Why are 3" revolvers considered snubs?

[Bob79]

I know from reading here that 3" and under revolvers are considered snubs, but where did that come from? To me it just seems that 3" is too long to still be considered a snub. I own one 3" barrel revolver, and have owned others as well, and they are easier to shoot than my 2" revolvers by a fair amount. Plus when I look at a 3" barrel, it just doesn't sound right using the word "snub". To me the longest barrel to be considered a snub is 2.5" or less. But I am curious to know where and how that 3" was the cut-off length to be a snub.

 

[SAWBONES]

"Snubbies" are traditionally those modern-design (i.e, not top break) double action revolvers, originally as factory made by Colt and S&W, that had 2" or shorter tubes. There are some nice old examples out there with 1" barrels!
Certainly the original Colt Detective Special in .38 Special usually came with a 2" barrel, and since the '50s at least, the .38 Special S&W J-frames have usually had 1 7/8" barrels, though versions of both of these can be found with longer tubes, too.

There's no rule, though, and while "service" revolvers at that time were typically guns with 4"-6" barrels, a lot of folks would have considered a 3" tube to be "snubby-ish".

 

[pezo]

To me the longest barrel to be considered a snub is 2.5" or less. But I am curious to know where and how that 3" was the cut-off length to be a snub

I agree 100 percent. 3" barrel is "service revolver" barrel length. 2 1/2 or less is a snubbie. No one can tell me other wise. If it is a 3" barrel with a small "snubbie" like frame than it is a "kit" gun. A 3" gp100 is a service revolver a 3" sp101 is a kit gun and 2" sp101 is a snubbie. INMO.

 

[MCgunner]

I agree 100 percent. 3" barrel is "service revolver" barrel length. 2 1/2 or less is a snubbie. No one can tell me other wise. If it is a 3" barrel with a small "snubbie" like frame than it is a "kit" gun. A 3" gp100 is a service revolver a 3" sp101 is a kit gun and 2" sp101 is a snubbie. INMO.

Oh, I could tell you different, but that wouldn't prove a thing. It's arbitrary I reckon. Funny, I think of a J frame 3" as sorta snubbish, but a K frame as a service gun even though I think of a 2" K frame as a snubby. Whatever you think is a snub, is a snub to you I reckon. Nobody has defined it to my knowledge.

I think a 3" J frame, if you're going to carry IWB anyway, makes a lot of sense. The added sight radius cuts my group size, I can tell ya that, and the extra barrel is WELL worth it for the extra velocity in a .357 Magnum.

 

[redneckrepairs]

Imho its simply because the 4" has been traditionally marketed as a service or duty revolver . anything shorter has been considered suitable for plain clothes, starting way back ... but you can look at the s&w marketing of the 30's or so for examples . IIRC ( and i may not ) when the FBI was originaly armed it was with 3.5 mod 27s as a shorter gun for ccw ( it was fairly common then to have a longer pistol barrell ) Just my take on the issue it may well be wrong and please chime inn with yours lol

 

[MikeK]

I agree that a 3" is borderline snubby, but at our club's annual snubby match it's any revolver with a barrel 3" or less.

 

[Jim March]

"Snubbie" doesn't just refer to a short barrel, it also means a "full fighting power caliber", today generally a 38spl or above but earlier in the 20th century referred to the 38S&W and some of the 32s.

The absolute "original snubbies" were probably the open-top percussion revolvers (often Colt .36cal but others too) modified by the Mormons in the 1850s before they split for Utah. These cut-down CCW critters were a response to Mormon-specific disarmament laws in some states and localities.

 

[Sistema1927]

There are no hard and fast rules. Establish a 2.5" rule, and you eliminate my 2.75" Ruger Speed-Six, which is just as handy as my 2.5" S&W 19.

It isn't as if there was some "snubby yardstick" out there.

 

[Crosshair]

Personaly, I think 2" or less qualifies as a snubby.

/Love my 3" Astra.

 

[straightShot]

I've never considered a 3" to be a snubby.

 

[22-rimfire]

If you shoot 6" or longer barreled revolvers most of the time, I guess a 3" would be a snub to you. My 3" GP100 is certainly no snubbie, and I don't think most people would consider a Ruger Alaskan a snubbie. But to me, I agree with the 2.5" or less definition as a "snub nosed" revolver. The 2" barrel definition is probably technically better.

 

[MCgunner]

If it is a 3" barrel with a small "snubbie" like frame than it is a "kit" gun.

One note, a "Kit Gun" to me is a 4" adjustable sight J frame in .22 LR. If it's in any other caliber or has any other barrel length or doesn't have adjustable sights, it's not a "Kit Gun". A 3" .38 isn't a kit gun to me.

 

[Bob79]

Wow I guess there are a lot of opinions on this topic. I thought more people would be saying "yes its 3 inches or less". Because I've read tons of posts w/ people referring to their "3 inch snubs" and I always thought that sounded weird. Good information though guys.

 

[Archie]

To my knowledge

There is no governing body deciding what's a snubbie and what ain't.

As mentioned, most 'belt carried, service' revolvers have traditionally been four inches and longer. Until the thirties or so, six inches was more the rule, I believe.

I might point out any revolver with less than about three inches of barrel does NOT have a full length ejector rod. (To complicate things, the K-frame Smiths don't have actual full length ejector rods as they are based on .38 Special sized guns ... sigh) Might we include that factor in the determination?

I might also point out a three to three and one half inch revolver is the fastest handling fighting gun in the known universe.

 

[tipoc]

Service revolver barrel length has traditionally been 4" or longer. Such guns were and are carried openly in a side holster. Under 4" has traditionally been a length reserved for concealed or plainsclothes carry.

The limit is not arbitrary but has been set by custom over the last century or so. It is arbitrary within those limits. Below 4" is considered less than a duty sidearm and hence for concealed carry or a snub.

If the limit is 2.5 what of 2.75? Round butt N frame with a 2.625" barrel in .45 Colt, a snub

tipoc

 

[pezo]

One note, a "Kit Gun" to me is a 4" adjustable sight J frame in .22 LR

DITTO on that. I should of said 3" or longer on a small frame. thought about that later.

 

[tipoc]

Anything under 4" can be called a short barreled revolver, whether you call it a snubby or not is up to you.

tipoc

 

[ugaarguy]

Service revolver barrel length has traditionally been 4" or longer. Such guns were and are carried openly in a side holster. Under 4" has traditionally been a length reserved for concealed or plainsclothes carry.

The limit is not arbitrary but has been set by custom over the last century or so. It is arbitrary within those limits. Below 4" is considered less than a duty sidearm and hence for concealed carry or a snub.

If the limit is 2.5 what of 2.75? Round butt N frame with a 2.625" barrel in .45 Colt, a snub

tipoc

Exactly. One only has to look to the defacto standard service sidearm of the 50s and 60s, the S&W M&P Revolver, and it's K-Frame offspring. The M&P was offered in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6" Bbl lengths. The 4, 5, and 6" models were considered standard service guns, while 2 and 3" pieces were generally reserved for backup, plainclothes, and concealed carry.

If we really want to complicate things we can look at the world of autoloaders for comparison. With, according to them, over 80% of the US Law Enforcement market, The Glock family of pistols have become the defacto service pistol of our era. The full size 17/22/31 have 4.49" Bbls, the midsize 19/23/32 have 4.02" Bbls, and the downright snubby 26/27/33 have 3.46" Bbls.

I think it depends heavily on the weapon. A 3" J Frame is on the long side, a 3" or shorter K Frame is pretty short, and an L or N frame thats anywhere under 3.5" looks downright short. Basically there is no rule, aplly your own judgement.