Less than impressed with the lightweights

[WC145]

I shoot my 9mm 360 enough to keep proficient. No long, drawn out range sessions with it, I'll shoot about 5 cyls out of it each time I'm out shooting something else, which is about every 2-3 weeks. I know what I can do with it and it doesn't take 150rds a week to maintain it. IMO, shooting is shooting, the same principles of shooting my Beretta 8000D apply to shooting the 360, the fact that one weighs 30oz and one weighs 13oz doesn't mean anything except some more recoil and a big difference in carry comfort.

Here's my target from qualifications last month (plainclothes course) - 50 rds from 3 to 18yds, timed shooting from the draw, from the ready, standing, kneeling, behind barricades, double and triple taps, and failure drills (2 chest, 1 head). We have to shoot the course twice, back to back, it took about 35mins to go through both times. I shot 49/50 the first round and 50/50 the second. If you ask me, a gun is a gun is a gun, either you can shoot or you can't and if you can't you go out and practice until you can. I've been shooting my whole life and have qualified expert with every weapon I've had to qualify with since I joined the USAF in 1981 (inc. a Kel-tec .380 on our regular duty pistol course, 3-25yds).



You guys may remember my snubby, I've posted about it before. There was a lot of talk about poor accuracy shooting .355" bullets through a .357" barrel. Obviously, I haven't noticed any loss of accuracy. The shots on the outer edges of the main group of the target above are my fault, not the gun's. This was the last gun I qualified with that day (AFTER my patrol rifle, my duty pistol, and my other off duty pistol) - I had already fired 322 rounds before these last 50 and I was getting a bit fatigued.

 

[WC145]

Oops, double tap.

 

[welldoya]

I honestly don't understand what you guys are talking about when you say it is not fun to shoot the 642. I love shooting mine. No pain involved at all.
I've got the CT 305s on them so the grips are a little bigger than factory but it's a ball to shoot. I usually don't shoot more than a box of 50 but really don't see any need to. +P is a little more to handle but I normally just shoot a couple of cylinders of those in a session.

 

[Gunmeister]

The answer is: Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum/.38SPL either the 2.25" or 3" barrel, Just the right weight and much more durable than any of the late model S&W snubbies.
Regards, JW

 

[Elvishead]

I carry a light weight.

And I love it!

JMO

 

[easyg]

From Drail:
Building a gun that is lightweight but more difficult to shoot has never made any sense to me. I couldn't care less about how heavy my CCW piece is. And the reason given by folks who claim if it's too heavy you will leave it at home is B.S. If you leave it at home you're priorities are questionable.

Just curious, what do you carry every day everywhere?

 

[Clarence]

I think the key to shooting the lighter gun well is to shoot it a lot. I have a 642 that I shoot quite a bit and I don't find it difficult to shoot.

I usually only carry the 642 during the summer when I'm wearing shorts and flipflops and I found the M-60 to be too heavy so I got rid of it and kept the 642.

 

[10-Ring]

I have a place for both. I certainly prefer the shootability of the steel snubbies but for the most part, my 442 is primarily a carry gun and with the right ammo & trigger time, it's an okay shooter too.

 

[MCgunner]

A .45 that's at home because it's too hot and humid (97 degrees and 80+ percent humidity yesterday) to conceal is a "bad gun". The gun that's in my pocket 24/7 is always ready.

Shooting small, light guns is fun and I'm very good with mine. I shot my KT P11 in a couple of IDPA matches for grins and beat all the sharpshooters no matter class (included enhanced class) and a couple of experts with it. I shot only slightly worse with it than with my .45, probably because I practiced more with it at the time being my main carry. It is VERY accurate, 3.5" at 25 yards accurate from the bench, for a pocket auto and packs a 9mm +P punch.

I got into shooting my Taurus 85UL for a while at 100 yards on a 14" gong target. I could hit it from braced position about 3 out of 5 tries. It will group 3" at 25 off the bench.

Not everyone is worthless with a small, light gun. Practice makes perfect. And, while paper might not shoot back, hell, it don't shoot back any more when I'm shooting at it with my SKS or my .357 magnum or my .45 colt. I really don't get how the paper not shooting back has anything to do with it. Either you can shoot the gun or you can't. If you can't, find one you CAN shoot. Me, I can shoot my carries just fine. I'm well practiced and I've tested myself as best I can without going out and getting into an actual gunfight, which I'm not willing to do just to prove a point.

 

[ArmedBear]

MC, I'm still laughing, a bit, at people who put forth the M60 as some sort of ideal combat handgun.

It's a compromise, every bit as much as the somewhat lighter alloy-frame guns. It's still designed to be compact, for convenient carry.

 

[JAV8000]

My S&W 638 with pachmayr compac pro grips goes everywhere with me, IWB or pocket. I have no problem shooting fist sized groups with it at ten yards, though I learned to shoot a snubbie with my Taurus 605 steel frame. That made it really easy for me to get comfortable with staging a DA trigger and just generally getting used to the way snubs handle.

Practice with a steel one if you find the recoil of the lightweights uncomfortable at first. Some people with large hands really have trouble shooting snubs with boot grips.

 

[friscolatchi]

Oh those wonderful lightweights

Hey - I'd like to get into the fray.
I own a M&P 340 which I predominately pocket carry. Occasionally I'll don a OWB holster. Today in the AM I took a 7 mile hike/run in the woods carrying OWB and then in the pocket when in a more populated area. Carried in the pocket all day then went to the range tonight. I shot 100 factory reloads ( 38 sp wadcutters) with deadly accuracy at 10 to 15 yards in low light both using off hand, two hand and weak hand shooting with and without the CT305 that it's equipped with. I could have blown 2 or 3 hundred rounds but my time was up. the gun just couldn't get enough. All I have to say is that once you get used to shooting it you'll find that it's a blast. However, I cannot say that I enjoy the 357 loads as much ... yet.

I guess that firearms can get personal and it's like owning a car. Do I get a truck? SUV? gas milage? There is no right or wrong when it comes to firearms. What works best for one person ma not be good for another. We may not have much to in common when it comes to agreeing on caliber, wheelguns vs pistols, ad infinitum, but I'm sure that we can agree about second amendment issues.

You all be well. I'm happy to be able to take part in this discussion.

PS Has anyone ever shot the lightweight 4" 44mag that S&W. I'm interested in shooting one.

 

[earlthegoat2]

You are referring to the 329PD and it is a heck of a 44 Special but a terrible 44 Magnum.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I let a friend talk me out of the 329 .44 Mag I had when I got my snubbie S&W 500, as he was left handed, too, and the nice holster I had went with it. I handload, so I can put the power, blast, and recoil where I want it with either gun. The .44 Mag was sharp in such a light gun with full loads, but manageable. Some shooter really didn't want to shoot more than 6 rounds. I carried medium/warm loadings (240gr @ 900-1000fps) for defense, and full loads when in the woods. The .500 just became the untimate "hoot" to shoot, for me. When I need to drain all the stress from my body, the 500 with 375gr bullets at 1150-1200 is plenty (especially out ofthe 2 3/4" barrel). I recommend the 329, but only if you are ready and determined to take on the 30% more kick than a standard weight .44 four inch. Another recommendation: if you can get your hands on them, the slightly modified Hogue grips for the 500 would make the 329 a little more comfortable. Not 100% sure they are interchangeable, though. Check with S&W. They are padded a bit more at the rear, absorbing the shock a little better in the web of the hand.

 

[GoodKat]

I like carrying revolvers in my jacket pockets, low weight minimizes pocket swing and droop. If I were going to carry a revolver some other way, I would probably go with steel.

 

[S&Wfan]

Actually, I like 'em both . . . the steel Model 36 I own (a 1964 era one in nickle-plate) and a '71-made Model 37 Airweight. Then again, I like all my "snubbie" S&W revolvers . . . from the M19 2 1/2", my M65 3" and my chopped barreled M25-2 (3 1/4"). Each has a reason for being!

THE J FRAMES . . .

I first fell in love with the M36 and carried it daily in a pocket holster for about nine months. Then, I came across the Model 37 Airweight.

WOW . . . WHAT A DIFFERENCE it made in the pocket!!! I would never have believed it if I hadn't been carrying the steel gun regularly before I got the M37.

TODAY . . .

The Model 37 is my "always" revolver . . . always in the pocket.

I also sometimes carry the M36 too . . . but in a Mitch Rosen belt holster . . . OR a lightweight Officer's sized aluminum-framed 1911 . . . OR my 3" M65 or M19 comes out of the safe. Belt holster-weight guns can weight more!

There are simply times an Airweight will be carried that would not work with the steel version, or any other revolver. Make my "always" gun a little Airweight.

T.

 

[m2steven]

I am a new owner of a new 642. I decided to choose between the lcr and the 642. I'm not sure why I decided with the Smith, I just did. The trigger pull on the LCR is incredible and I 'may' have to have it too. The trigger on the Smith was comparable, and it seemed shorter. I'm one of those people who thinks the LCP is really nice looking. If the 642 weren't so nice looking itself - i'd have gone with the LCR.

Anyway - shooting the lightweight is all about the grip material. The LCR comes with a nice hogue grip. I have the laser site grips on my 642 so they are much softer in transmitting recoil than what used to be the stock. Now the stock is a nice Uncle Mike's grip which is pretty nice.

I do not shoot +P ammo in my 642 yet. The recoil from standard 38 special ammo is plenty, thank you. It's "fun" plenty however. Also, the
gun is a tack driver. I had read that you could put one slug right behind another and you can. I was shooting a couple of iron targets and the standard ammo hits very hard and I have good confidence in it should a future confrontation occur.

Get one of these super easy to carry guns and shoot the standard load ammo through it. You'll love it and you WILL carry it. You may even forget you have it on you. That's why i'm impressed with the airweights.
Until I got my LCP and my 642 - I often left my gun at home or in the car - doing me no good whatsoever.

The Plus P ammo doesn't give you THAT much more power nor speed than the standard load, especially thru a < 2 inch barrel.

Buy one - you'll like it!

 

[friscolatchi]

Earl and Sharps - thanks for the info. Yes, I was refering to the 329PD. I would like to pick up a less expensive steel 4" 44 mag for starters and put the 329 on the wish list. I confident that I can handle the recoil. Thanks for the input.

 

[Rodentman]

I bought the 329ng and the recoil is completely manageable. The problem right now is light primers strikes and failures to fire.

I still wand a 329pd. I like the big bore revolvers. I have a Ruger Redhawk in both 4 anmd 7.5" They are a hoot to shoot. And since I reload I can control the loads, to a point.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Rodentman, check you mainspring tension screw. I had mine back out recently, and suffered the same light strikes. Added a bit of locktite and tightened the screw, all was fixed.

 

[GeezerwithGuns]

My carry revolver is a model 36 loaded with standard pressure wadcutters. In this configuration, it is a very mild shooting gun. As a result, I shoot it quite a lot and have a great deal of confidence in it which I think is of utmost importantance in a carry gun.

I've shot a few light weight .357's, and wouldn't describe them as "pleasant." I'm not recoil shy, but I would be less confident in my accuracy with quick follow up shots. It's not that I'm not impressed with the lightweights, they're just not for me.

 

[earlthegoat2]

It's not that I'm not impressed with the lightweights, they're just not for me.

This is probably what I should have entitled this thread.

 

[Rodentman]

I will check the tension screw. I forgot about that and took it right back to the shop. I haven't heard from them yet, but will make sure they check the screw or I will when I get it back....thanks.

 

[MCgunner]

I am a new owner of a new 642. I decided to choose between the lcr and the 642. I'm not sure why I decided with the Smith, I just did. The trigger pull on the LCR is incredible and I 'may' have to have it too. The trigger on the Smith was comparable, and it seemed shorter. I'm one of those people who thinks the LCP is really nice looking. If the 642 weren't so nice looking itself - i'd have gone with the LCR.

I've not been impressed with the 642 triggers I've tried, but I've never tried a well worn one. I hear they break in with time, which isn't hard to believe as most do. The LCR, though, is incredible right out of the box. I like the gun, like the idea of the gun, don't mind and infact LIKE the plastic in a carry gun, but I'm going to give that thing some time and see how it works out, get the bugs out. Too, I don't think I'm prepared to give anywhere close to Rugers MSRP for it, not when I like the trigger on my Taurus so much and it shoots so well. It if were 350-400, and they might go for that when the current political strife is over and supplies are plentiful, I might think about it. By that time, it'll be a well proven gun.

 

[chmountain]

Lightweight big bores take some tweaking

I am located in Anchorage, AK, and wanted a heavy-hitting revolver for protection from varmints while I am fishing (two-legged and four-legged varmints, apply here). I ended up with a 329 PD which I think is the bomb. I carried a four inch 629 for the first few years I was here, and, even in a shoulder rig, it was just too heavy (I ended up with a sore back, and I do mean SORE after a day of fly fishing).

My 329 weighs less than a standard .45 auto, and with judicious handloads (about 1100 fps with a 225 grain hollowpoint) is friendly to shoot, and with the light weight revolver I have a carry gun that I can put on my belt all day without straining my old, feeble back muscles. When I'm on the stream, I load 300 grain hardcasts to about 1350 fps. I can't fire these on the range a lot, they hurt my hand too much, but I figure I won't notice when the adrenaline is squirting out every pore when I am confronted by a bear or moose up close and personal. There is no handqun, even .500 magnums, that is a satisfactory bear or moose stopper; if you really want to feel safe from the big stuff, get a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun in 45-70 and load it with Buffalo Bore or Grizzly loads.