Snub nose .38

[Pistolgrip Pump]

Hey, guys! I really want a small frame, snub nose revolver and just had a few questions. I've heard .357s and .45/.44 was a pain in the *** to shoot so I was wondering how a .38 compared to the other calibers as far as stopping power and recoil goes. Also, what is the smallest frame revolver or the frame typically used for .38 snubbies? Any good models you would recommend? Thanks!

[morrcarr67]

.38's will be much easier to handle on a small frame 2" or less revolver.

I have an Armscor; you know the people that make the Rock Island Armory .45, and really like it. It is a modified copy of the Colt Detective Special which means it has 6 shots instead of 5.

I bought rubber grips to use while practicing



And, I use the standard grips while carrying

[Coded-Dude]

I love how you use the duck target towel for your gun pictures, that's awesome man.

I have the bodyguard 38, the light S&W J frames are pretty nice(scandium, +P rated). Snub nose revolvers can be tricky to learn, but are a blast to shoot.

[stevie]

S&W J frames are great small revolvers. Hard to go wrong with the S&W.

[morrcarr67]

I love how you use the duck target towel for your gun pictures, that's awesome man.

I have the bodyguard 38, the light S&W J frames are pretty nice(scandium, +P rated). Snub nose revolvers can be tricky to learn, but are a blast to shoot.

Thanks.

Which is why I got the rubber grips for practice. It makes it a lot easier to get to know the gun.

But, sense I do carry this from time to time I will also put some rounds through it with the standard grips on every trip to the range just so I know how it feels with those ones too.

[NSR500]

I carry an LCR in 357 Magnum. It's not too bad, but you have to work at being effective with it. Snub nosed revolvers really show your shooting errors.

[Sunday]

I like snubbies. S@W 442/642 are my favorites. They are a perfect fit in my front pocket with a speed strip in the watch pocket for 5 extra rounds.

[Squid]

unless you are trying to defeat body armor I'd think a 38 hollow point will be more than enough.

I knew a fairly exp "operator" and he carried FMJ in his snubbie because he said at snubbie range there was a good chance it might be turned on him and he said a FMJ 38 is plenty to end a fight and a hollow point will kill you before any 911 shows up.

I'm 200+ lbs and have worked heavy construction and to me even a full size Ruger GP-100 shooting mild 38 has a lot of recoil and sorta 'frazzles' me for a second or two. I'd guess a 2 finger grip would be nearly unmanageable and I'd need to 'reset' after the gun nearly flies out my hand.

Here is what I'm wanting because it has 3 finger grip and 3" barrel but is still concealable. https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...ducts_id/61747

Little spendy but sweet. I wish they made it in 38 without the night-sights and about $300 cheaper.

[bikr4jc]

I got the Taurus CIA 38 snub as a carry gun. Tin Star has them for $325. Run reg loads at range but carry 38+P hollow points.

[jbk]

I have a colt DS II that me and my wife love to shoot. It's. Very controllable and a very mild recoil. I would defiantally recommend one if you can find one.

[bsg]

i have an older (1979) S&W Model 60 2". the old Model 36/60 is arguably considered to be the classic backup handgun. imho, it is most suited for and effective as a 'close encounters' defensive handgun.

[Pistolgrip Pump]

Anybody know some good models they would recommend? I saw a few mentioned but just wanted to check out some more.

[Kodachrome]

One thing about S&W J frames is they only carry five rounds. I have a first series Colt Detective Special with oversized Sile grips but it carries six rounds. The Uncle Mike grips look to manage recoil better than most grips. Smith & Wesson, Taurus, Charter Arms and Rossi are a brands I can remember.
Best Wishes

[Coded-Dude]

whats your price range?

[G-Solutions]

I have an older Taurus 85M (Aluminium Frame, Titanium Cylinder and Barrel Shroud) that has served me really well as a carry gun before I upgraded to a Kahr.

That said - what do you want to use the gun for carry or recreational shooting/plinking.

For a carry gun, it may be a good choice to go as light as possible, especially if you want to use the revolver as a BUG for pocket carry. Recoil with .38 SPL is - let's say a bit stiff... 75 rounds qualification are just about as much as you want to shoot with a lightweight revolver in one sitting.

If you do not want to carry the gun - all bets are off. I'm not sure I would want to go with an Armscor since I made bad experiences with the quality of the semi-autos in the past. The two Taurus Revolvers that I have have served me well thus far over the past decade. One of my students shot a standard Taurus 85 in a 2-day course and put about 600 rounds through it during the class. She mentioned that it was not the most pleasant gun to shoot with this number of rounds, but since this is her carry gun, she muscled her way through these two days with it. Add that she was well into her 60's when she took the course.

In other words personal preference on my end is Taurus. Albeit for home defense I would prefer a larger model with at least six rounds.

Stopping power... with good +P defensive ammo you will be OK with a .38. I know several cops who use this chambering for their BUG.

Cheers,