I think I am going to go with a 38/357 snubby and have a few questions. First, are any and all snubby revolvers safe to carry with 6 live rounds or do you need to keep one empty on some brands. If so, which ones? Any advantages or disadvantages to a hammerless? I think I want a hammer for single action target shooting. Please feel free to point out anything I might have forgot. Are there any brands to stay clear of? Thanks.

Firstly most of the small snubbies are five shot affairs and yes their safe to carry with a cylinder full. If your going to get a lightweight one then I'd stay away from the 357 models and just stick with the 38's. At least try to get to a gun range that rents guns and shoot one of the light 357's first. You will be amazed how hard an 18 ounce or lighter gun is to shoot with 357's. The six shot snubbies are all medium frame guns and are quite a lot bigger than I really want to carry. Most are bases on a Smith and Wesson K frame size if that means anything to you.

I carry a Taurus Ultra-light 38 special that just dissappears in a front jeans pocket loaded with 125 grain Speer gold dots. It rides in an Uncle Mike's pocket holster so it won't wear out my pants pocket and imprint.

The top gun is the little Taurus J frames sized ultra-light, the middle is a four inch J frame sized 22 and the bottom is a K frame size 41 mag to give you an idea of frame sizes.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Preditor%20masters/threeguns.jpg

This is what goes in my pocket. A five shot speed loader with five extra gold dots goes in the other pocket. If I'm fishing then an extra five shot speed loader with some Speer shotcaps loaded with 7 1/2 shot goes there.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Preditor%20masters/Taurus38specialwpocketholster.jpg

As far as the hammer thing folks that carry the hammerless say they are more snag free, but I've never seen a problem getting one of these little guns out of a pocket. As for brands I've had good luck with Taurus and Smith's. Some of our members can probably tell you about Ruger and Colt, there are really not a lot of other choices.

My friend Whitworth showed me a little Ruger snubby yesterday in .357 but of course you can also shoot .38's. It is the most beautifully fit and finished gun I have ever seen from Ruger. This would be my choice for a carry gun by far. I have no use for one but fell in love with the little thing.

. . . Please feel free to point out anything I might have forgot. . . . Thanks.
Two things to consider with a snubby: First, you have a very short sight radius (distance between the sights) so any sight alignment deviations means a big difference in POI on the target. Second, snubby barrels tend to "bark" quite loudly (moreso than the longer barrels) and generate more felt recoil due to their light weight. If you are planning to do target shooting with a snubby, would suggest you shoot at shorter ranges than 25 yards. It takes a lot of skill to shoot a snubby at 25 yards or beyond. It's possible, but not easy.

What they said, plus.
I have the Ruger SP101 with night sights installed. It is one of my primary off duty guns, but it is NOT LIGHT which makes it less than desirable as a civilian CC gun. I tend to prefer the hammerlss (concealed hammer) not just because it is snag free to draw, but if you carry it a large pocket, like a jacket, you can fire it through the pocket (all five times if nessessary). And they are correct about the 38 vs the 357. My son bought the LW S&W last fall and you CAN NOT shoot full house 357's in it. The first shot litterly twists the gun 90 degrees in your hand no matter how you try and prevent it. My wife uses the same Tuarus fau uses, and I sometimes 'barrow' it from her.:rolleyes:
Hope this helped.

Thanks for the quik replys. I want the 357 unless size/weight of a 357 model make it too large/heavy to be a pocket/purse/door pocket gun. It will probably never see many 357 rounds but it would be nice to have if a stray hog came upon you while in the woods. I intend to load mainly 38 rounds for self defense to carry in the car or in my pocket for snakes. Thanks again for the help.

Got a friend that has one of Smiths ultra-light scandium 357 snubbies. He delights in letting folks that have never shot it have a try. He always makes them shoot it on his lawn. I've seen guys that shoot a 454 Casull drop this gun on the first shot and I've never seen anyone, including very good shooters, ask to shoot it more than once. I've spent years behind both a 44 mag and a 41 mag and once was enough for me.

I wouldn't want to dissuade you from getting what you want, but would suggest you shoot one first before you make your decision. A light under 20 ounce civilian CC snubby and full bore magnum ammo really don't go together well. You would probably be served better with either two separate guns or a four inch gun that's really designed for magnum loads.

My woods carry gun is a Taurus 4 inch ported five shot 41 magnum. I started carrying that when our Canadian Gray Wolf population reached it's upper limits here in Idaho. Even so at 34 ounces it's a handful with magnum loads. Translate that to a 16 ounce 357 mag and well you just got to shoot one to believe me.

Most CC encounters will happen within a 7 yard distance and good 38 special defence loads will work well. Also keep in mind that with the limited sighting equipment on a snubby 38 and 357 loads may shoot to a different point of aim and most snubbies don't have adjustable sights.

Basically your falling into the bigger is better trap and for a CC carry gun that's just not necessary.

Faucettb; "bigger is better trap"!!! LOL!!! I carry a 2" Smith N frame....fixed sights...44 Mag. Shoots a ragged 1" group at ten yards (12 shots pictured)! Yes, the gun is a "bit" large, but I have become accustomed to it, and have learned to appreciate its weight/controlability, and firepower............of course, its not the weapon of choice to carry in the pockets of my blue jeans..........but for an inner vest pocket or hip holster, it works very well. I know, its a good case of overkill, but, nobody will ever accuse me of being "undergunned"!!!!LOL!!!!! I have a buddy that carry's a 2.5 inch Ruger Blackhawk in 45LC......Up close he can slip shoot that thing with deadly accuracy!!! I guess everyone has thier own idea about a "carry" gun, and the small 357's will suit the bill for most! Ruger pistols...the ones I have owned (only a 44 Mag Blackhawk now graces my gun safe) are very fine pistols, and I would not hesitate to own another.

What you've hit on Flattop is a gun with enough weight to be controllable. The large frame gun in 44 mag even with a two inch barrel has enough weight that it's shootable. When you put that kind of power in an under 20 ounce snubby it's something else again. Controllability becomes a major factor in it's use.

Like you said that big 44 won't fit in a jeans pocket where one of the little ultra-light snubbies will. Over the years I spent a lot of time with the 44, 41 and 357 mags and love those big bores, but a ccw gun that's going to be packed year round, summer and winter usually leads a guy to one of the smaller, i.e. lighter guns and those really don't seem to go well with the magnum cartridge options.

I really like carrying my 34 ounce 41 mag four inch ported tracker, but was going to buy the 24 ounce Titanium version of this same gun before I fired one. Even the 34 ounce model with full bore 41 mag loads is a handfull and the 24 ounce version simply is to much for me and I spent years competing with the 45 auto's and shooting steel targets with the 44 mags and hot loads.

I really don't think we differ much, I'd almost bet you wouldn't enjoy shooting one of the ultra-light 357's compared to your beautiful 29.

The poster was talking about being able to drop a Hog on occasion and for that I'd rather carry something in the woods with a little more weight and controllability even if it was a snubby, but that's just me.

Lots of guys whom want more power than the 38 opt for one of the 40 or 45 semi's for thier carry gun and that also works, but does require some kind of holster such as your talking about. The beauty of the little 38's is their hidability and ease of carry. Just drop it in your pocket and your done.

Bob; It took me years to find this particular pistol (there were "rumors", but I had never seen one), only a few made by Smith, and it was being offered by a gunshop in Alaska....brand new...the only one they had, and the only one I had ever come across!!!! I jumped on it....and, have not been disappointed. If nothing more, it is a great "deterent"...........I sure wouldnt want to be starring at the business end of that barrel! A big bore revolver can sure get someone's attention in a hurry, and, I've always dreamt of being able to say "go ahead...make my day"! (just kidding)........... If the need ever arose where it needed to be used (and I hope it never does)...well, heck, even if I missed, I could always throw the thing at them and do some damage! LOL!!!! For all "practical purposes" the revolvers discussed in this post are more than capable of getting the job done, and are the wise choice for most!....................I have never shot this gun at more than 10 yards, because I never saw the need for doing so....it being a personal defense weapon, but, it would be interesting to see what it could do out at 25. Another project in the making!

:rolleyes:A 32 in the pocket is better than a 45 in the drawer!!;)
A hit with 38 is better than a miss whith a 357!;)
Don't bring a knife to a gun fight!;)
Just a few words of wisdom I have been know to pass out over the years.
The reason I have come to use the SP101 is it is heavy enough to handle the 125 gr 357's.:) And small enough to conceal most of the time.

.38 special makes a lot of sense in a snubby for self-defence to me. I would also go with a “hammerless” version for that purpose. Faucttb’s little Taurus looks like a good one to consider because he makes sure it is “always there”.
Self-defense for civilians means a firearm is the last option in whatever chain of events has happened. Run, hide, reason, distraction, B.S., whatever else you have in your bag of tricks. When you have exhausted all other resources. It is now time for your last option. It would be really good if you have it with you with you at this point in your life!
A “car gun” could be whatever your law allows in your area.
Target practice is good fun with any firearm. Even the snubbies. Just can’t alter the sights to hit POA with different loads without adjustable sights.

Cheezywan

Sounds like you might have convinced me to stay with a 38. Light and small is more important for what I want it for. I carried my 45 Colt last year and it was a little big at times in the woods. When I say target use, I want to shoot it often to be able to hit what I aim at. Affordable with a 22 or 38, a little pricy with a 45 Colt.

Taurus has a 7-shot .357, just a thought. Best of all worlds, all the noise/recoil you could ever want, and light enough to carry in the pants pocket.

Yeah.... it does kick though!

I have a buddy that carry's a 2.5 inch Ruger Blackhawk in 45LC......Up close he can slip shoot that thing with deadly accuracy!!!

Can you tell us more about your buddy's Ruger, Flat Top? Does it have a Newman-style slip hammer? I have been fascinated by them for fifty years but never seen one in the flesh, never mind shot one. Newman and O'Meara are long dead -- who did the work for him?

Any chance of posting pictures?

Thanks,

The Old Guy

i'd get the 357 snubbie and never look back. you can always fire 38 out of it and never worry about plus p ratings. I have the taurus 605 ss and love it. I reload so I don't quite go full power with it. 135 grain speer short barrel bullet over 11 grains of blue dot gives a nice feel to the gun without excessive recoil. I believe winchester offers a 145 grain loading at less than full power.

TOG; I will tell you what I know of the gun. My buddy did all the work himself, and I am not familiar with all that he did. The gun "slip shoots" only, I do know that, and the ejector rod and housing had been removed from the gun, and the hole plugged. He shot lighter loads, and most would fall from the cylinder when the loading gate was opened, but, I had seen him have to use a small rod from time to time to remove a tight cartridge............I havent see him in a few years. We used to shoot at the same club, until they moved out of town, and my business pursuits took me away from shooting for a while....I need to see if I can hunt that guy down. If I can, I may be able to get you more info!!!

Thanks, Flat Top -- that would be great.

Just so we're talking apples to apples here, is a slip gun a Colt Single Action Army (or similar) without a trigger, or with its trigger tied back, with a lowered hammer spur fired by being allowed to slip from full cock out from under the web between the thumb and forefinger? I assume from what you wrote we're talking about the same thing, but just wanted to be sure.

The Old Guy