Revolver Carry

[carlson1]

For probably about 13 years I carried a S&W M-36 on duty and off. After the LEO days I continued to carry along with a Colt Commander.

August 29, 2001 my wife bought me a S&W 340PD which I fell in love with. I carried it along with a HK P7. Then I just carried the 340PD up until about 2008. I have since been carrying Glock and now strictly a Sig or S&W M&P (several models, but same manual of arms).

I have never felt under gunned with either of the J Frames even if I did not carry a speed strip or speed loader.

[Oldgringo]

On 'dress up' days; you know funerals, weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, baptisms, etc. I'll stick Mrs. Oldgringo's S&W 638 in my pocket for good measure. You just never know....

[bulinm]

I find myself carrying my S&W 60 2 1/8" more than any other.

[mrvmax]

I have carried a Ruger LCR in .357 in an OWB holster along with 2-4 speed strips. I change carry guns now and then so i am no longer carrying this combo but I did use it yesterday as concealed carry while I was hunting. The LCR has a slimmer profile and was easy to hide under a camo t-shirt. Due to wild hogs out in the woods I was glad to be carrying that with me in case I ran across any (I was using a .22 rifle to hunt so the larger caliber handgun was comforting).

[Dan20703]

S&W 642 with Mika pocket holster. Very easy to carry when wearing cargo shorts and tee shirt in the summer.

[03Lightningrocks]

I was thinking about getting a smith and Wesson airweight in .357 but a few posters in here warned me that it was pretty unpleasant to shoot. Caused me to back off. I still may do it but it definitely made me think twice.

[WildBill]

I was thinking about getting a smith and Wesson airweight in .357 but a few posters in here warned me that it was pretty unpleasant to shoot. Caused me to back off. I still may do it but it definitely made me think twice.

IMO, if you start out with a airweight with maximum loads the recoil is so brutal that you may not practice enough to be proficient.
I think that if you practice with many 38 special loads so you get accustomed to the recoil with the airweight and become proficient with the gun and then also practice with some of the .357 loads that you will carry, then all will be fine.

The biggest problem I see with air weight revolvers is that people think that they are a good handgun for a woman or novice shooter, because they are small and light and easy to hold. When you pull the trigger, it's a whole different experience.

Many years ago my dad bought a .357 Magnum Colt Python for my mom's birthday - it had a 2 inch barrel. My mom was an experienced shooter, but the 357 Magnum Python was a whole different experience. The first time she took it to the range and shot it, there was a very loud noise, a bright muzzle blast and the short barrel flipped upwards towards the ceiling. Eventually she learned to shoot it, but never got used to the blast or recoil.

[03Lightningrocks]

I was thinking about getting a smith and Wesson airweight in .357 but a few posters in here warned me that it was pretty unpleasant to shoot. Caused me to back off. I still may do it but it definitely made me think twice.

IMO, if you start out with a airweight with maximum loads the recoil is so brutal that you may not practice enough to be proficient.
I think that if you practice with many 38 special loads so you get accustomed to the recoil with the airweight and become proficient with the gun and then also practice with some of the .357 loads that you will carry, then all will be fine.

Very good point.

[Greybeard]

15-ounce S&W 637 with CT Grip goes with me a lot. Holsters for IWB, ankle and pocket. However, I tell many students that if I was in the market for a 5-holer today and could just own one, it would likely be the Ruger LCR in .38+P. Similar pricing and much better trigger than the recent breeds of j-frames.

[JSThane]

I was thinking about getting a smith and Wesson airweight in .357 but a few posters in here warned me that it was pretty unpleasant to shoot. Caused me to back off. I still may do it but it definitely made me think twice.

IMO, if you start out with a airweight with maximum loads the recoil is so brutal that you may not practice enough to be proficient.
I think that if you practice with many 38 special loads so you get accustomed to the recoil with the airweight and become proficient with the gun and then also practice with some of the .357 loads that you will carry, then all will be fine.

Very good point.

x2

I have a S&W 442, .38 only, and with +P loads, it's very unpleasant to shoot. I can't imagine setting off something that size (or lighter; IIRC, the Scandium framed guns weigh less than the .38 only ones!) with a full-house .357 in it. I do carry the gun, but shoot it very seldom. I'll practice with other revolvers that won't eat my thumb, and run a cylinder or three through the 442 only every other once in a while.

[rdcrags]

"I have a S&W 442, .38 only, and with +P loads, it's very unpleasant to shoot. I can't imagine setting off something that size (or lighter; IIRC, the Scandium framed guns weigh less than the .38 only ones!) with a full-house .357 in it. I do carry the gun, but shoot it very seldom. I'll practice with other revolvers that won't eat my thumb, and run a cylinder or three through the 442 only every other once in a while."

I could have written that. Exactly my experience. Can't bear to fire it much, but carry it every day because it is so light (12 oz. empty, but of course not empty when I carry it). I carry a speed loader with it to give me 10 rounds.

[JSThane]

"I have a S&W 442, .38 only, and with +P loads, it's very unpleasant to shoot. I can't imagine setting off something that size (or lighter; IIRC, the Scandium framed guns weigh less than the .38 only ones!) with a full-house .357 in it. I do carry the gun, but shoot it very seldom. I'll practice with other revolvers that won't eat my thumb, and run a cylinder or three through the 442 only every other once in a while."

I could have written that. Exactly my experience. Can't bear to fire it much, but carry it every day because it is so light (12 oz. empty, but of course not empty when I carry it). I carry a speed loader with it to give me 10 rounds.

Funny thing is, my wife hates revolvers, but loves that one because it's lightweight in the hand, and because she's a recoil junkie. First time she shot it, she ran through a bunch of old +P ammo I was rotating out, turned around, and asked for more.

[TexasGal]

Funny thing is, my wife hates revolvers, but loves that one because it's lightweight in the hand, and because she's a recoil junkie. First time she shot it, she ran through a bunch of old +P ammo I was rotating out, turned around, and asked for more. :biggrinjester

I'd be careful not to get on her bad side. That's not...well...normal.
I shoot mine only to the degree necessary to maintain practice. It is positively brutal on the hands. But easy to carry.

[jmra]

Funny thing is, my wife hates revolvers, but loves that one because it's lightweight in the hand, and because she's a recoil junkie. First time she shot it, she ran through a bunch of old +P ammo I was rotating out, turned around, and asked for more. :biggrinjester

I'd be careful not to get on her bad side. That's not...well...normal.
I shoot mine only to the degree necessary to maintain practice. It is positively brutal on the hands. But easy to carry.

My wife commandeered by Ruger speed six before we were even married. She wanted the most potent .357 round you can get and loved shooting it at night. She would then start singing "Fire".