Lite weight .38 snubbie?

[Zorba]

Wife is complaining about her Charter Arms for (off body) carry. It weighs about 1 lb, 4 oz unloaded. She's wanting to shop for something lighter. The Ruger LCR is 13.5 oz, and the Smith 642 is 14.6. Any others she should be looking at?

[fisheadgib]

If you go to the lcr, which is as light as you're going to get, she'll bitch about the recoil. You're not going to win.

[Chiro1989]

Recoil is snappy in my S&W 642 and my Ruger LCR, she should try before she buys

[Gila]

I have a S&W Airlite 340PD .357 that weighs a little over half a pound unloaded. It is extremely painful to fire a magnum round in it. If you can find someone who has one and let her try a .38 round in it to compare with what she now has it should stop her whining.

[Zorba]

Recoil is snappy in my S&W 642 and my Ruger LCR, she should try before she buys

Agreed. She's not particularly recoil shy, but I did point out to her that a liteweight would recoil sharper.

[Zorba]

If you go to the lcr, which is as light as you're going to get, she'll bitch about the recoil. You're not going to win.

Fortunately, NOT my problem. We may be able to rent an LCR at a local range...

[Zorba]

I have a S&W Airlite 340PD .357 that weighs a little over half a pound unloaded. It is extremely painful to fire a magnum round in it. If you can find someone who has one and let her try a .38 round in it to compare with what she now has it should stop her whining.

Very expensive too!

[Bigslug]

No real complaints against the LCR, but the Smiths will have more available options for grips.

The scandium Smiths are expensive and unpleasant to shoot with the hotter stuff, but they DO give you the versatility of shooting .357 if needed. The 642 is the middle ground.

Winchester is now loading their standard pressure 130 grain FMJ with a fairly aggressive flat point. Much like the .380, a lot of the .38 hollowpoints are pretty marginal for penetration when you compromise the velocity with a 2" barrel, so non-expansion may be a better bet. That load would probably be high on my list for a lightweight revolver.

[breamfisher]

In a J-frame or similar-sized and -weight revolver, I'm leaning more and more towards a 158 gr. LSWC at standard pressures. Decent penetration, recoil's not a bear, caliber-sized wound channel. I'm basing this on my shooting experience with my handloads on a vintage Smith and Wesson Airweight, so others mileage may vary.

Something akin to this in factory form:
https://www.remington.com/handgun/perfo ... 22271.html

[Zee]

I tried to fire a cylinder of +P .38 Spl through a Smith 442 I once owned and locked up the cylinder after 3 shots. Just FYI.

[bullsi1911]

If you can rent first, that will be a great way to weed down the options. Make sure to bring her charter and fire it before and between the Ruger and the Smith as a “baseline” comparison.

I can tell you if I was going for the LCR, I would be looking at the 9mm version for cheaper ammo:
https://ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5456.html

[CPJ 2.0]

If you can rent first, that will be a great way to weed down the options. Make sure to bring her charter and fire it before and between the Ruger and the Smith as a “baseline” comparison.

I can tell you if I was going for the LCR, I would be looking at the 9mm version for cheaper ammo:
https://ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5456.html

I was, WAS mildly interested.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_inf ... 875+blk+ss



fudge that poop.

[Zorba]

If you can rent first, that will be a great way to weed down the options. Make sure to bring her charter and fire it before and between the Ruger and the Smith as a “baseline” comparison.

I can tell you if I was going for the LCR, I would be looking at the 9mm version for cheaper ammo:
https://ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5456.html

One word: Moon Clips. That would not be a good match with my wife! Great idea about bringing the Charter for comparison.

[Wambli Ska]

Is she really married to the revolver??? This must get be a good time to steer her towards a small 9mm pistol. Just a suggestion. Just about every woman I’ve trained has ended up living the Glock 43X. I’ve probably sold more than the local sales rep and have gotten no commissions

[Wambli Ska]

And if recoil of the .38 is a concern how about a .22 WMR?
https://www.nrawomen.com/content/do-22- ... f-defense/

[Zorba]

Is she really married to the revolver??? This must get be a good time to steer her towards a small 9mm pistol. Just a suggestion. Just about every woman I’ve trained has ended up living the Glock 43X. I’ve probably sold more than the local sales rep and have gotten no commissions

Like I say, she's not particularly recoil shy. But she is semi-auto shy. She does NOT like them - for whatever reason, she doesn't like the flying brass. She's a lefty, and the brass flies across her field of view. I even had her try my P.38 which ejects left instead of right. "Better, but I still don't like it." It is what it is. She also has problems racking the slide - I've pointed out that there are some available that either have lite racking slides or tip-up barrels negating the need. She "might" go for one of those, but probably not...

So yea, she's pretty married to a revolver - like many are married to facebook and smartphones. *shrug*

[CPJ 2.0]

If you can rent first, that will be a great way to weed down the options. Make sure to bring her charter and fire it before and between the Ruger and the Smith as a “baseline” comparison.

I can tell you if I was going for the LCR, I would be looking at the 9mm version for cheaper ammo:
https://ruger.com/products/lcr/specSheets/5456.html

One word: Moon Clips. That would not be a good match with my wife! Great idea about bringing the Charter for comparison.

Is she against ease of use and efficiency?

[Diver43]

Up until the recent change to a SW Shield EZ in .380, my wife carried a SW 431 PD in .32 H&R Mag. She had no issue shooting it, just bad the revolver because of hand strength and racking the slide of a semi auto. The EZ negates that issue.

[breamfisher]

I thought the EZ was a gimmick. A friend bought their wife an Equalizer. Holy cow, that thing is easy to manipulate!

[Gila]

I have a S&W Airlite 340PD .357 that weighs a little over half a pound unloaded. It is extremely painful to fire a magnum round in it. If you can find someone who has one and let her try a .38 round in it to compare with what she now has it should stop her whining.

Very expensive too!

How much is your wife's or your life worth? My S&W has never failed, it is extremely concealable (I carry mine in my boot), accurate at defensive distances and has very good stopping power. My wife carried basically the same revolver, but with an aluminum frame and in .38 Plus P. At the range we learned that she had no more difficultly shooting the Plus P than the standard .38. Her revolver is no longer made, but is the same as the Lightweight 642, except for the caliber, which is now .38 Special.

[CPJ 2.0]

I have a S&W Airlite 340PD .357 that weighs a little over half a pound unloaded. It is extremely painful to fire a magnum round in it. If you can find someone who has one and let her try a .38 round in it to compare with what she now has it should stop her whining.

Very expensive too!

How much is your wife's or your life worth? My S&W has never failed, it is extremely concealable (I carry mine in my boot), accurate at defensive distances and has very good stopping power. My wife carried basically the same revolver, but with an aluminum frame and in .38 Plus P. At the range we learned that she had no more difficultly shooting the Plus P than the standard .38. Her revolver is no longer made, but is the same as the Lightweight 642, except for the caliber, which is now .38 Special.

Define: stopping power.

[jbp-ohio]

PD38HS3H__65331.jpg (319.44 KiB) Viewed 2930 times

[Kansashunter]

Zorba is her charter arms SA/DA or DA only? I have a 642 and I have difficulty shooting it well between the DA trigger and a 2 inch barrel. It would be fine for up close and personal for me bit I haven't been comfortable enough with it to carry it. I understand about getting a wife to carry something can be difficult.

[Zorba]

Zorba is her charter arms SA/DA or DA only? I have a 642 and I have difficulty shooting it well between the DA trigger and a 2 inch barrel. It would be fine for up close and personal for me bit I haven't been comfortable enough with it to carry it. I understand about getting a wife to carry something can be difficult.

DA only - which is what she prefers. She doesn't have a problem shooting it - quite the opposite actually - she just finds it too heavy for carry and is looking for options.

[Gila]

Very expensive too!

How much is your wife's or your life worth? My S&W has never failed, it is extremely concealable (I carry mine in my boot), accurate at defensive distances and has very good stopping power. My wife carried basically the same revolver, but with an aluminum frame and in .38 Plus P. At the range we learned that she had no more difficultly shooting the Plus P than the standard .38. Her revolver is no longer made, but is the same as the Lightweight 642, except for the caliber, which is now .38 Special.

Define: stopping power.

A 125 grain Golden Saber .357 magnum.