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Thread: Small-frame snubby recommendations

  1. #81
    Boolit Master

    Lefty Red's Avatar
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    For pocket carry, I want the lighter Airweight frames. I don’t try to make a target pistol out of the Airweight, they are point and click weapons. And can make well placed shots out to 7-10 yards if the user practices with it. A dab of bright nail polish and nightly practice makes a world of difference.

    I carry a 642 or 637 while in town, and the 351c disappears in the pocket while on the farm. All in the same Alabama Pocket Holster.

    Anything bigger or heavier goes on the belt or shoulder holster.

    Lefty
    Last edited by Lefty Red; 04-12-2021 at 12:59 PM.
    I'll be needing that for squirrels and such.....

  2. #82
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    #1 I'm not sure why you would worry about holsters with a pocket pistol. They are meant to be... wait for it ... A POCKET pistol! WHOOOOO Carried my charter stainless undercover (with spur hammer) in a jeans pocket for more than a decade. Stainless because it is Texas and men sweat, and spur hammer because reasons.

    #2 I'm also not sure why in the heck a replaceable front sight would even be mentioned. Pocket pistols tend to be tuned point of aim with whatever is made into the barrel, AND a replaceable front sight would most likely be MORE likely to hang when you need to pull. In point of fact I know of a great deal of old timers who had the front sight simply cut off of pocket pistols. I also know of more than one that would cut the barrel on a longer pistol, reduce the grip frame size, and then solder half a silver dime onto the barrel for a sight. Pulls easy, doesn't hang up, and is more than good enough to get you on target.

    #3 and maybe I mentioned this already, but why would a replaceable front sight even be mentioned? Most encounters happen within' 7 yards. Look it up, itsathing that happens. Having had to pull a pocket pistol more than once I can tell you at that range you don't raise the pistol to eye level checking elbow bend and wind direction in the tactical teacup position number four, you don't aim down a sight, you don't put on ear and eye protection, you don't adjust the rear view mirrors, you don't turn down the radio, and you don't return your seat and tray to their fully upright positions. One of the times I had to pull was against a rabid dog who had me dead to rights when I slid out of my pickup. He was shot once at three feet and a second time and third time on the ground because ammo is cheap, or at least it was at the time. Swapping out a front sight would not have made me more accurate, nor saved me time, money, pull speed, fps, nor would I have saved 15% on my car insurance.

    Good Luck, and God Bless.

    Richard
    Yes I can be long winded. Yes I follow rabbit trails. Yes I admit when I am wrong. Your mileage may vary.

    Keep your powder dry. Watch yer Top knot.

    "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!"

    Yes there were "Short" 45 Colts! http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/45_short_colt.htm

  3. #83
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    Slight thread drift here but there's a tendency to forget the actual power of a car. Unless you're blocked in on all sides by large trucks, you can likely force your way out of the danger zone. It will not be pretty but it will work. And if traffic is so bad you can't escape, .....how is the car jacker going to leave with your car after he takes it?

    Action pistol matches often have stages that mimic shooting from a car or while seated at a table. Those stages can be fun but just because you can do something, doesn't mean that's always the right course of action.
    The best defense against a car jacking (or any robbery) is situational awareness. Leaving yourself an escape route, paying attention to the world around you and having a plan will increase your odds of survival greatly.

  4. #84
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    The front sight issue came up in the very first post in this thread.
    A ramped, or rounded front sight is probably about as snag resistant as no sight at all AND far more useful than no sight at all.
    While deliberate aiming is certainly not a part of all close quarters combat, having the option is probably better than not having the option.

    A pistol (or revolver) carried in a pocket, should still be carried in a pocket holster.
    1. A pocket holster covers the trigger, greatly increasing the safety of that mode of carry.
    2. It keeps the gun oriented correctly within the pocket.
    3. It breaks up the outline of the gun.

  5. #85
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by charlie b View Post
    To be fair that link shows the LCR to be a full 0.2" bigger in height and length.
    If you put bekini grips on it it will be the same size as a J-frame and not have enough grip for real +P use. JMHO..............
    JMHO-YMMV
    dd884
    gary@2texastrucks.com
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  6. #86
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    Quote Originally Posted by RJM52 View Post
    Read all the posts...have a question for those of you who "pocket carry" as in front pants pocket... When you drive a car or just seated at a restaurant, do you keep the gun in your pocket or move it another location. And if it stays in your pocket how long does it take you to get out once you identify a threat...

    Thanks...Bob
    Yeah they are slow to get out of some pockets. I carry mine in a sticky pocket holster, and on trips it can be carried crossdraw, inside my waistband.

  7. #87
    Boolit Master
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    Heck I dunno, maybe I just buy better or worse jeans than everybody else. More than a decade of carrying a charter arms in walmart five star faded denim relaxed fit 42x30 wranglers and the only time it was ever spotted was when it was pulled. Nowdays I don't go anywhere except Dr's offices, and am only now getting back down in 44s (jeans not guns). I've seen many an old timer packing a 38 or 32 in a pair of old overalls that you'd never see comin' if you were up to no good and feelin' frisky.

    Never had a problem with the gun changing orientation, and never had the hammer spur hang up when I needed to pull, never had the trigger pulled by anything in the pocket; all of which are listed reasons holster makers have to buy their holster. You get people nervy about what "might" happen and you can sell them whatever you want to sell them. Bigger and badder the scenarios the easier it is to sell. As for already covering the sight question. I didn't cover it until my post

    To answer Bob. When I use to work and drive I would pull it out of the pants and put it either in between the seat partition in my pickup, or in the door. I'm thankful the only things I had to shoot were rabid dogs, and copperhead snakes. If I am a passenger (always am now) it stays in the pocket.

    Anyway. In a restaurant it also stays in the pocket. "...once you identify a threat..." There's a missed distinction there. Identifying a threat doesn't mean pulling a gun or bringing it into play. It means just that. Identifying a threat. Identify, assess, act (or don't). Just because some belligerent drunk staggers into a restaurant doesn't mean you commence. Could be an honest to goodness bad guy, or he could be some son of a gun who just lost his kids in a bad divorce and decided to enhance the decision making paradigm that got him there with alcohol. Could be both.

    I dunno. Maybe I am overly sensitive.

    God Bless

    Richard
    Yes I can be long winded. Yes I follow rabbit trails. Yes I admit when I am wrong. Your mileage may vary.

    Keep your powder dry. Watch yer Top knot.

    "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!"

    Yes there were "Short" 45 Colts! http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/45_short_colt.htm

  8. #88
    Boolit Master



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    Good points...........
    JMHO-YMMV
    dd884
    gary@2texastrucks.com
    Gary D. Peek

  9. #89
    Boolit Master
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    Thanks you...
    "...once you identify a threat..." ...I should have been more specific...once you identify the threat and need to get the gun in your hand...
    Last edited by RJM52; 04-14-2021 at 07:17 AM.

  10. #90
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Pocket carry does not work when sitting, especially in a car when belted in. New York Reload carried in a calf or ankle holster as backup and "seated primary" has worked for 40 years.
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

  11. #91
    Boolit Master
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    Pocket carry can work, while seated, if one wears pants with cargo pockets.......I wear Wrangler Ranger Carpenter pants and use Mika pocket holster, with the optional squared off bottom. Even went as far as having the bottom of the holster made wider.

    Winelover

  12. #92
    Boolit Master
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    I would carry a NY reload but it is not legal in NM. The law specifies only one pistol can be carried concealed. Since this is an open carry state you may be able to carry one open and one concealed, but, I have not found that in writing anywhere.

    An ankle carry makes sense when in a car, if you can bend over far enough to get to it My biggest concern in a car is a well executed car jacking. They are done quickly and there is really no escape. Even drawing a weapon is not a guarantee since there will be at least two armed perps when it is done well.

    Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

  13. #93
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Gave my 637 some exercise yesterday. It has an 8 pound rebound spring, polished internals, and reduced power (8 pounds I think) hammer spring. This little wheelie has a sweet trigger pull and I can shoot it as well as alot of bigger guns. Keep it stoked with 3.1 grains Accurate Nitro 100 under a 150 grain SWC.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  14. #94
    Boolit Master
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    8# rebound spring...all of my guns get "iffy" with anything under 12# so I have standardized on 13#... Glad yours workkk..

    Bob

  15. #95
    Boolit Buddy

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    Guys and girls, there is no PERFECT pistol. Just hope that you have one in your hand when you need it. Ain't got none - no good! Got one - A OK!

  16. #96
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill*B View Post
    Guys and girls, there is no PERFECT pistol. Just hope that you have one in your hand when you need it. Ain't got none - no good! Got one - A OK!
    Now that's the danged truth right there.

    God Bless

    Richard
    Yes I can be long winded. Yes I follow rabbit trails. Yes I admit when I am wrong. Your mileage may vary.

    Keep your powder dry. Watch yer Top knot.

    "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!"

    Yes there were "Short" 45 Colts! http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/45_short_colt.htm

  17. #97
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Outpost75 View Post
    Great thread and comments. Absolutely necessary to "dress to the gun."

    And while I agree with Petrol and Powder there is no serious tactical issue in choosing between a 5-shot or a 6-shot revolver, I have never shot a J-frame well and do much better with a K-frame or Colt D-frame. Dehorning the hammer spur is an advantage for concealed carry, but it is often difficult to maintain 0.011" minimum striker indent (ON COPPER) with the lighter hammer, particularly if the hammer arc has been reduced in converting the gun to DAO. My pocket holsters have a tab which extends behind the hammer to mitigate against it catching on the pocket, and I learned years ago to find the hammer spur with my thumb when withdrawing the gun. Old school, we weren't allowed "gunfighter" mods.
    I’m a huge fan of the K-frame. Among other things, the trigger is generally much better than the J-frames I’ve tried.

    80% of the time, a 3” K-frame is on my belt. I’m just looking for a lighter, slightly smaller gun for pocket carry when I’m dripping sweat out in the yard.

  18. #98
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jtarm View Post
    .....

    80% of the time, a 3” K-frame is on my belt. I’m just looking for a lighter, slightly smaller gun for pocket carry when I’m dripping sweat out in the yard.
    /\ This pretty much sums up the issue /\

    A 2" J-frame (or similar sized revolver) is typically selected for its small size and low weight.
    Good work can be done with a J-frame but they require some dedication to master. Most people can transition from a 4" or 3" K-frame to a 2" K-frame with relative ease. About the only thing that changes is the sight radius. However, stepping down to a 2" J-frame is a bit more of a change. There's just not as much gun to hold onto.

    I think the little J-frames get unfairly maligned. They are capable of fine accuracy and speed, even in DA and with the lightweight models - but it requires some dedication and practice.
    IF you have the option of holster carry, a K-frame is probably a far better choice.
    The strength of those little J-frames are the carry and concealment options they provide.

  19. #99
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by RJM52 View Post
    8# rebound spring...all of my guns get "iffy" with anything under 12# so I have standardized on 13#... Glad yours workkk..

    Bob
    Agree, that’s about a 40% reduction from factory. Plus I believe it’s generally recommended that main and rebound springs be kept in balance.

    A smooth, even trigger is more critical than pull weight.

  20. #100
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    I concur that a smooth trigger is far more important than a light trigger.

    A snubnose revolver is a self-defense tool. Reliable function comes above all else. It needs to go bang when you want it to go bang.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check