Over the years I have bounced around from different revolvers, trying different types of holsters, and also tried semi autos as well. The semi autos always proved themselves to be too unreliable, even though I always bought top quality stuff. And I do want to worry whether my gun is reliable or not, and I'm talking about very compact, to subcompact here. Smallest I tried that was reliable was Glock 26, but that is too bulky for me.
I bounced around trying S&W Airweights, Airlites, and some Rugers, and even a Taurus. I prefer the simplicity, and 99.9% reliability of a revolver loaded with quailty ammo. What I have settled on (finally) is a S&W 337PD, with no lock. This was their lightest .38 special ever made at 10.7 ozs, and I probably would have preferred a 342 with no lock, but I couldn't find one.
This one has had some custom work, like an action job, trigger polish, XS big dot sight, hammer bob, and extended firing pin. I put either the Hornady 110 grain personal defense, or Cor Bon DPX 110 grain in it. I also added the clip draw so I don't need a holster, and no I wouldn't carry any other type of gun than a DAO revolver with a clip draw. I did test it by jumping up as hard/high as I could while bringing my knees up to my chest, and I did this about 6 times before it came loose. Otherwise, it has never come close to coming out from just normal carry.
Without using a true holster the set up is really thin for a revolver, and total with clip draw, and ammo it weighs in at 13 ozs. No holster to mess with, no weight to drag my pants down, and it conceals IWB very well. Of course the only downside is the recoil, but with proper grip, the 110 grain ammo is not that bad. And yes, that is not the most powerful round, but I'd rather have more accurate hits. Everything is about compromise, and for me this gun fits the bill perfect.
I bounced around trying S&W Airweights, Airlites, and some Rugers, and even a Taurus. I prefer the simplicity, and 99.9% reliability of a revolver loaded with quailty ammo. What I have settled on (finally) is a S&W 337PD, with no lock. This was their lightest .38 special ever made at 10.7 ozs, and I probably would have preferred a 342 with no lock, but I couldn't find one.
This one has had some custom work, like an action job, trigger polish, XS big dot sight, hammer bob, and extended firing pin. I put either the Hornady 110 grain personal defense, or Cor Bon DPX 110 grain in it. I also added the clip draw so I don't need a holster, and no I wouldn't carry any other type of gun than a DAO revolver with a clip draw. I did test it by jumping up as hard/high as I could while bringing my knees up to my chest, and I did this about 6 times before it came loose. Otherwise, it has never come close to coming out from just normal carry.
Without using a true holster the set up is really thin for a revolver, and total with clip draw, and ammo it weighs in at 13 ozs. No holster to mess with, no weight to drag my pants down, and it conceals IWB very well. Of course the only downside is the recoil, but with proper grip, the 110 grain ammo is not that bad. And yes, that is not the most powerful round, but I'd rather have more accurate hits. Everything is about compromise, and for me this gun fits the bill perfect.
