New to Revolvers - 637 "Deep Cover" Question(s) and Advice

[seuadr]

Hi,

while i've had a few handguns in my life, i've never had a revolver. i had not really though seriously about owning a revolver, honestly. I don't have anything against them, just never really thought about it.

Well a few weeks ago - buddy got a new glock 20 and wanted to go to the range so i thought, i should rent a few guns i've never tried before, and rented a few pocket guns. one of the guns i tried was a ruger LCR (the .38)

wow. I liked it.. a lot.

This weekend, i attended a benefit dinner for my sister in law, and on a whim entered the gun raffle.. and won! i didn't even look at the table beforehand to see what they had, i figured i was just donating 20 dollars to the gun shop that came out (who was splitting proceeds with the benefit) so i browsed the table.. the had a Remington 7mm that was ok, a couple cheaper shotguns, a pink AR, a LC9 in olive drab that was kind of tempting, but also pretty ugly and... this Smith and Wesson Revolver of some sort.

looked nice and was the more expensive pieces on the table so i figured what the heck.

Turns out - it was one of those "Gun-smoke Wyatt Deep Cover" 637 revolvers. It seems pretty nice, i've been reading up on the performance center touches and the trigger feels nice, i haven't been able to compare it directly to the LCR trigger, but it seems comparable.

before i picked this up, i was seriously considering picking up an LCR in 357, and that kind of fits into my eventual goal of owning a 357 lever gun. cause :shrugs: i dunno, i've always wanted one.

so, a few questions:

i can probably turn this revolver into a LCR 357, but if it is comparable, and i plan on firing .38 only i can't see any reason to work that deal as, honestly, this gun is prettier, even with the logo. I have no intention to daily carry the weapon, i work somewhere where that is not even remotely an option. this would be for potential home defense and camping only, so weight isn't really a defining factor, but i suppose ammo selection could be.


anyone ever fire them back to back? I won't have the option to do this for a while, and not being real familiar with revolvers anyhow, i'd like to hear other's opinions.

seems that, the market for j frame accessories is much more robust, i'm sure i could find a grip i like (not really keen on the clip grip that it came with)

LCR has the advantage of a pinned sight, but everything i've read so far seems to indicate if i am relying heavily on sights, i'm "doing it wrong"

thoughts? feelings? aspirations?

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

Welcome to the revolver club. I have a Ruger LCR in .38, A Dan Wesson with 2 1/2' snubbie barrel, and a S&W model 19 with a 4" barrel. Since yer new to revolvers, shot the Ruger LCR and liked it, I'd recommend that to you. The biggest + to the Ruger is the DA trigger which is probably one of the best out of the box DA triggers ever.

I love mine. I shot the LCR .357 as the .38 recoil with full house .38 Special I find to be pretty much as much as I can take...I thought if I shot .38's in the Ruger .357 (being as it is a teeny but heavier) it would take some of the sting out of shooting it.

It does but the difference for me is not much...I'll keep my LCR .38 and hand load for it. If you have not tested it, you might try .357 in a snubbie. I shoot full house (158 gr. bullets) in my snubbie .357 and the recoil actually will frighten the folks in adjacent shooting lanes at the range. Seriously. It is violent recoil for me. I shoot it like gang busters but it is not an easy gun to master.

For carry, I'll take the Ruger .38 with hand loads...fits in a front pocket or disappears in Appendix carry. An equivalent S&W snubbie I cannot advise you on as I do not own nor have I shot them.

As far as shooting technique, I'm a "point shooter". I will use the sights if it's total accuracy I want/need but I shoot sub 4" groups rapid fire at 21' focused on looking at the target and rarely shoot "bullseye". I find snubbies to be the hardest gun to master so I'd recommend using your sights and focusing on the front sight. My 2 1/2" Dan Wesson, from the rest, at 25 yards, can shoot groups where all the rounds touch each other or even one ragged hole. The guns are accurate - it's us guys shooting them that seem to have a harder time with the shorter sight radius/short barrel and DA trigger pull. IMO....just some of my thoughts. I don't use my snubbies for target/bullseye shooting but they can do that if you master the trigger.

VooDoo

 

[Hometeached1]

I've not shot the Gunsmoke edition 637, but own a J-frame that has some trigger work.

Between the your J and the LCR I'd go with the LCR and ad a set of XS big dot sights, but if you like the 637 keep it, they are good little guns.

That being said if you aren't going to carry it and would like a .357 a Ruger GP100 with a 4" barrel would be a great camping gun and a good HD weapon if loaded with good .38 special ammo since .357 indoors would be very bad on your ears.

http://www.ruger.com/products/gp100/

Hope this helps.

 

[S&Wfan]

The are both fine, "deep cover" revolvers . . . and IMHO, a "deep cover" revolver is one of the very, very few firearms you might actually end up having on you when Mr. Trouble sees a 'safe' (for him) opportunity to jump you.

I have a Model 37 in my pocket as I write this. The M37 is an airweight 37 design J frame . . . super light, and ALWAYS in my pocket when I can carry. Yep, the bigger guns are always nice . . . but the bigger they are, the less % of time you'll be able to carry it on you. Trouble comes when you aren't expecting it . . . such as mowing the lawn or running to the convenience store.

Yes, everyone needs an "always" (deep cover) gun on them that is able to do the job if you do yours!

I'm a S&W fan, though I own Rugers . . . and a bunch of them through the years. If you like the Ruger it is a neat revolver and yes, I have shot them. The little "J" frame S&W revolvers have always been tackdrivers in my hands and, since they naturally point and shoot so well for me, that's what I prefer.

 

[Snubshooter]

Try the J frame for a while. If you like it,Great! You can always swap for an LCR later if the J doesn't work for you. Any custom, limited edition is going to be worth more later on, than a common version. And they both perform the same mission. Also, The J is marginally smaller than the LCR.

 

[seuadr]

thanks for the thoughts all, i think i'll order a set of grips that covers the backstrap and give the j frame a go. I played with it a little more today, and i really do like the trigger, it feels very smooth and has a predictable break that i can hold the hammer on the edge of without any effort.

i do not, personally, have any concern about not having a real single action option, and am not concerned about having a hammer or not, so what the hell

few questions - i think i'm looking at a round butt for a grip - i liked the feel of the hogue grips on the LCR, is there something similar for the 637? also looking at speed loaders, i am noticing that many sites do not specifically list the 637 - is it close enough comparable to another model that they are likely interchangeable?

 

[WC145]

I've got a Wyatt "Deep Cover" that I picked up in a trade a couple of months ago. Good shooting little gun, great for pocket or ankle carry. It's a Performance Center gun and it shows in feel of the action, it's about as good as you'll find in a J frame. I could live without the hokey laser engraving but it doesn't detract from the performance or usefulness of the gun.

 

[Hometeached1]

Any speed loader that's made for a M36 or any 5 shot .38 should work.

For grips I like Pachmayer compac's on my 642, you have to trim some rubber away to clear speed loaders though.

And yes, your J is a round butt.
http://www.amazon.com/HKS-36-A-Revolver-Speedloader-Taurus/dp/B0000C1CLL

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/14...grips-s-and-w-j-frame-round-butt-rubber-black

 

[seuadr]

Thanks! I've got some hogue mono grips coming (not keen on that clip grip) smong other goodies and 200 rounds of range ammo.

One more question:

Ive noticed a number punched on the part of the frame arm that holds the cylinder.. is this a performance center thing or just possibly something someone did to this gun? (Supposed to have been NIB) looks like 037 (see picture below) or I suppose leo if you look at it the othe direction

 

[WC145]

I don't know what that number means, mine has 203 in the same place. Could be a run number, inspector, who knows.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I was watching the show on TV when the owner of Gun-Smoke developed that revolver and pitched it to S&W. The Wyatt Deep Cover M637 revolver is a very nice revolver and if the trigger is what you are worried about, don't. Every one of those revolver gets a trigger and action job before it leaves S&W and IMO there is nothing better than a S&W trigger when it's done like it was in the 40's. (hand worked like that one is)

You won a very special J frame and IMO it's a much better revolver than most anything on the market that comes off the mass production line.

 

[S&Wfan]

Yes, yours is a J-frame round butt, and any grips made for that J-frame configuration will work on that fine little pocket rocket!

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I love my LCR in .38 Special! After running some +P through it I would have to agree with Vodoun da Vinci- I wouldn't want any part of .357 Mag ammo in that size a gun! There aren't as many aftermarket grips perhaps but the stock ones are perfect IMO. I like my LCR a bit more than the J-frames; I feel the Ruger has a better, smoother trigger that's a bit easier to get good hits with. But you can't go wrong either way.

FWIW I'm primarily an auto guy, too. But more and more I find my myself carrying the LCR and leaving my HKs at home. This will likely change as the weather gets cooler but I feel pretty comfortable with the LCR loaded with 158gr +P LSWCs and an 8 round speed strip in my back pocket.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Has anyone here fired the Ruger LCR side by side with the S&W Bodyguard 38?
I know someone who claims to have done so but I really don't trust him much and for all i know he didn't even fire one of them. I would trust you guys more because you have no reason to lie! lol