1st Snub nosed revolver...

[Bflobill69]

After long debate and consideration I have decided to ADD a snubby to my arsenal.  Have not decided WHAT yet.  The purpose of this gun will be to carry concealed here in Northcentral Arizona.  Some serious questions remain for me though: 1) 5 or 6 shot? 2) J frame (or d frame colt) or K/L frame? 3) If a S&W do I get a new one with the "Hillary Hole" or look for an older one?  What are the drawbacks to having the internal lock? 4)  Do I need a .357 or will a .38 +P gun be sufficient? 5)  Who makes the "best" IWB holsters for snubbies?  6) What self defense ammo has the best track record for 2-3" snubbies?
 
I own several 4" and 6" S&W K frames, and shoot them rather well, yet I am drawn to the J frame that could be carried "in pocket".  So, I defer to you guys, who I am sure can give me greater insight into what I should do.  Thankyou in advance for your suggestions.

Keep your aim straight and your powder dry,

Bflobill in the Wild West

[Tennessee Jed]

Bflobill,

I personally prefer the S&W airweight j-frames, particularly the 638 and 642.  They are light enough to pocket carry or carry in an ankle holster or IWB comfortably, but not so light that the recoil of the +P rounds beat me up too bad.  These are my "always" guns.  I almost always have something larger on me as well, but I am never without a j-frame anywhere I'm legal to carry.  It's the first thing that goes in a pocket when I start the day, and the last thing that leaves my pocket at the end of the day.

I have some experience with a d frame Colt and that was a very fine revolver as well.  It shot well and I loved having 6 cartridges, but it wasn't rated for +p and that ended up being a deal killer for me.  I'd rather have 5 +p rounds than 6 non-+p.   

Both of S&W's have the lock hole, and I've not had any problems with it, but I know others have in different S&W revolvers.  I hear that the ultra lightweight S&W's with heavy recoil (e.g., the 329) have caused the locks to seize the cylinder shut.  I'd prefer not to have the lock on mine, but I am willing to tolerate it because for me these are the best balance of control, size, and weight for a pocket revolver.  I might one day remove the lock, but haven't done so yet.

While I'm usually a "less is never more" sort of guy, in this pocket role, I think 38 +p is as big as I'm willing to go.  Anything more and recoil becomes a big issue.  I use the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +p rounds in mine, which I understand have a very good track record with snubbies used by NYPD. 

In this pocket role, you'll probably want to avoid any exposed hammers, which can catch on the drawstroke.  That's why I went with the shrouded hammer in the 638 and the enclosed hammer in the 642.  As between the two, I like the very smooth trigger on my 638 a little better than the trigger on the 642.

The other thing about pocket carry is that the drawstroke is a lot slower than a belt holster, if you start with your hands outside the pocket.  However, I think it's as fast, or faster, than a belt holster if you start with your hand in your pocket.  Whenever a situation feels remotely weird, it's a non-threatening gesture to simply put your hand in the pocket and on the grip, ready to go if necessary, ready to let go if not.

You'll want to use a pocket holster.  Don't let your revolver sit in your pocket without one.  I personally like the pocket holsters from Pocket Concealment Systems.  They hold up nicely to years of daily pocket carry, and do a good job of breaking up the outline of the revolver.

Good luck in your search.  Hope you find something that works for you.


TN Jed

[Lawrence]

I agree on every angle  TN Jed just pointed out.

[Tennessee Jed]

Lawrence, based on some of your other posts, I would bet you and I probably have similar tastes in handguns.

[Lawrence]

Lawrence, based on some of your other posts, I would bet you and I probably have similar tastes in handguns.

Agreed my friend. And when it comes to J-frames I can assure you we come really close. The one with the shrouded hammer is growing on me since you mentioned the lighter trigger.

[Bflobill69]

Greatly appreciate all the input.  After very careful consideration I have decided the S&W Model 642 is the best choice for me.

[Tennessee Jed]

Great choice!  When you get it, I suggest you consider how you anticipate reloading it, and make sure the grips will work with your chosen method.  For example, I normally carry HKS speedloaders, but the S&W rubber grips got in the way.  A $20 Hogue bantam grip fixed the problem for me.

Then go buy a ton of ammo and go shoot it, shoot it some more, and then shoot some more after that.  At first, I found it difficult to hit accurately with a j-frame, but a lot of practice will solve that problem quickly.