New pocket gun

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Just thought I would post a pick of my new pocket gun so far I like it a lot went to my range just shooting at steel and water bottles just fun plinking with it will put on paper next week when I get some time anyway here she is
244029 S&W 637

[dkonrai]

Nice smitty. How is the trigger?

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[LUCKYDAWG13]

The trigger was the selling point vary smooth in my search for a pocket gun the trigger on this one was the best and I looked at a lot

[RED BEAR]

Looks very nice. I tried a couple other brands and came back to sw.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Can you pinch the hammer and cock it for single action?

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Can you pinch the hammer and cock it for single action?

No not at all nothing there to grab

[Petrol & Powder]

can you pinch the hammer and cock it for single action?

why on earth would you want to do that even if it had an exposed hammer ?

[Outpost75]

why on earth would you want to do that even if it had an exposed hammer ?

I was going to ask the same question!

The very reason why competent gunsmiths who "bob" hammers also convert the gun to DAO to prevent people from doing this!

Reason I don't work retail. Too many people walking in are "too stupid to own guns..."

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I was going to ask the same question!

The very reason why competent gunsmiths who "bob" hammers also convert the gun to DAO to prevent people from doing this!

Reason I don't work retail. Too many people walking in are "too stupid to own guns..."

Easy now! My thought was a no snag pocket gun that could be cocked for a more precise single shot on some occasional small game. I guess what I would be looking for would be a shrouded hammer such as this: https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-649 Just think they are ugly, and the shroud adds extra weight and bulk.

[Outpost75]

Easy now! My thought was a no snag pocket gun that could be cocked for a more precise single shot on some occasional small game. I guess what I would be looking for would be a shrouded hammer such as this: https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-649 Just think they are ugly, and the shroud adds extra weight and bulk.

Precise DA shooting is entirely possible at small game ranges and is safer than trying to thumb-cock a bobbed hammer. It's basic competency.

I've seen too many NDs with people attempting this stunt to condone the practice of doing otherwise.

Sorry for any ruffled feathers, but if you want to shoot SA, then don't bob the hammer.

[rfd]

very nice little snubbie ya got LD13, congrats.

to external hammer or not? if the revolver is for self defense/ccw, an external hammer is a detriment. snubbies ain't for everyone, either.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've heard all of the justifications for SA capability on a snubnose revolver and NONE of them hold water.

The snubnose DA revolver is an excellent self-defense tool but hammer spurs and SA capability are not needed on that platform. In fact, hammer spurs are a serious detriment on snubnose revolvers and you'll never miss the SA function. Snubnose revolvers are meant to be DA tools and they excel in that mode.

There is a pervasive attitude that if you don't have single action capability on a snubnose revolver you are somehow "giving up" something or losing some useful capability - you're not losing a thing with a DAO snubnose.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Point made.

Enjoy your 637, Lucky!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Point made.

Enjoy your 637, Lucky!

That I will going to the range hopefully tomorrow will see how it does on paper

[35remington]

If occasional SA capability is desired the 649 or 638 may be your choice.

For defensive use the SA capability is of course ignored, and the shroud does make it snag free. As for myself I have rather gotten used to their appearance, just like you get used to plastic autoloaders.

[onelight]

If occasional SA capability is desired the 649 or 638 may be your choice.

For defensive use the SA capability is of course ignored, and the shroud does make it snag free. As for myself I have rather gotten used to their appearance, just like you get used to plastic autoloaders.
I didn’t buy it for looks anyway , and I like being able cock it at the range if I want best of both worlds....I wonder if these guys think the full cock notch should be removed from all da guns.

[rfd]

I didn’t buy it for looks anyway , and I like being able cock it at the range if I want best of both worlds....I wonder if these guys think the full cock notch should be removed from all da guns.

no, of course not - only for snubbies and other revolvers used primarily for self defense, ccw, edc ... add in ecq, too.

[winelover]

A exposed hammer on a snubbie is nothing but a crutch. Learn to shoot DA. It ain't rocket science. All about trigger control. I prefer DA revolvers for hunting. I have harvested deer in DA, with my RH, that were so close that they could hear the hammer cock on a SA.

Want to get proficient, at DA? Get a laser sight, like Crimson Trace's laser grips or laser guard. You will see what your doing wrong, pretty quickly.

Winelover

[onelight]

A exposed hammer on a snubbie is nothing but a crutch. Learn to shoot DA. It ain't rocket science. All about trigger control. I prefer DA revolvers for hunting. I have harvested deer in DA, with my RH, that were so close that they could hear the hammer cock on a SA.

Want to get proficient, at DA? Get a laser sight, like Crimson Trace's laser grips or laser guard. You will see what your doing wrong, pretty quickly.

Winelover
I guess it depends on the definition of “proficient “. I have no problem shooting hand size groups da at short combat ranges 30’ and under with a snubbie or pocket size da only autos , not exceptional by any means but adequate and I practice that way when they get range time .
I have also taken quite a bit of small game with pocket pistols because that was what I had in my pocket . For small targets or longer ranges I want the “crutch” I rarely carry pocket guns I do better with a bigger “crutch”, all my carry guns are da and or da/sa autos and revolvers I practice both ways.

[rfd]

when it comes to a CCW revolver, and the choice is a snubby, that handgun has a very special purpose. as such, it's essentially an ECQ defensive firearm that offers extreme concealability. it's a last line of point 'n' shoot defense. it's a civilian EDC or an LEO BUG. this is not a "range gun" or a "plinker" or a gun to carry into a firefight. it is a tool for a specific job, no more or less. it demands d/a training and practice. as such, an external hammer is clearly a detriment. a snubby is not for everyone.

i've read recently where some are concerned over the limited fixed sights on a typical snubby and want better, bigger, brighter, adjustable sights because "sometimes you need to take a long shot". though it can surely be done with its simple fixed sights, that's not the primary job of a snubnose revolver. it would be rare to have a need at a "long shot" for defense. as an armed citizen, this is a life-and-death close quarter handgun, a means of deescalating a hostile situation, and hopefully a way to do what's most important - extract oneself from harm without the need for a discharge.

[white cloud]

Nice pocket revolver. IMHO the J frame is best choice for a pocket gun. I know the conventional wisdom is "no SA capability" for fighting revolvers. I don't care. I want it on mine and thats why I carry a Model 649.

[rfd]

an internal hammer defensive snubby means no firing issues if triggered while in a pocket. with the right trigger control a snubby can be set to a faux S/A condition, if need be for range plinking (but ... why?) - this should not be employed during a life-or-death confrontation, where D/A rules. there is also the matter of the risky option of a cocked hammer in a self defense situation. D/A in 9-12lbs is simply safer than that cocked hammer at 3-4lbs, where the external hammer can become a litigious matter after the perp has been wounded or killed. think about it.

[onelight]

an internal hammer defensive snubby means no firing issues if triggered while in a pocket. with the right trigger control a snubby can be set to a faux S/A condition, if need be for range plinking (but ... why?) - this should not be employed during a life-or-death confrontation, where D/A rules.

there is also the matter of the risky option of a cocked hammer in a self defense situation. D/A in 9-12lbs is simply safer than that cocked hammer at 3-4lbs, where the external hammer can become a litigious matter after the perp has been wounded or killed. think about it.
This kinda rules out Sigs , HKs , CZ 75s ,1911s ,XDMs,Some Glocks ,M&Ps ,Walthers , Berettas and about any thing I have . I could still cary my LCR but not my sig 290 it has a hammer..
You can’t be serious..

[rfd]

dead serious. revolver - not pistol.

[KCSO]

Just get a Smith Model 38 with the shrouded hammer if you insist on thumb cocking! If you learn proper d/a shooting you can stage the trigger and do just as good a moderate range.

[Petrol & Powder]

A snubnose revolver is a self-defense tool. It is NOT a target gun (although they can be quite accurate, even in DAO !)
It is NOT a hunting gun.
It is generally not a competition gun.

It is a fighting gun !

There is NEVER a need for single action capability in a snubnose DA revolver and a hammer spur is a downright impediment on that type of tool.

The DA pull does not hinder the practical accuracy of that tool. In fact, if you can't shoot the gun in DA, you need to practice more.

This is the real world not the movies. You're not Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in "True Lies" and you're not going to shoot the bad guy in the head from 20 yards away while he holds your wife hostage at gun point.

[Petrol & Powder]

And just to reinforce that fantasy :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roqpsfU_EuA

[Outpost75]

I guess it depends on the definition of “proficient “. I have no problem shooting hand size groups da at short combat ranges 30’ and under with a snubbie or pocket size da only autos , not exceptional by any means but adequate and I practice that way when they get range time .
I have also taken quite a bit of small game with pocket pistols because that was what I had in my pocket . For small targets or longer ranges I want the “crutch” I rarely carry pocket guns I do better with a bigger “crutch”, all my carry guns are da and or da/sa autos and revolvers I practice both ways.

244124

DA target at 7 yards. All about trigger control.

Practice on a 12-inch gong standing, DA at 50 yards with your snubby after 25 yards gets boring.

[johniv]

A few years ago the wife of a friend of mine, was staying alone , when she heard a noise at night (or thought she did) . She cocked the ( borrowed) revolver she had. The disturbance proved to be nothing, and she was left with a cocked revolver, at zero dark thirty, her half asleep, and scared. She did solve the problem, but it was a bad situation, that was preventable.

[white cloud]

This kinda rules out Sigs , HKs , CZ 75s ,1911s ,XDMs,Some Glocks ,M&Ps ,Walthers , Berettas and about any thing I have . I could still cary my LCR but not my sig 290 it has a hammer..
You can’t be serious..

My thinking exactly. What's the difference? I am not going to use S.A. in a self defense situation but it sure comes in handy for pest control.

[jrayborn]

Given that likely millions of pocket size revolvers have exposed hammers, I think that stating they are unwanted, unnecessarry or unsafe can (in CERTAIN situations) be true. But it looks to me like an awful lot of folks like them just the same. That's why I love this country, no matter what some folks try to tell us we need or don't need, we can choose for ourselves, and have a civil discussion about it. I have both, carry both, enjoy both and (oh boy) use a lot of them as a range toy's. See? Choices are good. I really don't think anyone should try to decide what I should or should not carry, except me.

[onelight]

I have a variety of hand guns all shapes and sizes because I think they are interesting and I enjoy loading and shooting paper and I hunted a lot in my past. I also would like to be prepared to defend my family and myself . The odds are I won’t need to ever , I hope.
I have been shooting more than 50 years bought my first 45 when I was 16 I know how to stage a trigger I choose not to . My defensive training with revolver is all da , But most of my shooting is for FUN and if I want a gun with a hammer I will buy it and have fun with it.
To use some poor scared woman with no training as an example of why a hammer is bad is silly.
To quote Elmer Keith “You can’t make a gun foolproof fools need to stay away from dangerous equipment”. (Not calling the woman a fool but ignorant of proper gun handling)
If you have a snubbie for a backup gun and that’s the only reason you have it then I might agree that there is no reason to have a hammer. If you use the gun as a primary or fun gun single action has all the same advantages as any other size gun.
Ain’t it great to have choices.:razz:

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Well made it to the range had a lot of fun put around 150 or so rounds down range and not 1 FTF or FTE load was 3,5gr of Bullseye
under my 358477 boolit this is 20 rounds at 10 yards not as good as my 1911 but I think it work's pretty good for it's size and our second time out 244130

[Petrol & Powder]

Well made it to the range had a lot of fun put around 150 or so rounds down range and not 1 FTF or FTE load was 3,5gr of Bullseye
under my 358477 boolit this is 20 rounds at 10 yards not as good as my 1911 but I think it work's pretty good for it's size and our second time out 244130


That's GREAT !

Glad you're happy with your new gun.

That's a fantastic tool and should serve you well.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

yes vary happy with it I got it used but I don't think it was ever fired $330 out the Door Ya I'm Happy

[LUCKYDAWG13]

yes vary happy with it I got it used but I don't think it was ever fired $330 out the Door Ya I'm Happy
I did put the new Hogue grips on so $380:guntootsmiley:

[onelight]

That looks like fun ! Good job.
You northern Illinois boys got class your grips match your target.:awesome:

[Petrol & Powder]

Outstanding !

[stubshaft]

I have a couple of pocket auto's but either my 36 or 642 find their way into my pocket when I leave the house.

[charlie b]

Well, I for one liked to have the hammer on my SP101 (.357). Why? It was my 'outdoors' pistol. It went with me fishing, hiking, just about anytime I went out in the field. I liked the ability to hit smaller targets out beyond 50 yd when in SA mode.

It was normally carried in a shoulder holster or pancake holster. Neither of which were hampered by a hammer.

I've never liked pocket carry unless it was a jacket with a custom pocket.

So, YES, there are some of us who like a snubby with a hammer :)

[winelover]

Carrying in those two kinds of holsters...............you don't need a snubbie. Three of four inch barrel would serve you better, especially for a trail gun. Not to mention, the crude sights on most snubbies are a hindrance at longer ranges.

Winelover

[charlie b]

I have a 4". Too bulky. Sorry, I like the snubby for that situation. Light and easy to handle and most people don't notice I have it.

So, still, I like the hammer on a snubbie and people like me are probably why they are still offered that way.

[FergusonTO35]

How come every thread about snubbies quickly finds its way into the quicksand of DA/SA vs. DAO? For the record I like 'em either way, and can appreciate the advantages of either style.

[ghh3rd]

My S&W 642 J-Frame has been in my pocket every day since I purchased it 8-9 years ago. The first time I fired it was at 7 yards and I was shocked at how easy it was to keep rounds in a 2” circle.

Enjoy!

[charlie b]

How come every thread about snubbies quickly finds its way into the quicksand of DA/SA vs. DAO? For the record I like 'em either way, and can appreciate the advantages of either style.

Probably because many folks think the only use for a snubbie is pocket carry where a hammer is a horrible choice.

[rfd]

i think ... er, i *know* that the prime *citizen* function for a proper snubbie is extreme conceal carry for ECQ self defense. period. yes, it can sorta kinda work for lotsa other fun things, but none of those were its original intentions when the first cowboy or town marshal or whomever sawed off the barrel of a cap 'n' ball pistolo and made it into a stealth handgun. there are plenty of other far more valid choices for longer distance accurate shooting that are beyond 5 to 15 yards or so.

as such, for its design purpose, having an external hammer is a big no-no. period. y'all can argue that point 'til the cows come home but a snubnose is what it is. you wanna make it into a range gun and want that external s/a hammer to stage it for increased accuracy, sorry, that ain't the functional purpose of a snubbie and you are *decreasing* its effectiveness for its prime purpose. go get you a 4" or longer barreled wheelgun with an external hammer.

size and weight are important factors. lighter is better for ccw, and at a pound or so loaded it's a firearm you won't leave behind even with sparse summer wear. i've had more than a few snubbies that were just *wrong* for ECQ EDC CCW, because of too much weight and having an external hammer - those things just decrease its main purpose use. i saw the light and a snubbie in the league of a smith airweight was the Best way to go, for me. maybe you, too.

[charlie b]

Roflmao

[rfd]

Roflmao

244268

[FergusonTO35]

If I should get a DAO snub, the LCR is what I want. The factory sights and trigger pull are miles ahead of anything else, hopefully more grip options will be available soon too.

[jmort]

Completely agree
The LCRs blow my J Frames away

[Texas by God]

I suppose the idiots that introduced the snub nose Detective Special and the Chiefs Special weren't tactical minded enough to hack saw that evil hammer spur off LOL.
If you want DAO, get it. If you want DA/SA, get it. I'm not recoiling in horror at the thought of a belly gun that can be cocked for a precise shot. The first ones came that way.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Boogieman]

I have or have had 2" and 2 1/2" Colts and 3" Smiths. They would all stay on a B27 target at 100 yds. 2 handed standing if I shot SA. DA not so good






'

[winelover]

Completely agree
The LCRs blow my J Frames away

Amen

Winelover

[Mackay Sagebrush]

The primary limitations to the typical J Frame snubby are the deeply entrenched, narrow minded thinking of the people using them.






The J-Frame is just a close range tool.

You can't hit anything past x feet with a snubby

Snubbys are only for ecqb, cqb (or whatever people want to label it.)

Snubbys are not accurate.

You can't shoot one accurately double action past conversation distance.

Hammers are just a crutch, a hindrance, a detriment, etc, etc.

Snubbys are not range guns, they are not plinkers.

Snubbys are only good for short range, etc, etc.


The funny part is that I have been shooting this particular DAO 442 for 20 years now. It has had quite literally thousands of rounds through it.
I have done demos more than a few times as a firearms instructor for new troops who thought snubbys were not any good past arms length. I would shoot a couple cylinders at 50 yards on a qual target and have them walk out and ask them to reconsider their narrow minded thinking.

At 10 yards with CT laser grips it will put them into a group around 1.5 "s. With irons, my groups roughly go to about fist size. Frankly though, fist size groups at 10 yards is fine for me for a gun that 99% of gun owners (and 90% of snubby owners) think are horribly inaccurate.

At 7 yards, which is a typical "across the room" distance, and one in which I have held a fair number of violent people at gun point during the course of the 20 years I wore a badge, the J Frame will drive tacks with the right person behind the gun. Bearing in mind, I normally was not using a J Frame to do so, as it was not a primary weapon but the fact is that the ranges in which a great many people were held at gunpoint were well within the ranges that I would have been very comfortable utilizing a J Frame if it was all I had.

http://i.imgur.com/kzdS1ir.jpg (https://imgur.com/kzdS1ir)


http://i.imgur.com/wvSoa5Y.jpg (https://imgur.com/wvSoa5Y)





My bride has a nickle version of the same gun. An NYPD Detective's old gun that he sold upon retirement. It is accurate enough to shoot jackrabbits in the head with.
http://i.imgur.com/shVql9G.jpg (https://imgur.com/shVql9G)


So much for only being an ECQC gun....;-)

[onelight]

Good post Mackkay !

[rfd]

The primary limitations to the typical J Frame snubby are the deeply entrenched, narrow minded thinking of the people using them. ... )

limitations only belong to the firearm and its user. to think otherwise is foolish, and i'm nobody's fool. most firearms have an initial design function in mind, whether it's a snubbie or an ar15. it absolutely doesn't mean most any firearm can't be effectively used beyond its primary function, that's just common sense. some firearms will have human limits - it's not the gun, it's the user. with regards to the typical .38spl +P snubbie, it ain't a gun for everyone and typically it requires more practice and training than most common CCW pistols. anyone that can effectively use a snubbie beyond its functional design capabilities, that's great, more power to 'em. i wish i could regularly hit the 80 yard gong like hickok45 does with all the snubbies he's ever reviewed and tested. and like he sez, life is good.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIwVK_FxGZk

[onelight]

200 yards that guy is amazing!

[doghawg]

I've had a 637 for a few years and lately it seems like it's the gun that I carry most. I use a Galco "stow and go" IWB but usually just clip it inside the belt but OWB and wear my shirt out. For a quick trip to the store or gas station, a day in the boat or whatever the little J-frame takes me out of the "defenseless old man" category and I like it...hammer and all.

As a FWIW....the little flat tin can from "Altoids smalls" breath mints is exactly the right size for 5 rounds of .38 spl.....just put a thin piece of foam to keep them from rattling. Not very tactical but sure beats the speed loader left at home...:bigsmyl2:

[Mackay Sagebrush]

I've had a 637 for a few years and lately it seems like it's the gun that I carry most. I use a Galco "stow and go" IWB but usually just clip it inside the belt but OWB and wear my shirt out. For a quick trip to the store or gas station, a day in the boat or whatever the little J-frame takes me out of the "defenseless old man" category and I like it...hammer and all.

As a FWIW....the little flat tin can from "Altoids smalls" breath mints is exactly the right size for 5 rounds of .38 spl.....just put a thin piece of foam to keep them from rattling. Not very tactical but sure beats the speed loader left at home...:bigsmyl2:

:)


I have done the "Altoids tin" trick for a good while now, when I am out in the field just bumming around.

http://i.imgur.com/mQYZ5Oz.jpg (https://imgur.com/mQYZ5Oz)

This one is actually a Trader Joes version though..


http://i.imgur.com/2eQVGiM.jpg (https://imgur.com/2eQVGiM)

I have found that a rubber band around it is a good idea to prevent accidentally having your pocket fill up with wadcutters.

http://i.imgur.com/tCWSBlt.jpg (https://imgur.com/tCWSBlt)

[charlie b]

I still like speed strips when carrying a revolver. Yeah, they can get a little bit of lint on them sometimes but I've never had a problem loading with them in the field. Despite having change or car keys in the same pocket I haven't had a round 'fall out' of the strip.

[FergusonTO35]

I use speed strips for my .38's. Slightly faster than loose rounds in the pocket and the price is right.

[rintinglen]

I make it a point to never argue religion or politics, so I am staying away from this one. There are too many opinions passed off as if they had come from stone tablets, down from the mountain. I eschew joining such arguments--wastes your time and annoys the pig.
I own 8 or 10 snubbies, some with hammers, some without, I can't get too worked up one way or the other. I have worn out two of them, my old model 37 and a much-mourned Colt 60's era Dick Special. Both victims of a lot of shooting at the high end of the 38 Special. For years, I carried a S&W bodyguard Model 49 or Model 38 as backup to my service pistol, be it 38, 357, 9 MM or 45. In fact my old Model 38 is the single firearm I have carried most. I've carried a Detective Special, and a S&W 342. I am no fan of bobbed hammers, but bear them no ill will. I will point out that many holsters were designed with a hammer in mind, and lopping off the hammer spur often defeats some of the efficacy of the safety strap.

[Ramjet-SS]

I have a 642 from the Performance center it is the second most carried gun I own.