a small CCW sized Revolver is for the shooter who has a larger, service sized 9mm auto, who wants a CCW Revolver & doesn't want to have to buy/reload/stockpile another caliber of ammunition.

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One of the reasons I picked up a .45 acp Pitbull is to offer a back up gun/ New York reload to my .45 semis. I tend to carry a .45 pistol when I travel or hike a bit. The .45 Pitbull offered me a way to carry 5 extra rounds conveniently that even my wife could use in an emergency.

I think those trying to get under 16oz with a 9mm/.38 are folks who see the merits of whittling down a toothbrush to hike to save weight. A pound on your edc kit isn't terrible. I can see carrying a .45 Putbull over a 1911 Officer should one wish to be effective without carrying 2lbs of gun. I can also see carrying a 17 oz. LCR over a full size 9mm if you are just looking for 5 reliable shots.

For me, the sweet spot of .35 caliber wheelguns is 16-17oz. They shoot better and I forget I have them on me most of the day. I'm good up to 20-ish ounces before I really start to care. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who will bounce around over what to carry when it comes to a center fire gun but will whistle past the graveyard with nothing more than a .22 magnum NAA and a good knife on his person.

Fiv3r said:

...folks who see the merits of whittling down a toothbrush to hike to save weight.

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Hey! That's me! It all adds up! That half a toothbrush handle means I can carry extra fishing gear!

For the OP... LCR all the way. Not only is it lighter than all but the lightest (if there ever was a 9mm airweight-I'm talking factory here) J-frame, I like the feel better too! Ergonomics I think is the term used to "scientize" the whole "touchy-feely" side of guns. But that double action trigger on the LCR is the thing of dreams too.

That's my $.02! Worth about what you paid for it! Hope you find what you are looking for.

cvicisso said:

Greetings - first time post (long-time lurker!).

I am interested in finding/acquiring the smallest/lightest revolver that meets the following constraints:

• Must be able to safely fire any/all factory-loaded 9mm ammo (+P, <125 gr, etc)
• Must have a shrouded hammer (preferred) or be "hammerless" (I know there's still a hammer in there)
  • Reason: holster-less coat pocket carry (and potential use from coat pocket)

That's it.

Things I'm not interested in (sorry - but this could save some time and typing!):

• Recoil
• Whether or not it can shoot .38 Spl, .357 Mag, etc.
• Debating the efficacy of the 9mm vs above (or any other) calibers
• Debating holster-less coat pocket carry
• Debating revolver vs. auto for self-defense

I thought it would be easy to find a J-frame to fit the bill, but it's actually quite confusing (to me) given the above constraints. Then I thought I could just get a dedicated 9mm cylinder for converting an existing J frame platform, but starting reading about getting the right frame window size, endshake shims, etc. and quickly realized it was probably something better left to professionals.

So, what say ye? Thanks in advance.

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Way back when in 2008 I went on a hunt for a lightweight compact 9mm revolver for a BUG to carry on duty only to find that, just as today, no one made one. All of the factory offerings (S&W 940, Taurus 905, Ruger SP101) were steel framed and around 22oz and the Taurus was the only one still being made at that time. I'd seen the converted 642s like Brian Williams' gun but that required an earlier "non-J magnum" frame 642 and a 940 cylinder (the 940 cylinder is too short for the J magnum frame window), I had found a cylinder but finding the right gun was more difficult, plus they weren't rated for +P and I had concerns about the 9mm pressures.

The next option was to have someone build what I wanted, which is what I ended up doing. Mark Hartshorne at Pinnacle High Performance Guns was offering 9mm conversions (and still does), rechambering steel .38spl/.357mag cylinders to 9x23 and cutting them for moonclips. S&W had just come out with the 360J scandium frame/steel cylinder .38spl, they were +P rated and weighed only 13.5oz. It sounded like the perfect base gun for the project and Bud's had them for just $409. After speaking to S&W and confirming that the 360J used the same frame as the 360 .357mag, and that the cylinder was also the same as the .357mag except for the depth of the chambers I bought one.

I spoke to Mark about what I wanted and sent him the gun. He reamed the original steel cylinder to 9x23, cut it for moonclips, made it DAO, did an action job, bobbed the hammer, polished the trigger face and added a trigger stop, chamfered the forcing cone, and replaced the front sight with a green fiber optic. I added a set of CT LG105 laser grips. The gun turned exactly the way I wanted it, works great with 9mm, and also gives me the option to shoot other "auto" calibers like .38 Super, .38ACP, 9mm Largo, 356TSW, etc, in a pinch. I've seen no appreciable difference in accuracy between .38spl and 9mm and have had no trouble qualifying with it on the MCJA duty pistol course of fire which includes shooting from as far as 25yds. Mark does not recommend shooting .38spl or .357mag out of rechambered cylinders because they will bulge with standard pressure ,38s and can split with +P and .357mag. In the interest of making the gun more versatile I had Mark fit a titanium .38spl cylinder a few years ago so now it's a 9mm/,38spl convertible, all I have to do is swap cylinders. The gun is very light, just under 13.5oz with the converted steel cylinder and just over 12oz with the titanium .38spl cylinder. The lightest small frame factory 9mm is the Ruger LCR at 17oz, that doesn't sound like much difference but it's noticeable in a pocket or on an ankle.

So, it took some work and creative thinking but I ended up with the gun I wanted - a very light, reliable, 9mm snubby - which sounds exactly like what the OP is looking for, and it's been carried/used regularly for 11 years now. However, it was an expensive proposition and most folks might find that cost prohibitive. Between the original price of the gun, the cost of the initial modifications, the grips, and, later, the cost of a titanium cylinder and having it fit, I think I'm into it for around $1350-$1400 all together. I consider it money well spent and love the gun but the lack of availability of a lighter than 22oz 9mm snubby was the impetus for the build and, had it been available 11 years ago, I probably would have compromised on the weight and just bought a 9mm Ruger LCR and called it a day.
OP, I hope this info helps.

ETA: In spite of the weight of the gun I've never had an issue with crimp jump and I mostly shoot 115gr 9mm ammo.

cal44mag said:

I have an LCR 9mm.

I wouldn't want a lighter revolver than the LCR in 9mm for a couple reasons:

1) The LCR recoil is painful enough. More than a similar size and weight semi.

2) Crimp jump would be worse with a lighter revolver. It's not a huge problem with the LCR at 17 oz, but that's as light as I would want to go.

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It's funny how much kick a 9mm can have. The LCR is listed at 17.2oz...the Kel Tec PF9 is listed at 12.6. I know one is a revolver and the other a semi...but my goodness, that PF9 can really sting to shoot. The first time I shot one it really shocked me as I had never shot a lightweight 9mm.

cal44mag said:

I have an LCR 9mm.

I wouldn't want a lighter revolver than the LCR in 9mm for a couple reasons:

1) The LCR recoil is painful enough. More than a similar size and weight semi.

2) Crimp jump would be worse with a lighter revolver. It's not a huge problem with the LCR at 17 oz, but that's as light as I would want to go.

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+1 on this cal44mag

cvicisso said:

This is precisely what I was looking for - thanks so much! Nice looking gun too! Knowing for sure how much time, work, and $ it will take to get exactly what I want, I agree that the 9mm LCR is looking better and better.

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Glad I could help. Also, keep in mind that most of the work was done in 2008, pries may be higher these days.

WC145 said:

Glad I could help. Also, keep in mind that most of the work was done in 2008, prices may be higher these days.

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If the 940 cylinder is even available today. There were limited quantities when I did mine.

Typetwelve said:

It's funny how much kick a 9mm can have. The LCR is listed at 17.2oz...the Kel Tec PF9 is listed at 12.6. I know one is a revolver and the other a semi...but my goodness, that PF9 can really sting to shoot. The first time I shot one it really shocked me as I had never shot a lightweight 9mm.

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Even .380 has a snap if it's in a sub-10 oz gun.

I've converted three 637-2 Airweights to 9mm using titanium .38Sp/.357Mag cylinders from Midway at $139 each (new airweight J-frames all have the longer .357 Magnum Window opening). I have TKC ream them and the J-frame's original star (therefore no timing issues) for moonclips and 9x19mm. Weight is 12.5oz (the Altamont Rosewood Combat grip is heavy). I shoot 147gr 9x19 jhp for 292 ft-lb muzzle energy. Accuracy is not an issue at any distance. Time to eject and reload is 4 seconds (I'm no speed demon). I pocket carry and though the external hammers do not create a pocket snagging problem for me, you can easily bob the hammer to suit your own needs. These are by far, my favorite handguns. I carry three extra moonclips in a Walmart pill bottle.

Don't buy an LCR sight unseen. Some of the trigger pulls are horrendous.

Ruger LCR....proven....reliable. I own 4..great shooters.

cvicisso said:

Bingo. Plus, in most of the legit testing I've seen online, with all else being equal, 9mm handily outpowers .38 Spl +P in a snub-nose.

Dang! I said I wasn't going to debate this! Here we go... Please have mercy!

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and the 9mm SD ammo functions great out of short barrels

Hokkmike said:

Don't buy an LCR sight unseen. Some of the trigger pulls are horrendous.

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I have owned 4 . Have only one now , a LCR357
Only heavy trigger I personally have had on a LCR was a 22 LR ... and thats for a reason .. its a rimfire

When I find a LCR327 DAO at a decent price .. I will own one ( again)

I remember that Taurus at one time built a 905C
If my memory serves me they were DAO and had a shorter cylinder ... and a shorter frame
This is a pic , I pulled off the net

Hokkmike said:

Don't buy an LCR sight unseen. Some of the trigger pulls are horrendous.

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I think that goes without saying on any gun. That's why I won't buy one on the internet. I wouldn't buy one before putting it in my hands.