All-steel snub for pocket carry?

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N3rday

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Does the extra weight of an all-steel snub (Smith Wesson 640, 649, etc) really make that big a difference for pocket carry? I'm pondering a 5-shot snub, and can't decide between the 638/642 and the 640/649. I've already got a good, solid belt for carry (www.thebeltman.net).

Thanks in advance!
 
Yes.
I favor the 649 for compact revolver CCW, but it's not as good a pocket gun as it is a belt gun.
Carried in a pocket, even a couple oz. of weight makes a noticeable difference in comfort, and I prefer a Smith AirLite over even an Airweight, much less an all-steel gun, in that role.
 
The belt like your Beltman will help keep your pants from being dragged to half-mast;), but the extra weight will still tug on your belt. The gun will also "print" a little more because its weight tends to pull the pant material down around the pocket. The "printing" matters less if you: A - use a pocket holster to break up the gun's outline; B - select pants and pockets of a heavier material; and C - think in terms of carrying unobtrusively rather than invisibly. Bottom line: it is doable but will be less comfortable.
 
I carry an all steel snub in a SmartCarry.

Circumstances beyond my control dictate that carry method.

I think weight is an important consideration because it can affect recoil and one's confidence in their ability to shoot a snub accurately beside the affect it can have on concealability.
 
I've carried both and shot both, in an array of models. IMHO the steel models are better carry pieces. It's a few ounces difference inthe pocket, but a world of difference in the hand. The airweight and ultra light weight snubs are much slower to shoot and have a nasty bite. 19-22 oz for .38 special is ideal. For that you can put up with some extra weight in the pocket. Get a good pocket holster and you won't have problems. Printing looks like a wallet.

Folks who buy the ultralight, toss it in pocket, and almost never practice with it because of the pain of full house loads are asking for trouble. You should be willing and able to cap off strings of 50 in your carry piece with no flinch and no pain. Your presentation and firing must be very natural and without any conscious or subconscious fear of getting bit. Here's my piece, and you can see it has no excess recoil:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipufy9Al-UI
 
The clothes make the difference

I have used both, and don't find steel inconvenient. A comfortable, reasonable belt for trouser carry, and a pocket holster, are good ideas, and make things more comfortable. It's the banging around loose in a pocket that I find irritating.
Pocket carry in a stout outer winter garment is easy and comfortable with steel or LW, but again the pocket holster helps on consistently placing the butt.
 
I guess I should tell you, my usual dress style is jeans or cargo shorts with fairly deep pockets - and yes, I would definitely plan to use a good pocket holster (recommendations are welcome!)
 
Guess I should ask...what is the recoil like for .38 +p out of something like a 642?
 
I asked myself the same questions about a year and a half ago. I had settled on either the 649 or the 638. I just figured that that 638 would get carried more then the all steel 649. I shot both and didn't think I would be carrying a .357 no matter what I got. I settled on the 638 and it goes everywhere I go (legally). I figure it would get left behind if it were heavier.

Now I'm somewhat samll in stature. 5-'7" 160lbs. If I were a larger person, I might have been able to make the 649 work in the pocket.

My opinion (for what it is worth), go with the 638. If 5 shots of .38 special is what you are after. Now if shooting a .357 in a 5 shot is important to you, then the 640/649 is the way to go. I found the recoil of the +P rounds in the 15 oz Airwieght to be more then stout enough.

N3rday - It took me about 2000 rounds to become proficient with the +P in the 638 (almost the same weight as the 642). The recoil is stout, but with practice it is managable.

Now +P's out of the Airlite.....that was just painful. After my test of the +P in the airlite I didn't even try the .357 Magnum's in the Airlite. Not sure I could hold on to it.

John M.
Mesa, AZ
 
I'll stand by Cosmoline's side in all that he said.

I've begun taking a 640 to the range when I know I'll encounter new shooters, usually women, who were persuaded to buy a 642. When they give up on the 642--two or three rounds--I suggest that they try the 640. All of them have been comfortable with it. Cosmoline's point about the 642 discouraging practice is right on target. Better to have a slightly heavier gun one knows how to shoot than a lighter one that's left at home because it's painful and foreign.

Murdock's point about "It's the banging around loose in a pocket that I find irritating" is one I don't recall seeing before, and I agree with him. A Mika or DeSantis Nemesis holster avoids that problem for me, but I'm long past the age of dashing around. I wonder how those holsters would work with the all steel snubbies for someone engaged in more vigorous activities.
 
"Guess I should ask...what is the recoil like for .38 +p out of something like a 642?"

It's substantial enough that I recommend you shoot one before you buy one so you can judge for yourself.

In my case, I bought one without shooting it, and the recoil bit hard enough for me to immediately add a Hogue monogrip.

642Hogue2-1.jpg
 
Y'all are making a strong case for the (gulp!) Ruger SP101. I tried going scandium j-frame. But, for me, it all came down to a simple conclusion. The smaller the gun, the more I need to practice. The lighter the gun, the less I'll practice. So, the obvious answer was to carry a gun that's small enough that I'll actually pack it, but heavy enough that practicing with it isn't an exercise in endurance. So it's a S&W Model 60 or a Ruger SP101 for me. All y'all ultralite revolver types are either so good you don't require regular practice OR a LOT tougher than me...or BOTH!

But it really doesn't matter (again, my opinion) because pockets are for keys, change & wallets, maybe a pocket knife. HOLSTERS are for handguns.
 
The .38 Special caliber is kinda like the 9mm; no recoil worth worrying about, irrespective of platform (gun) or particular load.
OTOH, .357 Magnum is a round with sharp recoil and difficulty making fast followup shots in smaller guns, no matter who you are.
I will only carry .357 loads in all-steel guns weighing 25 oz. or more, with the Ruger SP101 being the smallest of that ilk that I'll actually use.
I've shot lots of .357 in revolvers like the Smith AirLites (12 oz.) on up to 3" steel Smith Model 60s, and it just isn't realistic to use this round for CCW in smaller, lighter guns than the Ruger SP101, IMNSHO. Sure, you can carry it in a 10 oz. gun and tell yourself you're well armed, but you're fooling yourself. You have a responsibility to be able to reliably place your shots where they're aimed, and to be in control of your cartridge-sidearm combination.
 
For all the years of my law enforcement career, I carried a Model 38 S&W in an ankle holster in daylight hours and in my left front pocket at night. (I am right handed). After leaving LE I tried carrying it full time in a pocket holster but found my suit pants just won't support the weight well enough for me to be comfortable. So now I carry a 642, practise with it often and am perfectly comfortable. So that is my 2 cents.
 
Lately, I have been carrying a Colt "Dick Special", front pocket, in a Mika without much of an issue. Adequate pockets and a good belt are a must. Just today I spent all afternoon in the yard with a S&W M36 in a back pocket .....forgot it was there while working. Daily I typically wear some form of chinos....Dickies/Dockers. Again I stress, a good belt makes all the difference pocket carrying an all steel snub.

If I regularly wore a suit I probably would tote my S&W "bobbed" M37 more often.

- regards
 
Last edited:
Taurus M85

I carry my M85 all the time in front short pocket, right side, with no inconvenience whatsover. I favor that over IWB with my G19 or SP 101 or (sometimes) my 686+ simply because I can draw and point faster from pocket carry vs IWB carry.
 
I have a 638 that pocket carries very well. I just picked up an all steel M36. I have not pocket carried it yet (I did carry it IWB the other day), but I dont think it will be much of a problem. Truthfully, the M36 is MUCH more enjoyable to practice with!!!
 
I Prefer the Added Weight

When I am able to carry a gun in the pocket, it's on the left side, which is non-dominant for me. Not only do the few extra ounces from the stainless-steel frame dampen recoil a bit more, more importantly, they help stabilize the gun against the trigger stroke, which is not likely to be quite as deliberate as in a leisurely range session.

I am fortunate to have a S&W M-640 (the older version in .38 Special) for this role. The Airweight Centennials sit in the safe for the day I may need to carry in a coat pocket, where sagging may be more obvious than in my pleat-front pants. For me and my current style of pants (pleat-front Dockers), the PCS No See-Um straight pocket holster from Lightning Arms Sports is the only one that has ever made me happy - good concealment, stability and full-firing grip while the gun is still in the pocket. Others may find some of the other PCS offerings better for their needs.
 
The M36

I know this is not the model you are looking at, but my all-steel revolver is the S&W M36. I carry it in a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster. In a pair of jeans with a heavy-duty thick saddle leather belt it is no problem. Not sure how well it works in cargo shorts, but I'm sure it would not do well in dress slacks.

DSCN3584.gif
 
What Cosmoline said. I'd rather put up with the extra weight (which isn't much) and be confident in my ability to hit with it, than go with a slightly lighter gun that I hate to practice with. I've been carrying a steel frame M36 in my pants pocket in a Mitch Rosen Pocket Softy holster for years. No problems, not even in dress slacks.
 
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