Do You Carry a Snubby? Why? Prove it.

[Ugly Sauce]

Haven't posted for a while, however something happened last week.
I have a CCW and normally had it approved for carrying a Glock Model 36 45ACP or a Ruger LCR 38 Special. Normally I carry the Glock (I have more confidence). Well, this renewal time I dropped the Ruger LCR from my CCW to save some money.
Of course, last week while drilling, my Glock had a major parts failure which cannot be fixed with a simple parts replacement (well I have had it since 2014 and used it extensively).
I contacted Glock and they had me send it back to them for repairs (which is a two-to-three-week turnaround).
Here in California, my CCW does not allow me to just carry another firearm while the approved one is being repaired.
Long story short, if you have CCW restrictions like California, it is best to qualify and register several. I must play nice for 3 weeks.
Not worth to requalify my Ruger since it takes a month or three to register another firearm for your CCW plus several hundred dollars for the process.

Wow that is crazy. I did not know there were such restrictions anywhere. And what sense do they make? Things are still relaxed in Washington State, which is surprising considering the Governor and Atty.G. Even though ALL the pundits on the internet insist you have to put your hands on the wheel and declare your pistol when getting pulled over, don't move a muscle and sweat profusely, actually here that info comes up when they run your info/driver's license. Most often (I ride an old Harley, and getting pulled over is nothing new or unique)(but have not received a ticket in over eight years) they say nothing, or might ask if you are "packing". Only once was I asked where on my body it was located, and that was the end of that conversation. I have a friend that is pretty high up on the LEO ladder, and he confirms that when they run the "make", that info will come up and you don't have to go through any song and dance about having a gun on you. In Idaho next door, a friend just got pulled over recently, and had his pistol in the center seat thingie, and informed the officer. The Sheriff just laughed, and said "well don't show me yours, and I won't show you mine"!!! Anyhow, so sad that you have those restrictions that serve no purpose, other making it more expensive and painful to carry concealed.

 

[golden]

Interesting. So, hypothetically if you were to carry your revolver and were to come into contact with LE. If you present you license, do they give you a ticket? Confiscate your revolver? You get a warning?

Just curious. IME law enforcement here in Alabama just wants confirmation you *have* your permit. We have no requirement that we disclose what our firearm of choice is. And if we don’t have a permit, you can get a charge and your firearm confiscated.

Anchorite,

In ALABAMA it probably does not matter what gun you carry as long as you have a CCW. I live in FLORIDA and unlike CALIFORNIA or NEW YORK, once I have my CCW, I can carry any legal firearm, none of which have to be registered or even non firearms like a TAZER or PEPPER SPRAY ( I mention this because in reciprocity database, it says you carry a gun in GEORGIA with a FLORIDA CCW, but not the spray or tazer).

My suggestion is that you get at least two of what you will carry. Then if one breaks or is out of action (like after a self defense shooting), you still have a gun you are used to carrying and have a lot of experience with. It is also a good excuse to buy another gun!
Right now, I wear a SIG 365 off duty, when not carrying my issue gun, but I still have the GLOCK 42 that I wore before the SIG, so I am fine. I also can wear any of the other guns that I have (HURRAY for FLORIDA).

Jim

 

[Don Van Winkle]

Yes I do. Taurus 856 Defender; 3" barrel.

 

[jag1954]

Here's my S&W 642

 

[Great Scot]

I carry this Smith 351c quite a bit. 11ozs that is easy to carry in jeans or shorts. I also carry this Bulldog on occasion. 5 fat .44s is very comforting!

 

[J-Bar]

Do You Carry a Snubby? Why?

Yes, I do, a S&W 60 no dash .38 Special. Because I cannot shoot a five shot group this small from my CZ 9mm.

Did this yesterday at 7 yards, 148 grain home cast wadcutters over 4.0 grains of Unique:

 

[aaaaa]

^ Wow, that's some nice shootin. And the gun is great--no lock!

 

[fastbolt]

Yes, I often carry a snub nose revolver.

My current avatar shows my pair of 642-1's. I have several others. Having been a long time revolver shooter, and having started my LE career in the autumn of the service revolver, I've invested a fair amount of time developing, refining and maintaining my revolver skillset. Sure, I was a longtime LE firearms instructor after pistols had displaced revolvers, and I do appreciate my 9's, .40's & .45's, I find the 5-shot snub to be a handy, practical and useful option for a lot of circumstances.

Pair of M&P 340's


My old 3" M36



My 37-2DAO


My old 649 Bodyguard .38SPL, wearing an old pocket "holster" w/integral grip. I staged this pic for a private forum to show an early 90's widget, the Pachmayr TAC Holster, which helped hold a snub positioned in a pocket and carried extra rounds. I used it a bit when carrying my 649 in the outside cargo pocket of an old hollofil vest I rather liked in the 80's and early 90's, until I wore the vest out. That vest carried a variety of other smallish off-duty weapons, including a brace of early 3" CA Bulldog's (blued and stainless).

I don't have any pics of my other snubs I've owned and carried over time.

 

[EMC45]

Yes, I often carry a snub nose revolver.

My current avatar shows my pair of 642-1's. I have several others. Having been a long time revolver shooter, and having started my LE career in the autumn of the service revolver, I've invested a fair amount of time developing, refining and maintaining my revolver skillset. Sure, I was a longtime LE firearms instructor after pistols had displaced revolvers, and I do appreciate my 9's, .40's & .45's, I find the 5-shot snub to be a handy, practical and useful option for a lot of circumstances.

Pair of M&P 340's
View attachment 1073669

My old 3" M36
View attachment 1073670
View attachment 1073671

My 37-2DAO
View attachment 1073672

My old 649 Bodyguard .38SPL, wearing an old pocket "holster" w/integral grip. I staged this pic for a private forum to show an early 90's widget, the Pachmayr TAC Holster, which helped hold a snub positioned in a pocket and carried extra rounds. I used it a bit when carrying my 649 in the outside cargo pocket of an old hollofil vest I rather liked in the 80's and early 90's, until I wore the vest out. That vest carried a variety of other smallish off-duty weapons, including a brace of early 3" CA Bulldog's (blued and stainless).

I don't have any pics of my other snubs I've owned and carried over time.

I like that paddle holster. Belt loop too? Very neat. Classy

 

[Dave T]

This is the snubby I'd like to carry, a 3" 45 Colt loaded with full power, black powder loads.



I don't carry it primarily because it is heavy and my disability won't tolerate it for any extended time. Yes, it would be a bad choice for self defense in these days of the endless capacity 9mms, but I'm old and slow and probably won't survive a serious gun battle anyway. At least with 5 rounds of BP 45 Colt's I could take a couple of them with me, and do it with a certain historical style. (smile)

Dave

 

[fastbolt]

I like that paddle holster. Belt loop too? Very neat. Classy

The leather paddle was damned near ubiquitous back then, and the belt loop helped make sure the paddle holster stayed secure.

One of the things I especially liked about the leather paddle was that it conformed to your hip over time. Leather responds to body heat differently than plastic.

Here's a couple pics from different angles that show how the leather paddle conformed to the wearer over time. MUCH more comfortable than any of the assorted plastic paddle holsters I bought later on. It adopts the shape of the hip/glute and disappears from your awareness. It also tends to settle against the curvature of the hip and remain where you want it.






I really ought to have bought more of them as a young cop, dammit.

Another old school leather holster is a type of crossdraw, with a spring-tensioned opening. The one in the pics was made by a leather shop in the South SF Bay Area many years ago. Earl Ginn. He made a lot of leather (duty, uniform & plainclothes, and off-duty) for cops and agencies in that area, and I used to visit his shop. I found this holster from a vendor who has his own website, and an ebay store, who collects and sells old police and hunting leather gear. I bought this because it was made by Earl Ginn's shop, so it was nostalgic for me, and was part of a New/Old Stock find the vendor had come across.





Vertical or angled placement is possible due to the design of the TIGHT belt slot.



I really ought to get out some of my leather medicine and seal the edges of the old Tex Shoemaker paddle holster ... but why rush into it after only 35+ years? The rest of the holster is perfectly functional and secure. They made some great leather in those days, and Earl's products were all handmade.

 

[EMC45]

Looks real nice with the 3in J Frame.

 

[Mark 40]

We are fortunate to have many choices. I have two carry guns and yes, one is a revolver.

Update: now it is only a revolver for EDC now that I found this baby, 432PD 32H&R Mag.

 

[lee n. field]

This is the snubby I'd like to carry, a 3" 45 Colt loaded with full power, black powder loads.


I don't carry it primarily because it is heavy and my disability won't tolerate it for any extended time. Yes, it would be a bad choice for self defense in these days of the endless capacity 9mms, but I'm old and slow and probably won't survive a serious gun battle anyway. At least with 5 rounds of BP 45 Colt's I could take a couple of them with me, and do it with a certain historical style. (smile)

Like a squid emitting a cloud of ink, you could make your slow, hobbling escape in the cloud of black power smoke.

 

[Archie]

I carry a revolver as a primary defensive arm these days. I have three and switch between them depending on clothing for that day. My thinking vis a vis defense is based on accuracy and the age old concept of 'trickery and deceit'.

 

[DR505]

No, never heard of the Jovino. But now I know! My pistol, a 25-3 was worked over by the previous owner's gunsmith. Not sure what the black finish is. Action tuned and hammer bobbed, and chamber reamed to .44Mag. I'm not sure why he had it rechambered to .44mag. He stated: "to get the bullets closer to the forcing cone using .44mag brass". I don't fire .44mag in it, but I do use .44mag brass to keep my hotter .44 Special loads out my .44 Specials, although none are hot enough to hurt the 25-3, but perhaps might loosen up my Charter Arms Bulldogs. Or not, just being careful.

If that revolver was a 25-3 it was chambered in either .45 Colt, or was a special Lew Horton run of .45 ACP. So your revolver was not a .44 Special. It looks to me to have possibly been a Model 28-3 that was re-chambered first from .357 Magnum to .44 Special, then perhaps lengthened to .44 Magnum, though the fixed sights are throwing me off a bit.

 

[Dave T]

If that revolver was a 25-3 it was chambered in either .45 Colt, or was a special Lew Horton run of .45 ACP. So your revolver was not a .44 Special. It looks to me to have possibly been a Model 28-3 that was re-chambered first from .357 Magnum to .44 Special, then perhaps lengthened to .44 Magnum, though the fixed sights are throwing me off a bit.

I agree. The S&W 25-3 was never a 44, Special or Magnum.

Dave

 

[epags]

Interesting. So, hypothetically if you were to carry your revolver and were to come into contact with LE. If you present you license, do they give you a ticket? Confiscate your revolver? You get a warning?

Just curious. IME law enforcement here in Alabama just wants confirmation you *have* your permit. We have no requirement that we disclose what our firearm of choice is. And if we don’t have a permit, you can get a charge and your firearm confiscated.

Thanks for asking. Here in Calif. by having an unlicensed 'concealed firearm, you have committed a felony. You lose your right to ever have a CCW in the future, the unlicensed gun in the vehicle will be confiscated and likely (I do not want to find out) go to jail. Oh yes, as a felon you are not allowed to legally possess a firearm. That doesn't stop our local gangbangers. LOL

 

[Haywood]

Rounded up all my J-Frame Snubs for a family picture.

 

[Anchorite]

Thanks for asking. Here in Calif. by having an unlicensed 'concealed firearm, you have committed a felony. You lose your right to ever have a CCW in the future, the unlicensed gun in the vehicle will be confiscated and likely (I do not want to find out) go to jail. Oh yes, as a felon you are not allowed to legally possess a firearm. That doesn't stop our local gangbangers. LOL

We call that, “carrying a pistol without a permit,” here. Absent any exceptions enumerated in our Code, it’s a misdemeanor.

 

[camsdaddy]

Would it be considered sufficient proof if I told you I don't own any centerfire semi-auto pistols, not even one?

That is pretty darn committed. I carry a 60 or a 642 just about every day. I have owned every latest and greatest gun to come to market and I always seem to circle back to a j frame. A J frame in my pocket is my fastest draw. I shoot J frames very accurately and without much effort. I find the J frame easier to draw and shoot than the smaller semi autos. Anything short of a Glock 19 the J frame wins. Every time I’ve ever needed a gun I was carrying a j frame and it did the job. Also with the shortage of ammo it’s no big deal to rechamber a round multiple times without having bullet set back. Also I can load my j frames with wadcutters and shoot anything that I would need to shoot.

 

[Dunross]

Admittedly I mostly carry autoloaders, but occasionally the fit will take me to carry a anubby. My dad used to carry a CA Bulldog in 44spl much like this one back in the day when he was making the bank deposits.

Bobbed hammer for easy pocket draw, but can still be fired single-action. 200gr full wadcutters.

 

[BlackHand1917]

Interesting. So, hypothetically if you were to carry your revolver and were to come into contact with LE. If you present you license, do they give you a ticket? Confiscate your revolver? You get a warning?

Just curious. IME law enforcement here in Alabama just wants confirmation you *have* your permit. We have no requirement that we disclose what our firearm of choice is. And if we don’t have a permit, you can get a charge and your firearm confiscated.

Here in Arkansas we have a goofy system. If you show up with a revolver for your CCW qualification you are only permitted to carry revolvers. If you qualify with an auto you can carry revolvers and autos. Ever the wise guy I showed up at my five year qualification with a Ruger Mk II Target Model in .22LR.

 

[P5 Guy]

I used to, but no more. I doubled my fire power with a Glock26.

 

[Paul7]

When I carry a revolver, it is certainly not due to any improvement in reliability over auto pistols. I just like revolvers.
My pistols have been faultless through many, many rounds.
I’ve seen revolvers jam up on the range. A friend was shooting a fresh box of factory 357mag through his Security Six once, and had a squib that pushed the bullet half out the cylinder/half in the forcing cone. Gun was out of action. Another time, I was shooting at the rifle club, and a shooter next to me was shooting a Ruger LCR. A factory 158gn lead round nose moved forward enough with bullet creep to lock it up.
I learned a lesson myself recently. I got some Winchester Silvertip 357mag 145gn, and loaded a couple speedloaders for a range trip. When I went to load, the cylinder wouldn’t close. One of the cases was slightly too long to allow the rim to fully seat. Defective premium factory ammo. From now on, I plunk test speedloader ammo if I intend to carry it.

Nobody is saying a revolver can't fail, only that it is far less likely to do so than an auto. I've had new production 1911s jam so bad you couldn't even budge the action.

With the average SD incident supposed to be 3 shots, 3', 3 seconds, I'm OK with a snubbie, mine is a Colt Cobra. Guess I'm a KISS sort.