This thread assumes you have or have had both and in trouble-free incarnations.
I’ve been a Smith 642 fanboy for years, but recently I picked up a totally reliable Ruger LCP and I’m rethinking which one I want for EDC.
Some comparison points:
Although the LCP holds potentially slightly more rounds, and can be reloaded more quickly, the 642 should last longer and be able to handle hotter ammo.
The sights on both suck, so this is of no consequence.
The LCP is small enough to fit in a pocket, but there are plenty of concealment holsters for both, so this shouldn’t be a concern.
The Smith has a metal frame, the LCP has a polymer frame. The LCP has a noticeable and slightly uncomfortable recoil
The LCP is flatter, making it less likely to print.
Those of you who own both, which do you prefer AND WHY?
I don’t have a J-frame Smith, but I do have a Colt Detective Special, which is almost the same thing.
I recently bought a LCP .380 for one purpose: to carry when doing athletic things. I think seven rounds of .380 is too few and too light for Every Day Carry.
LCP .380 pros over J-Frame .38:
Much lighter than revolver.
Much smaller and thinner than revolver.
Two more shots than revolver.
Possible to reload with spare mag; revolver, no.
Easier to clean out pocket lint, dirt, etc.
Cheaper to buy than revolver.
Cons:
.38 round is a serious defense load. .380 is marginal.
I had a LCP when they first came out. I struggled to shoot it past 7 yardsish . I have med hands and fumbled around with reloads. I do think it concealed better than my J frame but I can shoot this Jframe way better. Sites on both suck but edge would be the J (although mine has ctc grips) For me shootability and the .38+ps are enough for me to choose the revolver .
Don’t think longevity is better…or worse. Hotter ammo is fine but you’re still using a 1.8in barrel. You won’t get the use out of a +P unless it specifically for short barrels.
Yes
The 642 is thicker. Probably thicker than two LCPs side by side.
Recoil on a snub nose isn’t pleasant either. Especially if you plan to use off the shelf +P. While it may be ALUMINUM there is nothing cycling. Your hand absorbs all the recoil.
For deep concealment I’d stick with the LCP. Overall easier to do.
I have a 642 and use it as a pocket gun for when I walk my dog at night. All things being equal I’d probably take the LCP is I had to do it over again. Since at home I wear loose clothes the 642 is too big and heavy for elastic waist shorts/sweats
Well, I have a Scandium/Titanium PD 340 J-frame in .357, so my view is different. Go BIG or go home. Edited: YES, I’ve shot .357 in it. Just don’t try to shoot a box at a time and it’s fine. The right grips really tame the beast.
I tried liking the .380 but just couldn’t warm up to it. I did not feel comfortable with the LCP at all. It does not strike me as something that is nearly as safe as a Glock. I don’t drop my guns, but I was scared to death that that little LCP would go off if it was ever dropped. The LCP felt like a dime store toy. I was not comfortable with it at all. So, for me, the J-Frame wins, hands down. Now, that baby Glock 9mm could be a serious contender. Simply put… Friends don’t let friends carry .380. Sorry. I just might consider trading the PD 340 for a baby Glock or a Sig 365 some day. That’s 9mm though… No .380 for me.
My PD 340 weighs about the same as the LCP. No kidding. Now factor 5 shots of full house .357 magnum… In the right pocket holster, it barely prints more than the LCP. Game over.
If you want a small auto… Get the baby Glock or Sig P365 in 9mm.
I voted for a J Frame in a CCC Uno holster, I carry one a lot here in Ca. I have a strange love affair with the little gun. I can wear athletic shorts and put it in my pocket without issue, and shoot it without removing it from my pocket if I find myself in a bad situation. The recoil sucks, I can get about 50 rounds out of it before my hand hurts. The down side is reloading.
But are you actually getting all the benefits of that full house 357 in a barrel just under 2 inches? Or is it just a lot of flash and noise? I know there are some rounds specifically formulated for short barrels. Not sure how much you’re loosing going from a 4 inch to a 1.8 inch barrel but there is a loss
Point taken, but it’s still more than a .38 +P out of the same weapon. No, not as much as a .357 mag out of a 4"… But I’d argue it’s somewhere in the middle, which is still a heck of a lot better than a .380…
Even with just normal pressure .38’s, the J-frame is tried and true. I’d have no problem just carrying it with hot wad-cutters. The NYPD steak-out squad made that combination work for years.
Pretty much my analysis, but my 442 is way cooler than a LCP. The LCP is the cheap Ruger copy of the even more low-rent P3AT. It has the sex appeal of 1982 Ford Fiesta and similar performance. It will never shoot well, as it aspires to be better than nothing.
The 442 has been putting bad guys in the ground for 60 years. It is the gun you reach for when you sense trouble might be just around the bend. It is a pain to shoot, difficult to shoot well but invokes Greater confidence for me.
Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE my 642’s. But when I stick a Ruger LCP in my chest pocket and it freaking FITS THE POCKET I have to take step back and say, "Yeah, I know it’s a polymer framed 380 and not a metal-framed gun capable of shooting +P ammo, but to the extent that shot placement trumps power level I have to say that the flatter and smaller gun is the better of the two because it will get carried even in situations where that thick round cylinder on the revolver prevents viable concealment in the summer. "
Sure, maybe a Ruger LCP has only a few thousand rounds in its service life before it’s a paperweight not worth fixing, but in the dark on a Saturday night when it’s hot and humid enough that all you’re wearing is a Hawaiian shirt with shorts and flip-flops then its advantages become real friggin’ apparent.
Preferring a Ruger LCP almost makes you ashamed that you pick a polymer gun that feels like a toy over a real man’s concealment pistol in the J-Frame, but once you get past that you can carry that cheapo-feeling semi-auto 380 with pride.
I’m doing that soul-searching right now. I’m convinced the 642 will outlast the Ruger by thousands of rounds, but if I have to leave the 642 in the truck because it’s slightly too big to conceal in the summer, then what good is it? Maybe the Ruger elicits “I feel so cheap and dirty carrying this” feelings, but if it’s there in a pinch and the 642 is in the glove box, then where did you go wrong preferring the Ruger?
If you said an LCP II I might lean more towards that. The trigger on the LCP II is leaps and bounds better than the original LCP. The LCP gives you the flat pocket gun and is much easier to reload. Even with the better trigger on the LCP II I still shoot my 442 better. With 135 grain +P short barrel I would lean towards the 442 unless there was some reason the cylinder would bulge too much.
I will pick up a LCP at some point (I’ve shot shot and handled a friends) but for now I prefer my 442. Performance of the 135 gr Gold Dot Short Barrel is also a big plus for me over any .380. Granted, my J frames have custom sights and Spegel Boot Grips so those are real advantages over the LCP as well. The LCP is an interesting niche weapon, tho.
The LCP is less expensive, holds more rounds and reloads quicker. The .380 is an anemic self defense round. The gun is very small and difficult for me to hold properly.
TheJ Frame is a better quality weapon, the .38 is a better self defense round. The .38 is the smallest round I’d use for self defense.
The G43 is a better choice. I chose the Shield in 9mm. The G43 was today small for me.
I have a 642 Pro cut for moon clips. I shot it a lot and the trigger never did get where I liked it. Sent it to S&W and had the j frame enhancement package install and am very pleased with the results. Have run some smooth boot grips sans finger grooves for a long time but am thinking about switching over to some stag skinnies.
The only thing I have liked carrying other than a j frame was a kahr cw9. I gave it to a friend. Was an outstanding piece. I don’t like 380s.
The Smith because I can flat out shoot it better than the Ruger.
I have to just shake my head when I hear of someone buying something like an LCP for girlfriend/wife because it’s a “little gun”. To shoot it well takes experience.
While the same can be said for the 642, I find the recoil of the revolver more comfortable.
LCP is my rule #1 gun. Smaller than the j frame so it fits that role when the j frame is too much to conceal.
Prefer j frame model 60 with .38 special +p or short barrel .357 mag such as critical defense .125 magnum.