Ruger LCR VS Seacamp 32 auto

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Proff

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I own a Seacamp 32 auto, and I am thinking about trading it
in on a Ruger LCR for several reasons.
1. The 38sp +p hits with 100 ft lbs more.
2. The Crimson Trace grips on the LCR should be more accurate than
pointing my Seacamp. (the seacamp has no sights)
3. The LCR should be easier to draw because the grips extend above
the waist band. The grips on my Seacamp end up under my waistband
when it's in it's holster.
Questions
1. Is 100 ft lbs a significant difference? 233 for 38sp+p vs 133 for 32 auto.
Note- the 133 figure for the 32 is for a new Fiachi round, my Sillvertips are
probably less.
2. Are my other assumptions correct?
The Seacamp has never malfunctioned in 17 years. It is very easy to carry, and remarkably accurate when I take my time aiming in good light conditions. I am proficient at drawing it.
But I worry that under extreme stress I will have trouble drawing it and shooting it accurately.
 
First and foremost I am not a LEO, SWAT team member, SEAL Team six swimmer, GSG9, OPDetachment Delta or any other operator of any kind. I am a high drag low speed guy end of story.

That being said for me I just haven't found a better balance in a CCW weapon then a J frame sized revolver, so IMO yeah, I would rather have the LCR then the Seecamp, which is a work of art by the way.

I won't go into the details but I just think a small frame revolver is the better choice for typical SD situations which are likely to be close, quick and dirty. So if you gave me the choice I would go LCR. I also believe .38 special even before the days of +P short barreled rounds has a pretty good record through the years.

Again, I have NO practical gun fighting experience and sure as hell hope to never be "lucky" enough to acquire it so take the advice for what it is worth.
 
Put me in the same exact camp as the above post.

Sort of apples to oranges, but I like oranges (revolvers).

Can you keep that jewel of a seecamp and just get an LCR at some point?
 
I believe the revolver should be an addition to the Seecamp, not a replacement for it. The small flat Seecamp can fit into places that the bulky (by comparison) revolver would not.
 
The .38 revolver is probably a better platform and the .38 Special is a better SD round.
Do what you want about the LCR, but DON'T let go of the Seecamp. You will regret it some day.

My wife and I both carry J or K frame revolvers, but we both have Seecamps for when nothing else will do.
If I am awake and out of bed, the Seecamp is always in a pocket somewhere.

I have no misapprehensions about the effectiveness about the .32 or .380 rounds,
but they beat the heck out of a brave face and a harsh word.
 
I'd never, EVER choose a .32acp over a .38 Special if it were possible to carry the .38 AT ALL, in ANY way.

I frequently carry a S&W Model 36 in a Desantis pocket holster, with no trouble at all, and it's substantially heavier than the LCR.
 
Do not do it. According to Bobo's pocket pistol guide (that wonderful sticky!) you would only be saving an ounce. (12 oz LCP loaded, 13 for the LWS32)

While the 32 vs 380 is a legitimate concern, the gun working when you need it is paramount. Please note, I am not anti-LCP. In fact I would like to have one. The Seacamp is a much more robust, quality gun that is more dependable in the long run than the LCP.

Now trading the LWS32 for a LWS 38 would be a good move.

BTW, I recently got rid of an NAA Guardian 380 (traded to a very nice fellow from The High Road) and got a Kahr PM9. It carries easier than the Guardian and fires a more potent cartridge.
 
The Seacamp is a much more robust, quality gun that is more dependable in the long run than the LCP.
Click to expand...
The poster was asking about the LCR not LCP. By the way those little Seecamps are selling for a fortune on Gun broker. I looked for the .38 version, and you can't find one under a grand.
 
Thanks

Thanks to everybody who posted.
I am reluctant to part with my Seacamp. Maybe I should keep it while
I train with a new revolver. That way I'll have a plan B if the revolver does not
work out.
Speaking of revolvers- I handled a S&W 340 with Crimson Trace grips yesterday.
It was very impressive. How long has S&W been using scandium? I can't help being suspicious of a metal that I have never heard of before.
Multiple reviews of the 340 mention a stiff trigger pull and painful recoil. I did not dry fire the 340 that I handled, but I believe I could handle it due to 22 years experience with a DA Sig 226. The asking price on the 340 was $929. Quite a bit more than the LCR.
It's good to have options, but I'm going to need some time to digest all this info.
 
Like my friend, cslinger, I am no longer am a LEO, and I did not
participate in HELL WEEK with the U.S. Navy Seals, nor did I compete
in U.S. Army Ranger training; but I have served in a limited capacity
on a S.W.A.T. team~! :uhoh:

I will defend MY choice of the Seecamp LWS-32 too the hilt; as it can
(and will) go places where the Ruger LCR would just be too dad blame
large to tote~! ;)

Throw the stats out the window, and a well placed shot from the little
.32 will down an perp, bar none.
 
I'm of the .38 Snubby camp...but I carry an LCP (.380) as a backup.
So, I'd find a decent .38 lightweight snubby (Taurus is my preference) and carry that little Seecamp too.

But, if it's an either-or situation, keep the Seecamp.

BTW, before I got the LCP, I had a .32ACP Beretta Tomcat. For self defense, a .32 works fine.
 
IMHO, I would keep the Seecamp and then get a LCR. I am a fan of light weight .38 caliber revolvers, especially S&W. I usually will have a 442 or my KT .380 on me in warmer weather.
 
I usually carry a KT P3AT; it is my choice based on size, weight, and effectiveness. I would vote for keeping the Seecamp if possible, but would carry the LCR when possible. I would be inclined to get a S&W airweight over the LCR; I'm suspicious of newly released products until they've been proven.
 
I have a Seecamp, Keltec 38t, 340pd(and many other j frames) Khar P9m as well

I find the Seecamp even in a good pocket holster, feels like a lump, the wieght is all in one small area, no sights etc. But its a neat gun and I go carry it at wedings and stuff like that.

the P38t is light and the wieght is more spread out in the pocket, I got mine for $100(as new).....was shocked at how realiable it as and for its size the 380 was no issue, however this gun is just a gun a carry around the house, in shorts or whatever.

My choice hands down the the 340PD, the wieght is spread out much better, cant even tell its in my pocket, it goes bang bang each and everytime......even full of dust bunnies.

my PM9 also carries well in my pocket and has been 100%

a 442(or similar) works fine....but just those few oz's more than the 340 are noticeable

but I have also pocket carried a HK USPc 45 and it was really not bad......the holster was well made.
 
It's interesting that so many of you have Seacamps. When I got mine
19 years ago I believe they were still made by hand, and as such were
rare. Mine has been flawless; so I am not surprised that so many of you think I should keep it.
SOME SEACAMP NEWS....
1. I visited the Seacamp website recently and was surprised to learn that Silvertips were no longer the recommended round. Now it is Speer Gold Dots.
2. During my visit to the Seacamp website I noticed a "laser slipper" for
$120 and could not resist, but I ended up sending it back. It did not attach very firmly, and there was no adjustment period. The Crimson Trace grips can be adjusted for windage and elavation.
TRADE IN VALUE... one local gun shop did not want it. He said that the LCP had taken over the pocket pistol market. Another offered $300 in trade for a S&W 340 CT. A S&W 340 CT with an asking price of $929 !!!! That 340 CT has a lanyard attachment. Have any of you ever used a lanyard?
 
A friend bought a new Seecamp .32, the Winnies, and a leather pocket holster last year from our local pusher. Within a week, unshot, he had traded it to me for a customized Ruger 4.6" SBH and a C-note... and I got the C-note! It is like a fine Swiss watch. Sadly, I am allergic to things that feed from the bottom - it was for my wife. A natural grab and point shooter - and she is accurate as can be with it. I am out the SBH - and didn't even get to spend the C-note. That Seecamp blends into her pants pockets... don't tell her I said that!

Me? I carry either a S&W 296 5-shot 2.5" hammerless .44 Special AirLite or a similar, but smaller, 642 .38 Special. Both are carried in Robert Mika's pocket holsters. The 642 gets 24/7 rating, the 296 just won't fully 'hide' in all pants pockets. Loaded with 135gr +P Gold Dots or, my choice, 158gr +P LHPSWCs and that 642 is plenty of personal protection. If you have a problem with recoil, 148gr full wadcutter target loads (Remember them...) are most effective from a .38 snubby and shootable by nearly anyone from an Airweight.

I'd keep that Seecamp and get a 642. You'd save the cost of trading away your Seecamp, too, over that 340. Anyone at that store who insists you need a .357 Magnum Airweight/Sc for protection simply needs more grain in their diet. Sure, a 642 weighs a couple of ounces more than the 340 - but you'll likely never notice it. I have shot everything up to .500 S&W Magnum - even owned a .454 Casull SRH for years. A friend set me up - invited me to shoot his 340 - with hot .357M CorBons, a detail he kept to himself (Actually, he had never shot it!). I was nearly in tears after the second shot - there is nothing to hold on to and the little thing kicks like a mule. I couldn't possibly put a second shot in a man-silhouette at 7 yd in less than 5 sec due to the disorientation - I can empty my 642 in a tight COM group in that time. Get a 642 - and keep that Seecamp. You can likely get the 642 wit a CT laser installed for less than what the 340 would cost with your Seecamp included. See the '642 Club' threads here.

Good luck!

Stainz
 
Thanks Stainz

I took your advice and researched the 642. It only weighs 2oz more than the 340. I'm still leaning towards the LCR because of the nice trigger, but I will try to dry fire a 642 before making any final decision.
The recoil issue with the 340 is interesting to read about. There are many accounts of sore hands, but very few people admit loss of accuracy or speed.
My first thought was that there would be a lot of 340s on the used market, because people had been overwhelmed by them, but that is not the case on the WWW or in local gun shops.
 
I love J-frames and have five of them, including a 442 and a 642 with the CT LG-405 grips. I also have had an LCR with laser grips for about ten weeks now. You'd probably be plenty happy with a 642, but I strongly recommend the LCR--slightly lighter, easier to shoot accurately, and much easier on the hand.
 
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I own two LWS .32's, and an LCR revolver. I bought a S&W Performance Center super tuned 442 last week that beats the LCR hands down in trigger pull, smaller than the LCR too.
 
I'll throw my 2 cents here. For me the question is comparing 2 different job guns. For me, any revolver, no matter what the weight, is to large for pocket carry. I refuse to wear pants with massive pockets constantly. I always carry my revolvers in an IWB holster on the right front, so I never carry anything but steel J-frames. They are my first choice for concealed carry and what I put on when leaving the house.

The Keltec .32 goes in my pocket when I wake up in the morning and is with me when I kick around the house, even doing yard work, getting the mail, whatever. Sometimes, when I leave, it stays with me along with the J, but sometimes not. But, for me it's not an either/or situation, it's a both, doing different jobs. I would not sell the Seecamp, and the LCR is a pretty inexpensive gun, so unless you are hurting for money, just buy it.
 
i own an LCR pocket carry can be agrivating because of the hogue grip i know your looking into the CT model wich may be a better option for pocket carry

as for the seacamp i wouldnt trade it in for an LCR
the gun you have with you is the one that will work best for defense even if its a little .22LR
i love the LCR for being a rough and tumble tool that can be used heavily and be reliable without breaking my bank

if i had a seacamp id probably carry it but only when i know im not doing strenuous activities because every scratch would agrivate me after paying that much for a high quality gun

if i were in your situation id get the LCR or comparable snub and keep that as an every day carry piece that can withstand your daily grind and save the seacamp for light days and church
 
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