Snubbie for Christmas

[Gizards'n'Gravy]

Hello everyone, I have decided to buy my mother a snubnose revolver for Christmas. She is familiar with firearms and this is her preferred type of carry gun ( meaning I let her pick what she wants). She likes the shrouded hammer stanless type but it isnt a deal breaker. She has handled several of them and doesnt really care about grips either. I am on a pretty tight budget for this gun but I am also not going to bet my mothers life on the cheapest thing I can find. I have been going over Buds Spectacular Snubbies and have narrowed my choice down to these. All are .38 Special stainless
1. S&W 642
2. Taurus Model 85
3. Rossi 352
4. Charter Arms Off Duty

I have limited experience with revolvers, Im a Glock guy myself (don't judge me ). But I know S&W has proven reliability, Im really wondering if the other guns are reliable, especially the Taurus. You all know how tight it can get at Christmas time and if I can save a few bucks for a quality revolver I would like to. Or should I just save up a few more dollars, buy a S&W and call it a day?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Out of that list, I would go with the 642.

 

[788Ham]

S&W 642. Merry Christmas.

 

[ccsniper]

whichever one she likes the best

 

[cfullgraf]

When i bought a snubbie 15 years or so ago, it was a 642. I have not regretted it.

But, i admit, I do not have experience with the others.

 

[Bobson]

I'd say the 642 as well, considering it meets everything your mother wants. My wife and I developed a plan to buy a carry gun for each of us next month, and the 642 is the gun she's planning on getting for herself, too.

 

[Gizards'n'Gravy]

Merry Christmas to you as well! There is a funny little story I would like to add to this.As small as my mother is, she is absolutely NOT recoil sensitive. When she first decided to carry a gun, I thought great! I laid out several autoloaders for her one day to try to get a feel for what she liked the most. Im thinkin "okay shes gonna go with the LC9 for sure, no doubt". After shooting a Glock 19, Ruger P94,LC9, and a few others, I had picked up the LC9 to say goodbye and I turn around and shes holding the P94. "I like this one" she says, . Turns out she likes the full sized gun because she likes the idea of only shooting once and is tad more accurate. Ahh.. I trained her well. She has had it for nearly a year and has only recently converted to snubbies. She actually WANTED a .357 magnum!

 

[cfullgraf]

Well, good for your mother.

As a note, as much as I like my 642, it is not pleasant to shoot with 38 Special +P. I practice with standard loads or lighter, then run a cylinder or two of the hotter stuff to remind me of the feel.

Keep this in mind for your mother. You would not want to sour her on the pistol.

Happy Holidays as well.

 

[Jim NE]

Just some of my thoughts. Haven't owned a 642, but looks like a good gun. My experience with Charter Arms hasn't been generally positive, though they do have their good points. I had basic functional problems, so beware. The one small Taurus revo I had was pretty, but not as accurate as it should've been. My Rossi 88 (no longer made) HAS been a very good gun. Don't know about the modern Rossi's. Two reasons for considering the 88 are cost AND it's made of all steel so it's heavier than some of the more modern alloy/poly snubbies, and therefore maybe not as sensitive to recoil. Not sure if it was meant for +P, though.

You might want to consider some of the NON+P .38 hollow point ammo that's available from places like Able's if you want to avoid excessive recoil. Most hollow point ammo you get at WalMart or Cabela's is +P, I think.

 

[David E]

whichever one she likes the best

Sorry, I can't go with this as a blanket statement. Many people have no clue which is the better/best gun by feel alone, or even shooting it if they don't know what to look for.

Of the choices given, the 642 is above everything else. It'll kick more than the all steel Taurus, but grip and ammo selection can address that issue satisfactorily for most folks.

Also consider the S&W 36, 49, 60, 638 or 640

 

[fireside44]

The Rossi is the best gun of those listed, especially the Interarms models. All the Rossi revolvers I have shot were equal or better than their S&W counterparts for a lot less money. They also don't do badly with +P ammunition being of all steel construction.

 

[BYJO4]

I also would buy the S&W 642.

 

[Professor Gun]

S & W 642 or Taurus 85. I have experience with all on your list and I would go with one of these.

 

[41]

I got a 642 for Christmas last year, and have been very pleased with it.

 

[Hondo 60]

The 642, without a doubt!

 

[wlewisiii]

Stick to the 642 in this case.

 

[ultradoc]

What a mom. AND what a son.

 

[Dogguy]

No real choice here...get the 642.

On edit: Consider a trigger job if the trigger pull is too heavy for her--some gunsmiths won't do work on the other brands but just about any gunsmith worth the name can do action work on S&W. Also consider a Hogue or Pachmayr Compac grip if the boot grips that come with the 642 are too small and uncomfortable--an extra $20 to $30.

 

[woad_yurt]

I have experience with only one of the guns mentioned in your post, the Off Duty. Mine's a first generation and it's been wonderful. I can't speak about Charter's subsequent products; folks seem to be half and half in their opinions. The old ones seem pretty good, though.

Now, if I had more money to blow, I'd probably go with a lock-less S&W. That S&W trigger pull is just sooo slick, you know?

 

[BBQLS1]

Can't go wrong with the Smith, they are the standard.

I also have a Taurus 605 and an 85UL, both work fine and go bang when I ask them to.

 

[ohio58]

I would go for the 642 on your list......off the list, i would go for a very nice older Smith & Wesson model 38 Airweight Bodyguard.
You can get a really nice used one in the $350 to $400 range
These are excellent revolvers and great for carry...

 

[Old John]

Ruger LCR .38 Special
Let me suggest another valid choice, if I may. In the last year I have bought 2 Ruger LCR revolvers, a .38 special and a .357 magnum. I tried the S&W J-frames. But I much prefer the trigger on the Ruger LCR. The LCR is hammerless and it has a polymer frame.
They are light, easy to carry and conceal and a good value for the money. The .38 special carries easily in the pocket of my slacks or jeans.
Good luck in your Choice, for your dear Mother.

 

[Guillermo]

I am also not going to bet my mothers life on the cheapest thing I can find.

paying more does not always get you more.

There is no way that I would give anyone that I care about a S&W with the Internal Lock.

 

[Earlsbud]

Easy, the only one that isn't a future boat anchor. S&W Mom deserves the best.

 

[LawofThirds]

642. There's a reason why it's the standard when it comes to pocket .38's

Also, regarding the ruger LCR: I own several ruger firearms and have nothing but the highest praise for the GP100, SP101, Mk II/III, M77, and hell, I've even got a soft spot for the P-Series and Mini-30, I have noticed several worrying reports that seem to indicate that their topstrap treatment is not up to par. Give them another couple years, then we'll see.