J frames

[INOR]

What are people liking for j frames and other equivalent size revolvers? Getting an urge to try one for occasional carry. Just the standard .38 +p type. I think I'd prefer one with a hammer but I suppose hammerless is the way to go, particularly if you want to pocket carry. Opinions on S&W vs Ruger?

[Hmac]

I have a S&W 642. I hate that little gun...it's painful to shoot, especially with +P. OTOH, there's no denying its effectiveness for its small size. I use it as a carry gun for those rare circumstances when I feel the need to carry, and my clothing choices preclude my Walther PPS M2. I see it as useful out to about 7 yards max, so...a last resort weapon, better than nothing.

Mine has been very reliable. I did buy an Apex trigger kit, which smoothed out the pull very nicely.

[crbutler]

They are concealable in a pocket, they work....but after shooting one in BUG division in IDPA for a while and shooting a number of semiautos in BUG as well, I learned I am much faster and more accurate even with a mini auto like a Colt mustang.

The accuracy, well I think the little revolvers are much more accurate than they are given credit for, but the sighting can be very challenging. I put my smith m60 in a ransom rest once... it shot 1" at 25 yards with full bore 125 gr jhp ammo. But... I can't shoot it that well in my hands, even with a rest.

Recoil is what you make of it, but the little gun is not pleasant with full up .357 mag loads, but shootable (compared to a scandium 329 with bear loads in .44 mag, anyhow)

I think smiths are the better between ruger and smith as far as size, fit, and finish... but the Rugers are durable and reliable, and cost less.

[wrench]

LOL, ditto on hating the S&W 642. I used to have one, hated shooting it so moved it along to a new home.
I have a S&W 49, an all steel J frame, much more shootable than the 642, but heavier to carry. Everything is a trade off, I suppose.
I also have a Ruger LCR in 38special. Really don't enjoy shooting that one, either, but it seems to fit my hands better than the 642, so I think it's a bit more shootable for me.

[Holland&Holland]

Ruger sp101.

3 inch barrel. Much more shootable than my smith 637.

[westhope]

I ran the IDPA BUG matches at FR&PC for over 10 years. At least two years, the season was won by someone that shot a S&W 642. Most others shot small semi-autos, but a few shot small revolvers. We shot stages from 1 yard to 20 yards. Several of the J-frame shooters would put all 5 rounds inside the "1" zone of the IDPA target in the 20 yard stage. I remember doing it myself. Head shots at 7 yards were done too.

I shot a S&W 442 (38 Special) or 432 (32 H&R Magnum) several of those years. I was usually a middle of the pack of 20 or so guys that would shoot the matches regularly. Never felt the undergunned for those matches. (The stages were limited to 5 rounds only.) I now shoot and carry a Sig P938 mainly because it carries 2 more rounds and is faster to reload. The P938 also has a similar manual of arms as the 1911 I shoot in regular IDPA matches or is my heavy carry gun.

I practiced and shot matches with light loads of 38 Special and carried +P loads. The recoil of the +P loads was fine. I would shoot several of the BUG matches with my carry ammo every year just to be familiar with it. I pocket carried the 442 almost every day for at least 5 years in blue jeans. Fine gun. I think a small revolver prints less than a small semi-auto when carried in jeans with no cover garment. I have a 2-1/2 inch 642 but I shoot the 1-7/8 barreled 642 better. I don't know why.

I prefer the way the trigger stacks in a S&W J-frame rather than the way a Ruger LCR feels. The Ruger is a good gun.

You do not want a exposed hammer on a pocket gun.

I WILL NOT SHOOT 357 MAGNUM IN A J-FRAME SIZE REVOLVER! I did it once and will never do it again. Painful!

[Sorcerer]

I have the Ruger LCR 9. I changed out the grip to a Packmyer, makes it much more shootable. Albeit making it larger. I carry it in kydex inside the waste band. I wanted a revolver but didn't want to add another caliber. I once rented a Smith air weight 357 and stupidly chose 357 mag ammo. 1 1/2 cylinders was the end of that experiment. Paid dearly the next 2 days.

[yukonjasper]

642. You won't regret it.

[hornswaggle]

I had a 649 in 38SPL a few years ago that was nice. They have what I would call a shielded hammer so it won't snag but you can still draw it back if you want SA. Trigger and overall quality was nice, it shot well, and was reasonably accurate at self defense range. Reason I got rid of it was I wanted a lighter and slimmer auto for concealed carry but if it's a revolver you want I would recommend it.

[Pat Cannon]

I once rented a Smith air weight 357 and stupidly chose 357 mag ammo. 1 1/2 cylinders was the end of that experiment. Paid dearly the next 2 days.

I had the exact same experience. Those super light 357s are great to carry but they're for emergency use only! When I was young and stupid(er), on the 4th of July some of my friends and I would hold one of those little Ladyfinger firecrackers in a tight fist and let it blow in our hand. I had almost forgotten about that until I felt the exact same sensation shooting that Airweight.

I really like my Ruger SP101. It weighs, as I recall, 29 ounces, versus about 12 ounces for some of those scandium alloy guns. Shooting full power 357 from the SP101 with the stock grips is uncomfortable but not too painful. I bought the rubber Hogue monogrip and with that, the most blazing 357 ammo is no problem, and any .38 Special is totally comfortable.

And yeah, a spurless or enclosed hammer is the way to go for a defensive revolver. Not so much because of the snagging issue, in my mind, but more because if you're gun is DA only, then you're forced to actually practice DA shooting whenever you take it to the range, and you'll get good at it. If you have the option to shoot single action, it's tempting to do that when you practice.

[LumberZach]

I have a 442 without the lock. I wanted the hammer 637, but found the no lock gun and opted for that. I was kinda disappointed at first. Then I put in a $10 Wilson combat spring kit and I am actually really happy with it now. I don't shoot a whole box through it when I go to the range, but I do enjoy shooting it. It's also very concealable in a pocket. It's wider than a glock, but the print it leaves in a pocket doesn't look like a gun. I think j frames are worth having. I shot a .357 j frame and it was very unpleasant. Ruger's are neat, but bigger and heavier. The way I use my j frame I assume the ruger wouldn't work as well. That said I want a sp101 as well cuz they look neat.


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[INOR]

I do want a Ruger SP101 someday. That's on my list and has been forever, as I just think it's a beautiful well-made revolver. Definitely my favorite revolver as far as aesthetics go. Haven't shot one yet though.

But for this next one, it's going to be j frame size so can pocket carry it. Appreciate the advice. Wish S&W would come out with a nice rebate program like they did on the Shields earlier this year.

[INOR]

Ordered a 642 airweight no lock model. Will be my first revolver. Have shot revolvers before but never purchased one.

[mrp]

Ordered a 642 airweight no lock model. Will be my first revolver. Have shot revolvers before but never purchased one.

I carry a 642, so I don't ignore it on range day. One thing I've found helpful to avoid flinching at the anticipation of recoil is to shoot 5, and then replace one and give it a spin. Now when you shoot you don't know when it's going to go bang and you'll see what you're doing. As you get better you can try it with 4 live so you're still getting practice getting sights back on target but will be "surprised" when it doesn't fire rather than when it does.

[Pat Cannon]

Ordered a 642 airweight no lock model. Will be my first revolver. Have shot revolvers before but never purchased one.

Hickock likes his.