Concealed Carry revolver questions

[TestPilot]

My choice for concealed carry revolver would be GP100 with 3 inch barrel with a smaller grip installed.

I really do not think I want to shoot 357 Magnum out of something ligher than that.

I am not saying it cannot be done or there is something wrong with a lighter 357 Magnum gun.

However, even with a GP100, my ability to get rapid multiple hits is nowhere near what I can do with my M&P 40. I can only imagine it will only get worse with ligher guns like SP101.

Full power magnum can be accurately be shot with a lighter revolver, but controllability with string of multiple shots will be not as controllable.

My choice of load will either be a moderately loaded 357 Magnum or really hot loaded 38 Special +P+, considering that even 38 Special +P is a powder puff load compared to 40S&W.

I've heard people complain about how heavy and bulky GP100 is and how the trigger is bad. After getting mine, all I can say is "What the hell are these people talking about?"

The trigger is great. Also, even though plastic frame pistols like Glock or M&P is lighter, it is stupid to compare gun weight based on empty weight. A fully loaded M&P is only about an ounce or two lighter than a loaded GP100. And, I carried full size M&P and full size Glock without feeling any weight problem, they're still ligher than the SIG I used to carry, and the SIG was still ligher than a 1911.

Bulk wise, how thick is a revolver barrel anyway? Grip can be reduced with aftermarket parts. The thickest part is the cylinder, and I don't think any six shot cylinder can get any smaller.

 

[RealGun]

Originally Posted by R.W.Dale
After I traded for an LCR 38 my TWO sp101's got traded in on a GSR

I've carried everything from an m60 to a 44spl titanium Taurus. The LCR is the revolver I wish I'd have bought first

I agree 110%. I've tried numerous other handguns as well including SIGs (P239, P225, P220), an Ed Brown Special Forces Carry, a Dan Wesson V-Bob, a Ruger SP101 and an XD-S in .45 Auto. None except the XD-S come close to the KLCR for ease of carry. And the LCRs are great shooters too. The trigger is outstanding for a factory gun. These days, if I'm not going to use a handgun for CC I start asking myself why I have it. I've already sold four rifles and two handguns in recent months and can see a lot more ending up on GunBroker.

But are we really talking about the LCR with .38 Spl ammo? I believe we downsize guns and calibers for young people who don't want to dress for concealment. They wind up with a false sense of security or a gun that is too punishing to shoot up to its potential.

 

[TestPilot]

But are we really talking about the LCR with .38 Spl ammo? I believe we downsize guns and calibers for young people who don't want to dress for concealment. They wind up with a false sense of security or a gun that is too punishing to shoot up to its potential.

I agree.

I have an M642, and I hate shooting it. Also, there is a noticable performance difference compared to when I shoot a GP100.

LCR type is good for just to have something in the pocket, but the fact of the matter is that you don't get something for noting. For better perfornace, shooter's would generally have to deal with more bulk or weight.

Makers might through slogans like "magnum performace out of small size...blah blah" but to actually fight well with it is a different matter.

 

[TestPilot]

Of the four .357 Mag loads and three .38 Spl loads I tested, there was a significant difference in muzzle velocity and energy shooting the .357 Mag loads. The average MV of the four .357 Mag loads was 1,150 fps with an average ME of 366 ft-lb. Compare that to the .38 Spl loads with an average MV of 805 fps and a ME of 195 ft-lb. That's a difference in MV of 345 fps (+ 43%) and ME of 171 ft-lb (+ 89%) in favor of the .357 Mag.

This is one problem with revolver as a carry weapon. There is a huge gap between 38 Special and 357 Magnum for balance of controllability and power.

Now, I am aware that there are light loaded 357 or hot loaded 38 Special, but I cannot reliably find them in stores, and not all peole hand load.

 

[Hondo 60]

I like to pocket carry.
So I bought a Taurus 905 - a 2" 9mm.
I carry it in a Blackhawk #3 nylon pocket holster

I've seen a few reviews that complain about the "flimsy" moon clips, but my experience has been great.
I carry an extra full "stellar clip" as Taurus calls 'em in my other front pocket.
So far the rounds have been solid in the clip.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

This is one problem with revolver as a carry weapon. There is a huge gap between 38 Special and 357 Magnum for balance of controlability and power.

Now, I am aware that there are light loaded 357 or hot loaded 38 Special, but I cannot reliably find them in stores, and not all people hand load.

Like you just said, there are "gap closers" between light .38 Special and hot .357 Magnum loads. You are correct they can't be found in the stores right now but that currently holds true for most SD ammo in most calibers.

In today's climate IMO your best bet is to buy from one of the smaller online ammo manufacturers like Double Tap. That's where you might find what you need or possibly online stores like Ammunition-To-Go.

In my .38 Special J frame carry revolvers I have carried 3 different loads over the years. Speer 135gr Short Barrel .38 Special +P, Federal Nyclad standard pressure load and The FBI Load. Like you said there are light .357 Magnum loads like the Speer Short Barrel 135gr .357 Magnum with an advertized velocity of only 990 fps and a slightly hotter Remington Golden Saber. In my all Steel Magnum J frame I carry 145gr Winchester Silvertip .357 Magnums which are more of a full power ammo.

 

[RealGun]

Now, I am aware that there are light loaded 357 or hot loaded 38 Special, but I cannot reliably find them in stores, and not all peole hand load

.

I have expressed the opinion before that these smaller, lighter guns are best suited for people who reload.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

.

I have expressed the opinion before that these smaller, lighter guns are best suited for people who reload.

I would tend to agree. Shooting a 12oz or 15oz short barrel revolver well is challenging and having ammo that's tailored for the task does help.

 

[Green Lantern]

I'm a big fan of the Ruger LCR (though mine is .38+P). Very controllable even with +P ammo and the smaller boot grips mine came with. I bought a set of the standard grips but found that overall I prefer the boot grips - and it wasn't a concealability issue either.

 

[mdauben]

Now, I am aware that there are light loaded 357 or hot loaded 38 Special, but I cannot reliably find them in stores, and not all peole hand load.

You best bet for comnercually loaded ammo is simply to look it up on the manufacturers website. Light loaded .357 will often be advertised as "reduced recoil" or "short barrel" loads and will be rated as somewhere less than 1400 FPS muzzle velocity. Likewise hot loaded .38 will almost always be advertised as +P or even +P+ and will be rated well above 800 FPS.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4

 

[MCMXI]

I'd like to remind folks here that a Ruger KLCR with Hogue grips loaded with five rounds of Golden Saber .357 Mag 125gr BJHP weighs 19.5oz ... and they're a joy to shoot with that load. Dumping 5 rounds into an 8" paper plate from 10 feet in around 2 seconds isn't that hard at all.

 

[ferretray]

A 3" barreled S&W 65 would do you fine.
I'll be totin' a S&W N-frame starting next week. I've been carrying for decades and know what gear to use to make this doable.
Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I'm a bigger sized guy at 6' 3" and have big pockets and can hide some guns well. In revolvers I love my Dan Wesson 15-2VH as I can put a 6" barrel or a 2" barrel on it in a minute. With small grips it works great as a carry revolver *but* with even +P .38 Special it kicks like a mule.

My Wife prefers revolvers but is 5' 1" and weighs 120 when she's wearing her fat jeans. Little revolvers like the Ruger LCR beat both of us up. I handload for this scenario and that helps a lot.

I have to remind folks that recoil and how different shooters deal with it is *extremely* variable. I hear a lot of folks say "well, I shoot full house this or that out of my 2" revolver and the recoil is mild and I can dump 6 on target in 2 seconds" and a lot of folks feel that managing recoil is a matter of practice and training.

I don't personally believe this to be true. Some folks are recoil sensitive and not all folks can manage a .38 Special in something like a Ruger LCR. Hand loading helps a lot but not everyone has that option.

Just sayin'...

VooDoo

 

[MCMXI]

a lot of folks feel that managing recoil is a matter of practice and training.

I don't personally believe this to be true. Some folks are recoil sensitive and not all folks can manage a .38 Special in something like a Ruger LCR. Hand loading helps a lot but not everyone has that option.

What is "recoil sensitive"? It's code for not wanting to put in the work. It's the reason why so few shooters will show up to a USPCA match or similar. They can't stand the idea of failing in front of a group of people. Grey Guns makes this point ... shooting without ego.

Why not choose the best round for the job and then learn the skills necessary to be effective with that round. The lazy way is to choose the round that you can handle without doing a damn thing or putting in any work.

 

[TestPilot]

What is "recoil sensitive"? It's code for not wanting to put in the work. It's the reason why so few shooters will show up to a USPCA match or similar. They can't stand the idea of failing in front of a group of people.

Incorrect.

Sense of pain and sense of shame is totally different thing.

 

[MCMXI]

Incorrect.

Sense of pain and sense of shame is totally different thing.

In my 40 plus years of shooting I've noticed that in numerous cases it's poor technique that leads to recoil sensitivity whether it's a handgun, rifle or shotgun. My 5 ft, 100lb ex-wife could shoot a box of factory 240gr ammunition through my S&W 629 with a 4" barrel while men twice her size would quit after 12 rounds. The reason was EGO and most men's inability to listen and learn. I've taken a number of women shooting for the first time and would much rather teach a woman to shoot than any man.

I would add that some combinations are brutal even with the best technique. Physics is physics. If you look at the data in the thread HERE my personal comfort level with the KLCR is about 350 ft-lb of muzzle energy. Anything over that is uncomfortable but that could well be due to my own limitations in terms of technique. I'd certainly be open to having someone show me how to better handle loads in the 400 ft-lb range if I there was a good reason to want to shoot those loads.

 

[tomrkba]

I've heard people complain about how heavy and bulky GP100 is and how the trigger is bad. After getting mine, all I can say is "What the hell are these people talking about?"

AGREED! Mine is just fine out of the box and one of the reasons I purchased it.

What is "recoil sensitive"? It's code for not wanting to put in the work. It's the reason why so few shooters will show up to a USPCA match or similar. They can't stand the idea of failing in front of a group of people. Grey Guns makes this point ... shooting without ego.

I am recoil sensitive and it is a physical condition in a two day defensive pistol course. I get approximately 50 practice rounds from a Glock 22, 23, 27 or 32 (or Browning Hi-Power MK III in 40 S&W, which caused the condition after 10-15,000 rounds) before there are minor consequences for the next day or two. The recoil characteristics of the HK USP 45 Compact also aggravates the condition, but to a much lesser degree. My typing will be significantly slower for the next few days. If I do 100 rounds in a day, I won't be able to type well at all for a week. At 150-200 rounds in a day, I won't be able to hold my phone or gun; loading magazines becomes nearly impossible. I have tried both Weaver and Isoceles with a variety of grips while being coached by a variety of people. None of them had a working solution. I switched to 9x19mm and 45 ACP as my primary handgun rounds and never experience problems.

I also get 24-30 rounds of 44 Magnum (not Speer GD Short Barrel, but hunting rounds at 1250-1350 FPS). I'm fine at 1100 FPS so long as I keep the round count to 50 rounds or less. I believe I could handle more with Herretts Stocks on the gun.

I have no trouble with 357 Magnum through a GP100, though I've never gone over 100 rounds in a day. 38 Special FMJ practice ammo feels almost like hot 22 LR through it. I never fired more than 24 rounds of 357 Magnum out of a Ruger SP101 in a session. I do know that 38 Special out of a 442 Airweight caused no trouble for me, even with 100 rounds in a session. For me, the Ruger GP100 in 357 Magnum seems to be fine. It's heavy enough that the weight absorbs and directs the recoil such that nothing is aggravated--at least for the first 100 rounds (I have yet to go beyond that in a day).

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

I bought a 3" sp101 a couple years ago and have found that I don't use many of my guns anymore because it has been able to reasonably accomplish anything I would need a handgun for inside of 25 yards. just my 2 cents.

 

[LNK]

I know that I want a revolver, simply because I am not as familiar with semi-auto's. I know the basics, but I am a lot more comfortable with wheel guns. The guns that I currently own are ill suited for concealed carry (ie: long barreled hand cannons).

One of the things you fail to mention is your physical size and how do you dress. At 6' 200# I can conceal a 4" GP100, but my 5'4" 105# wife can not. I agree a good belt and holster makes all the difference in the world. You need to provide us with more information, depending on your situation, (work, dress etc.) you will get better advice.

Good luck.

LNK

 

[MCMXI]

For anyone considering a short-barreled revolver, here's some data for .357 Mag and .38 Spl using two Ruger KLCRs with 1.875" barrels.

 

[verdun59]

Well I've got both the LCR and a 3" SP101, and I find the difference is night and day. Anyone who believes "felt recoil" is psychological, or vanity related is smoking something. Because of advanced age I have some arthritis in my hands which is not really a daily problem, but after a secession with the LCR everything hurts. Conversely, I can shoot the SP101 for hours. My LCR is the next gun up for sale.

 

[CraigC]

Incorrect.

Sense of pain and sense of shame is totally different thing.

Disagree. Nobody wakes up in the morning and decides they're going to shoot 200rds of .475Linebaugh in a session. Recoil tolerance, like anything else, must be built over time. If you only ever shoot once a month, you'll never get there. That's what's meant by "putting in the work".

 

[MCMXI]

Recoil tolerance, like anything else, must be built over time.

EXACTLY!! Whether it's recoil from a pistol, rifle or shotgun, it takes proper technique and lots of practice. Like the saying goes, "nothing easy is worth doing".

 

[David E]

That's just silly.

Fire a few cylinders 125 grain .357 magnum Corbon loads rapid fire thru a S&W Model 340 12 oz revolver barehanded with wooden boot grips and get back to me, ideally with video....

Your technique will matter little and the pain involved will suggest that there's little merit in trying to simply "get used to it."

 

[MCMXI]

Fire a few 125 grain .357 magnum Corbon loads thru a S&W Model 342 12 oz revolver barehanded with wooden boot grips and get back to me, ideally with video....

Are you sure about that?