CCW: S&W, Ruger revolver vs. Glock 26 or Ruger LCP

[Fat Boy]

OK, I am sure this has been beaten to death, but I am trying to understand the various ramifications of different handguns.

I like the idea of a S&W j-frame; pocketable, durable, reliable, solid history of performance.

I like the cost of a Ruger LCR; and the concept of a lightweight, pocketable revolver with Ruger's reputation for durability, reliability, longevity, and so forth.

I like the idea of a Glock 26; durable, reliable, pocketable??? multiple rounds in a magazine as opposed to a 5-shot revolver

I lke the idea of a Ruger LCR; pocketable, reliable, durable, with Ruger's reputation for longevity, reliability, durability, etc.

I understand personal preference, and so forth; just want to know what I am missing.

I have read, for example that the j-frame has significant recoil, that the Glock may be unsafe within the pocket with a round chambered and the trigger unprotected by a holster...just trying to understand which is best

Thanks!

 

[camsdaddy]

I have a M38 J frame and a Glock 26. I find the J frame shines in the pocket yet is at the upper limit. I find the 26 too big for pocket. It doesn't make since but I find the 26 easier to carry AIWB than the J. The 26 just dissapears under a tshirt where the grip of the J or my K frame want stick out. I so want to not like my 26 but its awesome. It carries great, shoots great and is reliable and plenty if fire power. I love my M38 when I can pocket carry its perfect plenty of fire power as well and just feels good in the hand. Just my observations.

 

[S&Wfan]

Hi,

I recommend you do what many of us have done . . . buy 'em all and see what you end up with as your favorite "always on you" CCW handgun.

In other words, eventually most folks will end up with a S&W Airweight J frame in their pocket . . . with a lot of other options in the safe, or traded off for guns used for other purposes!

Actually, it is a pretty cheap (and fun) hobby, for if you purchase quality handguns you won't lose much when you trade 'em off. Lots cheaper than expensive greens fees and launching expensive golf balls into water hazards and the woods . . . or other very expensive hobbies!

 

[jad0110]

Well, it does come down to personal preference. As I'm sure you are aware, each of us must select the platform and the carry method that is optimal for us. In that regard, it isn't much different than selecting a pair of shoes.

As for pocket carrying a G26, it isn't a safety issue, assuming you carry with a pocket holster with no other crap in the same pocket. The issue is that they call Glocks "blocks" for a reason. Though some do pocket carry them, for most of us they are just way too chunky and heavy for pocket carry. But YMMV.

 

[wow6599]

Here's my opinion:
Ruger LCR - Still waiting for long term tests, but I would not put them in the "Ruger reliabilty" box just yet.
S&W J-Frame - Nice CCW, but I can't see past the IL.
Glock 26 - Great firearm, but not pocketable IMO.

If you want a revolver for CC, check out a Ruger SP101 in .357 Mag. I throw mine in my front pocket every now and then and I'm not bothered by it.
YMMV

 

[orionengnr]

Glock 26; durable, reliable, pocketable???

Not for anyone I know. Try carrying a 4-5" long chunk of 2x4 in your pocket for a while. If that feels natural to you, then you can pocket carry a double-stack. As far as that goes, it works about the same trying to carry one IWB (for me).

I have read, for example that the j-frame has significant recoil

Define "significant". A 642 is "snappy". A 340/360 is "abusive".

that the Glock may be unsafe within the pocket with a round chambered and the trigger unprotected by a holster

absolutely right, although the same is true with anything in the pocket without a holster. The Glock's lack of a safety* just makes it a bit more so.

just trying to understand which is best

There is no "best". There is "best for me", "best for him/her". You will have to decide what is "best for you".

*Yes, I meant exactly what I said. The Glock's "trigger safety" is not a safety.

 

[Nushif]

Oh God. That is truly a choice only you can make.

You picked some very, very good revolvers and some very, very good semis. I'd carry whichever one you're better with. Yup.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Other than pocket carry where the revolvers are superior (due to their more rounded contours), I would rather have the Glock 26. In a package of approximately the same height and length, you can have twice as many rounds of a more efficient cartridge, good sights and an easier to manage trigger pull. But that is just me. You must determine your own wants and needs.

 

[Tenacious B]

S&W J-Frame - Nice CCW, but I can't see past the IL.

They have been making some no-lock versions of the 442 and 642 lately (42 as well I think).

 

[anewconvert]

If you want a revolver for CC, check out a Ruger SP101 in .357 Mag. I throw mine in my front pocket every now and then and I'm not bothered by it.
YMMV

Having owned both and pocket carried both I can't agree this. The SP101 is the largest, and without researching, probably the heaviest of all the above listed guns. If you can't comfortably carry a j frame I can't imagine being able to do it with an sp101.

 

[Sgt_R]

I liked the idea of a S&W J-frame too, and owned one for 3 years. I found it to be 100% reliable, and easy to carry, but very, very difficult to shoot well (for me, ymmv). I really wanted to like that gun, but it just wasn't for me; I've found that I shoot small frame autos much better than small frame revolvers.

I picked up a Glock 27 for IWB and a Kahr P380 for pocket carry, and sold the J-frame. I'm much happier with my options now.

R

 

[Diggers]

I like my 442, NO lock , its light and nice to carry...in a holster on my belt. I feel j frames are semi pocketable. You have to have the right pants with bigger sized pockets and even then if you are sitting down...forget trying to draw. Even that sized gun is alot to put into a pocket. So I gave up on doing that and put a larger grip on it, so there is something to hold onto, and carry it in a IWB holster, nice and light. The recoil really isn't that bad.

Oh and NEVER just put a gun in you pocket with out a pocket holster to cover the trigger, thats good way to shoot yourself.

I also own a LCP (the little .380) which is very pocketable (in a pocket holster ) because it IS VERY tiny. I do pocket carry that gun when I HAVE to go small. HOWEVER, I think of the LCR as a BUG (which is what I bought it for.) As I said its tiny and a little more difficult to shoot well because of it, BUT I really wouldn't want to carry a gun bigger then that in my pocket.

The LCP really is a 5 feet or less, point and shoot type of gun. Hardly has sights at all. I see my 442 as a gun thats OK out to around 25 feet or so with the larger grip I have on it. (I've much more control with something to hang on to.) So a LCP should be in the same ball park.

I guy I work with just bought the .357 LCP and said it was easier for him to shoot then the J frames because it was a bit more beefy and had more a grip to hold onto.


Just FYI I'm 6 feet 200 pounds and have large hands so you have an idea of where I'm coming from.

This kind of thing is real subjective. You will have to try it all out and see what works for you.

 

[lebowski]

Personally, I prefer a j-frame to the LCR. I hate the trigger reset on the LCR, and I like that the j-frame is a proven design.

I love my glock 26, but IMO it's an IWB gun not a pocket gun. I find that I carry it less often than my pocketable guns, but if I were to run into trouble I'd much rather have my Glock 26 on me than a pocket gun because 11 rds of 9mm beats 5 rds of .38 +p, IMO. It's also easier to shoot accurately and has a decent set of sights (the factory glock night sights, if I were to do it over again I prefer the Ameriglo Pro Operators on my G31).

I've found that I carry my 642 more than any other gun. It's so easy and comfortable to pocket carry, even in some jeans, and I have much more confidence in its reliability and stopping power than I have in my LCP, which is my other pocket gun.

FWIW I would not carry ANY gun in a pocket without a pocket holster. Not worth the risk, and there are pocket holsters out there that don't add hardly any bulk and are easy to draw from (I love my A-holster as well as my Mika's pocket holster. The Aholster adds less bulk, the Mika's breaks up the shape better, depends what pants I'm wearing which works better).

 

[Cheatin5]

Funny, I keep coming back to my SP101 myself. Pocket carry is a little awkward (Is that a .357 in your pocket...) but, IWB is very comfortable and very concealed. The biggest reason has been mentioned in several of the previous comments: It's what I feel most comfortable shooting and it's reliable.

In short, if I ever need it - and I hope I never do - I can use it safely, reliably, and accurately.

My two cents anyway.

 

[Rexster]

I found a Ruger SP101, which I owned first, to be more pocketable than a G27, which is externally the same size as a G26. The G27 was also not really any easier to conceal in a holster than my G29, so the G27 soon went away. Of course, an SP101 is larger than the revolvers being discussed here, but provides a reference point. I also own a J-frame, which is f-a-r more pocketable than the "baby" Glocks.

 

[Rexster]

orionengnr: "Define "significant". A 642 is "snappy". A 340/360 is "abusive"."

Well-said!

 

[MICHAEL T]

I carried a old S&W model 49 bodyguard steel frame in pocket for long time . I have never found weight a problem. People carried them for years till this lite weight craze . Now their to heavy to carry. But have lot less recoil.
I also carry a KelTec So I would go with a J frame and a KelTec for when you must have the smallest concealed pistol.

 

[Copernicus]

I currently carry either a 642 or a 640-1 in an El Paso leather pocket holster. I find them both very comfortable and shootable. I prefer shooting 357 out of the 640 to +p out of the 642. Those +p rounds feel like someone is slamming a car door on your hand after a while. My vote is for a 640-1 with a nice 357 round

 

[RatDrall]

J-frames and LCRs are too small for most people to shoot well. Out of a dozen or so people I know who carry them, one has demonstrated that he can actually shoot the J-frame that he keeps in his pocket. Most pocket guns are like this.

The Glock 26 has double the capacity of the other guns, which matters in a fight. It is also as easy to shoot well as most other Glocks. Problem is that it is as thick as other Glocks, and not much easier to conceal than a '19 or '17. The Glock 26 is definately not a pocket gun, unless you could conceal a short length of 2x4 in you pocket.

I'd compromise with a Ruger SP101. It's concealable, but very easy to shoot thanks to the wide grip.

Another option is a Kahr. I just traded for a CW9, which is basically a P9, but with a few less machining processes to keep the costs down. They sell online for $400 shipped, new. It's a slim, light 8 round 9mm that is easy to shoot. It is basically like a Glock 26, but thinner. Here's one:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_51/products_id/18442

 

[jad0110]

I have read, for example that the j-frame has significant recoil

Felt recoil depends a lot on how well a particular gun fits your hand. That said, most people find the recoil of something like an airweight J Frame 38 +P to be greater than say, a G26. Though to me the way the guns recoil is so completely different that comparing them is an apples and oranges thing.

For me, and I admit this is not common, but my S&W 642 with the stock Uncle Mike's boot grips fits my hand much better than any Glock I've handled. By far. Consequently, I shoot my puny 642 a fair degree better than every Glock I've tried. I figure this is because the ergonomics of the Glock feels completely wrong to my hand. But to each his own, they are all great guns so I don't mean to bash Glocks (it's not the gun's fault).

I just wanted to demonstrate by example that it really and truly is a personal preference thing.

 

[Steve 48]

One post had the TCP as a 5 ft gun. I shot mine with UMC ammo and shot 100 rounds with no FTF or jams or light strike and all were in the man sized head area. I am sold but I generally carry a J frame 642 or J frame 60 in 357 mag.