Smaller than J frame, bigger than NAA mini?

[Felonious Monk]

Hi all,

My wife wants a carry revolver, ideally chambered in .32 or larger, in a size somewhere smaller in dimensions (weight's really secondary, I know about the ultralights and unobtaniums) than a J-frame, and larger than a NAA mini in .22LR/mag.

Reliability gets extra merit points.
Value-pricing gets extra merit points.

Does such an animal exist?

Thanks in advance!
FM

 

[schapman43]

Ruger SP101 in stainless with 2" barrel. Has the ability to shoot 38 Special and .357 Mag. Allot of women like the feel of the grip as it fits well in their hands. The revolver is built like a tank and can take abuse.

 

[Old Fuff]

Before, and just after World War Two, Smith & Wesson made what they called an “I†frame. This was about the same size as today’s .38 “J†frame but about ¼†shorter with a shorter cylinder to match. They were chambered in .32 S&W Long (6 shot) and .38 S&W (5 shot). The “.32 Hand Ejector†came with 3 ¼â€, 4 ¼ or 6†barrel lengths.

If you are interested you will find them on some of the Internet auction sites, and also: www.armchairgunshow.com

I’ve done business with them and found them to be honest and reliable. If you don’t have to have a perfect one you will find the prices to be modest.

S&W also made the .38 with a 2†barrel, but they tend to command high prices.

Colt made a similar revolver called the Pocket Positive, with a 3 or 3 ½†barrel. As a rule they seem to be more expensive then a S&W in the same condition, but sometimes not.

Otherwise all of the .32’s that I know of today are built on regular .38 frames.

 

[Mike Irwin]

"S&W also made the .38 with a 2†barrel, but they tend to command high prices."

And they're also chambered for .38 S&W which is, by my reconing, getting harder and harder to find loaded ammo for.

Add to that that no one makes defensive loads for it, and it's not much of a goer, in my mind.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

schapman43,

Are you sure a SP101 is smaller than a J frame???

 

[RON in PA]

SP101 is larger than a J-frame, approaches the K frame.

 

[C.R.Sam]

I frame Smith is smaller all over than J frame. Grip, frame, trigger reach etc.

4 1/4" 32 S&W Long, 6 shot is 20 % smaller and 20% lighter than Model 36 3". both guns loaded.
I makes a great ankle or cummerbund gun.

And the .32 S&W long is not a bad cartridge and super accurate.

Sam

 

[Jim March]

Some of us have been trying to get NAA to build a five-shot, spur-trigger SA pocket gun in 32H&RMag. That could shoot 32ACP, 32S&W, 32S&WLong as well, all in the same cylinder. Size would be halfway between a Black Widow and a J-Frame.



The CAS/SASS crowd would go nuts, as that would be a reasonable modern functional equivelent of a whole slew of late-19th-century pocket pistols, mostly in 32/38 rimfire.

 

[C.R.Sam]

There is supposed to be an I frame in my area that has been shooting .32 H&R Mags....six up. Tryin to chase it down.

Some have loaded the .32 SnW Long to .32 mag performance.
Tad scary.

Sam

 

[WonderNine]

And the .32 S&W long is not a bad cartridge and super accurate.

Oh come on be serious, the .32 S&W long is pretty anemic. It can be +P'd a little by a knowledgable handloader, but really....

I suppose it would do the trick though in most self defense situations.

Yea, I guess it's not a bad self defense cartridge for a female, you could do alot worse.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Yea, I guess it's not a bad self defense cartridge for a female, you could do alot worse.

-----

Very progressive view point, Wondernine.

 

[dance varmint]

With the above responses, that appears to be quite a small box you're thinking inside of, so how about a semiauto? There are quite a few, like the NAA Guardians and the Kel-Tec's, both in .32 or .380.

 

[Majic]

Your wife must really have tiny hands if a J-frame doesn't fit her. Has she tried one with grips that don't cover the front and backstrap?

 

[Felonious Monk]

Thanks to all!

schapman43-- I have an SP101. Great HD gun, it's the one in the quick-access safe stoked with .38+P's. Not for carry, and NOT smaller than a J-frame.

C.R. Sam, Mike Irwin-- I-frame sounds really good. Any idea of model #'s?

Jim March-- NOW we're talking! NAA as you described would be IDEAL.

Dance varmint-- rather than a "small box" I'm thinking inside of, I'm becoming more focused on exactly what fits the bill, after buying a bunch of "close, but no cigars". She and I both have P-32's, and I have a P-11. And while neither of us have anything against S/A's, (we LOVE our P32's), the added certainty of a "six for sure" DA revo makes HUGE sense to both of us.

Like Sam so eloquently and succinctly says:
Semi's for offense (knowingly headed into a potential SHTF situation)
Revo's for defense (HD, daily carry)

Jim-- any word on how receptive NAA has been to the possibilities?

Thanks again!
FM/fig

 

[Gerald McDonald]

Gee Wonder, your post sounds word for word like what the 45 guys say about my hi power.

anemic but might be okay for a woman

I guess it depends on your perspective.
Later
Gerald

 

[Mike Irwin]

"C.R. Sam, Mike Irwin-- I-frame sounds really good. Any idea of model #'s?"

The I frames were being replaced by the J frames by the time that S&W began stamping model numbers on their guns.

If it's chambered for .32 S&W Long or .38 S&W and is not stamped with a model number, chances are excellent that it's an I frame, or an I frame improved.

 

[C.R.Sam]

I frame having leaf main spring like the big guns.
I frame improved having a coil mainspring like the J frames.

Sam

 

[Felonious Monk]

Thanks Gents!

I'll check smithforums and gunbroker and see if I can learn some more.

It's much appreciated!
FM/Fig

 

[sw442642]

Hey, Jim - did you ever get a reply from NAA - I want one!!

 

[CMcDermott]

I-frames are pre-model number guns, but are easy to identify. As C.R. Sam pointed out - they have leaf main springs, which means they have the strain screw on the front of the grip. No strain screw, then it's an improved I-frame or J-frame with a coil main spring.

 

[MR.G]

Had an H&R model 732, six shot double action revolver, that shot .32 long.
Gun is smaller than a S&W J frame, and was very reliable. Pretty accurate also, for a small 2" barrel gun. Sold mine a few years ago for $90.00. Saw one in excellent condition go recently, on one of the auctions, for under $100.00.

 

[Gary A]

I thought at one time Casull was coming out with a very small .32 caliber revolver. I think a .22 version was even offered. Anything ever come of that?

 

[Gordon]

I have a 1.5" H&R hammerless 5 shot .38S&W that is possitively tiny. Not mini like a NAA , but 2/3's of an I frame. Wish somebody would make out of modern steel something like this in say 4shot in 9mm.