.38 special

[1nderbeard]

For anyone other than the OP, who is clearly working on 50 posts, the best carry gun for a newbie is a compact 9. You won't hit the broad side of a barn with a snubby, and you'll need more than 5-6 shots. The next best thing you can do is take an intro to firearms class, followed by a SD carry class.

 

[Dean C.]

For anyone other than the OP, who is clearly working on 50 posts, the best carry gun for a newbie is a compact 9. You won't hit the broad side of a barn with a snubby, and you'll need more than 5-6 shots. The next best thing you can do is take an intro to firearms class, followed by a SD carry class.

This right here , I consider myself semi decent shooter and they are some of the hardest to shoot pistols in existence. I get their historical significance of being the only real game in town for a LONG time, but times have changed.

 

[1nderbeard]

This right here , I consider myself semi decent shooter and they are some of the hardest to shoot pistols in existence. I get their historical significance of being the only real game in town for a LONG time, but times have changed.

They've got everything you don't want as a new shooter. Bad sights, short sight radius, heavy recoil, crappy trigger pull...
Really any subcompact pistol is bad. They are easier to carry, but you aren't carrying a weapon as an accessory. You should be able to make at least plate size hits with your carry gun at whatever distance of engagement you plan - and a snubby won't do that for most people.

 

[ECS686]

For anyone other than the OP, who is clearly working on 50 posts, the best carry gun for a newbie is a compact 9. You won't hit the broad side of a barn with a snubby, and you'll need more than 5-6 shots. The next best thing you can do is take an intro to firearms class, followed by a SD carry class.

Not to get off topic

Respectfully always needing more than 5 or 6 shots is a false belief by many. I say this as a former Municipal LEO that has been the first responder and initially investigator on a lot of shootings by robbery victims/home invasions. Granted this was several years ago but the numbers have not shifted much.

Here is what I saw but BBI or others can chime in.

Yes thugs are shooting more rounds these days however for a civilian needing to use deadly force 5 rounds or less is in the probabilities of working and here is why. Outside of a sanctioned cartel hit or something Once the shooting starts by the preposed victim even with multiple thugs they aren’t that committed and flee wether you hit them or not (of course hitting is preferred usually the leader and they don’t want a field promotion that way)

Or you yourself get incapacitated which more rounds wouldn’t matter. Ie you will run out of time before you run out of ammo in the world of probabilities.

Yea there are cases where someone used 10 rounds (Someone will throw the Greenwood mall up) however in the large large majority of civilian use shootings it doesn’t pan out. Are more rounds good to have sure if one wants but I lie to see their statement when they mag dump 12-15 rounds.
(Research this shooting from LAPD where they tried to prosecute her for not the first 4 rounds but the 4th and 6th

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/toni-mcbride-lapd-policy-violation/)

As far as hard to shoot If you seek training from someone that knows revolvers you can shoot them well enough. However snubby are not made to shoot a match they are made for within 20 yards and to get out of trouble. Some folks forget that and compare them to a RDS Glock Glock 19 or 48 and they are different

Some omit is a snubby isn’t a range toy it’s to get out of trouble and there are plenty of techniques that will make most a proficient user within the realms of a self defense scenario. And snubby can be carried and shot through clothing or drawn from a pocket where a compact 9 not so much (look up Daryl Bolke on the subject)

 

[BigRed]

Got the wife a S&W 642. She loves it.

Don

Nice gun!

 

[Mgderf]

I watched video years ago of a retired Arizona sheriff showing off his skills with a 2" snub nose .38spl.
He made consistent hits on a " man-size" target. His target was actually a tumbleweed. He said it was roughly the same size as a full grown man squatting down
This sheriff made consistent hits at 300 yards with a 2" barrel.
Average? No, to be sure, but to say a snub nose is incapable of making those shots is a falsehood.

 

[Pepi]

Been carrying a S&W 638 for 9 years. Very accurate for such a short barrel

 

[BigRed]

S&W J frame snubbie...

Nice gun.
I have one.

 

[BigRed]

Been carrying a S&W 638 for 9 years. Very accurate for such a short barrel

Nice gun.

 

[Snapdragon]

I have had at least 5 or 6 J-frames, including a lightweight or two, and I much prefer the LCR. It has less felt recoil and seems to be a bit more compact.

I disagree that a 9mm is so much better than a .38 to shoot accurately. My LCR revolver was my first gun. I trained with it, DA only, and got to be a pretty good shot, all before I heard how hard it was to shoot a DA snubnose accurately. You work with what you've got until you're good at it.

 

[BigRed]

I have an LCR in .357.

 

[LEaSH]

I also have a LCRx in .357
Much respect to those that carry hot - or even warm ammo. Mine is the 3".

Btw, welcome to ingo, OP.

 

[DadSmith]

Oh I have no doubt that he's doing that, given the number of one-liners he's been posting.

Does this person reply to their own threads or just post and forget?

 

[Lpherr]

Well... everyone should have a 5 shot snubby.

 

[Magyars]

I have an LCR in .357.

Ouch!

 

[Brad69]

It’s not 1978 quit wearing socks with your sandals and discussing revolvers!

 

[Mgderf]

Ouch!

I have a Taurus 605 .357 mag 5-shot snub nose 2" barrel...but mine is total titanium.
It weighs next to nothing when empty.
Full house loads are not for the beginner, or the weak wristed.

 

[Mgderf]

It’s not 1978 quit wearing socks with your sandals and discussing revolvers!

There's a bottom feeder fan if I ever did see one...

 

[CB1911]

38 Special for CCW? New shooter?
As much as I like S&W's I would take a good look at the Ruger LCR as others have mentioned. Great trigger on those with decent sights and nice recoil absorbing grip. The 357 magnum version while heavier frame might be preferable for further recoil reduction. Start out with wadcutters and standard pressure 38 special ammunition. Hornady critical defense standard pressure 110 grain would be a good defense load.

 

[1nderbeard]

Not to get off topic

Respectfully always needing more than 5 or 6 shots is a false belief by many. I say this as a former Municipal LEO that has been the first responder and initially investigator on a lot of shootings by robbery victims/home invasions. Granted this was several years ago but the numbers have not shifted much.

Here is what I saw but BBI or others can chime in.

Yes thugs are shooting more rounds these days however for a civilian needing to use deadly force 5 rounds or less is in the probabilities of working and here is why. Outside of a sanctioned cartel hit or something Once the shooting starts by the preposed victim even with multiple thugs they aren’t that committed and flee wether you hit them or not (of course hitting is preferred usually the leader and they don’t want a field promotion that way)

Or you yourself get incapacitated which more rounds wouldn’t matter. Ie you will run out of time before you run out of ammo in the world of probabilities.

Yea there are cases where someone used 10 rounds (Someone will throw the Greenwood mall up) however in the large large majority of civilian use shootings it doesn’t pan out. Are more rounds good to have sure if one wants but I lie to see their statement when they mag dump 12-15 rounds.
(Research this shooting from LAPD where they tried to prosecute her for not the first 4 rounds but the 4th and 6th

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/toni-mcbride-lapd-policy-violation/)

As far as hard to shoot If you seek training from someone that knows revolvers you can shoot them well enough. However snubby are not made to shoot a match they are made for within 20 yards and to get out of trouble. Some folks forget that and compare them to a RDS Glock Glock 19 or 48 and they are different

Some omit is a snubby isn’t a range toy it’s to get out of trouble and there are plenty of techniques that will make most a proficient user within the realms of a self defense scenario. And snubby can be carried and shot through clothing or drawn from a pocket where a compact 9 not so much (look up Daryl Bolke on the subject)

I meant a newbie with a snubby will need more than 5 or 6 shots to put one on target. Otherwise, I agree with you.