Styx
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I found that my LCR fits in all my leather Jframe holsters. Matter of fact, my Ruger LCR, Taurus M85, and my S&W Jframes all cam share the same holsters.
Why choose an LCR over a J-frame?
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lee n. field
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I have both, and have carried both for extended periods.
Pick one. We gunnies tend to nitpick over the tiniest details.
That said.
Using Handgunhero to compare the S&W 642 and Ruger .38 LCR, they are dimensionally very comparable. The LCR shows as slightly longer and taller, but handgunhero uses stock grips as part of those dimensions.
MRSP on the 642 is $539, as of 2022nov24. MSRP on the basic .38 LCR is $719. Ouch, MSRP on the Ruger took quite a jump on those.
At this instant, Bud's gun shop is showing the .38 LCR at $454. (That's more like it.) S&W 642 at $519.
When I was first looking at these, around 2016, the LCR was in the low $400s, and the S&W about $50 less.
So, yeah, shop around.
Hard to quantify. A thing meant to be functional and seldom seen judged by a vague esthetic standard.
Either ride about as well in my pocket, or an IWB concealment holster. For me.
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Styx
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I paid something in the $450 range back in 2011/2012 at a local gun shop. Non stainless Jframe S&Ws were around the same price.
I agree that the size with regards to carry doesn't make much of a difference in pratice. The reason why it looks "clunkier" is because of the stock grips which makes it easier and more comfortable to shoot. They make boot grips if someone wants something smaller, but I never had an issue pocket carrying with the stock grips.
The main issue is the trigger. I too short stroke the trigger when I am rapid firing. I have used snapcaps, and I can not rapidly pull the trigger on a consistent basis without short stroking the trigger. If and when the trigger is short stroked, the trigger is dead and will no longer index the cylinder. That's the only negative over a S&W aluminum J-frame...
I personally perfer S&W, Kimber, Taurus, or Charter Arms stainless steel jframe sized revolvers over the S&W aluminum Jframes.
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WilsonCQB1911
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I find the LCR fits my hand so much better. J Frame is painful for me. With the LCR's trigger I also get much better accuracy. So the LCR is for me the clear winner.
They are all almost interchangeable in my Mika pocket holsters. But my Andrews Custom Monarch Shoulder Holster and Crossdraw rigs were made for j frames only and not going to ruin them by trying to shove anything other than one in it.
lee n. field
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I'm surprised. Taurus 85 and S&W J can often share leather holsters, sometimes kydex. But the LCR is shaped enough differently that the belt holsters I have don't fit well (at all).
What does this mean? If the LCR is short stroked depending on how much it’s short stroked it either skips a round or stays where it was ready to rotate to the next round as soon as you let it reset. Is that what you’re describing or something else?
Styx
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No, if the trigger is short stroked, the trigger will not work and will not index the cylinder to the next chamber UNTIL I manually index the cylinder by hand.
Styx
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I have a BladeTech IWB polymer holsters, DeSantis IWB and OWB holsters, and Masters IWB holsters that all fit all three revolvers.
Mine doesn’t do that. Sounds like yours has a problem
Styx
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It's designed that way and other members mentioned theirs do it too. Not sure if there was a design change later on or if it's only with certain calibers. I believe one member meantioned it didn't happen with their 22lr.
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contender
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Carried Smiths for a lot of years. The LCR changed my preferences.
Was so impressed with my 357 LCR and pleased with the out of the box trigger, front sight, and decent poa/poi regulation that i also acquired the 327 version and am just as impressed.
Still like some of the Smith J frame model options and slighter trimmer size. Just not enough to overcome my preferences for the LCR series.
Was so impressed with my 357 LCR and pleased with the out of the box trigger, front sight, and decent poa/poi regulation that i also acquired the 327 version and am just as impressed.
Still like some of the Smith J frame model options and slighter trimmer size. Just not enough to overcome my preferences for the LCR series.
I've never short-stroked the trigger on any of my carry revolvers. I guess I'm not trying hard enough.
I can hand any semiauto to my daughter if I want it to jam, though.
Exactly,
Any functional problems with an LCR trigger is simply "user error".
Learn how to use your tool, it's not even remotely difficult.
"It's a poor musician that blames their instrument"
Basically all DA revolvers are capable of being short stroked, it comes from this newish "ride the reset" that guys are typically doing with Striker guns. How much you feel the trigger slip past the dog on the hammer can certainly vary, that feel isn't where a DA revolver resets. It resets when fully released, the problem is one of training.
But does short-stroking the trigger require you to take the second step of ‘indexing the barrel’? I’m not entirely sure what Styx is describing but if it means taking your support hand or trigger finger out of action to move the barrel until it clicks in that would be awful. My sample size of one 357 LCR does not require that after a short stroke. I can let the trigger fully reset and keep on firing. It may rotate through the next unfired round though
My 38 LCR (from 2012) functions exactly as you describe.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I like my J frames. I have a 442 and a 36. I did consider an LCR and was actively looking for one during all the covid silliness when guns were hard to find in California. I was at a Turner’s Outdoorsman looking at a .38 Spl LCR and an older gent told me that if I was interested in them I should test the trigger pulls on more than one gun then make a choice. He claimed that the LCR DA pulls could be great on one, but not so great on another.
The sales guy let me try 3 LCRs. One had an outstanding pull, the other two were just so-so. One was a little gritty. I did not but one that day but returned a couple days later to make a purchase. The clerk that helped me wasn’t there so I asked another guy if I could try a couple of the LCR trigger pulls. The dude was pretty rude about it when he said “No!”. I explained that I was there a couple days prior and one of the three that I tested was excellent and that I wanted that gun. He informed me that they didn’t have time for this. I left.
I ended up not bothering with buying another snubbie, but I must say I really liked the one LCR I handled with the great trigger. I like that white stripe front sight too.
The sales guy let me try 3 LCRs. One had an outstanding pull, the other two were just so-so. One was a little gritty. I did not but one that day but returned a couple days later to make a purchase. The clerk that helped me wasn’t there so I asked another guy if I could try a couple of the LCR trigger pulls. The dude was pretty rude about it when he said “No!”. I explained that I was there a couple days prior and one of the three that I tested was excellent and that I wanted that gun. He informed me that they didn’t have time for this. I left.
I ended up not bothering with buying another snubbie, but I must say I really liked the one LCR I handled with the great trigger. I like that white stripe front sight too.
I like the D/A trigger pull on my LCR .38 Special, and like the small size and light weight. That's where my appreciation of the gun stops. It's the least accurate handgun I've ever fired (amongst MANY) and it's the least enjoyable to shoot. In fact I don't enjoy shooting it at all.
I'd be happy to give a small Smith a try, but I favor the earlier production guns so I'd find one of those.
I'd be happy to give a small Smith a try, but I favor the earlier production guns so I'd find one of those.
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