Snubbie for Christmas
- Thread starter Gizards'n'Gravy
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DAdams
Member
642, 442 or a S&W Bodyguard.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
I've heard that there are some issues with the .38 not handling +P ammo very well on the LCR, so if you were to go that route, I'd get the .357 LCR. From what I understand regarding revolvers, Ruger seems to be about the best for the money of anything you'll find.
Also, while an SP101 isn't technically a snubby, it's got a 2.25" barrel and it's stainless on a j-frame size, and is probably the best gun of it's size you'll find (IMO).
Also, while an SP101 isn't technically a snubby, it's got a 2.25" barrel and it's stainless on a j-frame size, and is probably the best gun of it's size you'll find (IMO).
dprice3844444
member
try to get the one that is 38/357. dual purpose depending on ammo availability,and easier to sell later on down the road.
jojo200517
Member
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- Mar 22, 2009
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I'm going to say which ever one she likes and shoots the best. My mom is trying to decide between the Ruger LC9 and the S&W 642. I think shes already leaning toward the revolver but we'll have to see if that changes after we go shooting.
Thanks for letting us know your trigger smoothed out. Telling someone to tell there mother if they don't like it tough is quiet rude and low road. A much better suggestion would be lighter ammo/reduced recoil ammo, more practice and range time, even weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a lighter pistol vs a heavier one.
Thanks for letting us know your trigger smoothed out. Telling someone to tell there mother if they don't like it tough is quiet rude and low road. A much better suggestion would be lighter ammo/reduced recoil ammo, more practice and range time, even weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a lighter pistol vs a heavier one.
oldfool
Member
"have narrowed my choice down to these"
I won't 2nd guess you.
I would go with either of your top two, call it a toss up, flip a coin
S&W 642 or Taurus Model 85
but I would not recommend the others to close family
"wondering if the other guns are reliable, especially the Taurus"
Taurus gets a lot of very legit criticism, because they earn a lot of criticism, but not all their handguns are created equal. The series 85 earns good marks on every forum I have seen, and I have shot a couple myself (though I don't own one). I like 'em, they compare just fine with my S&W old model 60 snubbie.
So, I would have a tough time calling that coin flip, but for me, I would go DA/SA anyway, not DAO. Don't know your mom's preference on that, maybe she has such a preference, maybe she doesn't. Most do prefer hammerless DAO for "carry".
as for the S&W ILS thing, I could care less
Matters not to me unless talking 357 mag or heftier loads in airweights, which I do not recommend with or without ILS, anyway. Be "Mom friendly", stick with all-steel weight for 38+P stuff. 38+P is stout enough for any 2" snubbie, 357 is more flash-n-boom, but extreme little ballistic gain, and a handicap to shooter followup. Me, I don't even bother with using 38+P in less than 3 inch barrels, but lots of folks do.
good luck
Mom will smile, whatever you pick, mom's are like that, they are
I won't 2nd guess you.
I would go with either of your top two, call it a toss up, flip a coin
S&W 642 or Taurus Model 85
but I would not recommend the others to close family
"wondering if the other guns are reliable, especially the Taurus"
Taurus gets a lot of very legit criticism, because they earn a lot of criticism, but not all their handguns are created equal. The series 85 earns good marks on every forum I have seen, and I have shot a couple myself (though I don't own one). I like 'em, they compare just fine with my S&W old model 60 snubbie.
So, I would have a tough time calling that coin flip, but for me, I would go DA/SA anyway, not DAO. Don't know your mom's preference on that, maybe she has such a preference, maybe she doesn't. Most do prefer hammerless DAO for "carry".
as for the S&W ILS thing, I could care less
Matters not to me unless talking 357 mag or heftier loads in airweights, which I do not recommend with or without ILS, anyway. Be "Mom friendly", stick with all-steel weight for 38+P stuff. 38+P is stout enough for any 2" snubbie, 357 is more flash-n-boom, but extreme little ballistic gain, and a handicap to shooter followup. Me, I don't even bother with using 38+P in less than 3 inch barrels, but lots of folks do.
good luck
Mom will smile, whatever you pick, mom's are like that, they are
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Stainz
Member
The Airweight 642 is a great choice. If the recoil with the typical short barrel defender ammo, like the +P 135gr Speer Gold Dots or, my choice, the Remington R38S12 +P 158gr LHPSWC, is too much, consider some 148gr lead full wadcutters - a milder 'target' load. It likely won't shatter a pelvis, but it will make a big hole for leakage... and, it's mild. The big requirement, whatever you buy her, is to take her to the range to shoot it!
Re recoil... A matronly divorcee friend of my wife's wanted to shoot her NAA pocket .22. We took her to the range - she did fine, but wanted to shoot something 'bigger'. Some .38's later, from my 4" 64, she smiled - and asked me if I had a 'Dirty Harry gun'? I loaded one, admittedly mild, 240gr LSWC .44 Magnum into my 6" 629. She destroyed the pop bottle... and immediately had a Cheshire cat like grin - and wanted more. The smile never left her face... I almost considered she might have developed 'Bell's Palsy'! Gals will shock you...
Stainz
PS My 642-2, resplendent with it's IL, has been my 24/7 EDC since coming home 2/07.
Re recoil... A matronly divorcee friend of my wife's wanted to shoot her NAA pocket .22. We took her to the range - she did fine, but wanted to shoot something 'bigger'. Some .38's later, from my 4" 64, she smiled - and asked me if I had a 'Dirty Harry gun'? I loaded one, admittedly mild, 240gr LSWC .44 Magnum into my 6" 629. She destroyed the pop bottle... and immediately had a Cheshire cat like grin - and wanted more. The smile never left her face... I almost considered she might have developed 'Bell's Palsy'! Gals will shock you...
Stainz
PS My 642-2, resplendent with it's IL, has been my 24/7 EDC since coming home 2/07.
Gizards'n'Gravy
Member
WOW! Thanks for the feedback! I've pretty much decided to go with a 642, though if I could find the right price on a bodyguard I may even go with it instead. I may go to the LGS tomorrow and see what can be done. Merry Christmas!
Elm Creek Smith
Member
I have and like a Taurus 85SSUL(stainless steel ultralite) .38. It doesn't do anything but work. Recoil and blast are pretty stout with +P loads.
I had a S&W Model 640 that was heavy enough to soak up +P recoil.
Something you might investigate with your mom is the Taurus 856, a modestly larger version of the 85 in blue or stainless with a SIX shot cylinder. (There is a magnesium framed version that is "float away" light, but it isn't approved for anything more than standard pressure .38 Spl.
ECS
I had a S&W Model 640 that was heavy enough to soak up +P recoil.
Something you might investigate with your mom is the Taurus 856, a modestly larger version of the 85 in blue or stainless with a SIX shot cylinder. (There is a magnesium framed version that is "float away" light, but it isn't approved for anything more than standard pressure .38 Spl.
ECS
Guillermo
member
fixed it for you
wleggart
Member
so, what's wrong with S&W bodyguard?
+p and you get a laser! ?????????
+p and you get a laser! ?????????
Guillermo
member
if it has an IL it could be argued that you are angling for a bigger percentage of the inheritance.
(I would give my brother a IL Smith)
Guillermo
member
the wheels fell off their bus at the end there...no doubt
In my never-so-humble-opinion it is best that they stop producing rather than slap the name on something inferior just because they need the bucks. It is pathetic
when that happens.
Besides, Smith is producing enough "Shelby Omni's" to satisfy the market.
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Guillermo
member
fixed that mistype for you
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