Replacement for LCR 9mm?

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Cooldill, do you think plain old .32 from a revolver is underrated, too? That's what my mom wants to carry and I told her I wouldn't. Of course, that was before I ran into my current predicament and started considering the lowly .22 mag. And yes, Zendude, I would worry about carrying it. :rolleyes:

Murf - I wasn't crossing my thumbs. Tried it and it's never felt natural. I've been putting my left thumb below my right one. And you know what, yesterday I tried moving my right thumb a little more over to the left, ensuring the backstrap with the gel part was right in the middle of the web of my hand, and my thumb isn't getting as beat up now. Also, I tightened up my grip, and it's much better. I finished off the box of 95 gr. Magtechs and went back to the 115 gr. Speer Gold Dot, and I think it's doable. My hand didn't even get as numb. And it was funny because I also brought out my GP100 to shoot .357 mags. and it felt like a kitten! So I'm not going to jump into anything and I'm going to keep working at building up a tolerance to the minor explosion going off in my hand. And working on accuracy, because right now it's terrible! And it shoots high, which is the opposite of most reports. But I can get all 5 shots off relatively quickly. I still am interested in trying some other options, and you guys have been great with your suggestions.
 
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I bought an LCR 38 spcl +P a little over a year ago. I shot Buffalo Bore 158 gr LSWC +P out of it and it was painful. I immediately thought to trade it off. But I began reloading the full charge wadcutter -- 148 gr cast bullet over 3.5 grains of Red Dot or Bullseye -- and what a difference it made. Recoil and blast were more than manageable, getting back on target was quick and painless. Follow-up shots were accurate and flinching was not a problem. Shooting 38+P ammo, or 9mm or .357 in a light snubbie like the LCR is more than I could tolerate. Some can, but I would rather shoot such loads in a heavier gun, like an SP 101.
 
I think if the SP101 9mms weren't discontinued and super expensive used, that's what I would have gone for in a heartbeat.
 
Kristie,

Suggest you watch the Jerry miculek video on YouTube about how to shoot a revolver. You May find something in there that will help both your grip and your accuracy.

Luck,

murf
 
Get the grip for the LCRx 3". It is available in the Ruger Store and has a well cushioned backstrap. It's long enough to get all your fingers on. Then make up some bunny fart ammo for practice. If you don't handload have a friend do it for you. That revo will eat ammo that won't even push the slide back on an auto.
 
From most to least:

357
9mm
38 special
32 H&R magnum

IMHO they are all effective enough for self defense.

Every action has an opposite and equal reaction. The bullet goes one way and the gun goes the other. The gun is bigger and heavier, so it doesn't move as much. If you want the gun to move less, use a less powerful round, use a heavier gun, or both.

You might try a steel 38 with a 3" barrel. To me the extra inch on the barrel seems to help. Also, other than the caliber and weight, there is how well the gun fits your hand. Perhaps your LCR just doesn't fit you well.
 
Haha, and to top it all off, Ruger just sent me an e-mail introducing the SP101 in .327 magnum. Too bad the barrel's 4 inches.

SeanSw - I think the GP is too heavy and bulky to carry. And I don't think I want to carry something with an exposed hammer. And shooting it double action is not something I'm good at. I do love the thing, though. I might use it to qualify with when I take the concealed carry course. (If I don't just give up on the thing all together).

murf - I took at look at Jerry Michulek. I think I've seen that one before but it was good to review. I love those vids where you actually know that you can trust that that person knows what they're talking about!

marv - I'm thinking about that grip. It doesn't seem any cushier than the one I have but it would be nice to have all of my fingers on the grip.

I have a buddy that makes ammo for me. He says his setup doesn't let him change the amount of powder he uses, and he doesn't want to use anything other than a 124 grain bullet. He's been giving me ammo for a long time, and I surely appreciate it, so I'm not going to argue. I'm going to try some of his loads next in the LCR. That was what I tried the first time I shot it and it was the most miserable feeling ever. I was just SHOCKED at how bad it felt. With some practice, I think I can handle it, but I'm leaning toward accepting the possibility that the gun just doesn't fit my hand right. I know my thumb is bruised inside right now. If that continues, I'll probably have to give it up, whether my mind wants to or not.
 
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So I went ahead and ordered a set of the grips designed for the 3" LCRx, hoping that in the very least there is something different about the way my hand will fit on it that will be better. And today I'll look into shooting gloves. I came very close to ordering an SP101 with a bobbed hammer yesterday. Still considering it. Even if I get one of those for carry, I'm considering just keeping the LCR, if I think it's manageable enough with the grip change and gloves, just to keep around and shoot for the challenge of it.
 
Kristie said:
So I went ahead and ordered a set of the grips designed for the 3" LCRx, hoping that in the very least there is something different about the way my hand will fit on it that will be better. And today I'll look into shooting gloves. I came very close to ordering an SP101 with a bobbed hammer yesterday. Still considering it. Even if I get one of those for carry, I'm considering just keeping the LCR, if I think it's manageable enough with the grip change and gloves, just to keep around and shoot for the challenge of it.
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For shooting gloves, you can try some weightlifting gloves from your local sports store. Some have too much padding but there are others with less padding and suitable for handgun shooting. I like the ones with exposed fingertips to make handling ammo easier.
 
Kristie said:
Haha, and to top it all off, Ruger just sent me an e-mail introducing the SP101 in .327 magnum. Too bad the barrel's 4 inches.

SeanSw - I think the GP is too heavy and bulky to carry. And I don't think I want to carry something with an exposed hammer. And shooting it double action is not something I'm good at. I do love the thing, though. I might use it to qualify with when I take the concealed carry course. (If I don't just give up on the thing all together).

murf - I took at look at Jerry Michulek. I think I've seen that one before but it was good to review. I love those vids where you actually know that you can trust that that person knows what they're talking about!

marv - I'm thinking about that grip. It doesn't seem any cushier than the one I have but it would be nice to have all of my fingers on the grip.
I know my thumb is bruised inside right now. If that continues, I'll probably have to give it up, whether my mind wants to or not.
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The Charter Arms 32 H&R magnum has a three finger cushioned grip. It weighs only 12ounces, has a much softer recoil than a 38, and the double action trigger is not as stiff as most 38s. And It's less than $400. For self defense, the Hornady 85 grain XTP bullet will make a hole big enough to make someone stop what they are doing. I've run about 800 rounds through mine so far and never had any problems with it.
 
I don't think the new 4.2" SP101 in .327 Fed Mag will be too hard to conceal and carry. With the right high ride IWB, it will be doable. It's got a long tube, but the frame and grips are quite compact. You can load it with .32 H&R mag for less recoil, and it will have nice velocity from the 4.2" barrel and great accuracy due to the adjustable fiber optic sights.

OP, you revolver in question may in fact be the newest revovler from Ruger. Check it out.
 
I like the 357LCR. The heavier gun is great for long Sesions shooting 38spl and 38+p. I used to shoot a lot of mid range 357 but have cut back to the38s.
 
Zendude - Yeah, there are a of of glove options, most of them for other activities, I see. That Charter Arms doesn't sound bad, but I think I'm never gong to consider something so light weight again.

Cooldill - If that new Ruger .327 mag. came with a bobbed hammer like the .357 version, I'd be considering it a lot more seriously. But I want to keep pocket carry an option, so I don't want something where I have to worry about a hammer snag. There are so many variables to consider, and I want to keep it as simple and easy as possible.
 
Kristie said:
Zendude - Yeah, there are a of of glove options, most of them for other activities, I see. That Charter Arms doesn't sound bad, but I think I'm never gong to consider something so light weight again.



Cooldill - If that new Ruger .327 mag. came with a bobbed hammer like the .357 version, I'd be considering it a lot more seriously. But I want to keep pocket carry an option, so I don't want something where I have to worry about a hammer snag. There are so many variables to consider, and I want to keep it as simple and easy as possible.
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The only current revolver that is heavy and has a bobbed hammer that I can think of is the Armscor M206. It weighs in at 26 ounces and is a 38. The price is good - between $200 and $250.
 
The difference in a hammer spur and a bobbed hammer is about 30 minutes, a Dremel tool with cutting wheel, and a pack of sandpaper. :cool:
 
Cooldill, you make it sound so easy! However, since I don't have the tools to do it.....and I suppose having a gunsmith do it wouldn't be cheap. And I'm already anticipating having to hunt one down to do a trigger job on the new gun, should I get it. I don't know what to do! .327 would probably be pretty great!
 
Kristie , First and foremost ,get your thumb away from the cylinder latch. There is nothing else on the revolver that could be hitting your thumb that way.Two , have someone who knows how to shoot revolvers give you a few pointers. There is no shame in learning. Even the best of us were beginners once . The 9 mm shouldn't be causing you such grief. Many years ago ,a wise old man told me, " If it's hard to do ,your probably doing it wrong." Many thousands of people are shooting that gun with no problems. Slow down ,think about whats wrong, and I bet you can solve the problem.
 
Before giving up on the LCR, Hogue makes a grip for it that is designed to reduce the harsh recoil. A grip like this made a world of difference on my S&W 642, which is similar to the size and weight of an LCR.
 
Marv - Is Chinamart a sarcastic name for Walmart? :D I did check out their site yesterday and they have some gloves that might work.

FLNT - I don't think anything is hitting my thumb, certainly the cylinder latch is too far away to be the culprit. I'll see if my buddy who makes ammo for me can give me some pointers. It's very possible I'm doing it wrong, but I've never had this problem with any of my other pistols. I have slowed down and thought about it, tried different ways of gripping the gun, watched and rewatched a lot of videos of other people shooting the gun. Guess I'll keep at it.

Zendude - As far as I know, Hogue only makes three different grips for this revolver. The one with finger grooves came with it, and I just ordered the longer one without finger grooves to try, and I don't think the boot grip would help. Am I missing some bit of information on another option? I'll go have a look at their site again. EDIT: Here's why I chose the full grip: "Combined with Hogue’s Tamer insert, the full-size model offers the ultimate in comfort and recoil dampening for Ruger LCR series revolvers." Sounded like the best one for recoil. I see I did overlook the Extreme Series G10s. They appear to be really close to the one with finger grooves that came on it, just with fancy patterning, don't you think?
 
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Kristie said:
Zendude - As far as I know, Hogue only makes three different grips for this revolver. The one with finger grooves came with it, and I just ordered the longer one without finger grooves to try, and I don't think the boot grip would help. Am I missing some bit of information on another option? I'll go have a look at their site again. EDIT: Here's why I chose the full grip: "Combined with Hogue’s Tamer insert, the full-size model offers the ultimate in comfort and recoil dampening for Ruger LCR series revolvers." Sounded like the best one for recoil. I see I did overlook the Extreme Series G10s. They appear to be really close to the one with finger grooves that came on it, just with fancy patterning, don't you think?
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The full cushioned grip that you mentioned is the one I was thinking of. I agree that the G10 probably would not be much different in cushioning. The full sized one you ordered should help because it will distribute the recoil over a larger area of your hand.
 
See if you can find some 147gr SubSonic ammo and give it a try. Ask around to see if someone has some to let you try.
 
SubSonic ammo is less than the speed of sound. Getting some ammo that is going around 1,050 or under should (not always) have less felt recoil than the 115 supersonic ammo that most people use.

Something to keep in mind, a .38 special using a 158grain bullet going 950 feet per second is close to a 9mm 147grain bullet going around 1,050 feet per second.

If you go to a range, ask the Range Officer if he could help you locate some loose rounds of known 9mm ammo. Strike up a conversation with someone shooting a 9mm semi and ask about their ammo. They might just give you a couple to try, or you could trade some of yours for theirs. Do NOT use a strangers reloads.
 
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