Conceal Carry: Glock or J-frame

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Glock 26! I've carried both off duty. G-26 is much easier to shoot fast and accurately.
Don't get me wrong,I love Revolvers and shoot them very well. The G-26 is no problem to pocket carry.
 
Yep . . . its hard to hit accurately with a S&W snubbie!:rolleyes:

I bought this old S&W snubbie in the fall of 2007, and took it to the range to see what it would do. Next to me was a Georgia Probation Officer practicing hard for annual qualification with the issue Glock Model 23 (.40S&W)

I set up one target at ten yards . . . a personally created (on my computer) target with 1" black squares to shoot at 10 yards. Here's the FIRST target I ever shot with the Model 36

Loading the snubbie, and standing @ ten yards, unsupported, I put all five rounds into roughly a 1" group . . . right into the 1" black square.

2452763IMG2500-e2web.JPG


The Probation Officer was ALL OVER THE PAPER . . . probably 4"-5" groups at the same distance!!!

I put my little snubbie down and simply chatted . . . didn't want to discourage the officer on the upcoming quals and thought it best not to shoot more targets til the officer left.

FOR CONCEALED CARRY, IMHO there's no comparison . . .

Only the snubbie revolver can be very discreetly pocket carried at all times. Everything bigger and/or wider will have to be left behind in some cases.

My "always" pocket revolver is this S&W Model 37 . . . the Airweight version of the Model 36 pictured above. It also shoots comparatively well, I just don't have targets to upload from that revolver.

I've gotta go revolver here. My safe has a bunch of autos in it . . . but through the years I've come to realize that I need to carry a handgun that I can shoot very well . . . and that will always be small enough and light enough to carry no matter what I'm wearing . . . and that's a S&W Airweight snubbie!

2454596IMG1153pcropped10.004t.jpg


Frankly, when I hit the road, the Model 37 is in my pocket, and a big ol' S&W Model 25-2 .45ACP revolver (chopped to a 3 1/4" barrel) is my main self defense revolver (in the glove box). Here's what it does to a 1" target at ten yards (standing/unsupported) if I do my job . . .

2483071IMG2446copy.jpg


PS: The small holes were made by a Ruger Mark II Target Model .22 pistol . . . the S&W snubbie is only pictured here for size comparison.

BUT . . . I fully understand that trouble comes on a man with no warning, and when the predator thinks it/he has an advantage. That means that I'll almost surely NOT be armed if/when a predator attacks . . . except for the snubbie that he won't know is there!!! That's what a snubbie is for . . . everything else might be too big.

I've only needed my revolver once against a two-legged predator . . . who surprised me as I was unpacking my car to go into a motel room at 1:30 in the morning. The result was a total success . . . the thug decided he didn't want any part of me and disappeared as quickly as he came into the night. That's a good thing . . . and the ultimate goal!!! I'm glad he made the RIGHT decision!!!

Good luck on your personal choice and don't fret what the first one is . . . attaining handguns is a lifelong pursuit! Most end up in the safe . . . and the snubbie in the pocket!;) The bigger and heavier the handgun, the less opportunities one has to carry it!!!
 
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I'm sure those targets were all shot DA against the clock.
I sensed a certain smugness toward the officer who was "all over the paper" with his 4-5" group.
I would just ask for a little parity when describing the incident. In regards to time, how long did it take to shoot three cylinders full compared to his 14 rds?
Both guns have their limitations, I'll take 15rds from my cumbersome old G19 any day over the 5 in my J frame. Doesn't mean I won't carry one but I don't live in the illusion that 5 will get me by or that a tight 1" SA group will serve me any better than a 9" as fast as I can pull the trigger will if I'm in a gun fight.
I'm not being criticle of some very fine shooting and I will stand corrected if you indeed were shooting DA under the clock and doing speed loads like a world champ, both are fine weapons with limitations on each.
It's apples to oranges.
 
G26/27/33 is too big for pocket carry, but disappears when worn on the belt.

Plus.... I can shoot my SW 442 either quickly or accurately, but not both. Just the nature of the beast- the J-frame is harder to control. My G26 is very soft-shooting & VERY accurate. For some reason, I can shoot the baby Glock faster than any bottom feeder I own & that includes my .22s- a Buckmark & a tricked out MkII.

Don't forget that 9mm ballistics out of a 3"-3.5" barrel are literally the equal of .38/.357 out of 2" barrel. Cheaper to feed, too.
 
Try a revolver first. Practice ALOT. Learn good trigger control and sight picture (FRONT sight....PRESS). Over your lifetime you will settle on both platforms at different times.
 
"Don't forget that 9mm ballistics out of a 3"-3.5" barrel are literally the equal of .38/.357 out of 2" barrel. Cheaper to feed, too."

Show me a 9mm that shoots a 180 grain anything, or, 148 grain bullet at 1131 fps, out of a 3-3.5" barrel.

Haven't seen any 9mm 125 grain loads that go 1204 fps out of a 3-3.5" barrel, either.
 
Prosser said:
"Don't forget that 9mm ballistics out of a 3"-3.5" barrel are literally the equal of .38/.357 out of 2" barrel. Cheaper to feed, too."

Show me a 9mm that shoots a 180 grain anything, or, 148 grain bullet at 1131 fps, out of a 3-3.5" barrel.
Click to expand...

What .38 Special load will do that?

What .357 load will do that out of a 2" barrel?

Haven't seen any 9mm 125 grain loads that go 1204 fps out of a 3-3.5" barrel, either.
Click to expand...

What .38 Special load will do that?

A Corbon 125 grain 9mm will do 1250 from a 4", so a 3.5" will likely break 1204 fps or come so close it won't matter. And with less kick, etc, etc, etc.
 
Carry the one that you like/shoot better.

For me it'd be the G26, I'm not really a revolver guy.
 
I own -and love- both.

Pocket carry = Airweight
IWB/OWB = Glock

If forced to do duty in the opposites realm, each one will show its weakness. Within their own element, probably THE most ideal for carry mode. Great guns, these two. Thats for sure.

If you can pack the IWB option do so. 1] Faster to shoot and also to deploy (if hands are out of pocket and off of 442, if on then its downright lightning to yank that airweight!), 2] twice the round count, 3] actually slightly more round power despite grossly less recoil, 4] more durable and 5] the cheaper ammo and lesser recoil actually encourages practice instead of dissuades it.

That said you'll usually just find me with the 442 in the pocket. "Pocket Iron"

regards,
Stealth

PS: You can now easily score NIB no-lock airweights, If you don't need the hilary hole, why have it?
 
I say get the gun that you feel more comfortable with.

I went with the 15 oz 642 Airweight J-Frame for pocket carry. I could even fire it from the pocket if need be. Once I handled the 642 at the gun show I was sold.

I have a compact Sig P239 that has been my main defensive gun for nearly 15 years but it is a GIANT compared to the Airweight.
 
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