What would you do?

[SteadyD]

I agree with the recommendations for 32 H&R Magnum. Less recoil than even the lightest 38 special load and 6 rounds versus 5. I would opt for the LCR in 327 magnum to launch them. 17 oz with standard grip. Something like 16.4 oz if you go with the hogue bantam boot grip. Best of luck to you!

 

[bannockburn]

professir

Wow, following that ordeal it's nothing short of a miracle that you're here to tell us about what happened with your surgery!

Hope things work out okay with some reduced loads for your Model 642.

 

[Caplock]

Smith&Wesson 380 EZ is everything you asked for. Light weight, low recoil, and a slide that is intended to be very easy to rack.

 

[Kaybee]

Funny! Just noticed a nice YouTube video on .32s.

 

[professir]

Thank you Kaybee!

 

[Ignition Override]

professir: That's an extremely rough recent history.

If nothing else works out, wouldn't a .32 Auto (etc) be much better than appearing totally helpless, and at least it would give you a bit of peace of mind?
Possibly the better examples of the CZ-70 with a second strong mag in a belt pouch?

My only ".32" (any type) is the excellent WW2 German Sauer 38H in .32 Auto, just a collector gun for me.
But as a carry gun not good at all, because the decocker spring failed again, soon after the gunsmith adjusted it. The lever was designed (you might know) to both cock and decock the *internal* hammer. Very cool gun.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

I vote k-frame .38 or, to shave a little more weight, a J-frame. Both with mild recoil loads.

 

[Bo]

If you're used to carrying a 642 but, don't like the recoil, I would suggest trying some different grips.
You'll be amazed at what a better grip can do.

 

[BSA1]

My first gut response to anyone disliking recoil in a snub nose .38 that they already own is to get some 148 grain wadcutters and try them out. It is a soft shooting paper punching round and should still be better than going down to .32 ACP or lighter self defense cartridges.

148 gr. wadcutters are a extremely poor choice for self-defense.

Many years ago the town I was a Police Officer in had problems with opossums. People would leave dog and cat food outside for their pets which attracted the opossums for a good meal. When people would let their dog out to chase off the opossum the dog always lost...badly. Opossums have a lot of very sharp teeth and are hard to kill.

Opossums also like to dig around trash cans for a food scraps.

One night I get a call to kill a opossum in a mobile home park. The owners had a opossum trapped in their outside trash can. Since it was in a mobile home park I was very concerned about my bullet bouncing around a bunch of them thin skinned trailers so I reloaded my gun with 38 Special target wadcutters we kept in our cars. I took the lid off of the trash can and sure enough there was a opossum looking for a evening meal. I took careful aim directly at it's forehead from about 3' away and pulled the trigger...

and the bullet bounced harmlessly off.

The bullet failed to penetrate it's skull. It did however give the opossum a headache and made it very angry. I did kill it with a second round through it's spine between the shoulders which passed completely through it's body.

Since the human head and chest is well protected with bones I had swore off use of target wadcutters for self-defense and killing most varmints.

I have a lil airweight smith and wesson 22 cal snubbie, light as a feather and no recoil. 8 rounds of stingers will get their attn.

My Taurus M931 22 Magnum loaded with 8 rounds of Speer Gold Dots is a very nasty gun & ammo combination. I would choose it over my 38 Special snubbie.

People dont realize the issues one can have associated with a surgery. In your case, If the actual surgery was prolonged( i work with a surgeon who routinely does 4 bypasses in 2.5 hrs skin to skin,, many take 6+ hrs) , having your arms tucked at your side for that long often ends up with issues as you relate. Also, sometimes, the radial artery (big artery on inside aspect of your arm) is harvested for conduit and that can also be problematic for some. Its a good report that you are 12 yrs out from your surgery. Good look in your search

Hummm. Maybe that is why I have pain in my left shoulder and neck. I had a double bypass in 2013.

 

[Kaybee]

Also, this is outside the box, in your shoes besides a pistol I would also get a medium sized canister of Sabre Red. It would give you a non lethal option at very little weight or cost. You can also bring it to places where you might not want to bring your gun.

 

[shoobe01]

Pointed out on page 1, but if interested in a nice pretty gun, the Beretta 86 is pretty awesome. Never have to rack the slide, heavy so not bad recoil, and not a .25.

The S&W EZ is second on my list, also as indicated.

Get bigger sights, not just to make it easier to shoot but practice barricade cocking for if things get real bad.


Revolvers are pretty fussy to manipulate. Those with poor strength often also have poor mobility, cannot push the (fairly stiff) latch AND push the cylinder out. There's a mythology around them, but revolvers are not especially easy to run. If I had to have one due to mobility issues, I'd find some old top break instead. Some of those have very good ergonomics, so are easy to open and reload.

 

[chicharrones]

148 gr. wadcutters are a extremely poor choice for self-defense.

Many years ago the town I was a Police Officer in had problems with opossums. People would leave dog and cat food outside for their pets which attracted the opossums for a good meal. When people would let their dog out to chase off the opossum the dog always lost...badly. Opossums have a lot of very sharp teeth and are hard to kill.

Opossums also like to dig around trash cans for a food scraps.

One night I get a call to kill a opossum in a mobile home park. The owners had a opossum trapped in their outside trash can. Since it was in a mobile home park I was very concerned about my bullet bouncing around a bunch of them skinned trailers so I reloaded my gun with 38 Special target wadcutters we kept in our cars. I took the lid off of the trash can and sure enough there was a opossum looking for a evening meal. I took careful aim directly at it's forehead from about 3' away and pulled the trigger...

and the bullet bounced harmlessly off.

The bullet failed to penetrate it's skull. It did however give the opossum a headache and made it very angry. I did kill it with a second round through it's spine between the shoulders which passed completely through it's body.

Since the human head and chest is well protected with bones I had swore off use of target wadcutters for self-defense and killing most varmints.




My Taurus M931 22 Magnum loaded with 8 rounds of Speer Gold Dots is a very nasty gun & ammo combination. I would choose it over my 38 Special snubbie.




Hummm. Maybe that is why I have pain in my left shoulder and neck. I had a double bypass in 2013.

It would seem then that any cartridge with the muzzle velocity and energy range of the 148 grain wadcutter would be a poor choice on a possum skull?

I've killed possums with a .177 pump Crosman air rifle, but they were all body shots.

 

[BSA1]

I have kilt a fair share of opossums and other varmints. With them I usually have time to get into a good position to carefully place my shot (especially with skunks ). No doubt it was a combination of the angle of a low powered bullet hitting a hard curved surface as the second round through the back of the shoulder blades easily destroyed the spine and passed completely through its body.

Most self-defense situations as legally accepted by the Courts means you are under attack and had to deal with it then and there regardless of other factors (well actually because of the factors) that place you at a disadvantage.

 

[bikerdoc]

My wife faced the same problem recently.

Solution was PMC bronze 132 gr out of a charter arms undercover.

Good numbers with 900 fps at muzzle and 250 ft/lbs of torque. She was very pleased with the results

 

[doubleh]

My first thought was to ask if your doctor had recommended therapy and if not to return and ask some questions. Considering what you posted about the damage they did to you during heart surgery I believe I would look somewhere else for advise. If you didn't do some physical therapy I would go to a good bone and joint guy and see if he had any recommendations. You have nothing to lose by asking. If you have already done this just ignore me.

 

[stillquietvoice]

I taught myself to shoot with both hands. Back when I shot bull's-eye I could shoot my para p14-45 in my right hand and my Taurus pt99 iny left put all bullets I'm 10 ring on a silluette target. That was many moons ago. For a while if carry a Davis 2 shot derringer in 22 mag. Not the best for defense but it brat a sharp stick.

Hope you feel better soon.