Looking for lite weight S+W/Ruger 38 hammer gun (suggestions)

[FergusonTO35]

Late model Charters are good guns, I've had a few. Now that I think about it, if the OP's wife is totally new to shooting and has health issues I think she might be better served with something else. A lightweight snub is still going to have some recoil and muzzle jump even with mild ammo, unless she can consistently grip it tightly a snub will probably be an exercise in frustration. The short sighting radius and minuscule sights aren't going to help her either.

Have you you considered the Ruger LCRX with 3" barrel? It comes with adjustable sights and a big comfortable grip, still weighs under 20oz. I think. It's the large print edition of the standard LCR.

[beemer]

I like the S&W Airweight , bought one for my wife. She can't deal with the slide on an auto but handles the J frame just fine. Revolvers are good choices for someone that is not a gun person , simple and easy to operate. Not being ammo sensitive you can work up a load that they can handle easily. If the action is a little stiff you can have that improved , grips can also be changed.

Small guns are always a trade off, any time you gain something you lose something, it's just figuring out which ones you are comfortable with.

Dave.

[Edward]

Again as posted I need simple/Light(under 17 oz)It is for the wife not for me,me I have had full carry since mid-80s and am into accuracy with every thing I shoot at silly distances (for me) ! If /when something happens to me ,where we live No family member with permit the state will confiscate all hand guns /and no compensation ! Plus only permit issued is full carry or premise only ,and that means go out of the house with gun, lose permit/ loose gun /lose freedom for up to a year! So as stated she needs full carry /lite and simple and my reloads take care of recoil ! Also anyone plagued by having to many that fit the bill let me know and I can help /Thanks Ed

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

R ...

[shooting on a shoestring]

Another thought, go 32 S&W in an old I-frame. My wife, small hands, not much strength, not into shooting but wanted a gun she could use. She latched on to the first I-frame I brought home. It's a Regulation Police 32 Ctg. 3&1/4" barrel. Loaded with wad cutters. She uses it much better than any of my J-frames or SP101's. Its very smooth. She can run it DA but mostly shoots it SA.

[FergusonTO35]

Geez, I think one way or another she needs to get a permit ASAP so that the Stalinists are less likely to get all the guns if something happens to you.

[Sam Casey]

You will not find a better smooth operating 38 Spl. than the old Colt Diamondback. Has a nice wide easy cocking hammer for S/A use. Not a "cheap date", but IMO the best there is.

[Mytmousemalibu]

The LCR chambered in .327 Fed Mag would probably be a good option for her. It holds an additional round over the other 5-shooters and .327 is no slouch but reduced recoil. You can certainly drop down in cartridge to meet her recoil requirements with .32 H&R or .32 S&W. I'm more a Smith guy but that is a Ruger I want myself. Might be a good fit for her. I do agree, take her to the range and have her sample the rental rack.

[dualsport]

I have a 25+ year old Charter Arms Undercover .38 Special that is my primary ccw choice when in town. I had the hammer bobbed long ago so it is used mainly DA but can still be cocked and fired single action if needed. Carried inside the waist band for years thru hot summers and zero rust.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

In this case I would think an older S&W 37 would be ideal. Light weight aluminum frame. Double action trigger, with the option of a nice light single action trigger pull.


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[rugerdude]

Gotta add a vote for J Frame Smith. My mom bought a 37 many years ago to carry in her purse or jacket pocket and wanted something lightweight. She was a fairly small woman with small hands and she never had any problem with it. When she passed away, she left it to me and it has become my regular shorts and T-shirt carry gun. Just drop it in a front pocket in a suede holster and it's very easy to carry and doesn't attract any attention.

[FergusonTO35]

Whatever she ends up with, grips can make or break her ability to shoot it. I was reminded of this fact yesterday when I was shooting my 637 and Ruger Service Six. The 637, equipped with Pachmayr Compac Pro grips, was making much tighter groups double action at 15 feet than the Service Six with it's slick and skinny OEM wood grips.

[Lefty Red]

J frame has the best selection of grips to fit the Shooters hand.

The LCR is nice, but Grip selection is non existent.

Lefty


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[Three-Fifty-Seven]

.....

[Lefty Red]

You might call three grips "a lot" to choice from, but I don't.

Just GOOGLE grips for either the LCR or J Frame and see which one has the most.

Eagle Grips has the Secret Service grips, and they are beautiful when they actually fit the LCR!


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[Three-Fifty-Seven]

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[FergusonTO35]

I'm with Lefty here. I like the LCR but don't like any of the grips available for it. My 637 wears the Pachmayr Compac Pro, the best grip I have ever tried on a snubby. Using Jerry Miculek's technique and my pet loads (3.1 Bullseye/Lyman 35891 for 712 fps) I can shoot it quite well. Ordered me a Galco Ankle Lite holster for the 637 this morning

[Blackwater]

As to trigger pulls, S&W has it all over any other brands, IMO. I've always slicked mine up, which is really pretty easy and easy to learn. Main thing to know is that if you install a lighter trigger return spring, you HAVE to ALSO install the lighter cylinder bolt spring, that powers the little thingy that locks the cylinders into alignment. If you slick one up, and leave the bolt spring factory level, it CAN fail to return, with the lighter trigger return spring and the std. factory bolt spring still in place. I never had mine fail after installing both springs, and I shot mine a LOT. FWIW?

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

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[Lefty Red]

Uhhhh ... 3+1 plus wooden ones is ... how many?

I never said there was "a lot" ... but you wrote ...


Do you remember writing the above quote, especially the bold part?

And both Badger and Houge make wooden grips, besides Eagle!

And in post #24 I wrote ...



So I'm familiar with the fact that there are more choices for the J frame, but also know that there are more than just the factory grip available for the LCR ... try Google yourself!

123, I didn't mean anything personally by my post. So please don't take it that way.

Sure, you want to spend the money for a custom stock maker then that opens a whole new door. Just depends on the amount of money you want to throw at it.

And yes, you can have any grip you want for the LCR.....as long as it's a Hogue and it's big and bulky. Not really optimized for a pocket carry 5 shot revolver.

I had a LCR, 9mm that would dismantle the rounds by shot three or four. Loved my friend's 38 LCR. But it's still bigger and bulkier than my 642. I can go online and pick about type of Grip for the SW J Frame, or a Taurus 605/85 for under $50. Most of them under $35. Besides the cheaper three Hogue grips (Tamer, Gripper, or Boot) you are paying over $50 and it's custom made.

The LCR will fit most holsters for the Colt Detective, a six shot snubbie. Which leaves me thinking, why can't Ruger make a six shot snubbie that is just a tad bigger?

And right now, my favorite gunshop has 642s on sale for $359. If I wasn't holding out for a 637, I would have one in layaway.

But this is just my opinion and my personal experience. Just like everyone else's. And I enjoy reading everyone's experiences and take what I need from than and leave the rest. No need to get worked up over it.

Be safe!

Lefty


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