jae011
Member
my wife wants a revolver to keep in her purse and her car.thinking about getting a small charter arms .38. is this a good choice for the money?
wife wants a revolver
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AirForceShooter
Member
She wants it, she gets it.
AFS
AFS
Guillermo
member
Suggest that she goes to a gun range, many have ladies night, and shoot a variety of guns.
Encourage her to get outside advice.
The Charter 38 is a solid gun and heavy enough to shoot well but the short sight radius of a snubbie takes practice to get good with.
Encourage her to get outside advice.
The Charter 38 is a solid gun and heavy enough to shoot well but the short sight radius of a snubbie takes practice to get good with.
ricebasher302
Member
My wife loves her Ruger SP-101 3". It's got a little weight, and a little bit more sight radius which make it easier to shoot. Hers had a very nice trigger out of the box. I don't particularly care for the shoddy appearance of the Charter guns, but that's me. The price is right on the Charters, and the Rugers have gotten expensive lately. Good luck!
Since a purse and HD weapon can have a bit more size and weight than a weapon concealed on a person I would suggest something like a SP-101 in 3" or a second-hand Security Six in 2 3/4". In fact, I'd prefer the Security Six since it carries 6 rounds of .357 and it's an excellent shooter.
Cosmoline
Member
Ditto gearhead. I keep a Security or Speed six in my maxpedition man purse and it works great. I would suggest investing in a Galco or similar purse that has a slot for the firearm, to avoid getting hung up with keys and such.
NavyLCDR
member
1. The best gun for her is the gun that she tries, picks out, wants and likes.
2. I would seriously look at the pros and cons of purse carry. Pro: there is a gun present for a situation like a breakdown of a vehicle where she could move the gun from the purse to on her person as needed (assuming properly licensed, etc.) Cons: It's not readily accessible in an immediate need self-defense situation. Without a holster there is a chance of negligent discharge while fiddling around for other stuff in the purse. If she is the victim of a mugging/robbery, what is the item the criminal is most likely going to be interested in taking from her: hint...purse...probably with the gun in it!
2. I would seriously look at the pros and cons of purse carry. Pro: there is a gun present for a situation like a breakdown of a vehicle where she could move the gun from the purse to on her person as needed (assuming properly licensed, etc.) Cons: It's not readily accessible in an immediate need self-defense situation. Without a holster there is a chance of negligent discharge while fiddling around for other stuff in the purse. If she is the victim of a mugging/robbery, what is the item the criminal is most likely going to be interested in taking from her: hint...purse...probably with the gun in it!
I don't know if it will make a big enough price difference, but just so you know, S&W has a $50 rebate until the end of the year on new J frame revolvers:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...4_750001_750051_762155_-1_757992_757992_image
This isn't to suggest you should get a S&W instead - just pointing it out in case you're not aware. It was a big factor for me, when somebody was kind enough to tell me on my recent thread about buying a small revolver. Just mailed it in this morning for my new 642.
Good luck on finding the right piece.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...4_750001_750051_762155_-1_757992_757992_image
This isn't to suggest you should get a S&W instead - just pointing it out in case you're not aware. It was a big factor for me, when somebody was kind enough to tell me on my recent thread about buying a small revolver. Just mailed it in this morning for my new 642.
Good luck on finding the right piece.
JoelSteinbach
Member
My wife has been carring her 442 for over a year. She loves it and fires about 50 rounds per month from it just to keep herself ready. This past valintines day I got her a set of Ivory grips for it.
fourdollarbill
Member
Ditto, Bingo, Likewise, Parallel or what ever synonym you can say, that is eggZakly what I was thinking.
Guillermo
member
that was put so much more eloquently than I did...thank you
jleyring
Member
Id say get her the Ruger LCR 38 Special. It is only 13 ounces and is small enought to keep in the purse.
wnycollector
Member
+1 on the Ruger Six suggestion. My wife has absconded with my 2.75" Security Six. She is also partial to ANY one of my half dozen K frame .38's.
M2 Carbine
member
jae011 check your mail.
Truly spoken like a guy.
My wife looks at purses the way we look at guns. Size/weight/utility etc.... all play in.
She counts every ounce of stuff that goes into that purse, and I can tell you right now that if she has a choice between a one pound chunk of steel hanging on her shoulder and a two pound chunk of steel, the one pounder wins every time.
She's small, and doesn't want to haul a heavy bag around. I too had the misconception that you could go bigger/heavier. Nope. Space it at a premium in a purse, and weight must be kept low. At least with my wife.*
Long story short, go get your wife on the interwebs and et her look at which guns look nice to her, and get her to a range so she can get fingerprints on guns. That's the best way to do it. Make it HER choice.
*Disclaimer-My wife may or may not be representative of other wives. Not all women are wives. Not all wives are women.
Void where prohibited. No guarantee expressed or implied. Some restrictions may apply. Sorry, no C.O.D.s.smp74
Member
Hey guys, I've been looking at revolvers myself. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my glock 17, but like jae011's wife, I'd like something small, but my husband says the smaller the barrel, the less accurate it is....if this is true, it could be something to take into consideration.
jhvaughan2
Member
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Acuracy it NOT the key factor of a SD handgun
Accuracy is overblown. Leave it for target firearms.
By far the #1 factor in a SD firearm is -- will you have it when you need it. Secondly is have you practiced enough to know how to aim and use it.
In the (hopefully never to exist) chance that you need to fire your carry handgun for legal personal protection, your assailant is going to be so close that it will not matter if you get all shots inside a time or a 4" spread.
Look at ease of use, comfort and ability to carry. Forget about accuracy.
Accuracy is overblown. Leave it for target firearms.
By far the #1 factor in a SD firearm is -- will you have it when you need it. Secondly is have you practiced enough to know how to aim and use it.
In the (hopefully never to exist) chance that you need to fire your carry handgun for legal personal protection, your assailant is going to be so close that it will not matter if you get all shots inside a time or a 4" spread.
Look at ease of use, comfort and ability to carry. Forget about accuracy.
As a general rule, that's true. However, it mainly applies to things like target shooting out at 50 feet and beyond.
The typical concealed-carry handgun situation is going to take place inside of 10 feet. Most likely inside of 3 feet. In other words, "point-blank" distance. Accuracy will rarely be a factor. The commitment and will to shoot is the key element.
NavyLCDR
member
smp74,
I would say posts #17 and #18 are accurate, except... I would say the shorter barrel firearms are more difficult to shoot accurately, all other conditions being the same (not necessarily the gun itself being less accurate).
To get a good feel for what your gun can do, get a full size silhouette target at 7 yards and see if you can put rounds in "center mass". If you can't find a full size silhouette put a round bullseye target out at 7 yards, and the hold the target up to your chest after you have shot at it and see how well you have "really" done.
I think we are too quick, sometimes, to call our guns "inaccurate" when they shoot out at the 6 or 5 ring at 10 yards, when, in fact that is perfectly acceptable shooting for self defense.
I would say posts #17 and #18 are accurate, except... I would say the shorter barrel firearms are more difficult to shoot accurately, all other conditions being the same (not necessarily the gun itself being less accurate).
To get a good feel for what your gun can do, get a full size silhouette target at 7 yards and see if you can put rounds in "center mass". If you can't find a full size silhouette put a round bullseye target out at 7 yards, and the hold the target up to your chest after you have shot at it and see how well you have "really" done.
I think we are too quick, sometimes, to call our guns "inaccurate" when they shoot out at the 6 or 5 ring at 10 yards, when, in fact that is perfectly acceptable shooting for self defense.
M2 Carbine
member
This is not necessarily correct.
For instance, this is a 2 1/8 inch barrel (counting the chamber) Micro Desert Eagle, shot while standing, two handed, at 52 yards.
Short barrel 38 revolvers will do the same thing.
The only problem with the revolver (and small semi autos) is you only have 5-6 rounds to do the job. The job may be at a very close distance or out to 10-15 yards. The job could also involve more than one assailant.
So, the more practice the better.
The gun used isn't nearly as important as being able to use it quickly and accurately.
RevDerb
Member
If she likes the Charter .38 get it (IMO). I have the Undercover and am sorry that it took so long to discover it. I use a Hip Grip to carry IWB.
Stainz
Member
I bought a 3" 65 - and shaped the Hogue rounded goncalo alves stock to fit her hand. She asked if it would fit the 2" 10 I had - of course - she 'acquired' it for her house/car gun. I stupidly sold the 65. I gave her time to choose a pocket/purse gun - she didn't like my 642. She chose a new Seecamp .32. My wife is 5'10" - she could have carried that 642 - she liked the Seecamp - and is a great shot with it. Of course, it is more expensive than a 642 - and Lewis Seecamp doesn't know what a rebate is!
BTW, one or more of the wholesalers quit their 'buy five - get one free' deal for the 642's at the end of last month, so expect some retailers to increase their base 642 price upward a bit - there is still that $50 rebate. One yuppee sporting goods store had 642's at $379 before the rebate - $329 after - that's a deal!
Stainz
BTW, one or more of the wholesalers quit their 'buy five - get one free' deal for the 642's at the end of last month, so expect some retailers to increase their base 642 price upward a bit - there is still that $50 rebate. One yuppee sporting goods store had 642's at $379 before the rebate - $329 after - that's a deal!
Stainz
My wife's favorite guns are my 3" Model 65 S&W . . . and her 3" Model 37 Airweight. The Airweight is her perfect carry gun. (Shown at the very bottom of the following photo) . . . the ease of shooting accurately of a 3" barrel, with the very light weight of a S&W Airweight!!!
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