Frustrated with five shot revolvers

[sleepyone]

Chilibreath, OP here.

I appreciate your insightful and level-headed response and also for not accusing me of being lazy or giving up because I don't enjoy shooting my 642 and am not that proficient with it at long distances. To each their own. I'm never going to need to hit an eight inch steel target with my 642 from 25 or even 15 yards. If I'm drawing my weapon to shoot someone from 15 yards, most likely I'm the one going to jail afterwards. I am proficient with my 642 at the distance in which I would need to defend myself.

Some guys enjoy shooting their two inch revolvers at long distances and are extremely good at it. I'm not one of those guys. I'll shoot it enough to be proficient at it but I won't enjoy it. But that's OK. I've plenty of other handguns and rifles to shoot for enjoyment and long-range accuracy.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

Sorry, Fuff. I guess my tongue-in-cheek response went over your head.

6" at 25 yds. isn't that bad when you can barely see the sights and only the merest suggestion of a bullseye. Think what I could do if I could still see!

But then I forgot to mention poor eyesight.

Forgetfulness and poor eyesight; they come with age. You'll see when you get older, son.

 

[Cokeman]

Snubs are fun even if they kick hard and you can't hit a damn thing. All guns are.

 

[Old Fuff]

But then I forgot to mention poor eyesight.

Ah, but that makes a big difference.

6" at 25 yds. isn't that bad when you can barely see the sights and only the merest suggestion of a bullseye. Think what I could do if I could still see!

Very true, but you didn’t mention it until now.

Forgetfulness and poor eyesight; they come with age. You'll see when you get older, …

The Old Fuff suspects that he’s close, if not ahead of you when it comes to age. Knowing that I’ll cut you some slack. My gripe is with folks that claim no physical disabilities who say the effective range of a .38 snubby is at best measured in terms of a few feet. I’ve seen too many folks prove otherwise.

 

[marcclarke]

It doesn't matter, since its wrong.

Please elaborate.

 

[italianbreadman]

I would like to hear from those who have switched from a pocket revolver to the slim autos like the new XDs or even the older Ruger LCP and S&W Shield. Did you completely stop carrying your five-shot revolver or do you still carry it in certain situations?

Is anyone making pocket or belt holsters yet specifically for the XDs?

I'm kinda the opposite. I started with a 2.25" SP101, thinking that it would be a good choice for concealment due to its RELATIVELY small size and potent round, but that would also still be good for the range and actually enjoying shooting as a sport alongside the defensive purpose. And it IS generally good in all those areas: I can carry IWB pretty well and the gun eats up .357 recoil.

Then I grabbed a Beretta Nano for even easier concealability. It definitely was more concealable, but then I got a Glock 26 and noted that the Glock was almost equally concealable. I felt like an appreciable difference could only be realized by jumping down to the .380s.

Now I kinda want a smaller revolver that I can conceal better than the subcompact double-stack 9s. By your commentary, it seems like there isn't much to gain, but then again, I would never dream of putting an XDs into a pocket holster like you suggest, so the improvement would all be IWB, where i suspect the small revolvers show more benefit.

As you have both the 642 and the LCR, I was curious to know how you feel about them compared to each other specifically in terms of carry, rather than shooting. Do you find either one to be more concealable than the other?

 

[David E]

Please elaborate.

The oft cited "2.3 shots fired" stat is wrong.

Why?

Because it includes such things at AD's, warning shots, suicides, animal out downs, etc. in other words, a whole host of things that:

1) usually only require one shot.

2) have nothing whatsoever to do with defense.

 

[btg3]

Ah but a good snub, when the user is well trained...

regardless if limp wristing, regardless of how close they are held to the body, regardless of if you push the muzzle into your opponent, and regardless if fired inside the pocket or coat. And then, unlike their plastic rivals, they can be used as a sap.

And they are hard to take out of ones hand (disarming attack), unlike larger guns.

Don't hafta take it from you. If you hold it close enough to for your opponent to grab the cylinder, then what happens? Of course, being well-trained isn't necessary when employing spray-n-pray with a plastic rival. :banghead:

 

[KenW.]

Don't hafta take it from you. If you hold it close enough to for your opponent to grab the cylinder, then what happens?

Ideally, your training included weapon retention and combating gun grabs.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Don't hafta take it from you. If you hold it close enough to for your opponent to grab the cylinder, then what happens? Of course, being well-trained isn't necessary when employing spray-n-pray with a plastic rival. :banghead:

Hold it close enough for your opponent to grab the cylinder is so close they can just use a Krav Maga disarm (but the short size of the snub makes it harder.)

And if they had a simi-auto that close you could jam the slide back so the disconnector stops the pistol from firing (or use a KM disarm.)

And the simi-auto, bring longer, would be easier to take out of the hand.

And at such close range, muzzle contact range, no real skill is required (spray-n-pray or not.)

It's at longer ranges the skill will be needed.

Deaf

 

[jim243]

Don't hafta take it from you. If you hold it close enough for your opponent to grab the cylinder, then what happens?

Twist your wrist sharply to the left while pulling the trigger. You opponent then goes to the morgue. Better yet after the first shot give him 2 more just for good luck (yours not his).

Jim

 

[Deaf Smith]

Twist your wrist sharply to the left while pulling the trigger.

And if a Colt to the right!

Smart move!

Deaf

 

[Eb1]

When my dad drove a truck he snabbed a stub .38 right when the trigger broke, and the hammer pin went into his hand between his thumb and 1st finger. Talk about luck.
I think he had someone sneak into his truck, and when he got in he about got the bullet.

 

[David E]

When my dad drove a truck he snabbed a stub .38 right when the trigger broke, and the hammer pin went into his hand between his thumb and 1st finger. Talk about luck.
I think he had someone sneak into his truck, and when he got in he about got the bullet.

um....................WHAT!?

 

[Old Fuff]

Translation:

At one time his Dad drove a truck. One time some low-life with a snubby sneaked into the truck, and would have shot his Dad, except that he grabbed the revolver that was pointed at him, and as the hammer fell it was stopped when the firing pin impaled the skin between the Father’s thumb and forefinger.

End translation.

 

[David E]

Translation:

At one time his Dad drove a truck. One time some low-life with a snubby sneaked into the truck, and would have shot his Dad, except that he grabbed the revolver that was pointed at him, and as the hammer fell it was stopped when the firing pin impaled the skin between the Father’s thumb and forefinger.

End translation.

Oh.

I was perplexed by:

When my dad drove a truck he snabbed a stub .38 right when the trigger broke...

 

[VA27]

Eb1's male parental unit (hearafter referred to as P/U) was a truck driver. An evildoer armed with a snub-nosed revolver got into the truck, either to rob or perhaps kill, said P/U. The cat-like reflexes of the aforementioned P/U allowed him to place his hand on the evildoers's revolver in such a way that the falling hammer (and the attendant firing pin) of the revolver struck the web of the P/U's hand between the thumb and first finger and prevented the revolver from discharging.

While the P/U did get a nasty pinch, he was spared the life-threatening perforation of the gizzard that would have resulted had not luck (and possibly the force) been with him.

 

[conw]

Oh.

I was perplexed by:

When my dad drove a truck he snabbed a stub .38 right when the trigger broke...

You mean you never observed this phenomenon while conducting "the test?"

 

[Eb1]

hahaha.. You guys get what this old Arkansas boy is saying. Yeah. He got the revolver from the person and did his own business before the person left the truck. It was in the 70s, and Dad said he never seen the person before, an he was in Detroit, MI when it happened.
He got a nice .38 Stub nose from that incident. Doesn't have it anymore.

 

[Haywood]

I've shot and carried Snubs for years.With the right Grips and practice you can become quite good with them. No Problems Here.

 

[arizona98tj]

From 7 meters, I am all over the place. From 3 meters, my groups are good. I guess that is all I can expect from a snub nose revolver. I have been told most SD shootings take place within 3 meters. The main problem for me is I am not proficient with guns that don't have a rear sight. Then there is the matter of only having five rounds.

If you've already considered and dismissed the use of a laser, I apologize as I did not read this entire thread. If you have not considered it, it is indeed a great aid to a snubbie that has a poor rear sight, which is the case of the Ruger LCR, IMO.

This 1" square was shot at 5 yds, when I was dialing in the http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/lg411/lg411-1.htm. I don't need my glasses when shooting this way...the not so great fixed sights get me quickly on target while I finish with using the laser to fine tune the shot.

 

[arizona98tj]

From 7 meters, I am all over the place. From 3 meters, my groups are good. I guess that is all I can expect from a snub nose revolver. I have been told most SD shootings take place within 3 meters. The main problem for me is I am not proficient with guns that don't have a rear sight. Then there is the matter of only having five rounds.

If you've already considered and dismissed the use of a laser, I apologize as I did not read this entire thread. If you have not considered it, it is indeed a great aid to a snubbie that has a poor rear sight, which is the case of the Ruger LCR, IMO.

This 1" square was shot at 5 yds, when I was dialing in the Crimson Trace laser. I don't need my glasses when shooting this way...the not so great fixed sights get me quickly on target while I finish with using the laser to fine tune the shot.

 

[tomrkba]

I'm never going to need to hit an eight inch steel target with my 642 from 25 or even 15 yards. If I'm drawing my weapon to shoot someone from 15 yards, most likely I'm the one going to jail afterwards. I am proficient with my 642 at the distance in which I would need to defend myself.

This is a not a rational attitude toward self-defense. You DO NOT dictate the terms of the fight, though you may be able to influence it. Distance is not the sole criteria upon which the lawful use of lethal force is decided. Stop carrying a gun until you acquire some training and come back to reality. Mas Ayoob's MAG-40 course would be a good start.

 

[David E]

You mean you never observed this phenomenon while conducting "the test?"

I have never seen or head the word "snabbed."

I've seen. "Snubbed," "Snobbed," "Grubbed," "Blobbed," "Stubbed," "Subbed," "Rubbed," "Snagged," "Grabbed," "Stabbed," "Nabbed," and "Blabbed." But never "snabbed."

I've heard someone ask for reloading powder by name by calling it "YEW-na-que."

I've heard someone say the "230" on a box of .45 acp FMJ ammo was how many grains of powder each round had.

I've heard someone describing their compact revolver as a "Schmidt & Western .38 C-T-G stub-nose revolver with a short nozzle."

But I've only been to Arkansas a few times.

 

[buck460XVR]

"

But I've only been to Arkansas a few times.

Me too, but enough times to realize it is one of the best states in the country to ride motorcycle in. Roads are great and the locals......entertaining to say the least.

My, but this thread has drifted. We need to snab it back on track.

Regardless of what kind of training one has, or what others on the internet do/use, one's SD firearm needs to be one that they are proficient with and that they feel comfortable with. If recoil is an issue that retards proficiency, then a change in ammo, or firearm itself is in order. As I said in my first post, those "Schmidt & Western .38 C-T-G stub-nose revolvers with a short nozzle." can be brutal with +p ammo, but almost pleasant to shoot with standard .38 ammo. They are a prime example where a change in ammo is many times a good alternative to buying a different gun in a caliber that is only equal to or lesser than standard .38s anyway.