Not clear whether you are getting one revolver or one for each of y’all? I’m assuming one each.
Sounds like you like the older all steel 36, and further down you like the idea of an all steel handgun, so get two of those.
Have your 36’s hammer bobbed like Bill Jordan’s in No Second Place Winner. Leave the hammer on hers. Shoot wadcutter ammo for defense (See DocGKR’s thoughts on this load) and training. Get the CTCs on both.
But a G26 each also has much to recommend it.
My EDC is a G27 with G23 mag reload, and a 442 loaded with wadcutters + SpeedStrip full of Remington GS +Ps because they reload faster.
Sorry it was unclear. I already have an M&P9c which is my EDC. I am looking to purchase ONE revolver. It will primarily be for my wife to carry as a purse gun with the secondary role of a BUG for me if I am carrying my 1911 or something and I feel I need a back-up. In which case my wife will use the M&P9c.
I know already I will be firing the Speer 135gr +P Gold Dot for short barrels as my primary defensive round. The LSWCHP not a good performer once it passes through any clothing. Trust me I have researched the piss out of the ammo side of things so that’s a non-issue.
While I love the old model 36s and the idea of a steel gun sounds very nice on the range, I am leaning towards an Airweight frame for this piece. Yes I know it will be more difficult to shoot, but it will be easier to carry which is really what this gun is all about.
May I highly recommend the MP340? I know you mentioned not shooting .357, but the XS big dot night sight and the light weight is well worth the added cost. Plus, the Scandium alloy is stronger than the standard Air Weights.
For the past couple of summers I’ve used an all-stainless 640 Centennial as my everyday carry. I only shoot +P (Gold Dot) through it, which the heavier all-steel construction makes pretty much manageable.
Also, I don’t need light alloy because I don’t pocket carry. I’m a bit on the lean side, so even a small pocket gun sticks out like a goiter (uncomfortable too). Instead, I installed a Barami hip grip (see: http://www.baramihipgrip.com/ ), which provides for belt/waistband carry without the bulk of a holster. I carry in the front “appendix” position, which just the tail of a t-shirt conceals effectively.
For added shootability, I also added the Tyler t-grip (see: http://www.t-grips.com/ ), which improves a lot over the hip grip alone without adding any significant bulk. It’s not exactly visually appealing tacti-cool, just works really well for its size.
This will be my third upcoming season using this set-up full-time. I think I’ve finally found a solution to concealment in hot/humid weather.
I hear the love for the S&W 36. I just found an unfired one from 81 that is pristine. Liked it so much, but don’t want to shot it so I am looking to get a used one. The gun just feels and looks so good.
I have a 638 that I really like, and which I use as a CCW around 30 % of the time. Firing standard pressure rounds is initially not uncomfortable, but after 50 or more rounds I do start to feel the sting in the web of my hand. The 135 grain +p Speer Gold Dots designed for a short barrel are fairly controllable but do become uncomfortable to shoot after 15-20 or so. I can’t even begin to imagine the hell unleashed on one’s hand if one fired full house .357 magnum rounds out of a scandium .357 mag J frame with a stock grip. And I am not recoil adverse as I have shot copious amounts of full house .357 and .44 magnum out of S&W revolvers and my Redhawk.
The lint issue in the hammer well hasn’t been an issue for me but then again I keep my pockets clean, I usually carry IWB, and if I notice any lint in there I simply swab out the rear of the hammer inside the hammer well.
As I think others have mentioned there have been documented cases of bullet/case separation with light .357 bullets out of the scandiums that have caused the cylinder to jam. Others have reported that the internal lock has also been activated in the scandiums due to the recoil. I’ve read these reports on the internet, so who knows, but it is not unreasonable to see how it could perhaps happen, especially regarding the bullet/case separation.
Oh, and Here is an excellent video regarding the workings of the internal S&W lock.
“I can’t even begin to imagine the hell unleashed on one’s hand if one fired full house .357 magnum rounds out of a scandium .357 mag J frame with a stock grip.”
I’ll save you the trouble of buying the gun to find out, here’s how;
Find a cop friend, hold out your hand palm up as though you were waiting for someone to give you five, have cop friend do a full power baton strike to the palm of your hand.
Find a cop friend, hold out your hand palm up as though you were waiting for someone to give you five, have cop friend do a full power baton strike to the palm of your hand.
…Male or Female Cop?
awesome response, I think I’ve got it, and that’s pretty much how I imagined it
I have two J frames
a 642 and an older model 60 all steel DAO with an exposed bobless hammer
I bought the latter used and it had a very nice trigger for a DAO
the 642 with the standard boot grips is NOT a beginner gun
the older 3" steel is much easier to shoot accurately, it also has Uncle Mike COmbat rubber grips which are 3 finger
I worked the action a bunch with my 642 with some valve grinding compound and then flushed it all out, and clipped a tiny bit off the main grip spring, and put the 3finger grip from the 60
I was a lot more accurate with it
the 3 finger rubber grip made a huge differnece as well as a lighter trigger pull
if it’s not for pocket carry I would suggest buying the 642 with the 305 laser grip already installed, cheaper that way, at least it was
for ammo, the 135g +p Speer short barrel is probably the best out there
I know the J frame appears to be the perfect handgun for a female, but I find it to be the exact opposite. The J frame really takes getting used to and isn’t really a novice firearm. I have seen quite a few woman at the range shooting a J frame after the salesman recommended it to them. Most refuse to shoot it after a cylinder. My wife was the same way. I see many men shoot like $hit at 10 feet away on the range as well. My wife loved my Ruger SP101 and could shoot .38 w/o a problem. My M&P 340 is a bear to shoot, but with the Hogue Monogrip, it tames .357 to that of 38 +p. Shooting my M&P weekly has actually improved my shooting with my duty SIG P229 to the point that my quarterly qualification scores are almost perfect vs. 20 points under max just 4 months ago.
I consider light weight J frames a advanced weapon. It has recoil that would or could create problems with a new shooter particularly with +p fodder. I would assume that your wife is not an avid shooter. Due to it’s limited capacity and the difficulty reloading it quickly it is a make every bullet count kind of firearm. Snubbies require a lot of practice to become proficient with. J frames in .357 are a weapon I doubt very few people can master or would care to put the time into to do so. I would put them in the “not needed” catalog. It will beat you up. So will hot .38 loads. I have a J frame in my pocket right now. I really like them and carry one every waking moment of the day. Though primarily as a back up to a larger capacity weapon. I REALLY HATE to see people pick out a J frame or other diminutive weapons for a woman. For the reasons I stated above.
I don’t know why you would assume that? Is there something I said in any of my posts on the subject which would give that impression? If so I apologize because that is certianly not the case.
Currently my wife is not shooting due to her pregnancy, but she is a VERY avid shooter and a very fast learner. She usually won’t let me go to the range alone and will frequently fire 200+ rounds of .45ACP out of my 1911 with nothing more than a smile and a “did we bring more ammo?” In terms of heavy recoiling weapons she has fired a .300 win mag, a 18" 870 with 00 buck and slugs, a 3" model 629 in .44 mag, etc.
It is kind of funny. A lot of women complain about the swelling ankles, nausea and back pain associated with pregnancy. My wife complained about not being able to get out and shoot when she was pregnant.
Congratulations on your soon to be born child, decodeddiesel.
Back on topic. I bought a S&W Model 36 “Chief’s Special” back in 1994, as my first backup/ccw gun. It is one of my favorite guns to shoot. I find it very manageable and accurate out to 25 yards. I find that it is a little heavy for pocket carry. So, I am now looking to buy a S&W 442. Not as friendly to shoot as the 36, but still a very nice firearm. I know several people who have either the 442 or 642, the triggers are ok and the recoil is manageable.
I also know a few who bought the scandium framed .357’s. They tend not to shoot those guns as much.
