LCR vs 442/642 vs SP101 for ccw

Which Revolver for CCW

  • Smith 442/642

    Votes: 63 46.7%
  • Ruger LCR .38

    Votes: 36 26.7%
  • Ruger SP101 (DA Only)

    Votes: 22 16.3%
  • Other

    Votes: 14 10.4%

  • Total voters
    135
  • Poll closed .
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Sweet.. Just a question.. Do you have a spark coming out of your firing pin when you dry fire?? Some of us have 642 handguns and someone just posted this. I noticed it on mine.. Check out the revolver blog here and youll see wat im talkin about.. Check out Question new J frame I picked. My first!
 
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My 442 sparks from the firing pin hole when dry fired. I posted about it on the S&W forums. I thought I was seeing things at first until I took the gun in a darker area and dry fired it.

Tmygun:)
 
I carried a Ruger SP101, ,357 mag for 8+ years in a Galco OSw, open top high-ride pancake holster. I have two, both with 2.25" brrls.
Last year when I wanted to buy a pocket revolver, I tried a couple S&W J-frames. And I tried the LCR, .38 special. The trigger is lots better on the LCR. So I bought it. Later, I decided I needed the LCR, .357 magnum. It's a few oz. heavier, 3.5, I think. So, I'd rather carry the lighter .38 LCR in my pocket.
But, the .357 LCR is a great little belt gun, in the same holster I carry my .357 magnum, SP101 in. I only carry .357 magnum rounds in my .357 magnum revolvers. I like the edge.
Ennh, I'm a Ruger fan. I guess I'll keep them all.
 
I have one of each except my LCR is a 357. I like them all and it would be very hard to give one up. If I could only have one of them it would be the LCR 357. Excellent trigger, handles 357 recoil with no problem, accurate, easily carried in a pocket.
 
"LCR has an excellent trigger, heard it's very accurate. Sticky grips might make pocket carry difficult and could catch on close hip carry. although I like the ability to swap sights without a gunsmith."

Ive been carrying a .38 LCR for over a year and the grips have not been a problem. I mostly pocket carry.

"That criteria would lead me toward the 442. Less expensive than the SP101, and easier to conceal; plus better grip & holster availability than the equally concealable LCR."

Wow do I disagree. I carried a S&W 342 for 10 years, The LCR grips are way more comfortable & effective when it comes to reducing recoil. I use the same holsters for my LCR that I did for the 342.

"I like the LCR trigger, but not enough to put up with one of the ugly little things."
"The LCR may be a great gun but I have yet to warm up to it's aesthetics."

Who cares? If you're lucky and/or smart no one will ever see it anyway. And yes the LCR trigger is a big improvement on any other snub I have ever shot.
 
642. The finish is easy to clean vs. blue guns, and you have a few more options in the aftermarket for the S&W. Mine hasn't peeled in the last 4 years I have owned it. Shoots a tad high with 158 grain rnfp and 3.5 gr bullseye. You don't really use the front sight, just look through the rear sight and keep the front sight low enough that you would anticipate it moving up at any time. I haven't tried 125 grains yet; they probably shoot to POA. From what I have read, I don't carry +P ammo in the piece. You can find the FBI load in .38 spl and that is all you need in a snub .38. Good luck.
 
Apples to tacos. The SP101 is a belt gun, not a pocket gun. Far too heavy. However, when it comes down to actually shooting the damn thing, it's superior to the j-frames and LCR. You have more ammunition options with the SP101, as it can take the nastiest, maxed out 357 loads. Would NOT try that with a j-frame or LCR.

So, really, it comes down to how would you like to carry the gun. Pocket? LCR (far better trigger than any j-frame). Belt? SP101.
 
The Smith 442/642 has been around longer than the LCR and has proven itself a fine little gun. Therefore I would choose it over the LCR, which is still sort of new. It's probably just great but it doesn't have a whole lot of track record as yet.

I would prefer either to the SP-101 for both are lighter, thus easier to conceal in more places.

I'd go with a no-lock S&W.
 
You'll like the 442. It's an outstanding CCW.

I've got a 642 in my pocket right now, and a 3" SP 101 sitting on the desk beside me. There were no wrong answers to this question.

Revolvers are cool... shoot it like ya stole it... LOL...
 
i just ordered an LCR, i dont own any smiths and already own 2 other ruger revolvers so it was the obvious choice. i havnt shot one yet but it points and feels great to me. the action is like butter, everything felt really slick to me much smoother operating than my sp101.
 
My 442 is great. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I was shooting a bit off yesterday. Using my kimber 1911 I kept shooting to the left... using my 442 I was shooting great (tighter groups out of a 442 compared to a 1911 makes me scratch my head). If you practice and do your part, these guns are great. Did I mention today I had one in my back pocket and not a soul noticed it? Great gun. I had an sp101, it too was a great gun. It had CT grips, the shortest barrel option, and was overall an excellent firearm. I would recommend a belt holster though as its greater size makes itself known when you compare it to dropping a S&W x42 into your pocket.

Personally, I traded the sp101 off and kept the 442 (and bought a 642 for the old lady). The sp101 is a bullet proof tank, but for the size/weight I decided a semi could do just as good. I am personally faster on the draw/shoot with the 442, though they have the same capacity. When it came to belt gun vs belt gun, I tend to shoot semi's better (see above) and they have a quicker reload. For me, it just didn't make sense to keep using the sp101. As everyone has pretty much said, they are both great. Different strokes for different folks...
 
I carry a Ruger SP101 all day long. I can shoot hot .357 loads when I feel rich, and cheap .38 when feeling poor. It's heavy with .357 hollowpoints, but the weight is well worth the security I feel with it on my hip. Two things I recommend with every sp101 is nice comfortable Hogue grips and a better front sight. The Hogue grips really tame a hot .357 round.
 
Another "Other"

I'm not a fan of pocket carry without a holster. And my preference run to all steel. So, I go with a 640 or 60. Near as heavy as the Ruger SP101.
 
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