Concealed Carry revolver questions

A 3" .357 Ruger SP-101.

Yup.

Lots of great options, including the 3" S&W Model 60.

The right belt and holster and grips make all the difference. You could easily conceal a .44 snub.

I'd pick a S&W 627. 8 rounds on tap is very appealing.
If you want a .44 that's probably the best one for carry.
Buy once cry once.

Of course if your budget doesn't allow it, a used Taurus 445 Ultralight would be a great choice too.

There is also the Charter Arms Bulldog.
I would carry one after a 100 rounds through it.

Good luck.
If you want the .44spl get one. Don't settle for something less.
Now if you only want to pocket carry then you are much more limited.

If that's the case a S&W 442 moon clip model would be my choice.

One more to ponder is the S&W 325 scandium. Light weight and .45ACP.

Good luck in your purchase.

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S&W 296 is an L-frame .44 special with a 2.5" tube, but the recoil is vicious.

There's no real getting around the fact that autos have some real significant benefits for a carry gun. However, revolvers can make nice ones if you use good equipment or make open-eyed decisions about trade-offs.

Few would argue that you could easily pocket-carry a J-frame or other tiny wheelgun with less fuss than holstering up almost any larger gun. There are big trade-offs there that for most gun toters make the pocket snubby a back-up gun or "deep" carry gun at best. If a snubby J or K frame is going to be in your carry arsenal, get LOTS ... and lots, and lots, and lots ... of practice with it. They can be quite accurate and can be shot fast and effectively. It takes work. (All guns take work. Snubbies might take MORE work.) Pocket carry is easy, but has pretty significant drawbacks in access and the draw. You need to practice an awful lot -- with a shot timer -- and prove to your self just what you can and can't do with your chosen gun and carry style. A wise person once said that having a gun on you makes you "armed" to the same degree that holding a guitar makes you a musician.

A .38 Spc., .38 +P, or .357 K-frame sized gun with a 4" barrel in a belt holster makes for a very nice carry package. That would cover a whole lot of S&W models (I like Model 10s, and Model 64s, and 15s and 66s, and, and, and! ) and Ruger's nifty little SP101 tanks. A 3" 101 would make a great carry gun. You'll need to dress around the gun a bit. Maybe a bit more than with an auto. You need to figure out how you'll carry your reloads. Speedloaders are a little more awkward on the belt than auto magazines, and for ease of reloading most folks want them positioned on the strong side just ahead of the holster. That, again, requires a bit of dressing around to make work with your concealment plan. Speed strips in a pocket (or speedloaders in a pocket) can be a compromise you might choose, but again -- get thee to a range and run drills with that gear, carried as you're going to carry it. Get to know what you can do and what you can't. Make wise choices about modifying your carry plan based on honest assessments of your performance.

I like bigger revolvers, too. A stoutly loaded .44 Spc (I said STOUTLY loaded. Winchester Silvertips need not apply. ), or .45ACP, or even light .44 Mags make for a fine carry gun if you can set up your gear to use them comfortably and securely. I often carry a 4" S&W 629. I've got a setup that lets me carry IWB, and one that's for OWB. I carry speedloaders in belt carriers. I practice a lot with this combination. I use it in competition heavily. I know exactly where the gear is on my belt when I want it, and know how fast I can reload. It takes a bit of care to make concealment garments adequate to cover that gear, and it is undoubtedly heavier than many rigs I could choose that provide more rounds on tap.

I don't see much value in carrying a gun longer than 4" (maaaybe 5") in daily life. It does become a hassle. 3"-4" is the real sweet spot. Snubbies, as I said, take more effort to master for several reasons.

But the all take EFFORT to master.

In a perfect world, I'd like to carry a 44 spl, or a 45 acp, but If all I can conceal is a 38 or a 357, then so be it . I don't want to go any lower than that. And, although I know that snub noses are the go to carry revolvers, (again in a perfect world) I think I'd prefer something with a 3 or 4 inch barrel. Every snub nose that I've fired has had outrageous muzzle flip.

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Nothing wrong about going with what you are comfortable with.

As other's have said, the S&W Model 60 and Ruger SP101 are both good choices and available with 3 inch barrels. Being steel frame the handle recoil of .357 mag or .38 spl +P better than the similar sized alloy or polymer revolvers, but on the other hand they are not really pocket guns if that's what you are looking for.

If you have a good holster and belt, along with a suitable cover garment, the S&W Model 686+ or the Ruger GP100 are also available with 3 inch barrels. These are bigger guns that handle recoil even better, but they are bigger and heavier to carry. If you are willing to dress to conceal, IMO these are my favorite choices for a primary CCW if you want a revolver.

In .44 special you are a bit more limited. The Charter Arms Bulldog is probably the least expensive and easiest to find, but I've heard mixed reviews on their quality. Some people love 'em, some hate 'em. Taurus made a .44 special revolver (Model 445) which seems to be fairly well thought of, but I think it's OOP so it may be hard to find. Finally, S&W has made a number of .44 special revolvers (Model 392 and 296 most recently), although like Taurus I don't think any of them are currently in production.

S&W has also recently made a couple of .45ACP revolvers suitable for concealed carry. The 325 Night Guard and 325 PD were both 2.5 inch, alloy framed revolvers. Both are OOP but not too hard to find on the used market.

Go for a gun with six shots over five (there is a statistical difference that was documented on this forum) unless you need a small gun.

The key for this is a holster with forward cant to reduce printing and a gun belt. I use a Comp-Tac kydex reinforced belt. The Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 works well with either the 686 or GP100. Tight shirts make concealed carry difficult. You may find a combination of strong side, appendix, and pocket carry will cover most situations. Obviously, you need larger britches to pocket carry a 686

speedloaderstore.com

Safariland 371 belt holders
Safariland COMP II speedloader

The 371's seem to be a very discrete for carry.

Regarding dry fire: Be careful with S&W revolvers. I have broken several frame mounted firing pins even with AZOOM Snap-Caps. I recommend against dry firing S&Ws. I prefer Ruger for practice for this reason.

Barrel length should not be the primary factor for choosing a belt gun. Four inches is very concealable IWB. You will find snubby revolvers to be tough to shoot. I found five inch guns to be manageable with loose pants and have the advantage in accuracy, but 4's are much more common. You will be will served by a gun with 4" barrel, but not likely so with a gun with a 2 1/2" barrel or shorter.

I have been working on both 44 Special and 357 Magnum. You have far more choices in gun size and manufacturer with 357 Magnum. 44 Special limits you to S&W N Frames (296's are L Frames and are expensive) and the Ruger Alaskan.



Avoid Taurus and Charter Arms; only the price is right.

The polymer revolvers give you light weight and reliability.
I switched to the LCR and love it.

One of the Gold Standards in concealable, but powerful and "shoot-able" revolvers are the 3 inch barreled S&W revolvers, especially the stainless steel versions like the Model 64 .38 Special and the identical Model 65 in .357 Magnum.

These offer the near-perfect combination of good sights, great trigger that can be tuned to even higher levels, full length extraction, strength to handle any loads, extremely high quality, a grip large enough to offer a good grip but not too big, and a high order of "shoot-ability".
Accessories like holsters, speed loaders, grips, etc are widely and readily available.

When loaded with full charge .357 ammo the gun is big enough with a long enough barrel to be controllable, and with a top load like the Buffalo Bore .38 Special +P, lead gas check, semi-wadcutter hollow point, you have THE most effective .38 Special load available, only with less muzzle blast and literally ear-splitting CRACK of the .357.

The 3 inch "K" frame was the official issue gun of the FBI for years and had an excellent reputation for taking care of business in bad situations.
It's big enough to be controllable and shoot-able, but small enough that it conceals very well.

An indication of just how good the 3 inch S&W "K" frames are, is the fact that they're hard to find, having quietly disappeared into concealed holsters of smart owners.

So, if you want an ideal compromise between size, weight, power, shoot-ability, concealability, and high quality, few revolvers ever made can equal it.
There are smaller revolvers and there are larger caliber revolvers, but nothing really matches the "K" 3 inch.

Have to agree with dfariswheel; a three inch barreled S&W K frame, like the Model 65, would be a great choice for a CCW revolver.

A 3" .357 Ruger SP-101.

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Amen.

First of all, it's a quality gun and almost indestructable (which is Ruger's stock-in-trade.)

Second, if you want to fire .357s, it's about the only small snubbie that won't cripple you -- with aftermarket grips, of course.

Third, it's easy to tune up. Polish the non-working surfaces (side of the hammer, interior of the hammer slot, and so on) and add Wolff springs.

The SP101 is a lousy carry gun. You can probably get a Smith 66 snub for the same weight. Not much is achieved going to 357 in the snub--the .38+P works just fine.
I think Ruger's LCP in either 38 or 357 is a much better ticket. Light enough to be a pocket gun and not that expensive.

The barrel is not the problem; the grip and cylinder diameter create the most concealment issues. Three inch barrels are popular, but they do not improve concealment. Many revolver grips are far too long and print badly. Even worse, they are made from materials that grab clothing.

I CCW a S&W 686 plus 3 inch or a Ruger SRH Alaskan 44 mag in a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake without any problem.

Bubba613 means the Ruger LCR when he writes:

I think Ruger's LCP in either 38 or 357 is a much better ticket.

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IMO a 2" S&W M640 in .357 Magnum or a 1.875" S&W M442 or M642 in .38 Special +P all make fine carry revolvers. I carry a J frame or two daily and I like what I carry.
If you're looking to carry a revolver with 6 rounds rather than 5 the Colt Detective Special is also a good choice.

Here is the M640:



Here is a photo of my M640 and M642:



Here is the M442:



And here is the Colt: (It's not as pretty but it's sure does shoot!)

A Ruger KLCR is what I carry ... two of them that is. I just added another KLCR with CT laser grips. The KLCR is the by far the best handgun I've ever carried. I own an SP101 and would never recommend it for CC over a KLCR. There are some who talk about the brutal recoil but that hasn't been my experience with Golden Saber 125gr BJHP. Pick a load you can comfortably handle and all is good.

4" Ruger Security Six. The best all around utility 357 ever made (IMHO)

I like old school, I know that it has worked. Colt Police Positive Special or S&W Regulation Police.

Not much is achieved going to 357 in the snub

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With all due respect, I do appreciate the capability of the .38 special + P, but .357 Magnum even in a snub is on a whole different playing field.

In a 38, I would go with a S&W Model 38, in a 357 Smith 19, 66, 60. You might look at the Taurus Model 455 in 44spel or the 450t in 45LC.

With all due respect, I do appreciate the capability of the .38 special + P, but .357 Magnum even in a snub is on a whole different playing field.

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This is true. Noise, blast, and recoil are all at spectacular levels. Effectiveness of the bullet? Not so much.

I carry a mod. 12 S&W in an Alessi IWB holster frequently.
The mod. 12 is an alloy frame, "K" frame (6 shot) revolver-this with a 2" barrel.
I find it light years easier to shoot accurately/rapidly than a "J" frame. It is quite easy to obtain a good trigger on the mod. 12 (any "K" frame), unlike a "J" frame.