I have searched for a long time for a 9mm revolver for concealed carry, and wanted the LCR since before it even came out in that caliber. I've researched it for months, making sure that that was what I wanted and what would work for me. No LGS has had one, so when Gander Mountain just got them in, I rushed right over and got one. Well, turns out that shooting this thing just frickin HURTS! The recoil hits the knuckle in my thumb in a certain way that stops me from firing more than 3 rounds at a time because I just have to stop and wince. I've got a S&W Model 39 semi-auto and it is so easy to shoot that I had no idea shooting the same caliber in a light revolver would be so horrible. This is supposedly the heaviest snub there is, right? I've tried 115 gr., then went down to 95, and it's almost as bad. I know there's the Liberty ammo that's 50 gr., but it's +P, so I don't think it would be a good solution. Reviews are night and day on those, anyway. And even if it is tolerable, since there would be no practice ammo in that amount of grains, I don't see myself practicing with the gun like I'd need to. So that brings me to choosing something else. I'm considering the .22 magnum version, but I'm nervous about using something that underpowered for concealed carry. I know the reputable companies make self defense ammo in that caliber, but still. I love the design of the LCR and would hate to not have one. Some have said the .38 has less recoil. Maybe I should give it a try? Alternately, I may consider the SP101 in .38 special. I don't want a semi-auto, but the Bersa Thunder .380 Plus might be one I'd consider, too, just because it's a double stack. Not sure what to do. Really disappointed that this has worked out this way. Wasn't happy about spending retail price for this at Gander, either, and now I'll probably lose a lot of money if I trade it in. Advice? Anything I haven't though of?
Replacement for LCR 9mm?
- Thread starter Kristie
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urbaneruralite
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.32H&R magnum and .327 Federal Magnum revolvers are available if you look around. Charter Arms currently produces .32 H&Rs. You would want to use .32H&R ammo in any of the .32 caliber snubs as the loads are more appropriate for the shorter barrels.
If you're in middle GA, I've got a LCR .38 I'd trade for that nine.
If you're in middle GA, I've got a LCR .38 I'd trade for that nine.
Kristie, so I don't insult your knowledge and experience (and welcome to THR!!), what is your shooting experience level?
Admittedly, the 9mm LCR is a tad more punishing than the .38 SPCL, but I'm wondering if getting someone to work with you on grip techniques might solve your problem. If you decide to go the LCR route in .38 SPCL, consider buying the .357 version and just shoot 38s (the 357 version is a bit heavier).
If you don't mind the weight, the SP 101 is a great consideration. It's a giant step up in weight from the LCR. There are several S&W revolvers that may work better for you, too.
.32H&R's are a good step down without going to a .22 magnum. In my experience, you aren't gaining much with the .327 Fed Magnum. That is a very loud and punishing round in small guns, besides the fact that ammo is scarce and expensive.
Admittedly, the 9mm LCR is a tad more punishing than the .38 SPCL, but I'm wondering if getting someone to work with you on grip techniques might solve your problem. If you decide to go the LCR route in .38 SPCL, consider buying the .357 version and just shoot 38s (the 357 version is a bit heavier).
If you don't mind the weight, the SP 101 is a great consideration. It's a giant step up in weight from the LCR. There are several S&W revolvers that may work better for you, too.
.32H&R's are a good step down without going to a .22 magnum. In my experience, you aren't gaining much with the .327 Fed Magnum. That is a very loud and punishing round in small guns, besides the fact that ammo is scarce and expensive.
I think they are mildly punishing in .38 +p and outrageous in .357. If you are in love with the LCR platform there are probably more lower recoil ammo options for .38 special than 9mm, and you can still gain a few ounces in weight with the .357 model.
I would like the try the 9mm version as well but suspect it's a wash between them and I'd just end up with two similar guns. These are not "fun" to shoot box after box but they do carry well. Consider a nicely worked over Ruger sp101 to help soak up the recoil. They're sorta like the 24 oz framing hammer version of a snubbie compared to the 8 oz tack hammer included in a 218-piece home tool kit from Wal-Mart.
I would like the try the 9mm version as well but suspect it's a wash between them and I'd just end up with two similar guns. These are not "fun" to shoot box after box but they do carry well. Consider a nicely worked over Ruger sp101 to help soak up the recoil. They're sorta like the 24 oz framing hammer version of a snubbie compared to the 8 oz tack hammer included in a 218-piece home tool kit from Wal-Mart.
moxie
Member
I agree with tardevil on getting some help with your grip.
I can't figure out how, when using the correct grip, the LCR hurts the knuckle on your thumb. Find a knowledgeable instructor who can work with you on that and you might find the LCR much easier to handle.
I can't figure out how, when using the correct grip, the LCR hurts the knuckle on your thumb. Find a knowledgeable instructor who can work with you on that and you might find the LCR much easier to handle.
Tar Devil - Thanks for the welcome! I've been reading this forum for a long time but have never registered for now. It's a nice place for sure. To answer your question, I've been shooting about 3 years now. I have shot rifles most, but I do love revolvers. In fact, the only reason I have a semi-auto is because some one gave it to me. I have wondered if maybe I could do something with my grip to fix the problem. I'll work with the gun a little more and see. I think the .357 version and the 9mm weigh the same, so I'm not sure how shooting .38s in the .357 would compare. I'm going to look into .38s
Urbanruralite - I'm in Illinois, otherwise I'd consider that trade! Yes, maybe .327 magnum and .32 H&R should be something to consider. I was originally trying to avoid hard to find calibers, but those might work.
SeanSw - Yes, I want to look into low recoil .38 specials. You think there are more options there than for .9mm, huh? I hope so!
Moxie - You guys could be completely right. Well, not the knuckle in the middle, but by the web. I feel like maybe my thumb should be more to the side of the backstrap, but not sure.
Urbanruralite - I'm in Illinois, otherwise I'd consider that trade! Yes, maybe .327 magnum and .32 H&R should be something to consider. I was originally trying to avoid hard to find calibers, but those might work.
SeanSw - Yes, I want to look into low recoil .38 specials. You think there are more options there than for .9mm, huh? I hope so!
Moxie - You guys could be completely right. Well, not the knuckle in the middle, but by the web. I feel like maybe my thumb should be more to the side of the backstrap, but not sure.
rswartsell
Member
Maybe try a steel frame .38 spl. snubby (i.e. Colt DS or 2" Model 10 Smith)? I would put on your radar a chance to shoot one of the above to further inform yourself.
Don't think you will find either one available for rental but both are still available used with perhaps a couple of lifetimes of useful service left. I think you would be surprised how much difference there is and with the two examples I gave and you get a sixth round on board as a bonus.
You MUST be able to practice with your carry piece, especially short barrels.
Don't think you will find either one available for rental but both are still available used with perhaps a couple of lifetimes of useful service left. I think you would be surprised how much difference there is and with the two examples I gave and you get a sixth round on board as a bonus.
You MUST be able to practice with your carry piece, especially short barrels.
MikeJackmin
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Before you trade off your LCR consider getting a different set of grips for the gun. I know there are aftermarket options available now.
The difference is like night and day sometimes.
The difference is like night and day sometimes.
rswartsell - It has to be hard to track down the gun you're looking for when it's used, doesn't it? I'd sure like to stick to the new and easily available and be done with it if I can do that. I have played the game of calling all the local stores and all the big box stores to find what I want and it is extremely frustrating. And I'm not sure buying online is something I want to get into. I always, always, always want to handle a gun before I commit to purchasing it.
MikeJackmin - I of course considered a grip change right off the bat, but from what I was seeing, the Hogues are supposed to be the very best in taming recoil. Could you suggest something else I'm not aware of?
No opinions from anyone on trying the 50 gr. +P?
MikeJackmin - I of course considered a grip change right off the bat, but from what I was seeing, the Hogues are supposed to be the very best in taming recoil. Could you suggest something else I'm not aware of?
No opinions from anyone on trying the 50 gr. +P?
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Well I can tell you that I owned a Ruger lcr in 9mm and had all kinds of problems with it. After the second trip to Ruger they called me and stated it could not be fixed and asked me what I wanted to do. I told them I want a LCR in 38 special and I can tell you, I love it, it's a lot better. Recoil with standard velocity round nose lead is nothing and you can get Hornady lite bullets if you want. If you want very light recoil, use just a plain ole wadcutters. I am so much happier with the 38 LCR, I love it. I also own a LCR in 22 mag, not much recoil but ammo is tough to find and it is a 22 caliber. If Ruger came out with the 32 H&R in this light weight package it would be perfect for people who don't want a lot of recoil. I find my 38 not bad with standard velocity ammunition. Of course +P is more of a hand full but you do have this option. Love the Ruger LCR and love it in 38 special.
rswartsell
Member
Kristie,
You have a point but keep your eyes open at the range, talk to other gunnies. They are not that rare (steel frame short barrel .38s) and most are willing to help. If you were near Charlotte NC I'd set you up for a test drive in a heartbeat. I would then guide you through a Gunbroker purchase if need be. I did so for a friend who was an experienced shooter and he was ecstatic.
If you find yourself going in another direction for the reasons you state I would perfectly understand. I am just sharing my personal preferences and they are by no means universal.
50 gr. is down near .22lr weight, just doesn't seem good for defense purposes to me, but I do not have direct experience with them. I would worry about lack of adequate penetration and fragmentation. I advise sticking with known and proven defense loads for that purpose. I'm also not sure how much recoil-impulse relief you are going to get with the +P part. That would clearly be a load aiming for hyper-velocity.
You have a point but keep your eyes open at the range, talk to other gunnies. They are not that rare (steel frame short barrel .38s) and most are willing to help. If you were near Charlotte NC I'd set you up for a test drive in a heartbeat. I would then guide you through a Gunbroker purchase if need be. I did so for a friend who was an experienced shooter and he was ecstatic.
If you find yourself going in another direction for the reasons you state I would perfectly understand. I am just sharing my personal preferences and they are by no means universal.
50 gr. is down near .22lr weight, just doesn't seem good for defense purposes to me, but I do not have direct experience with them. I would worry about lack of adequate penetration and fragmentation. I advise sticking with known and proven defense loads for that purpose. I'm also not sure how much recoil-impulse relief you are going to get with the +P part. That would clearly be a load aiming for hyper-velocity.
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Zendude
Member
The Rossi R35 has a relatively mild recoil in 38 special because it has a fair amount of weight. Good price too.
I don't think anyone has asked this yet....what grips are on your LCR? Are they the Hogue tamers or the much smaller Ruger boot grips?I doubt anything absorbs recoil as well as the Hogue Tamers but fit is everything. If they don't match your grip keep trying others.
Naturally, you will not get the best terminal results when decreasing bullet weight and velocity. That said, I am not an expert, just a bozo with an LCR. Only hits count. I am suggesting the following because they appear to be lighter loads than the most common self defense choices (125gr-158gr +P). Some people also recommend using the 148gr target shooting wadcutters which are lightly loaded and easy to shoot.
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/03/hornady-critical-defense-lite-38.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/06/lehigh-defense-38-special-maximum.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/03/hornady-critical-defense-38-special-110.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/03/hornady-critical-defense-38-special-p.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/04/federal-premium-38-special-nyclad-hp.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/01/federal-gold-medal-match-38-special.html
There are more out there but these were the first to come to mind.
Naturally, you will not get the best terminal results when decreasing bullet weight and velocity. That said, I am not an expert, just a bozo with an LCR. Only hits count. I am suggesting the following because they appear to be lighter loads than the most common self defense choices (125gr-158gr +P). Some people also recommend using the 148gr target shooting wadcutters which are lightly loaded and easy to shoot.
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/03/hornady-critical-defense-lite-38.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/06/lehigh-defense-38-special-maximum.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/03/hornady-critical-defense-38-special-110.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/03/hornady-critical-defense-38-special-p.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2013/04/federal-premium-38-special-nyclad-hp.html
http://mousegunaddict.blogspot.com/2014/01/federal-gold-medal-match-38-special.html
There are more out there but these were the first to come to mind.
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I shoot in Bloomington or Peoria and have a LCR .38 and a Taurus 605 you could try if your local. I'm not planning on selling or trading, just trying to help. I wouldn't mind trying out your 9mm either. I also have a Glock 26 and a Ruger LC9S Pro if you want to try a semi auto.
A few years ago I started a regimen to strengthen my grip because I was going to be shooting a Rohrbaugh R9.
It's not a quick fix though - it took me a while to see progress with strengthening my hands and forearms.
I practice with batters gloves, mainly because my trigger finger gets thumped by the trigger guard. Batter's gloves are fairly cheap - 15 to 20 bucks.
The other thing that I notice is that with a good grip the recoil seems less when I shoot one handed, but that's because my entire forearm is coming up and back whereas when I have a two-handed grip, and a good firm grip, the recoil is mostly being absorbed by my wrists.
It's not a quick fix though - it took me a while to see progress with strengthening my hands and forearms.
I practice with batters gloves, mainly because my trigger finger gets thumped by the trigger guard. Batter's gloves are fairly cheap - 15 to 20 bucks.
The other thing that I notice is that with a good grip the recoil seems less when I shoot one handed, but that's because my entire forearm is coming up and back whereas when I have a two-handed grip, and a good firm grip, the recoil is mostly being absorbed by my wrists.
Artofgolf
Member
Try a few 158 grain rounds if you get a chance; softer recoil than the 115 grainers mentioned in the OP.
WestKentucky
Member
I literally know your pain...not in the LCR but in the standard thickness Glock. The frame rides on my thumb knuckle where the indention is at and literally brings blood, very quickly. I doubt that it's something easily fixed unless you try different grip styles or even different grips for the gun. I truly hope the best for you and hope that you aren't put off of a quality platform due to some odd ergonomics issue between your hand structure and the gun. Before doing a whole lot more, I would try wrapping the grip in something dense and trying it out which will tell you if you need a thicker grip. Try til you find something that works, and try to find a grip that matches it.
Artofgolf/SeanSw/cocojoe - You're suggesting I try a heavier bullet. How does that make sense? Something different with the powder charge? Especially with wadcutters? I was considering the Hornady Lites. The ones I saw were 100 gr., which is 5 more than the Flat nosed Magtechs I just tried, which still hurt. There are some good links there, thanks! Wish I could find some 9mm wadcutters, though. Yes, it has the Hogue grips, and I really like them.
BNDIT - Hey, thanks for trying to help. Bloomington and Peoria are both a drive for me.What's a Taurus 605? I considered a 905 but I'm nervous about trusting Taurus, and I didn't really want an exposed hammer.
OldFuff - "The heavier .357 Magnum LCR also has larger stocks - that will also fit the .38 Special version. Before doing anything else I suggest you take a look at them." Do you mean larger grips?
rswartsell - Actually, I don't go to a range. I have my own personal range out in the field. 50 gr. having lack of pent ration is something that might work for me. I'D primarily be carrying at work, and if someone came in to rob me, they'd be standing with a window right behind them, where there's a parking lot, so I'd be concerned about any missed shots in that direction. And second, if I was in the parking lot it's right about 10 feet from a busy road. So maybe extremely close range lower powered shots are ideal.
I'm going to try a few more things with my grip. Maybe holding the gun higher on the backstrap, and also even placing my thumb vertically along it instead of on the left of the grip. I feel like the right technique could work if I could just figure it out. I hope I can keep this platform, if not this particular gun. I love the IWB holster I got for it, and I bet it won't fit an SP 101 if I decided to get one instead.
BNDIT - Hey, thanks for trying to help. Bloomington and Peoria are both a drive for me.What's a Taurus 605? I considered a 905 but I'm nervous about trusting Taurus, and I didn't really want an exposed hammer.
OldFuff - "The heavier .357 Magnum LCR also has larger stocks - that will also fit the .38 Special version. Before doing anything else I suggest you take a look at them." Do you mean larger grips?
rswartsell - Actually, I don't go to a range. I have my own personal range out in the field.
50 gr. having lack of pent ration is something that might work for me. I'D primarily be carrying at work, and if someone came in to rob me, they'd be standing with a window right behind them, where there's a parking lot, so I'd be concerned about any missed shots in that direction. And second, if I was in the parking lot it's right about 10 feet from a busy road. So maybe extremely close range lower powered shots are ideal.I'm going to try a few more things with my grip. Maybe holding the gun higher on the backstrap, and also even placing my thumb vertically along it instead of on the left of the grip. I feel like the right technique could work if I could just figure it out. I hope I can keep this platform, if not this particular gun. I love the IWB holster I got for it, and I bet it won't fit an SP 101 if I decided to get one instead.
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jimbo555
Member
I would try a s&w j-frame in 38spl. More choices in grips and standard pressure 125 or 130gr ammo is very mild.
Vodoun da Vinci
Member
My Wife lovers her LCR in .38 but we have to shoot it with hand loads to keep it from sterilizing her with recoil. We shoot 110 gr. wadcutters running hot and it keeps the gun real for her. We love those little revolvers but, let's face it, a 13 ounce revolver with 9mm, .38 Special, or .357 Magnim is gonna kick like a mule.
And they do and they will whether a S&W or a Colt or a Ruger - little/light guns in powerful calibers are hard on the shooter unless that shooter is big and has enough mass to counteract the physics.
We settled on special hand loads and she eventually moved on to another less punishing pistol for SD practice but still shoots the LCR for fun and revolver practice as it is a hide out gun at our house.
VooDoo
And they do and they will whether a S&W or a Colt or a Ruger - little/light guns in powerful calibers are hard on the shooter unless that shooter is big and has enough mass to counteract the physics.
We settled on special hand loads and she eventually moved on to another less punishing pistol for SD practice but still shoots the LCR for fun and revolver practice as it is a hide out gun at our house.
VooDoo
The Taurus 605 is a .357 which gives the option of .38 special instead. It is the same as the 905 except for the caliber. Charter Arms makes a 9mm revolver but it has a hammer. You could try a boot grip on your LCR it is smaller and smoother so it might work better. Here is mine.
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