thoughts on a pocket gun

[LUCKYDAWG13]

ok I'm thinking about a pocket gun I like the looks of the S&W j-frame 442 in 38 special or would i be better off with a
LCR in 357 mag. this will just be for front pocket carry if you have a better suggestion let me know
thanks


well Guys i put down on my new pocket gun today you know when you walk into a gun shop with just one gun in mind and
something else just calls out your name and buy me well i switched gears and got a Sig P938 sas i just love it. and best of all
I got the OK from my accountant ( wife ) i would like to thank you all for all your posts

[huntrick64]

I carried an SP101 2.25" for years in 357 mag. I could comfortably shoot full-house loads from it because it was so heavy. I used it to hammer in fence posts and to pull one side of my my pants down so I looked like a modern day "punk"! Got tired of that and bought a 38 special+p in LCR, because I had already fired a magazine full of factory+p 357 mag ammo out of an LCR (OUCH!). I liked that so much that I sent back and bough another one as well. No, I don't carry two, but I keep one in my truck for emergencies. There have been a couple of times I was not carrying, but was able to grab the one in my truck and stick it in my pocket.

[cosmoline one]

The ruger LCR (38spl) is a great gun to carry BUT shooting it is like getting whacked in the hand w/a stick every time you pull the trigger!

[Finster101]

If you are stuck on revolvers then I am no help. I have gotten years of excellent service out of my Keltec p-32. It is very hot and humid here the pistol is carried almost daily, not so pretty anymore, cleaned only after a trip to the range and goes bang every time even full of pocket lint. If I were buying one now I would get the .380 but I had several .32s when I got this one. It's not pretty or shiney but they are priced right and at least for me the right tool for this job.

James

[bedbugbilly]

I had a LCR in 357 - it was light and shot well. I shot 357 in it once. I'm too old to put up with the recoil of it so I stuck with 38 specials out of it. I carry on the belt and it concealed well. The nice thing about the design is that it won't snag usually out of a pocket. That said . . . I traded it off on a Smith Model 36 snub. I like that much better. It too, carries very easily and doesn't print . . . but again, I don't pocket carry it and I don't think it's a good idea to do so since the hammer could snag.

If I was going to pocket carry though . . . I'd go with a J frame hammerless or shrouded. I just like J frames. But . . it's a "personal thing". The best thing you could do is go to a LGS and try each of them out as far as how they feel in the pocket and how they pull from the pocket.

Both are good revolvers . . . it all depends on what you like the best. I feel very confident with a 38 as opposed to a 357 . . but that may be of concern to you so figure that into the equation as well. Good luck!

[JSnover]

S&W j-frame 442 in 38 special or would i be better off with a
LCR in 357 mag. this will just be for front pocket carry

I shot a few pocket-sized .38s and .357s and did not like them. Too much recoil for a gun that size.
If it has to be a revolver I can't help you but I have a Beretta Tomcat in .32acp which is a bit shorter and a hair wider than the Ruger LCP.

[FergusonTO35]

For pocket guns, today's crop of tiny locked breech autos is superb. My favorite is the Kel-Tec P32 which gets fed a 76 grain LFP at 886 fps. I can shoot it fast and with good accuracy and can carry it with any clothing I am wearing. As I am now loading .380 Auto I may get a Kahr CW380 sometime also.

[cwheel]

I've got a couple of nice J frames, they are great guns but they don't get out of the safe much anymore. My daily CCW is a Kel-Tec 380. These little auto's are half the weight and a lot liter than the J frames, thinner in the pocket as well. I just carry, and fire a couple of mags every couple of months, clean and repeat. In 10 years of owning one, never a malfunction or broken part. Only thing that has suffered is the finish. A LEO friend taught me years ago that you get a firearm that you will carry, not leave at home or in the truck, it's not going to do you any good there if needed. 380 is a marginal round to be sure. But my job is to get my family and myself out alive to fight another day. A LEO that might have to start the fight will need a larger pistol.
Chris

[Petrol & Powder]

I have a lot of years with snubnose revolvers and I'm a big fan of the type for self defense. The first rule of a gunfight is to HAVE A GUN and the snubnose lends itself to being available.
I'm not a fan of .357 magnum in pocket guns and think that 38 Special +P is far better than a lot of folks will admit. A short barreled revolver loaded with the "FBI Load" or its equivalent is a proven tool with an excellent track record. The Speer "Gold Dot Short Barrel Load" with the 135gr Gold Dot bullet is an option if the 158 gr load will not shoot to P.O.A.
The "FBI Load" is available from Remington as their HTP load or you can duplicate it by handloading a soft LSWCHP to the appropriate velocity. The 158 gr LSWCHP would always be my first choice for a snubnose 38 load.

As for the gun, I've shot the LCR and the J-frame Smiths. The LCR is a fine little gun but after carrying a 442 for over 20 years I have to say I'm a bit biased towards the S&W. The lightweight J-frames aren't rated for +P and I wouldn't shoot a lot of +P through them but I'm here to tell you that you can shoot a few through them with no ill effects.
I practice with a LSWC about 159 grains in weight and try to keep the reloads in standard pressure territory but those little lightweight J-frames are a lot tougher than many people think.

The grip selection for the S&W is a little better than the Ruger but the aftermarket selection of Ruger grips is catching up to the S&W. Any type of compact boot grip will improve the handling of the J-frame without destroying the compact nature of the gun (which is why you select a snubnose in the first place ! )

The out-of-the-box trigger pull of the LCR may be a bit better than a current model S&W 442 but the 442 can be easily improved if you wish.

I vote for the S&W but I openly admit my bias.

[Petrol & Powder]

Oh and BTW that is 20+ years of pocket carry.

[gpidaho]

Okay, pocket gun not holster carry gun. I have a Double Tap 45ACP The gun is small enough and flat enough you'll forget its in your pocket. (don't walk in the court house or into an airport ,lol) That said it's strictly PYSOOTF kind of a gun, not at all fun at the range. I would say that it's just slightly better behind it than in front of it, but don't know where you would get any more up close power in a gun this small and concealable. GP

[Petrol & Powder]

.............
I have a Beretta Tomcat in .32acp which is a bit shorter and a hair wider than the Ruger LCP.

I had a Tomcat and a couple of my friends still do. That is the LOUDEST little .32 ACP I've ever fired but it works beautifully and is very reliable and quite accurate for a pocket pistol. The gun doesn't have an extractor (doesn't need one) but it does have a tip up barrel so the manual of arms is a bit unusual when clearing the chamber. It's not difficult, just different.
They are cool little pistols and well made.
Put some Winchester Silvertips in it and carry on.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

thanks all i do have a Ruger sp 101 3" but its just to big for pocket carry for me LGS has a like new j-frame that i'm looking at

[beemer]

I like Airweight Smiths but small autos are easier to carry in your front pocket. I bought my wife a Taurus TCP in 380, it ends up in my pocket more often than not. It shoots close enough to POA and seems to be reliable. It's as convenient to carry as my 25 auto. There is a lot of trade off in power with a small pistol but if you can't carry it you can't use it. I've noticed that the older I get the smaller pistols I prefer, maybe I'm getting back to the reason for a handgun to begin with.

Dave

[WALLNUTT]

I carry J frames. Just like revolvers better. Maybe an age thing. ! don't see the need for magnum but it's all personal. I use Hornady critical defense 38 for carry and pratice with wadcutters. Impact is the same at 25 feet.

[txbirdman]

I use to be a dyed in the wool revolver guy but no more. I too carry in the front pocket year round and have found nothing better that my Kahr CM9. I've carried it for about 3 years in my Wrangler jeans every day with no problem. I've shot this little gun quite a bit and am confident in it's reliability. Also I feel that 7 rounds of 124 gr. HST HP's is far more effective than a .38 Spcl. especially in a 5 shot revolver.

[Petrol & Powder]

The SP101 is a good gun but as the OP stated, it is far too big for pocket carry. Even a 2" (2.25") SP101 with a bobbed hammer is a bit large/heavy for pocket carry (I know because I've done it)

As for the OP's 38 Special v. .357 mag question; I'd like to expand on that a bit.

There is no doubt that the .357 magnum produces far more energy than the 38 Special but comparison between the two has altered the perception of the 38 Special to an unrealistic point.
When talking about the 38 Special and the .357 Magnum one might be led to believe the 38 Special wouldn't penetrate a sheet of typing paper at 10' ! The 38 Special is a very versatile and effective cartridge and it is that versatility that has saved it from extinction in the face of the magnum. The 44 Magnum has almost killed off double action revolvers chambered in 44 Special, which is a shame because the 44 Special is an outstanding cartridge. The .357 magnum hasn't managed to harm the reputation of the 38 Special to the same degree as the 44 mag did to the 44 Special but it has changed the way people think about the 38 Special. There's a lot of value in the 38 Special cartridge and even out of a short barrel, it has proven to be a very effective cartridge.

I wouldn't discount the 38 Special simply because the magnum produces more energy.

[MarkP]

I have a 642 & 637 that I use for front pocket holstered carry. I find when wearing shorts a M-60 is just too heavy.
The Air Wt Smiths are +P rated it is stamped on the side of my bbl. just check S&W's website (642)

[LUCKYDAWG13]

are all j-frames +p rated

[jmort]

I have/had 5 J Frames and like them, but the .357 LCR is better all around. I use this 170 grain RFP at 1,000 fps in .357 brass. Recoil very manageable. Works well in the field and the city.