38 SPL carry opinions or recommendations.

[RC44Mag]

The only southpaw firearm I own is a Browning A-Bolt. Everything else is adapt to as us southpaws have been doing since we we’re wee ones.

 

[JackBull]

I carry the LCR 357 with Underwood 150 Gr wadcutters. My wife the SW Ultimate Carry Revolver in 32 H&R Mag with wadcutters.

 

[JackBull]

Stay away from S & W! - They do not back their products!
Buy a Ruger!
Always buy a Ruger!

Can you tell us more about SW not backing their products.

 

[Jeepnik]

I have a few short barreled Smiths. And one Colt. But I find myself carrying this most often. Can you guess why?

 

[pyth0n]

I have a few short barreled Smiths. And one Colt. But I find myself carrying this most often. Can you guess why?

A Charter Arms South paw ( wrong hand ).
They're the only one I know of that makes these. Good on them.

 

[Jeepnik]

A Charter Arms South paw ( wrong hand ).
They're the only one I know of that makes these. Good on them.

True of double actions, unless it's a top break. But most single action revolvers are made for Southpaws. Righthanded folks refuse to admit it because it would destroy their sense of misplaced superiority.

 

[pyth0n]

True of double actions, unless it's a top break. But most single action revolvers are made for Southpaws. Righthanded folks refuse to admit it because it would destroy their sense of misplaced superiority.

SA loading seem natural to me. Only thing you had to do was hold it & rotate the cylinder. Right hand did most of the work.

 

[Jeepnik]

SA loading seem natural to me. Only thing you had to do was hold it & rotate the cylinder. Right hand did most of the work.

Yea, those right handed folks are switching hands back and forth and claiming that's the way it was intended. I Colt was that dumb.

 

[Joe Shmoe]

I went with S&W 340 PD for the weight savings. I put Hogue grips and the 38 SWC are easy to handle now. Even some 38+P. The 357's, still, are not. But 99.5% of the time it's loaded with 38 SWC.
I also installed a spring kit to make it more 'shootable'.

 

[LDB]

Understand this is a Ruger forum but, looking for opinions

Looking for a small, lightweight pocket carry 38 SPL. Considering a Ruger LCR versus a S&W model 442 performance center. Understand, the S&W is more $$$.

My local shop does not stock either guns. Need to purchase without seeing.

Appreciate anyone’s opinion.

Thanks.

Well, given those two options I'm going with the one that really equips you well for the job, not just fills the bill ok until something better comes along. That means a bit of sacrifice to step up to a #5720 SP101. That's a 2.25" .357 so it will handle any .38 ammo you feed it in any quantity you choose. For ammo I'm going with what the BBT delivered yesterday to me, Buffalo Bore #20H 158gr. +P flat nose Keith bullet. Not quite being hit by a freight train but not too far off.

Yeah, you can shoot that in your choices, and you'll think you were also hit by the train and those flimsy guns will bang apart sooner rather than later. Or you can carry a tool that says you're serious about protecting yourself and others. And in the grand scheme of things it adds maybe the weight of one can of soda. Maybe. Surely you can carry one can of soda all day and not notice it. I carry two cans. I carry a really serious tool, a 2.5" GP100 .357 #1774 sometimes swapped with a 3" .327 Fed Mag SP101, #5784.

That's another you should consider. At least 90% of the capability of the .357 and adds one more round to the chamber. And Buffalo Bore has a 130gr. Keith load for it, #36B, that will definitely get attention to better behavior.

Good luck with your decisions.

 

[s4s4u]

SA loading seem natural to me. Only thing you had to do was hold it & rotate the cylinder. Right hand did most of the work.

Ya I don't see a righty/lefty advantage, either way it takes two hands. Which hand does what likely varies from shooter to shooter. I am LH/RED, so my hands are probably doing things that others' may do differently.