Your opinion please

[BlackSky]

If you were looking for a Smith & Wesson revolver for the purpose of concealed carry in an IWB holster with the following criteria what model number would you chose and why?

1) minimum 6 round capacity
2) maximum 3" barrel
3) 357 Magnum or 41 Magnum or 44 Special
4) round butt
5) exposed hammer

 

[wsm]

K-frame. 2.5 inch barrel. .357/.38

 

[David E]

or a 3" 686

 

[splithoof]

S&W 686+ 3". Have someone make a kydex holster for it, and with a good set of grips it can be drawn very fast.

 

[sixgunner455]

Easy. Model 19-2 or -3, 2.5", round but.

/thread

 

[S&Wfan]

Very easy choice, a 3" Model 65 K-frame!

 

[joneb]

This one, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_&_Wesson_Model_13

 

[Zaydok Allen]

2.5 or 3" 686

 

[Lucky Derby]

3" 65 or 13

 

[BlackSky]

So it's looking like nothing fits the bill for the larger two calibers?

 

[md7]

model 19, 66, or 686. If I were looking at S&W.

 

[earplug]

K frame 13 or 65

I own a four inch M-65. While I don't carry it I don't think the four inch barrel would limit you movements compared with a three inch. Last I read the three inch K frame is out of print.

I carry a 642. You might reconsider a steel three inch J frame in .357.
Five shots is not a deal breaker in my pocket.

 

[DM~]

A M-19 in 357 mag., and that is what i carry...

DM

 

[9mmepiphany]

If you could find a used one, I'd recommend a 2.75" Ruger Speed-Six

If not, the M19/66 or the M13/65 would be a good choice...I found the 686 a bit large to carry

 

[InkEd]

Have you ever fired a snubbie with .357 or bigger ammo. You'll want some weight to it. I don't like heavy carry guns. I like a j-frame for ccw.

 

[PapaG]

Model 13. 3" round butt. Gripper grips or if you can find them, Uncle Mikes Boot Grips

 

[VA27]

So it's looking like nothing fits the bill for the larger two calibers?

6 rounds of .41/.44/.45 requires a big gun. A big gun requires a certain amount of dedication in both carry and use.

When I was much younger I had one gun, a nickle 4" Model 29. At 6' and 175 lbs, I could IWB (appendix) that 29 simply by buying my jeans and shirts a size bigger and wearing my shirt-tail out.

I'm more than 30 years older and 25 lbs heavier now and it's just plain uncomfortable to tote something that big all the time.

Get yourself a nice Ruger LCR or J-frame (my favorite, the Model 649). Get some speed strips or loaders, buy a thousand rounds of ammo and get a little training. You'll be fine, really.

When you're over 60 your back will thank you. Heck, it'll thank you now.

 

[Lucky Derby]

So it's looking like nothing fits the bill for the larger two calibers?

While a 3" 29/629 or 24/624 might fit the bill, you would have to be pretty dedicated to IWB such a fat cylinder. It can be done and I would recommend a Simply Rugged Sourdough Pancake holster with the inside out straps if you want to go this route.
www.simplyrugged.com
If you went to a 5 shooter the CA bulldog, S&W 696/396/296 or some of the smaller Taurus big bore revolvers would fit the rest of your perameters.

 

[Brian Williams]

Really like to carry my S&W 13 3" round grip, with magnas and a Tyler T grip adapter.

 

[bakert]

Mine is a lowly older model 10 .38Sp. Easy to shoot and control and stoked with +P158gr LSWCHPs, it's nothing to be sneezed at.

 

[Sam1911]

So it's looking like nothing fits the bill for the larger two calibers?

.41 Mags are pretty unusual to find. Not "rare" but not terribly common, either, and relatively few in shorter-barreled, concealable versions. But, they are as big as the .44s (all N-frames) so there's no practical difference. (There are some custom 5-Shot L-frames, I've heard, but rare and very expensive.)

I do carry a .44 -- a 4" 629 -- occasionally. I compete with it in IDPA and get a lot of general use out of it. However, I am a large-framed guy and I still would agree that it takes some dedication to successfully carry. (Remember, if carrying the gun is a chore, eventually you'll find enough reasons to NOT carry it very often. The gun you DON'T have with you is not going to defend you very well.)

I usually carry it OWB, but I do have a "Miurage" kydex IWB for it that works well.

Here's a couple of pics to give you an idea of what you're considering:





I'm about 6'-1" and around 220 lbs. That gun still takes up a decent amount of real-estate. The holster is more comfortable than it would be because the cylinder sits up on top of the belt instead of tucking in behind it. If I was much shorter, the draw would get a bit awkward from that holster. (Though I think the Simply Rugged and other style IWBs push the gun farther down into the belt line.)

 

[Nar]

I vote model 66 is you can find one. The thing is wonderful.