“Grip” actually refers to the grasping of the handgun by the shooter. The “handles” are more accurately called “stocks”, but the term “grip” is most commonly used. In this discussion I will use the more common term.
With the small frame S&W snubs, we find a handgun intended to be concealed as either a primary or backup weapon. Sights don’t come close to those used for target work and the original grips were meant to aid in the gun’s diminutive size.
This S&W Model 442 is wearing the old classic Smith & Wesson J-frame round butt grips. For years these were common trim on the little pocket revolver.
The classic J-frame walnut grips are easy to conceal and do not lend themselves to “printing” if the gun is worn in a belt holster under the jacket. They are also small enough to allow for dropping into a jacket pocket or via a pocket holster. They are also prone to allowing the gun to shift during recoil, particularly in rapid-fire. I have never been able to do my best using these grips. They cover neither the front or rear grip straps and are the same width and height as the gun’s frame. Everything that could be done was done to make the gun as “invisible” as possible. Unfortunately, controllability suffered. The only concession to aiding stability was that the grips were checkered.
I find the smooth classic S&W grip considerably less controllable than the more common checkered grips. They do look very nice, but simply do not lend themselves to the most efficient handling of the revolver.
A common and still surprisingly good solution to this malady comes in the form of a “grip adapter.” For years Smith & Wesson, Pachmayr, and Tyler offered these add on parts. I know that Tyler still does today.
Installation is simple; loosen the grips and slide the metal tabs at the rear of the grip adapter between them and the frame. Tighten the grip screws and you’re done.
This Tyler grip adapter adds no width to the gun. It does allow for a much more secure grip on the snub during firing and the revolver doesn’t shift as much in the hand with heavy loads. These are still available. I’ve used such an arrangement for years and know at least one current law enforcement officer who does the same today. If you prefer the “classic look” but want more control when shooting, this has proven a viable solution for me.
For those interested in grip adapters, Tyler Manufacturing has a site located at: http://www.t-grips.com/
The problem is that grip adapters can cost as much as some entire sets of synthetic grips! These are offered for both square and round butt frames as well as J, K, L, and N-frame S&W revolvers.
Not normally seen these days are the old Fitz Gunfightergrips for the J-frame. Certainly not “tactical” in looks, they do offer very good control of the snub in slow or quick shooting. They are thicker than the standard grips and cover the front grip strap. This does the same thing as the grip adapter. They are also longer than the gun’s butt and do slightly increase overall size.This picture lets you see the increased length and slightly increased width of these synthetic stocks. Despite the “retro” look, the Fitz Gunfighter does allow for very, very good control of the gun. These have not been made since the ’70’s and do not work too well with speedloaders; they work fine with speed strips, however.
It is my view that the J-frame snub best serves as a concealed carry gun. For me these grips are just a bit large for pocket carry. For use with either an IWB or conventional belt holster, they present no problems. For a snub carried primarily in the glove box or for home defense, their size is a non-issue. They do tame much of the little Airweight Smith’s buck!
Some grips cover both the front and rear grip straps. This one also extends below the gun’s butt. The revolver is also a bit longer as the grip extends more rearward. This might aid the shooter having extremely large hands or long fingers, but it reduces the J’s primary strength: concealability.This set of Uncle Mike’s replacement grips are similar to the wood ones discussed previously. While I actually prefer rubber or synthetic grips for pocket carry, I do not find these particularly comfortable and they do make the revolver harder to conceal.
Obviously, some sort of compromise is in order. We need a grip that offers adequate control, but we also do not want to unduly sacrifice the ability to conceal.
The grip at the far left is the K-frame round butt service grip from S&W. The center grip is rapidly approaching its size, but for a considerably smaller gun that holds one less round. As the butt is normally the hardest part of the handgun to effectively conceal, I’d just as soon carry the larger gun. The grip at the right is from Uncle Mike’s and is an approved copy of Craig Spegel’s boot grip. The front of the grip mimics the Tyler grip adapter while the grip does not cover the rear strap. It is no longer than the gun’s grip frame and relatively thin. Being rubber, it is not stained by sweat after daily pocket carry in hot climates. I have experienced no problems with this grip for pocket carry. It works fine with speedloaders.
As you may have guessed, I prefer the Uncle Mike rubber boot grip to all others. I’ve found it to provide both comfort and control and it has proven durable over several years of daily carry. They are not nearly so nice as the original wooden boot grips from Mr. Spegel, but neither do they cost as much.
The Uncle Mike’s boot grip has been standard on the S&W J-frame .38’s for several years now and this is one decision that S&W has made that I agree with.
The most petite grips I’ve found that offer sufficient control in firing are from Eagle Grips. Here are their Secret Service grips for the J-frame round butt. I find these better than the original S&W grips in either rapid or slow-fire and they are no harder to control. They cover the front strap, but not the rear and they do not extend below the gun’s frame at all. I do not find them more comfortable than the Uncle Mike’s boot grip.Here is a closer view of the Eagle Secret Service grip. It, too, works fine with speedloaders.
So which is best? I cannot say which is best for another person, but have tried to point out strong and weak points (as I see them) on the several types of grips available for the snub. What feels best to me possibly will not to the next guyor gal. It remains my opinion that for a “carry gun”, the wisest choice remains grips that offer comfort, adequate control in firing, and concealability. For the J-frame not primarily carried, it makes no difference. However, in such cases I suggest going to a weapon that offers advantages that the J-frame does not. Without exception, my J’s are the aluminum frame Airweight version. These are superb for carry, but reduced weight does mean more felt recoil. I find their lightweight to be significantly more comfortable for pocket carry. While they are not as light as some newer offerings, neither are there limitations on what ammunition can be used without causing the gun to malfunction. I can use my preferred LSWCHP +P ammunition without worry that a bullet will unseat, protrude from the cylinder and jam the gun. The even-lighter S&W J-frames require the use of jacketed ammunition to prevent this. I tried an “experiment” using lead factory ammunition to see how true this proviso might be; I fired 4 shots before the revolver jammed as described above. It’s my observation that the aluminum J-frames are light enough, but getting a grip on them can be a problem. I find the factory standard rubber boot grip that comes on them to be the overall choice.
Subjectively my choices for “best” are:
Uncle Mike’s rubber boot grip
S&W checkered service grip w/grip adapter
Eagle Grips’ checkered Secret Service
Hogue Monogrips
Again, my choices may not be yours and I certainly would not argue with anyone preferring to buy the original Spegel’s from which the Uncle Mike’s were derived. If pocket carry is your preferred manner of carry, I do suggest going with grips that do not cover the rear grip strap, are not thicker than the original grips, and do not extend below the frame.
The J is not the most efficient defense gun by a long shot, but it does offer at least reasonable terminal ballistics with appropriate loads and is so easily carried that it is more likely to be with us when the unexpected occurs.
Were I going to use the J-frame snub only at the range or home, I’d go with the Fitz Gunfighters if I could find them. Despite the dated appearance, they do offer very fine control and tame recoil well. This might be the case for a person having but one handgun, but if the gun’s grips are making it too much larger, it’s original niche is lost.
This S&W 3″ barrel Model 64 is all stainless steel. It weighs significantly more than the J-frame Airweight, but offers six shots instead of five. Felt recoil is substantially reduced. This extra inch of barrel significantly increases velocity. With these Pachmayr “Compac Professional’s”, its grip dimensions have not been significantly increased. They are very flat, but do extend below the grip frame approximately 1/4″. So far I have not found any grip more convenient and comfortable with this K-frame revolver. Before going to a K-size grip on a J-frame, I would go to the K-frame and its advantages if concealability is not an issue.This well-worn S&W Model 642 wears the same Uncle Mike’s grips it came with. I’ve tried quite a few others but always came back to these. This revolver is carried in a pocket holster and on me 24/7.
It remains my belief that the J-frame remains a fine choice for concealed carry or back up use. I’ve also found there to be significant differences in control and comfort depending upon the grips in a handgun this size. Hopefully, this article might be of use to someone fancying a J but wondering about grip selection for concealed carry or just more controllability.
I buy new holsters like a lot of people buy new shoes on a whim, because I want to, to reward myself for surviving a hard week, to match a new belt, or just because I’m bored with the old ones. I don’t need much of a reason to buy a holster. I have a large ammo box that serves no other purpose than as a repository for old holsters. So, these are my two busiest holsters for the snubby this week. Next week, it may be something different.
Both of these offerings happen to be from Galco. Now, I like Galco leather, but this doesn’t imply any special endorsement of Galco products. My favorite gun shop happens to be a Galco stocking dealer so I can usually find the holster I want conveniently without chasing all over the country, and most importantly, I can buy them on impulse (cf. shoes above.). Galco makes solid duty-grade holsters, not terribly exciting, but functional, and a bit over-priced.
#1 The Galco Pocket Holster
This holster and I have a lot of miles together. It is a single-ply design with a suede-like unfinished finish. It does not have extra panels to try to make it look like a wallet in your pocket. It relies on its thinness to conceal itself in the pocket. For this holster to work properly, a little slack is required in the pocket. Dress slacks or cargo shorts are the ideal hosts for this holster. If you use it with very tight blue jeans, it may print. I make a habit of buying my jeans about one size too large so that they can accommodate my various holsters. I can wear a 36 waist, but I will buy a 38 so that my pockets are not too tight, and I can slip a pocket holster or an IWB into them if I want. In the hot summer months, this pocket holster in a pair of cargo shorts is ideal for easy concealment and hot weather comfort. In dress-up situations, this holster drops into the blousy front pocket of a pair of dress slacks and disappears. It works beautifully. Just make sure that your pockets are deep enough. I bought a nice pair of silk slacks from Men’s Warehouse that I really like, but the pockets are kind of shallow. When you sit down with the pocket holster in these pants, you will suddenly experience anxiety that the gun is about slide out of your pocket. Check the pocket depth when buy slacks.
#2 The Galco Concealable
I like this holster a lot. Its your standard pancake belt holster. It holds the gun in the classic FBI cant the grip tilted forward so its easy to grab quickly at a natural angle. Belt holsters are really my favorite kind of holsters. They’re comfortable and hold the gun in an excellent position for a quick draw. This holster is especially good at holding the grip next to your body. This is important for concealment. I have tried a number of pancake-style holsters that allow the grip to lean out away from your body. I call them floppy. The Concealable isn’t floppy. It holds the gun next to your body very positively. This holster is open on the bottom so it accommodates any J-frame regardless of barrel length. I bought it for the Model 60-15 with its 3 barrel, but it also carries the shorter barreled Model 637 just fine. A nice, firm 1.5 gun belt is a meaningful help to these kinds of holsters. Thinner belts let the holster move around more and get out of position. Most holsters, unless they are specially made, assume a 1.5 belt. A thick belt that is designed for carrying guns will improve the comfort of any holster. I get my belts from Haugen Gunleather. You’ll hear people say that if you’re going to use a belt holster, you should carry a bigger gun than a snubnose, because the belt holster will handle the weight of a full-sized service handgun. There is some validity to that. At the same time, if what you really want to carry is a lightweight snub, the belt holster makes for a very comfortable carry. Sometimes, I just don’t want the weight of a service auto and its spare magazines on my belt. With a lightweight snubby in the Concealable, you can almost forget that its there.
The snubnose revolver is a close-quarters self-defense handgun. The design was a response to the need for a compact repeating handgun which could be presented rapidly and concealed easily.
Some Historical Background
The first compact revolvers were not the double action hand ejector revolvers we think of as snubnoses today. Colt, Smith & Wesson and others were building small revolvers from the 1850s on. Both Colt and Smith & Wesson introduced double action revolvers in 1877. The S&W guns were top break designs and the Colts were side-loaders. In 1894 Smith & Wesson introduced the hand ejector design, the cylinder mounted on a crane which swings out for loading and unloading, with the push rod and ejector star to eject the spent cases. With the development of hand ejector, the modern double-action snubnose footprint was pretty much established, leaving only the final touch, the sawed-off barrel to Colt. By 1927, Colt had produced its six-shot Detective Special based on their .38 Police Positive Special. Its entirely possible that the very first snubnose may have been a home-brew full sized revolver with its barrel sawed off. Well never know for sure.
In 1942 Smith & Wesson built a few Victory Model Military & Police revolvers with 2″ barrels. In 1946, they began commercial production of the pre-Model 10 (Military & Police) snubnose. In 1950, Smith & Wesson introduced the 5-shot J-frame Chiefs Special in .38 Special. It was much more compact than previous renditions of the snubnose, and it has become the archetype for compact revolvers. It remains in service and production to this day. Sadly, the Colt Detective Special and the Cobra (Detective Special with a Coltalloy frame) are no longer in production. The Model 10 snubnose is no longer in production either.
What we do know is that the snubnose emerged in the shadow of full sized service revolvers like the Colt Single Action Army, The Remington New Army, and the Smith & Wesson Schofield. These were large and powerful single action revolvers chambered in .44 or .45 with 4, 6 and 8 inch barrels. These large revolvers were replaced by equally large double action Colt New Service and the Smith & Wesson Military and Police revolvers. These guns had long barrels and full grips. With six and eight inch barrels, they produced respectable muzzle velocity and superb accuracy. So what would be the rationale for sawing off the barrel and grips, and thereby reducing the sight radius, muzzle velocity and general controllability of a handgun?
The Rationale of the Snubnose
We always talk about the conceal-ability of the snubnose how easy it is to carry and conceal in a pocket or purse, and this is true, but there is another reason for building a short barreled revolver, and that is speed. If you have ever actually strapped on a Colt Single Action Army six-shooter, drawn that gun and fired it, you will understand that this operation is not all that easy to do quickly. These guns are heavy and the long barrels have to be hoisted high to clear the leather. Now, I have seen guys like Bob Munden do amazing quick draw tricks with Colt SAAs, but even Bobs guns are 4 models, and Bob is a natural phenomenon. For the rest of us mere mortals, drawing a full sized revolver and getting its sights on target is a slow affair. Try it for yourself if you have the equipment: draw a 6 barreled revolver from a holster, and then put a snubnose in the same holster, and see how much faster and easier you clear the leather with the snubby. There’s just less distance to travel, and therefore, less time involved.
What exactly is a belly gun? It is just what the word implies? A kind of hardware you jam against the other man’s navel and trigger off a burst. It has to be done in a twinkling or else he is apt to take the gun away from you and that could be bad. Since the trick of the thing depends on speed, the pistol must be short and handy-short so that it comes out fast and lines up lethally and handy so that a man points it like he does his finger. Col. Charles Askins, Belly Guns, Guns Magazine, 1955
The second and perhaps most enduring glory of the snubnose is its ability to be easily concealed. When rendered with modern light weight metallurgy, you get a handgun that still ranks as one of the best combinations of reliability, power and comfort in carry of any handgun ever built.
The Art of Compromise
The snub-nose .38 Special is a study in trade-offs. The .38 Special is an excellent cartridge coming out of a 4″ barrel. Launched from a 2″ barrel, it can suffer velocity and expansion problems. On the other hand, a .38 with a 4″ barrel wont fit in your pocket. A snub-nose .38 can launch a bigger bullet than any other pistol of its size and weight, a 158 grain slug, but it can only launch five or six of them before you have to reload. Its small size and weight make it a dream to carry, but a pain to shoot. Modern .38 Special +p ammunition from Federal, Remington, Speer, Cor-Bon and Winchester has addressed the velocity and expansion issues fairly well. Nevertheless, when you select the snubby as a self-defense handgun, you have to come to grips with the compromises involved with them.
You trade ballistics, accuracy and shooting comfort for speed, conceal-ability, and carry comfort. That’s the deal. This is just simple physics. The issue is how to deal with it. What kinds of things do you need to do to compensate for the shortcomings of the snubby and accentuate its strengths? Here are my thoughts on this question:
1. Practice.
(Well, duh, I hear you say.) The fact of the matter is that most people don’t practice much with their carry guns. When we go to the range or matches, we engage our egos and shoot the big full-sized guns with their long barrels and superb triggers, but then, when we leave the range, the gun on our hip is some little compact revolver or auto. As Walt Rausch is fond of saying, We talk .45s, shoot 9mms and carry .38s. The big gun gets 300 rounds and the carry gun gets 10. This is really backwards. Shouldn’t the gun you bet your life on get the lions share of the practice? When was the last time that you actually did an IDPA match with a J-frame revolver? If you haven’t, you should. Its enlightening. Can you empty your snubnose into a pie plate at seven yards in five seconds? If you cant, you need to go back to the range and pop caps until you can. (And that’s five seconds drawing from realistic concealment) Can you do that while moving to cover? Can you hit anything with a snub gun weak hand only? I think you get my drift. Treat the carry gun realistically, because its the one that’s most likely to pull your bacon out of the fire.
2. Practice reloads.
Most times these days, when I go to a match, I’m running a Springfield XD-9 with 16 round magazines. I never have to reload unless I want to. Snubbies aren’t like that. My greatest complaint with the snubby is that it only loads five or six rounds. For the most part, you shoot 5 rounds and then have to reload. Can you reload your revolver under stress? Have you ever tried it? While it is true that most civilian self-defense encounters are resolved with 5 rounds or less, with my luck, Ill run into the four zombies from Hell, and if I survive the opening salvo, I will need to reload. Practice your reload until its smooth and fast. It can be done. I’ve watched Jerry Miculek shoot, and he can reload a revolver faster than most of us can reload an auto. (For that matter, Miculek can reload a revolver faster than most of us can do anything.) For the video of Jerry Miculek shooting the world record and reloading, click the play button on the player to the right.
3. Carry a reload.
Five rounds may not be enough, although it probably will be. I always carry a reload. Its usually a speedloader in my strong-hand pocket. Often I will carry a second speedloader in a pouch on my belt. When everything else is equal, more ammo is better than less. Work out the way you’re going to carry your reload and then practice actually using it. The chances are good that you will discover little screw-ups and problems with your reload procedure that only practice at speed will reveal. Ill share with you a big one: many of the grips that Smith & Wesson put on their J-frames are not properly relieved to handle speedloaders smoothly. Hogue Monogrips and Crimson Trace Laser Grips are relieved properly for speedloaders, but the default Uncle Mikes boot grips and Uncle Mikes Combat Grips are not relieved properly for speedloaders. If the reload defeats you, consider carrying a second gun. In gunfighter parlance, this is referred to as The New York Reload, and its faster than any other kind of reload.
4. Study and understand ammo performance in short barreled revolvers.
This is an important point. When a gun fires, the powder is not burned instantaneously. It continues to burn as long as the bullet is traveling down the barrel, and the longer it burns, the more pressure it develops. More pressure means greater muzzle velocity for the bullet. Greater velocity means better hollowpoint performance and terminal ballistics. The snubnose has a very short barrel so you need an ammo which burns its powder fast and develops some velocity. Know also that .38 Special revolvers are calibrated to 158 grain ammunition, and smaller faster loads will tend to shoot low because the bullet emerges from the barrel sooner in the recoil cycle of the gun. Some of our preferred loads include Remington Golden Saber +p, Speer 135 grain +p, and Cor-Bon 110 grain DPX. See also Snubby .38 Special Ballistics.
I’m a Cooperite and I believe in aimed fire. At the same time, when you are threatened and drawing at close range, you probably will not have time to align the sights and fire that way. You will whip the gun up, looking over the top of the gun, maybe get the front sight on the target, and pull the trigger. One study I saw showed that most police officers tended to actually use the point shooting technique when under close-range attack. They aren’t trained that way; its just something we do under the stress of a close-in lethal assault. Also, once we cross the age of 50, few of us have the eyes of a 21-year-old fighter pilot. We may not have the visual acuity to see the sights in an emergency. Hence, while I believe that the sighted fire method is to be preferred, we may face self-defense situations which will preclude the use of it. Practice both.
What You Have Going For You
Speed and Simplicity
The snubnose indexes naturally, almost as if it were an extension of your hand. Being light, and compact, it draws easily and rapidly. I would hazard the guess that there are more snubnose .38 Special revolvers currently deployed for the purpose of self-defense than any other single type of firearm. They are simple and effective. They continue to work, so people continue to use them. The cartridge is powerful enough to be lethal when adequate hits are made, and the ammunition is readily available all over the world. Women and non-dedicated personnel like them. Better a .38 Special in your pocket than a 1911 .45 at home in a dresser drawer. The snubnose is simple and uncomplicated. There are no safeties to remember. There is no complex manual of arms to master and commit to muscle memory. Its point and click. I prefer revolvers for the home defense role because there is no confusion about them. I know that every member of the family has practiced with them, and there are no tricky safety sequences to explain.
Conceal-ability
I have more holsters for my snubnoses than any other firearm platform. I have more hours carrying the snubnose than any other gun. Why? Because they carry so well. An Airweight Smith & Wesson snubnose is the most comfortable gun to carry of any I have ever tried. They are light and ergonomic. A J-frame fits to the human body better than most autoloaders. Autoloaders tend to be blocky and square. The extra magazine also adds weight and bulk. The snubnose is a bit wider at the cylinder than a 1911, but everywhere else, it is thinner and more rounded. They’re just comfortable, and they’re light. An Airweight snub weighs about 15 ounces empty, whereas an empty Government Model M1911 weighs 39 ounces. The conceal-ability of the snubnose also contributes to its speed. You can carry the gun in the pocket of a jacket and have your hand on the grip without anyone noticing it. You can even fire the gun from inside a pocket if you have to, although I don’t recommend that technique. Even so, its a lot quicker than drawing from a holster.
Snubbies fit in purses, fanny packs, leg and shoulder holsters, pants pockets and belly bands. Don’t neglect conventional belt holsters and IWBs. A lightweight snub gun in a belt holster is a delight to carry.
Dependability
It is possible to jam a revolver. It is possible, but highly unlikely. I have been firing revolvers for going on 40 years, and I have yet to have one jam on me. (Generally, my autoloaders don’t jam on me either, but it has happened.) How can one jam a revolver? Mostly, it has to do with crud. If crud gets under the ejector star, it can cause the revolver to seize up when the cylinder is closed. Crud build-up on the front of the cylinder and rear of the barrel can cause the cylinder to stop turning. With very light-framed guns using lead bullet +p ammunition, the bullets can pull out of the cases during recoil and cause a jam (Always use jacketed hollowpoints in lightweight snubs), and last, the lock work in the gun can get messed up and cause the gun to fail to fire. All of these failures are very rare. Mostly, revolvers just work with almost monotonous reliability. If you can pull the trigger on a revolver, it will go off, regardless of whether you support it well or not. It doesn’t care about ammo much. It will fire and advance the next cartridge to the firing position. If you are weak or injured, the revolver will still work for you. The other learning at this point is the revolvers are not zero maintenance. They should be fired, cleaned and periodically checked out by a qualified gunsmith.
A Gun That Is Always With You
A gun writer whose name is regrettably lost in the crevasses of my faulty memory, once wrote an article about self defense handguns for hiking. He talked about the standard range of handguns from .22s to .44s, but the thing I remember about the article was that he related that on the two occasions in which he actually had to use a gun for self defense, the gun was a .38 Special snubnose. The reason? Because that’s what I had with me. The snubnose .38, and especially the lightweight models such as the S&W Airweight, remain, in my mind, the most comfortable guns to carry and the most versatile in carry modes. Since they are so easy to carry, you’re more likely to have one with you when you need it.
Far from being obsolete, the snubnose revolver remains one of the most important, versatile and utilitarian options for self-defense.
By Tom Line The author’s experiments with small framed S&W revolvers, like the Chief’s Special and J Frame revolvers, proved that they are some of the most effective point shooting pistols!
Point Shooting Defined
Point Shooting is generally recognized as the skill of discharging a firearm quickly, usually a hand-gun, in self defense, with minimal or no use of the sights on the gun. While this skill always works good in the movies, especially cowboy movies, in order to point-shoot well in real life and death situations, a certain amount of self-education or formal training is required, along with as much practical practice as possible. While fast draw may be considered by the uneducated to be the same as point shooting, it is in fact an entirely different animal. Fast draw should not be of primary consideration to those who truly wish to master point shooting for real life practical self defense in genuine life and death situations. In practicing point shooting, being quick on the draw will come, but should be secondary to point shooting itself.
History and Background of Point Shooting
Some gunfighters of the old west used point shooting techniques but very little is available to document this. E. A. Sykes and W. E. Fairbairn, once of the Shanghai Municipal Police before the Japanese occupation, are generally acknowledged as the fathers of modern point shooting development and Colonel Rex Applegate of the military’s Office of Strategic Intelligence (OSS – Precursor of the CIA) is credited with documenting and bringing it into popular use for clandestine military operations. Many books are available that paraphrase their work, at great length in fact, in promoting the art of point shooting during WWII training of OSS agents. Throughout this time however, point shooting was practiced by shooting advocates in law enforcement.
Why Master the Shooting Discipline of Point Shooting?
In a nut-shell, real gun fights happen in low light conditions, at very close ranges. Things happen so quickly in a real life threatening situation, that citizens, soldiers, and police find that skills learned in the formal target shooting arena have evolved more to provide shooting range safety than deadly force in self defense. In real shoot-outs, people automatically assume fighting stances that are contrary to formal target shooting. Point Shooting instead takes advantage of these natural physiological reactions of the human body, and is thus based on fighting stances that the human animal will automatically assume when challenged and threatened.
Choice of Weapon
In order to Point Shoot effectively, one is best served to practice point shooting with the weapon they will be using in a real situation. What is essential to recognize, is that different guns of various styles and configurations, provide significantly different results when used for Point Shooting. Generally speaking, any pistol will work. However know that different guns, when fired quickly without focused use of the sights, will impact very differently at the target due to differences in weight, recoil, and probably most importantly, the ergonomics of the pistol’s design. People are built differently too. A firearm that one man can quickly master for the purposes of point shooting, may be ineffective for another equally skilled shooter. For practical purposes, stick with one style of gun for the purposes of point-shooting. The gun or type of gun should be the one you’ll most likely have with you in a life threatening situation.
Notes on Point Shooting
*The following notes on point shooting are based on limited experimentation performed by the author. You results may, and probably should vary, depending on your choice of weapon, and your individual physical characteristics.
S&W Model 36
Snub Nose Revolvers:
The authors experiments with small framed S&W revolvers, like the Chief’s Special and J Frame revolvers, proved that they are some of the most effective point shooting pistols. The pistols, when provided with older style original S&W wooden grips, provide consistent accurate grouping when utilized for one handed point shooting. When used with the newer style rubber grips, the guns are less effective for the sake of accuracy when used for point-shooting.
S&W Model 66 “K” Frame Size Pistol
Full Size Revolvers:
The standard and larger K Framed S&W revolvers, while more accurate than the snub nose revolvers at aimed fire, are much less effective for the purposes of point shooting than the snub nose revolvers. In point shooting practice, the medium size S&W pistols tend to lay fire very high and bit to the left. It it the authors opinion that much practice would be required to master effective one handed point shooting with such a revolver, if mastering point shooting with such a weapon is in fact possible. Such a weapon however, may prove to work well for different people, or for two handed point shooting use.
Makarov And Other Small Automatics Yielded Poor Point Shooting Results
Small Frame Automatics
Experiments with military model small frame automatics yielded poor results overall for the author. Shots were very unpredictable, except at very very close range. However, considering their intended design and rapid fire rate, small frame automatics may be acceptable for close range self-defense. Note reports of Keltec’s producing good results.
1911 – Flat Back Strap
Large Frame Automatic Pistols
Large frame automatic pistols yielded various results. It is with the automatic that small differences in the gun’s design become very significant for the purposes of point-shooting.
For the authors experiences in practicing point shooting, the 1911A1 model produces better results than the standard 1911 design. Note the subtle differences in the designs of the two old fine pistols. Raising the backstrap changes the pointing attributes of the gun significantly for the purposes of point shooting.
1911-A1 – Raised Back Strap, Index Finger Cut
In addition to government model differences, most pistols, including newer 1911 style pistols, tend to be slightly thicker than the old G.I. pistols which will also vary the pointing characteristics significantly.
In general, the larger automatics work very well for point shooting, but considerable patient practice is necessary. The gun should be raised from below and pointed at the target, rather than held in the air and lowered at the target. The large automatics will work fine for point shooting, and an additional advantage of the large frame automatic is the high volume of firepower than may be delivered very quickly to the target.
Note that WWII G.I. vets report that the Luger, with it’s different geometry and light weight front-end, may point-shoot best when pointed at a target from the raised position rather than from the pointed down position. This may be similar for the Nazi P38’s as well as the U.S. Military Beretta 9mm which is based on the Nazi P38 design.
“Standing Tall” Vs. “Folding in” to the Gunman’s Crouch
Jelly Bryce uses Gunman’s Crouch, while Bill Jordan uses classic lawman attitude; standing tall. Applegate uses a slight crouch which is more useful for continued movement during a shootout and brings his 1911 45 automatic into a “sight plane” without actually using the sights to maximize accuracy.
Try both methods to see what works for you. Both men were fast and deadly.
Out of vogue for many these days is the snub-nosed .38 Special revolver. Some still do tote one by choice as either their primary concealed carry handgun while others relegate it to backup duties for a more potent piece. Snubs can be had in several calibers and more than one frame size, but this article will focus on the J-frame Airweight .38 Special. I suggest that what is discussed here would apply equally to J-frames be they of steel, stainless, or one of the newer metal alloys used these days. I prefer to Airweight (aluminum frame) to all-steel as I tote the snub via pocket holster and find the latter a tad heavy for this convenient mode of concealed carry. The Airweight is plenty light but heavy enough that one does not usually have to worry that certain bullets will work out of their cases under recoil. This cannot be said for some of the newer revolvers that are even lighter than the Airweight. If I couldn’t find an Airweight snub, I’d go for the heavier rather than the lighter versions.
Range time is essential if we expect to be able to use the snub .38 as more than just a threat. These are not the easiest handguns to shoot well. They do have quite a bit to offer for those willing to try.
Clint Smith is reputed to have said something to the effect, “Handguns are meant to be comforting, not comfortable”. I tend to agree if one is pretty sure of treading a hazardous path, leads a high-risk life-style, or works in a dangerous profession. Before retiring as a full-time peace officer, I seldom carried less than a 9mm or .45 automatic off duty. Were I in the jewelry business in Los Angeles or a bodyguard or something similar, I would not rely solely on a snub. More than likely I’ve served my last arrest or search warrant. I’ll not kick in any more doors or be sworn to confronting and arresting wanted felons known to be dangerous on sight. These days I’m around the house feeding ducks or goldfish, writing a bit, at the range, or hunting lease and that’s about it. Before he passed, my father was in need of constant medical attention. On one hurried trip into a large city after the midnight phone call, the snub was in my pocket all right but there was a cocked-and-locked .45 in a strong side belt holster as well. The area around the hospital had been the scene of a recent homicide and several aggravated robberies. Going into a know risky area I wanted “comforting” more than “comfortable.” You get the idea; for most of my time I’m in a very, very low risk environment. True warriors will opine that one could be under deadly attack at any time and that is true, but we all play the odds to a degree. Knowing that a dozen gang bangers were heading my way to rid the world of my shadow and that I couldn’t retreat or get police intervention, I’d go with something other than a handgun to be sure. At the same time, I refuse to be “naked” and want a firearm on or near me 24/7. More than any compact 9mm or .380 ACP, the snub .38 meets my own personal requirements at least to the minimal level. For me, the .38 snub excels as a pocket gun. If going to a belt gun, OWB or IWB, a more effective and larger handgun can easily be carried.
This S&W Model 42 is accompanied by extra ammunition carried via both the speedloader and the speed strip. The Fobus paddle holster is comfortable and carries the gun well for me, but if going to a belt gun, I suggest that we go with a more efficient handgun. To me, the snub shines as either a pocket gun or a backup.
At the same time, I absolutely reject carrying a weapon that cannot be used effectively. The compact snub can be (depending upon how one defines “effectively”), but it takes work. At my personal minimum for “power” and with limited shots on tap before reloading, it is essential that the snub user be able to make each and every hit a decisive one.
If you carry or plan to carry a snub, perhaps my practice recommendations might be of at least some use. Most of the time I go to the range and shoot some sort of handgun at least once per week. Frequently I might go two or three times depending upon my schedule or if a project is in the works. I make it a point to shoot my J-frame at least once every other week and often more. The snub is shot slow-fire for practice at precision work, rapid-fire for when that might be essential, and a bit of point shooting is included. I also suggest some strong and weak hand shooting in additional to the usual two-hand hold.
Practice ammunition is essential in getting good with the snub .38. It can be purchased or handloaded. Pictured are various handloaded cartridges I’ve used for range work with my snubs.
“But the snub ain’t no target gun. It’s a belly gun meant for up close and personal!” True enough until it’s not. What if you’re required to make a shot where you can only see part of your aggressor? What if you have to take a “rescue” (head) shot at 10 yards? What if you have two opponents and but two shots left and they’re rapidly advancing? You’d have to almighty quick to reload with a full five before they get to you in most instances, Jerry Miculek excluded.
These groups were fired with an Airweight at 10 yards in slow fire. This particular gun hits a bit to the right, but notice that at this distance, there’s just not that much difference in POI between the 125 and 158-gr. bullets.
The old saying that “practice makes perfect” is not true. Perfect practice does or at least lets us see improvement.
The very attributes that make the snub so easy to carry work against making it easy to shoot well. It compactness translates to short sight radius. Lightweight equals greater felt recoil and a harder gun to hold steady against the double-action trigger pull. The small cylinder means 5 shots instead of the usual 6. The 1 7/8″ barrel results in lower velocity than longer barrel revolvers and we don’t get full case extraction unless the ejector rod is depressed briskly.
Accurate shooting of the snub is possible despite the preceding downside issues. All shooters have the desire to be good shots. Fewer have the desire to do the work required to get there. I am certainly not a master shooter, but several approaches to marksmanship have helped me and translate well to the snub revolver.
Assuming that one already has understanding of shooting fundamentals like trigger control, breathing, grip, sight alignment, sight picture, and so forth, let’s tailor a little shooting regimen for the snub .38.
Start at relatively close range: Even though we’re speaking of accurate “target shooting” here, most are best served by starting off at 3 to 5 yards. Error magnifies itself with distance. Seeing groups come down in size builds confidence and that encourages practice. As repetitions of correct trigger pull, etc, burn themselves into the shooter’s hardwiring distances can be increased. Don’t get into too much of a hurry to do this and don’t get in a rush for firing more quickly
Don’t shoot beyond your individual fatigue limit: 99% of shooting is done “between the ears.” In other words, we have to use our brains. This requires concentration and concentration is the handmaiden to fatigue. The great marksman and Marine sniper, Carlos Hathcock, said that when “working” he would “crawl inside his bubble.” He was saying that he was concentrating at the maximum level on his sight alignment, breathing, and so forth. It’s exceptionally easy to fire the gun, but not so easy to make the bullets go where we want them. There is a price. It’s concentration and mental fatigue. Just routinely burning ammunition is not good once we get beyond checking for reliability and familiarity with the snub. When tired I tend to let down my guard so to speak. I think we all do and this allows for bad traits such as jerking the trigger, etc. to crop up. It seems like these bad habits can be ingrained with but a few shots, but require many to break! Bad shooting technique is hard to “unlearn.”
For many beginning shooters, 50 to 75 meaningful shots are about right for the serious range session with the snub. The number of rounds that can be fired using correct techniques will increase as the shooter’s practice continues over the weeks, as will the distances at which hits can be made.
Use realistic targets: A 1″ dot at 25 yards is not a realistic target for the snub. I suggest a bullseye roughly 4″ in diameter for distances out to about 15 yards. I also use the same size target at ranges of but a few feet. Is this not roughly the size of a human heart? For most folks it has been my experience that this size target allows them to not cover the target completely with the front sight, obscuring it. There is also a place for humanoid targets with the snub, particularly when the shooter gets to more rapid firing or wants to practice “failure to stop” drills which involve chest and head shots combined.
Shoot regularly: If at all possible practice with the snub at least once a month at the minimum. It has been my experience that 10 really good shots fired each day accomplish more than 50 fired at one time at the end of the work week. Most of us do not have ranges at our homes and cannot get to a firing range each day so this is not attainable. That said, most reading this do shoot. Take the snub and a box or two of ammunition to the range with you and put forth the effort to have a short, but meaningful training session.
You can see that my Model 642 has been shot more than a little! Practice and regular range visits are necessary to get our best from the snub.
Shoot ammunition you can handle: Ammunition intended for defensive purposes is often a bit more powerful than standard loads not having expanding bullets. While it is necessary to shoot some of the ammunition we intend to carry in the gun, not each and every shot has to be. Who has heard the dictum, “Practice with what you carry”? It’s my view that this is more applicable to ammunition for use in semiautomatics. Feeding and extraction reliability are more ammo dependent than with the revolver. This emphatically does not mean that revolvers cannot malfunction and it does not mean that some ammunition can contribute to this. Years ago a friend of mine was involved in a shootout. His .357 was loaded with ammo he’d never even fired. All six shots were required and he could not reload. The fired cases had expanded so much that they couldn’t be extracted. Fortunately, the “problem” had been “solved” by that point, but we see that the reliable revolver is also ammunition dependent to at least some degree.
My practice loads are either handloaded or are the inexpensive FMJ sold by Federal, Winchester, or Remington. I use Remington 158-gr. LSWCHP +P for carry. Most of the time I practice with the inexpensive ammunition, but do fire a cylinder-full or two of the hotter loads when changing carried ammunition for fresh. Felt recoil is greater, but such will not be felt in a life or death defense scenario. It will have a slightly different point of impact than the usual practice rounds, but the difference is minute, particularly out to about 7 yards. At ten yards if the practice load hits near the middle of the suggested 4″ target, the 158-gr. LSWCHP +P will, too.
Most of the inexpensive FMJ ammunition used for the range weighs 130 grains. If you’re really concerned with slight variations between points of impact with the heavier +P load, there are standard velocity JHP’s in the 110 to 125-gr. range. I prefer the heavier 158-gr. LSWCHP +P.
At least once per month, fire a few rounds of your “carry ammo.”
Practice reloading: Five shots are not many. For most of us private citizens, they are enough, but that cannot be a hard and fast rule. Be sure that you can fully eject fired cases from your snub with one hand. I carry and use the HKS speedloader and carry at least one in addition to my snub. I find that these are easy to carry concealed and are quicker for me than Bianchi speed strips. The strips are flatter and can be used when more than one reload is being carried. Whichever you prefer, practice with them.
Whether you use speed strips like this one or a speed loader, practice using it. Conveniently carried extra ammunition is meaningless if it cannot be accessed and used in very short time frames.If loading singly, be sure you control the revolver. Note how the shooter’s left hand supports the gun and rotates the cylinder. This allows for relatively rapid reloading, particularly if you practice loading two at a time.
Make sure that your snub “fits” you: Usually this primarily refers to having a set of grips that are comfortable. Unlike belt guns to a degree or target pistols, there are limitations on grips for the snub. Sometimes we have to balance concealability against comfort. The small stocks common to J-frames decades ago were certainly easy to conceal but they allowed the gun to really twist during recoil. Most of us added Tyler grip adapters to fill in the space along the front grip strap and under the rear of the trigger guard. This helped immensely and I have no problem with that set up today. More comfortable grips could be had from several makers but they were just too large. I see little point in putting grips nearly as large as those for K-frames on the J-frame snub if the pistol is to be carried concealed. I offer this general rule of thumb for picking J-frame concealment grips: no longer than the bottom of the grip frame and no covered back strap. Each increases the size of the butt with regard to concealment. They may very well be more comfortable to shoot, but they will be harder to hide.
A number of grips exist for the J-frame. I prefer the boot grips on the gun to the others shown. They offer concealability as well as better control than the original S&W grip like the smooth one shown at the bottom middle of the picture.
So far the “best” carry grip I’ve tried for pocket carry has been the checkered rubber copies of Craig Spegel’s popular boot grip. These come standard on S&W J-frame snubs. I find the J-frame snub significantly easier to control with these than with the old grip from years ago. I actually prefer the rubber to wood in this instance. The reason is that pocket carry in hot climates lends itself to sweat coming in contact with grips day in and day out. Eventually this will stain the wood grip next to the body and it can sure lead to a rusty grip screw. I cannot abide rust. I wipe off my carry snub each day and also put a bit of oil on the grip screw. This will not be absorbed by the rubber grip, but can be with wood. Whether you opt for wood or synthetic, I strongly recommend the boot grip style stocks for the snub.
Forget ego and shoot beyond your comfort zone: Those damned bullseye targets are unforgiving things! They show each and every mistake and resulting poor shot. Once we have gotten to where we can keep our shots in a nice tight group, we tend to keep repeating it. We tend to “like” that which we do well at. The problem is that if this is at but 10 feet, we’re pretty limited in our ability with the snub.
Move the distance out a little. If you’ve been practicing at 5 yards and can keep your shots in the bullseye, begin shooting some at 7 yards. Continue this until you’re seeing that, by golly, you actually can shoot tight groups farther out. If you can work your skill level up to the point that you can practice confidently at 10-yards or so, the snub .38 will probably serve well in a deadly force encounter. When at this level, practice some at greater distances and keep doing the work closer in, too. I think ten yards is a reasonable training distance for folks used to the snub and one worth working toward for those who are not.
Each of us has our own cadence when shooting. It’s one we’re sure of getting the hits with; it’s comfortable. Too often, it’s slow. Earlier I railed against shooting too fast, but once accuracy levels have been met, we need to build our speed a bit. At the same time we do not want accuracy to go out the window.
This group was fired at 7 yards, rapid-fire. Actually it is approximately twenty 5-shot rapid-fire groups fired in a practice session with the J-frame. Toward the end, I bumped up my cadence a little and you can see the shots that are a bit farther out of the primary group. With time and practice, perhaps I can shrink the group a bit.
If you’re shooting well at 10 yards, move in to about seven. Now, shoot a bit faster than you normally do, but do not forget about sight picture and trigger control. Your first few attempts will probably result in slightly larger groups. Try it another time or two and see if you’re holding your own. If you are, just keep working at that pace and see if the groups don’t drop on back down with time. If they do not, slow down a little. It may be that smaller increments of speed are in order.
Reactive targets such as this falling plate (one of six in a row) can be lots of fun and a break in the usual paper targets. Shooting multiple targets that react is good practice and there’s also something to be learned and guarded against! These plates are larger than the recommended 4″ bullseye targets mentioned earlier. Yet many who can regularly keep all their shots in the bullseye will miss the plate. Guard against letting your focus move from the front sight to the target. It is easy to do. Stay on the sights and you’ll get the hits.
Don’t just assume that you can do no better. Push yourself a little; you might be very pleasantly surprised, but don’t go beyond your fatigue point. (As you become a more seasoned shooter with the snub, I bet you find that this point comes later and later.) If you can, shoot with folks who are better than you are. Much of the time this tends to make us bring our levels up to more closely match those more skilled.
Shoot in various ways: Most of our shooting is done two-handed. I strongly suggest that we practice some one-handed shooting, too. Do this with both strong and weak hand. It will not initially help our egos, but it might just save our lives if we work at it. (You will appreciate those boot grips here!)
My primary carry snub is the double-action-only Model 642. Shown is a Model 638 fitted with the small S&W grips. Note that this revolver’s capable of being cocked for single-action firing. I would practice some single-action shooting with it but strongly suggest that the majority of your shooting be double-action.
I am a proponent of using the sights whenever possible. What if it’s not possible? What if we have to fire at very close range and have but an instant?
Once the shooter can get the hits with the sights, I think it’s wise to practice shooting at the same targets pointing the gun with one hand and looking over the top of it. Nothing says that our first “invitation” to a deadly encounter might not be the loss of a hand or a broken arm. By the time we try point shooting I’m hoping that we’ve become considerably more familiar with the snub. It usually is not too difficult at closer range. I limit my point shooting to 7 yards or less; usually about 5 yards. If we can, I believe that even a “flash sight picture” is better than none at all. It that is just not possible, having more than one tool in the box can be a lifesaver.
Some point shooting using both weak and strong hand is essential in my opinion…if we want to be able to really use our snubs.
The snub .38 is not the best defensive arm available. In my opinion it is among the best that can be unobtrusively and comfortably carried. It offers no free rides. Compared to some .380’s it is definitely harder to shoot well. The reward is that you can shoot a heavier bullet at velocities similar to the .380. The downside is that you have fewer shots and more recoil. We’re also blessed with a very simple manual of arms with the revolver and very good reliability.
To make the small .38 snub work, we need competence. That comes from dedicated practice and effort.
There is little dispute that the .357 Magnum works. After all, there aren’t many handgun cartridges that can claim to have brought down moose, elk, and grizzly bears. Most of the other handguns that can lay claim to felling large game are generally considered to be too large and have too much recoil for practical self-defense applications. The .44 Magnum would be a good example. (Yes, I know the .41 Magnum has done it, but I have yet to run into a person packing a .41 for personal protection?) Yet, the .357 Magnum has done it while remaining manageable in a personal defense sized handgun. It’s a tail kicker, but it has its downside. The sound of a .357 going off is tremendously loud, even when wearing ear protection. Setting off a .357 indoors without ear protection would most certainly do damage to one’s hearing which could be permanent. The muzzle flash is very bright in the dark and could cause temporary vision impairment.
Controllability is a concern with the .357 Magnum. It was originally introduced for large-frame guns. In a smaller gun, the recoil is stiff. Follow-up shots could be difficult or at least slower as the shooter struggles to regain control of the gun after the recoil. You can control it if your hands and arms are strong, you can control it, but I think that even for a strong person who is used to powerful handguns, shooting performance would be improved by using .38 +p, especially on follow-up shots.
An issue with .357 Magnum ammo is its penetration. (It won’t go through the block of a ‘49 Buick unless you are firing steel core ammunition). A normal 158g .357 hollowpoint can penetrate about a yard in ballistic gelatin. This means it’s going to slice like a hot knife in butter through walls and siding. It can also shoot through large animals and emerge on the other side with enough velocity to hurt someone else. Over-penetration is a definite possibility. These are serious considerations that should be weighed before adopting the .357 Magnum as a carry load. For most situations, and especially in an urban setting, a solid .38 Special +P would be a better choice for personal defense. Its more controllable for follow-up shots, less prone to over-penetration, and less damaging to the sensory organs.
If, on the other hand, your primary area of operation is rural and wilderness, places where you are more likely to come across a mean pig or a hungry bear than you are the human variety of predators, and be outside during the encounter, the .357 Magnum with its greater power and penetration would be highly desirable. Sadly the range of a .357, one of its best features, is wasted and may be a liability in an urban environment. The .357 is a flat-shooting cartridge that retains better terminal ballistics at 150 yards than most other personal defense handgun cartridges. The mid-range trajectory of the .357 Magnum at 100 yards is only 3.5. At 50 yards it is only .8. At 100 yards, the 158g JHP .357 retains about 67% of the energy it had when leaving the muzzle (this means 360 foot-pounds of energy with a velocity of 1,015 feet per second). It’s easy to see why the range and ballistics of the .357 would be an asset in the country and a liability in the city.
.357 Magnum History
The 1920s launched an era that would change firearms history forever. Prohibition sent the United States into a tizzy. Illegal gin mills, moonshiners, bootleggers and speakeasies secretly fought against the new law, refusing to be forced into a dry nation. Along with the illegal operations came organized crime. Law enforcement struggled to battle gangsters with their inadequate .32 and .38 double-action revolvers. Cops demanded better guns and more firepower. Their weapons simply could not penetrate the bulletproof (ballistics) vests worn by the gangsters, nor could it combat the steel and glass of the automobiles that were coming into common use.
Elmer Keith, Idaho rancher and firearms enthusiast, began to work on a new type of ammunition that would surpass the commonly used .38 ammo. At the same time, Phil Sharpe, a gun writer and NRA technical adviser, set out to design a new type of ammo with higher velocity and more stopping power. The goal was to hit a muzzle velocity of 1,400 feet per second (FPS) using a 150g bullet. Sharpe approached Smith and Wesson Vice President Dan Wesson with the idea of creating the new ammo. Wesson saw the need for the new round and jumped on board. The three men pooled their talents. Smith & Wesson joined up with the ammunition division of Winchester Repeating Arms, and by 1934, the design had been completed. The design modified a .38 Special case, lengthening it by .125-inch. The cartridge held a 158g bullet that fired at 1,515 FPS. The following year, Smith & Wesson launched the .357 Magnum Revolver.
The .357 is credited with introducing the “Magnum Era.” Despite ups and downs, it remains a superior self-defense round often used by law enforcement. Law enforcement, military personnel, and Special Forces teams still use .357 Magnum handguns, mostly as backup and clutch pieces.
New Developments in the .357 Magnum
The impact of the .357 has not waned over time. However, the round isn’t limited to a revolver. It can be used in a small number of semi-auto pistols, lever-action rifles, and carbines. Applications include law enforcement, self-defense, target shooting, competition shooting, and hunting.
Today’s .357 Magnums are a far cry from what was available in 1935. One example of a new platform is the Smith & Wesson Model 60 5-shot revolver that was introduced in 1996. The gun couldn’t compete with the original since it could only shoot bullets 125g or less. Fortunately, newer styles don’t have such limitations. Several models have come and gone but the basic framework remains the same. The .357 Magnum continues to offer a high level of stopping power. Its levels of kinetic energy are enough to cause hydrostatic shock, a true benefit when a target needs to be put down.
A significant advantage of the .357 Magnum over other handguns is the ability to chamber a .38 Spl cartridge, although the .38 round is shorter. The same cannot be said for the .38. A .357 round is too long to fit in the chamber and a .38 Spl cannot withstand the pressure of the more powerful .357 Magnum round. This allows .357 users to load the lighter ammo, save money at the range, and enjoy the benefits of lighter recoil and less muzzle flash.
The introduction of semi-automatic weapons caused the .357 to lose popularity.
Semi-automatic pistols have a higher capacity and faster reloading times. Some believe that semi-autos are more powerful than a .357 Mag, but that’s not necessarily true.
.357 Magnum in the Prepper Community
It’s difficult to pigeonhole the type of weapon preferred by all preppers. Prepping has come into vogue in recent years, so the opinions of the new school and old school don’t always mesh. A .45 Magnum revolver is a sound choice in some instances but overkill in others. It’s readily available and adaptable to many situations. However, it isn’t a good choice for home defense, self-defense, or hunting. There is a good chance of overpenetration and collateral damage if used in the home or other tight spaces. In hunting, a .45 may leave nothing behind which often defeats the purpose.
There is also an issue of the “us vs. them” mentality. Revolvers vs. semi-automatics. Good points can be made on both sides. At the core, pros recommend a revolver to beginners or those that don’t fire guns regularly. A revolver has the intimidation factor for the target but doesn’t overcomplicate the process with unnecessary bells and whistles. Semi-autos share the intimidation factor, have higher capacity, are readily available in more styles, and offer many of those bells and whistles.
There is further division. In the revolver community, the argument centers on long barrel length vs. short barrel length handguns. Again, there are good points on both sides. If a person wants to carry concealed or keep a gun in the bedside table, then a short barrel snubby is probably your best choice. Serious preppers often choose a long barrel revolver because of the power and level of accuracy. In the end, it comes down to which gun meets the majority of your needs and makes you the most comfortable.
When it comes to traditional hunting, many preppers will use a .357 as a backup weapon. An old fashioned rifle may be a better bet if you’re going up against big game. The same can be said for the mythical angry bear that invades your camp in the middle of the night. (Sure, bears do enter camps but it’s usually because they are hungry, not angry. They aren’t hard to scare off.) If you’re hunting small to medium game, a .357 has more than enough power to do the job.
.357 Magnum for Concealed Carry
Using a .357 for concealed carry usually conjures images of long barrel length. While the weapon is a good choice in some instances, it is not ideal for concealed carry. It’s simply too heavy and too large to carry in an ankle holster or tuck into a pocket or purse. If you are considering a .357 for a concealed carry gun, your best bet is to latch onto one of the Smith & Wesson short barrel, or J-frame models. The 2- to 3-inch barrel makes the gun easy to handle and carry. It is still powerful and will provide the necessary stopping power in a home defense or self-defense situation. You could also go for a compact K-frame or a Ruger SP101 snub nose. Keep in mind that although the gun is small enough for concealed carry, it will be heavier than a typical .38 Spl. You should also be aware that ammo selection is critical for accuracy and recoil. Check out popular styles like JHP and FMJ (easy to reload) from top manufacturers like Smith & Wesson, Speer Gold Dot, Hornady, Buffalo Bore, or Taurus.
Here are some other things to keep in mind when choosing a .357 for CCW. The pressure of a .357 is significantly stronger than a .38 Special. That means you will experience heavier recoil which can affect your accuracy. The bonus to carrying a .357 is that it can also be used with .38 Special and .38 Special +P ammo. However, a .38 Special cannot fire a .357 because of the high pressure. Doing so can cause a misfire, jam, damage the gun, or worse, injure the shooter.
Conclusion
The .357 Magnum has been popular since its introduction in the 1930s and shows no sign of vanishing from the military, law enforcement, and/or civilian use. Regardless of which camp you’re in, the revolver or semi-auto camp, there is a .357 Mag ammo to fit your needs. Proper training is key to find the gun and ammo that are right for you.
I was asked why someone would consider a .44 special over the .357 magnum for carry or general defense. Lets take a look at a few numbers first.
.44 special
180 gr XTP bullet with 10.7 gr of VV N350 will clock you about 1173 fps. Not too shabby. That is 549 foot pounds of energy from a .44 diameter bullet. Toting that around in a .44 snubbie will let some Goblin or Wild Critter know you were thinking of them.
.357 magnum
180 gr JHP over 12.5 gr of WC820 clocks at about 1,013 fps for 410 foot pounds. To push it up to 747 foot pounds we would need to go to a TMJ round over 13.8 gr of VV N110 for 1,368 fps. Possible, but really hot and quite the penetrator. In a hunting load that is great, in a defense load not so much. The average 180 gr hollowpoint handload will give you performance more in line with the first load, not the second. The hole of course will be a bit smaller and present less bullet surface. the hole will be .358 or so in diameter.
Lets take the .44 down to 145 grs. 356 foot pounds can be expected with a velocity of 1,056 fps.
The .357 on the other hand can get really moving with a hot loaded JHP and perform rather stunning feats. 920 foot pounds with a screaming 1,691 fps. A factory loading will give you something more like 1261 for 511 foot pounds though.
Moving up to 250 gr bullets we see a velocity of 1186 for 780 foot pounds in the .357.
The .44 special on the other hand will give you 1032 for 591 foot pounds.
Now the .357 typically gets loaded with lighter rounds, as it is a smaller diameter. Lets look at factory loads for a minute with off the shelf loads that a typical shooter might find themselves with and not the handloader.
110gr Winchester White Box 1,298 fps out of a 2 1/4 ruger SP 101 for 411 foot pounds. A 124 gr load will give you 1350 fps for 501 foot pounds. A 158 gr will give you 1320 fps and a foot pounds of 611. These are standard winchester factory loads I have clocked.
Now with a .44 you tend to get heavier ammo out of the chute. 180gr loads is where it starts for 920 fps and 338 foot pounds. Standard load though is 240 gr at 950 fps for 480 foot pounds.
For out of the box performance it is a bit of a wash, the .44 having the edge with a bigger diameter by a third again as much. Now the .357 might be a bit much according to some folks for self defense, as it is known to go through something and keep on going out the other side. Whereas a .44 special tends to plow into more stuff and come to a halt having dumped more effective energy into the target. The amount of energy the target retains is what it is all about. How many of those foot pounds is lost keeping that .357 trucking along after it exits? This is why the thunder ranch guys have semi-recently become enamoured of the .44 special in a combat wheelgun, and there are special models of .44 special (mind the puns there) for sale with the TR logo on it. Both will most certainly do the job on a goblin. The cost of practice ammo is a consideration though, so getting into handloading is a good idea if you do a lot of shooting.
I find the recoil on the .44 a bit less in a snub nosed revolver FWIW, YMMV.
#1 The Galco Pocket Holster
#2 The Galco Concealable
By Syd
In 1942 Smith & Wesson built a few Victory Model Military & Police revolvers with 2″ barrels. In 1946, they began commercial production of the 
The Rationale of the Snubnose
The Art of Compromise
Conceal-ability
A Gun That Is Always With You
By Tom Line
“Standing Tall” Vs. “Folding in” to the Gunman’s Crouch
Jelly Bryce uses Gunman’s Crouch, while Bill Jordan uses classic lawman attitude; standing tall. Applegate uses a slight crouch which is more useful for continued movement during a shootout and brings his 1911 45 automatic into a “sight plane” without actually using the sights to maximize accuracy.
By Combat Controller