By John Taffin

Mention Smith & Wesson and most shooters will immediately think of one of two things, either big bore Magnum sixguns, or state-of-the-art semi-automatic pistols. As a writer I’ve spread a lot of ink discussing both of these types and as a shooter I’ve run thousands of bullets down the barrels of slick shootin’ Smith sixguns and fast-firing defensive pistols. But there are other Smith & Wessons such as the Model 41 .22 target pistol and the epitome of target guns from a few decades ago, the K-38 .38 Special and the K-22 .22 Long rifle, the famous Masterpiece revolvers.

All of these handguns are guns that I would label high exposure. They are seen at target ranges, in the hunting field, worn openly on the belt of peace officers, as well as campers, hikers, fisherman, in fact, all types of sportsmen. Chambered in .22 they are used not only for target shooting but by thousands upon thousands of families enjoying the great sport of plinking together. Larger calibers are carried for more serious purposes such as hunting and law enforcement.

There is another whole class of Smith & Wesson handguns, a group of revolvers rarely ever seen. These are the guns carried concealed by civilians and peace officers alike. These are the guns kept in countless bedside stands, under store counters, in tackle boxes, and day packs. These lightweight easily concealable handguns are the J-frames. Smith & Wesson has long utilized the alphabet to distinguish their revolvers: the N-frames, the largest .41 and .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and even .357 Magnum; the middle-sized K-frames, the .357 “Combat Magnum” and earlier mentioned Masterpiece revolvers; the L-frame, the newest intermediate sized .357 Magnum; and finally the diminutive J-frames chambered in .38 Special, .32 Magnum, .22 Long Rifle, and .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire.

History of the J-Frame

The first small frame double action Smith & Wesson, a .38, was built in 1880. This was not the famous .38 Special which would come later, but the less powerful .38 S&W. The first .38 DA weighed 18 ounces and would go through five design changes, thirty-one years of production, and number more than one-half million examples of top-break design. These were followed by the Perfected Model .38 with a solid frame/trigger guard combination , but still of the top break design, that led the way for the solid frame, swing out cylinder revolvers to come.

At the same time that the top-break .38’s were being made, the same basic design was offered in .32 S&W caliber with nearly 300,000 of the smaller caliber being made. Shortly after production began on the .38 and .32 Smith & Wesson Double Action Models, D.B. Wesson worked with son Joseph to develop a completely different style of revolver. Lucian Cary, a well known gun writer of forty years ago relates the following legend.

“When Daniel Wesson read a newspaper story about a child who had shot himself with the family revolver, his conscience hurt. He told his wife that he would make a revolver that could be safely kept in the bureau drawer. It was his custom to receive his grandchildren every Sunday. No doubt it was tough on the grandchildren. Daniel Wesson must have been a fearsome man, with his thick body, his great beard, and his virtue (Cary obviously did not understand grandfathers and grand children and the bond between them!) But on one occasion it was his young grandchild who put it over.

The Safety Hammerless

Daniel Wesson made a revolver he thought no child could fire. He gave it to his grandson, Harold Wesson, now president of Smith & Wesson (this was in the 1950’s) and challenged him to fire it. Harold was only eight years old but he knew that his grandfather expected him to fail. Maybe that gave him a shot in the arm. Harold tugged at the trigger with all his strength and fired the gun. His grandfather went sadly back to his shop–not that day, of course, which was Sunday, but on the following Monday. Some weeks later he again presented a revolver to Harold and asked him to pull the trigger. Harold did his best. But he failed.

The gun the boy couldn’t fire was the New Departure, also known as the safety hammerless. It had a bar in the back of the grip supported by a spring. You had to squeeze the grip hard enough to depress the spring and pull the double action trigger at the same time in order to fire the gun. No child of eight had the strength to do both at once. The New Departure was an uncommonly safe bureau drawer revolver.”

The Safety Hammerless, so designated by the fact that the hammer was completely enclosed by the revolver frame, became the first really practical pocket gun. Five hundred thousand of these were made in .32 and .38 caliber from 1886 until 1940.

With the advent of the I-frame Smith & Wessons in 1894, the basic design was changed from top break to a solid frame, swing-out cylinder style of revolver. Over the years from before the turn of the Century until 1960, the I-frame was offered in .32 Hand Ejector, .22/32 Hand Ejector, which became the .22 Kit Gun, .32 Regulation Police, .38 Regulation Police, and .38 Terrier.

The Chief’s Special

In 1950, one of the most famous of the Smith & Wesson revolvers arrived. A five-shot, compact revolver to fire the more powerful .38 Special instead of the .38 S&W was introduced at the Conference of the International Association of Chief’s of Police in Colorado Springs, Colorado and has been officially and lovingly known as the Chief’s Special ever since. This was the first J-frame revolver and was larger than the I-frames and chambered in .22, .32 S&W Long, and .38 S&W. In 1960, all I-frames became J-frames.

The Chief’s Special has been offered in a number of versions along the way: the standard Model 36 in both round and square butt versions, the Airweight Model 37, the Model 38 Bodyguard which had an extended frame that protected the hammer and exposed only enough of the tip to allow for cocking. The Number “39” was used for Smith’s new double action 9MM Semi-automatic in the 1950’s, but the J-frames resumed with the Model 40 Centennial, a J-frame “Safety Hammerless”.

In 1965, a most significant J-frame variation appeared. One that was to have far reaching consequences throughout the firearms industry as the Model 36 Chief’s Special was offered as the Stainless Steel Model 60. Instantly popular with peace officers and outdoorsman alike, the first stainless steel revolver revolutionized firearms and stainless steel revolvers are now a major part of the handgun industry. Stainless is so much a part of the handgun market, and especially with the small frame concealable firearms that are carried closest to the body, that of the five J-frames I have been testing, four are stainless, and the fifth has been custom finished to look like stainless.

Metalife was applied to a Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special, a two-inch Model 36 .38 Special. Depending upon the weather, it has been carried in an inside the pants holster, in an ankle holster, in a boot top, and in the pocket of insulated coveralls. This particular revolver has been further customized by sending it to Teddy Jacobsen. Jacobsen is an ex-cop now in the gun smithing business and he did one of his famous action jobs on the little Chief’s Special along with polishing the trigger smooth, de-horning the hammer spur, and also jewelling both hammer and trigger. When combined with the Metalife finish, these modifications make the Model 36 into a near-perfect pocket pistol.

The only thing left to do to finish off the round butt Chief’s Special was to fit it with custom grips. I just happened to be carrying this little gun when I visited Herrett’s. I soon had a pair of Detective stocks for the Chief’s!

The modification makes the little Chief’s into a beautiful close range double action defensive pistol and the hammer can still be cocked for a longer deliberate single action shot by starting the trigger back and catching the hammer with the thumb to finish the cocking procedure.

As a companion piece to the 20 ounce Chief’s Special, I have been testing the same basic gun, in this case a Model 60 Stainless Steel “Chief’s Special”. Friend and gun writer Terry Murbach certainly deserves at least some of the credit for suggesting the .38 Special Stainless Steel that Murbach feels should be known as “The Trail Masterpiece”. This little 23 ounce, round butted .38 sports a three inch full under-lug barrel and fully adjustable sights. The sights are exactly the way they should be, black both fore and aft. Yes, even though the newest Model 60 is stainless, the rear sight assembly is black and the front sight blade is quick draw style, plain black and pinned to the stainless steel ramp.

Anyone who has read many of my articles know that my usual forte is the big and bold, the Magnum and beyond sixguns and the big bore semi-automatics. But I have definitely found a place in my collection for this little five-shooter. A Plus P five shooter I might add as Smith & Wesson does classify this little .38 as one that is able to handle the hotter loads. No little strength certainly comes from the fact that the Model 60 carries a full length cylinder with very little barrel protruding through the frame unsupported. The cylinder also, being a five shot, has the bolt cuts between chambers rather than under them.

J-Frame Variations

When the J-frame Smith & Wessons came in, I went to the local gun shop, Shapel & Son’s, and found three dusty old boxes down behind the counter containing long-out-of-production Jay Scott Gunfighter J-frame stocks. At the present time they ride unaltered on three J-frames but all will receive extensive customizing in the future which will see the removal of the finger grooves and the checkering that adorns two pair.

The Model 60 Trail Masterpiece wears plain walnut Gunfighter grips that will clean up very nicely as time and ambition permit making the Trail Masterpiece an even more desirable little fivegun for hiking, fishing, camping, etc. And with the right loads, the three-inch barreled .38 will make a fine little close range varmint and small game gun.

I can only find one fault with the Model 60 Trail Masterpiece and that is strictly the result of my own preference for smooth triggers. All other test J-frames came through with smooth triggers but the this three-inch .38 boasts a grooved trigger that you can bet will become a smooth trigger in the future as it will be sent to Jacobsen for one of his action jobs after a check to Smith & Wesson makes it mine.

Chic Gaylord, New York leather worker and the father of the modern concealment holster, was a real fan of the three-inch .38 Special and promoted a “Metropolitan Special Adaptation” of the Colt Police Positive consisting of three-inch barrel, ramp front sight, nickel finish, bird’s head butt, grip adapter, and trigger shoe. Another favorite of his was the three-inch Chief’s Special with Fitz Gunfighter grips. He would have loved the Trail Masterpiece.

The firing tests of the Model 60 .38 Special Trail Masterpiece gave quite pleasant results. Considering the short sight radius the three-inch barrel affords, and also considering that the test groups were fired at 25 yards, and especially when one considers that the groups were fired by my hand and eye combination, some groups border on the phenomenal. The two-inch .38 Special Chief’s Special was fired double action only on combat targets and not for group size. It proved to be quite capable as a defensive revolver.

SMITH & WESSON J-FRAMES

CALIBER: .38 SPECIAL TEMPERATURE: 60 DEGREES

CHRONOGRAPH: OEHLER MODEL 35P GROUPS: 5 SHOTS @ 25 YDS.

MODEL 060 3″ HB – – – MODEL 36 2″

LOAD – MV – GROUP – MV

RCBS #35-150 /6.0 UNIQUE – 975 – 2 1/2″ – 961

LYMAN #358156GC /5.0 UNIQUE – 716 – 3″ – 691

LYMAN #358429 /5.0 UNIQUE – 758 – 1 5/8″ – 720

158 SPEER SWC /5.0 UNIQUE – 750 – 2 5/8″ – 735

BULL-X 158 SWC /5.0 UNIQUE – 782 – 3 1/2″ – 708

LYMAN #358429 /6.6 AA#5 – 890 – 3 1/8″ – 815

158 SPEER SWC /6.6 AA#5 – 830 – 3 1/2″ – 795

BULL-X 158 SWC /6.6 AA#5 – 821 – 3″ – 785

BULL-X 148 WC /6.0 AA#5 – 861 – 2 3/8″ – 841

SIERRA 110 JHP /8.8 AA#5 – 1067 – 2 3/4″ – 1017

SPEER 140 JHP /6.0 UNIQUE – 934 – 1 5/8″ – 913

CCI LAWMAN 125 JHP +P – 1019 – 2 1/2″ – 932

BLACK HILLS 125 JHP – 864 – 3 1/4″ – 792

The .32 Magnum, heretofore offered in medium framed sixguns like the Ruger Bisley and Single-Six, the Dan Wesson double action, and the Smith & Wesson heavy underlugged barrel K-Masterpiece, is a natural for the little J-frame revolvers. Unlike the five shot .38 Special J-frames, the .32 Magnum is a six-shooter. My original request for test guns from Smith & Wesson was for a .32 Magnum and a .32 S&W Long J-frame, but both guns came through as .32 Magnums. One is a “Kit Gun”, a four inch barreled, adjustable sighted, easy packin’ Kit Gun. The other is quite the opposite, a three-inch Centennial Airweight .32 Magnum. The latter is a 16 ounce concealed hammer sixgun, a very easily concealed and even more easily packed aluminum framed revolver.

The four-inch, 23 ounce Model 631 Kit Gun is meant for the woods loafer, fisherman, camper, while the totally dehorned and no-sharp-corners, double action only Model 632 is the concealment counterpart. A defensive gun designed for the shooter who wants a powerful weapon without objectionable recoil. A .32 that can be shot well is certainly much better than a poorly handled lightweight .38 Special; a gun that is easily carried is certainly better than a heavy gun that is left behind. And even at its one pound weight, the .32 Airweight handles very pleasantly and pokes nice little groups double action style at 10 yards.

The adjustable sighted four-inch .32 Magnum is a two to three -inch gun at 25 yards. Load development may help reduce these groups in the future. A load that would be capable of head shooting squirrels, rabbits, and grouse at reasonable ranges would make the little .32 into a real gem.

SMITH & WESSON J-FRAMES

CALIBER: .32 MAGNUM TEMPERATURE: 60 DEGREES

CHRONOGRAPH: OEHLER MODEL 35P GROUPS: SIX SHOTS @ 25 YDS.

MODEL 631 4″ – – – MODEL 632 3″

LOAD – MV – GROUP – MV

FEDERAL 95 LEAD – 941 – 2 5/8″ – 895

FEDERAL 85 JHP – 1020 – 2 1/2″ – 954

NEI 100.313 /8.3 #2400 – 1131 – 2 3/8″ – 1043

NEI 100.313 /5.5 AA#5 – 1122 – 2 3/8″ – 1027

HORNADY 85 XTP /8.3 #2400 – 1044 – 3″ – 942

HORNADY 85 XTP /5.5 AA#5 – 1074 – 2 3/8″ – 924

SIERRA 90 JHP /8.3 #2400 – 1100 – 3″ – 952

SIERRA 90 JHP /5.5 AA#5 – 1070 – 2 7/8″ – 885

The final J-frame tested is one of Elmer Keith’s favorite guns resurrected for 1991. Elmer is best known for his work with the .44 Special from 1927 to 1955 and the .44 Magnum thereafter. But Elmer also used other guns and one of his favorites was the Smith & Wesson Kit Gun chambered for the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire.

J-Frames and Handgun Hunting

Elmer writing in 1961 in the second edition of his famous book SIXGUNS BY KEITH had this to say about the .22 Kit Gun: “Last winter Jack Nancolas, our local Government hunter killed three treed cougar and ten bobcats with my K model S.& W. .22 rim fire magnum and this winter he killed fifteen bob cats and two cougar with my 3 1/2″ barrel S.& W. kit gun for the same .22 R.F. Magnum load. The last cougar, a big one, jumped out over Jack’s head as he approached the tree in the hope of a brain shot. As it was getting late and he had trailed the big cat all day, he simply took a fast double action snap shot at the brute as he sailed over his head. The tiny soft-point slug hit the big cat square in the chest, penetrating his heart and thence the spine; and he folded up in the air like a duck stricken by a dose of no. 6 shot. His head sagged on his chest and his tail carried nearly vertical, he dropped to the horizontal and rolled into a ball before he ever hit the ground. Jack ran down the mountain and poured two more into his skull to be sure he would not hurt the dogs but he was already dead and they were not needed.”

The latest edition of the .22 WMR Kit Gun, the Model 651-1 is a four-inch, adjustable sighted, stainless steel, square butted, 26 ounce .22 sixgun. The rear sight is fully adjustable and plain black, very good, but the front sight is stainless steel with a red insert, not so good for my eyes in bright light. The front sight is also much too tall for my eyes and shooting style requiring the rear sight to be raised clear out of its mortise to sight the Kit Gun in at 25 yards. Since this .22 WMR is a keeper, the front sight will be replaced with a plain black post that will be filed to the right height to allow it to be sighted in at 25 yards with the rear sight all the way down.

While the Model 651-1 is a sixgun, it works much better as a five gun with five chambers able to put five shots in less that one inch at 25 yards. I will carry it fully loaded with six shots but with the best five coming up first. Probably the most practical of all the J-frames for the outdoorsman, with the right load and chamber selection, this little .22 is definitely capable of head shooting small game and varmints, and even putting the coup-de-grace on downed big game.

SMITH & WESSON MODEL 651

CALIBER: .22WMR BARREL LENGTH: 4″

CHRONOGRAPH: OEHLER MODEL 35P TEMPERATURE: 60 DEGREES

LOAD – MV – 6 SHOTS/25 YDS.

CCI .22 MAXI-MAG – 1335 – 2″

CCI MAXI-MAG HP – 1355 – 2 1/8″

CCI MAXI-MAG +V – 1608 – 2 3/8″

FEDERAL FMJ – 1240 – 3 1/4″

FEDERAL JHP – 1046 – 1 5/8″

WINCHESTER FMC – 130 – 1 5/8″

WINCHESTER JHP – 1258 – 2 7/8″

The Lady Smith

Smith & Wesson J-frames are not only naturals for hikers, campers, fisherman, and even as packin’ pistols by rifle hunters, but they are also quite often picked as defensive pistols by women. In fact, Smith & Wesson has gotten quite a bit of mileage out of its Lady Smith program which began in the last century with a .22 designed to be carried by ladies for protection as they rode their bicycles. The story is that this gun was dropped from production when Joseph Wesson discovered it was being carried less by ladies on bicycles and more by ladies of the night.

A few years back the Lady Smith was resurrected as a variation of the Model 36/60 .38 Special and later as a Model 39 9MM variation. The latest Lady Smiths have been excellent sellers and not only to women. Men who wanted a lightweight, smoothed over concealable weapon have also gone to the modern Lady Smith.

To go along with the J-frames, I requested samples of the wares of

Feminine Protection by Sarah. Sarah uses a very catchy name to offer a serious product, namely purses and belt bags that double as holsters. The handbags and J-frame guns are naturals together and both the Patriot and Classic leather bags supplied accept readily accessible J-frame Smith & Wesson revolvers, and still leave room for all the other stuff that women seem to carry in their handbags.

Both bags open on the front edge to allow instant access to the concealed weapon that many women are going to legally as more and more states are providing licensing systems. The closure system consists of both snaps and Velcro, but they do open instantly when the two halves are parted.

Along with the leather bags came two belt bags or fanny packs. I’m not quite sure I’m ready for a fanny pack but I also remember how difficult it was to carry a concealed weapon last summer during our heat wave. Both belt bags supplied easily carry two- or three-inch .38 Special J-frames. I’m sure my wife and daughter will have something to say about whether these test bags are returned or purchased.

J-Frames and Concealed Carry

In recent years, semi-automatics have stolen the limelight from S&W J-frame revolvers. People often say that semi-automatics are fast, sexy, and common. They hold more rounds than a revolver ever could. Revolvers are old school, clunky, hard to shoot, and slow to reload. However, the J-frame should not be discounted for certain applications, particularly concealed carry.

First, consider a J-frame such as a .38 Special for concealed carry. The gun is small, light, and easy to stow in a waistband, ankle holster, pocket, purse, or bag. Accidental discharge is unheard of in a concealed carry scenario. Cops have an affinity for the revolver when it comes to deep cover since it’s harder to spot than a semi-auto. The bad guys will be used to checking for a Glock or 9mm. Likewise, the J-frame is ideal for civilians carrying on the down-low.

Some people scoff at the thought of carrying a revolver. They may be old school but still offer the best reliability in a handgun. Revolvers seldom jam. If they do, it’s because the shooter has chosen the wrong, or poorly made, ammunition. Revolvers can indeed be harder to fire because of the double-action trigger. Range practice takes care of that unless you have insufficient grip strength to shoot. J-frames are easier to shoot than K-frame revolvers because of a light recoil. This makes them easy to use for beginners and novices.

A short sight radius gives shooters the impression that snubbies are only worthwhile in close proximity. Not true. Although the accuracy is best at 20-25 feet, an article by a retired detective claims he could easily hit his target up to 25 yards. In a self-defense situation, 25 yards is more than sufficient. You don’t even need to pull your gun if the perp is that far away.

The revolver holds less ammo than a semi-auto magazine but considering that the average self-defense scenario requires three shots or less, you should be okay.

Top J-Frame Revolvers for Concealed Carry

Despite popular opinion, not all snub nose revolvers are the same. Here are my top picks for the top J-frames for concealed carry:

Colt Cobra

The Colt Cobra reared its lethal head at the 2019 SHOT Show. This snubby holds six rounds of ammo, has a 2-inch barrel with stainless steel finish, and a fiber optic, high-visibility front sight. The Hogue Overmolded grips helps to cut down on recoil when using +P loads.

Ruger SP 101

The Ruger SP 101 is on the large side for a J-frame but still worth mentioning. This .357 Magnum has a 2.25-inch barrel and a comfortable grip for those that want extra power over a .38 Special.

Ruger LCR

The Ruger LCR is a lightweight handgun that is sleek, stylish, and affordable. The DAO trigger has a predictable, smooth pull. The LCR is available in many styles and offers choices in .22 LR, .22 WMR, .357 Magnum, .327 Federal Magnum.38 Special, and 9mm. Users can opt for 5, 6, or  8 round capacity.

S&W Bodyguard

S&W Bodyguard is the top choice among law enforcement for backup. The semi-polymer frame makes this model a true modern revolver. It’s available with a built-in integral defensive laser for shooting in low light or awkward shooting positions.

S&W 638

The S&W 638 is the original Bodyguard revolver. It’s not easy to find but worth the hunt. It has a shrouded hammer with a thumb tab that allows you to cock the hammer into single-action mode. It’s a great benefit to have although decocking a gun isn’t something for everyone. Still, it’s easy to conceal.

Final Thoughts

After thirty-five plus years of shooting N- and K-frame revolvers, it is quite enjoyable to add J-frames to my shooting battery. The .38 Special three-inch Trail Masterpiece and the four-inch .22 WMR Kit Gun are destined to experience a lot of use in the future and my wife already has her eye on the .32 Centennial. Oh, well we can get ahead next month.

Article used by permission of the author
http://www.sixguns.com/range/jframes.htm

By Frank Borelli of Borelli Consulting

Twenty-five years ago it wasn’t a surprise for a snubnose revolver to be a common off-duty or backup gun. But in the 1980s a ton of law enforcement agencies started transitioning from revolvers to semi-automatic pistols and it became more common for compact and sub-compact pistols to become the mainstream off-duty or backup gun. After all, it only made sense to have your backup gun be a high-capacity weapon of the same caliber as your duty weapon. But in 2006 when a major holster manufacturer is prioritizing what model of weapon to make a new holster for, the snubnose revolver was way up on the list. Everywhere I turn – most especially in the northeast section of our country – the snubnose revolver is there in off-duty holsters. It made me wonder just what was so great about the snubnose – because I haven’t carried one for more than twenty years.

Those many years ago, the snubby I carried was a Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special as shown left. The little gun was one of my favorites for off-duty carry and I was careful to always carry a speedloader with an extra five rounds. I had many an “old timer” tell me that I’d never need more than five rounds – especially off-duty – but I just felt like I needed more. Thankfully I never did need that off-duty gun. On duty the gun sometimes road around in an ankle holster. On at least one occasion I had brain-farted and left my duty weapon in my locker – and when I realized that (out on the street) I reached down to grab the snubby and put it in my waistband. Hey… what can I say? I was all of about 22 years old at the time. We all have those moments.

Not one to ever be happy with the small wood grips that came stock on the S&W Chief’s Special, I quickly acquired and installed a pair of Pachmayrs. Of course, the minute I did that I realized that the gun was less concealable. Still, the two-inch barrel (measured from the back of the forcing cone to the front of the barrel) and the slim profile of the five-shot cylinder made it fairly easy to conceal. And it was far better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Qualifying with it certainly wasn’t as easy as it was with my S&W Model 15 or the Sig P226 I was eventually issued. As I gained experience with firearms I realized just how important that sight radius – the distance between the front and rear sight – is. Still, basic marksmanship is basic marksmanship and I’ve seen some veteran officers qualify faster and easier with their snubby than with their full size semi-autos.

The other popular snubby at the time was the Colt Detective Special. One thing that I was taught in the academy was that the cylinder on all Smith & Wesson revolvers turned counter-clockwise while the cylinder on Colts turned clockwise. Colt starts with “C” just like clockwise. Of course, so does “counter” but no one ever said that to me so it never clicked. Colts turned clockwise. The Detective Special was impossible to find in stainless steel though and I just knew that any gun that was going to spend time in my ankle holster or pressed up against the skin would rust if it wasn’t stainless. A blued gun just wasn’t going to last. Still, there were folks – experienced cops – who swore by the Colt and cursed the Smith & Wesson. Other knowledgeable shooters I’ve met since then swear by the Smith & Wessons – two of them in fact: one in each pocket of an overcoat. That particular gentleman carries matched Model 66s – stainless steel .357 magnums loaded with .38+P+ loads.

For some cops the decision about which one to carry was made based on two simple things: The Colt carried six rounds as compared to the S&W’s five, and the Colt could be had with a full ejector rod shroud. To me it seems silly to base a decision on ONE bullet, but I’ve never been in a shooting that was one or lost by that ONE bullet. And the ejector rod shroud, while providing protection to the rod, is generally perceived as “better looking” rather than “more functional”. If you’re going to purchase a snubby based on how it looks then say so.

Then, a number of years back, Ruger came out with a snubby that was quite comfortable, offered .357 Mag capability and gained quite a following: The SP101. Although heavier and bulkier than its counterparts, the Ruger enjoyed a reputation for being reliable even under the harshest of circumstances. The softer rubber ergonomically shaped grips gained in popularity with some while others gravitated toward the slimmer profile of the S&W grips.

But here we are in the year 2007. BlackHawk Products Group has been making their CQC carbon-fiber SERPA holsters for a couple of years now. It was no surprise that the first holster they made fit the Glock 9mm and .40 caliber weapons. It WAS a surprise – at least for me – when they made the CQC SERPA for a j-frame revolver such as the S&W Chief’s Special. When I looked into why I found out that there is still a big demand for holsters to transport these little guns. Most especially in the northeast section of our country it seems like snubbies are far more popular for off-duty and concealed carry than any of the popular semi-autos.

So I started paying attention. Last month at the range I had a Chief of Police and his Deputy Chief both qualifying with their snubnose revolvers. Ironically enough, one had an S&W Chief’s Special while the other had a Colt Detective Special. Both had owned the guns for more than fifteen years. For the Chief, the snubby was his primary carry gun both on and off-duty. The Deputy Chief liked to carry his Government Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol on duty but off-duty he pocketed his snubby. Neither man had any trouble qualifying with the small revolver and both had practiced reloads so often that they could almost keep up with those shooting pistols. There were virtually no malfunctions with the revolvers and the confidence with which these men bore the weapon has to have played a role in how well they shot. Both shot scores in the upper 80s and lower 90s. That’s better than many shooters do with pistols.

For men such as those, who have been carrying snubbies for so long that it’s what they are confident and comfortable with, I strongly recommend that they continue to carry them. Five or six shots may be all they have, but five in the chest is still five in the chest and is a whole lot better than two or three in the chest with seven or eight more going downrange potentially hitting innocent targets.

By Mike Askew

Since the mid-1980s, American firearm manufacturers have been reporting that semi-auto pistols are outselling revolvers. This is due to technological advances resulting in increased reliability, modern bullet design, and increased magazine capacity. Although large frame revolvers (Smith & Wesson “L” and “N” frames, the Colt Anaconda, Cobra, and Python series, and the Ruger family of firearms) have always enjoyed brisk sales among hunters & target shooters, those interested in the personal defense aspects of handgun ownership have been turning to self-loading pistols. Although semi-autos continue to make up almost 70% of handgun sales, the market has seen a resurgence of one particular type of revolver—the small, lightweight, easily carried and concealed firearm.

When The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 limited the sale of high capacity (more than 10 rounds) magazines to military and law enforcement agencies only, manufacturers and law-abiding citizens who carry handguns for self-defense began to look at large caliber (.38 Special and above), lightweight revolvers as a “carry” alternative to semi-auto pistols. The major advantages of these revolvers are: ability to handle any type of bullet design, operational simplicity, an even trigger pull, small size, ability to be fired multiple times while concealed and they are manufactured in “major” calibers. The main disadvantages of these guns are limited ammunition capacity and slowness to reload. With the civilian market showing increased interest in “carry” revolvers, manufacturers began to produce new products to increase the small-revolver market niche. Colt’s Manufacturing began offering a 21 ounce, 6 round, stainless steel, .357 magnum revolver to compete with the Smith & Wesson 23 ounce, 5 round model 649 in .357 magnum. In a breakthrough in the technology of machining titanium, Smith & Wesson has recently released a 12 ounce, 5 shot, .357 magnum/.38 Special +P revolver with a scandium alloy frame, shroud and yoke with a titanium cylinder. Even though the noxious Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was not renewed, these small revolvers have taken the self-defense handgun market by storm and are selling at close to manufacturers suggested retail price when and if they can be found.

Although these new models are a possible answer to the “What should I carry” dilemma that many citizens face, the problems of limited ammunition capacity and slow reloading remain. Former U.S. Border Patrol Officer Bill Jordan, the fastest and most accurate modern-day gunfighter, was a strong believer in the old adage: “Speed’s fine but accuracy’s final.” Since his duty revolver (S&W Model 19 Combat Magnum) only held 6 rounds and since a combat reload was so time-consuming, he felt that accuracy was paramount.

When reloading is a “must”, there are several ways to perform an emergency speed reload of a revolver and several accessories to aid in the reloading effort. Most knowledgeable trainers of civilians carrying in the concealed mode teach reloading the cylinder from a Bianchi Speed Strip. These small-rubberized plastic strips hold 6 cartridges by the cartridge base and are much more cancelable and easy to carry than a conventional, circular “speed loader.” There is a correct way to reload the revolver from a Speed Strip and, like other operations requiring manual dexterity, this method must be practiced to be successful. The emergency reloading procedure for right-handed shooters follows:

1. Slip the support hand (left hand) under the revolver so as to allow 2 fingers and the thumb to gain control of the cylinder. The firing hand (right hand) thumb operates the cylinder release latch to open the cylinder and the 2 fingers of the support hand on the right side of the cylinder open it. The support hand thumb controls the outward swing of the cylinder.
2. The support side hand now controls the firearm and the firing hand is removed from the gun.
3. The support hand rotates the butt of the gun down and the support thumb smartly depresses the ejector rod to eject the cases. (Note: Additional time and dexterity is required to separate and remove only empty cases from the cylinder—therefore both fired and any unfired rounds are ejected during this procedure.) When empty, rotate the revolver to the proper loading angle while the firing hand moves to obtain and correctly position the Speed Strip.
4. The firing hand should position and insert 2 rounds at a time into the top, outside positions (9-12 o’clock) of the cylinder. Once the rounds are inserted, a slight twist of the Speed Strip will release them and they will gravity feed into position. Use the support hand thumb to rotate the cylinder so that 2 more rounds can be loaded into the top, outside positions. Continue to fully reload. When loaded, close the cylinder with the support hand, drop the Speed Strip, obtain a firing grip and get back into the fight.

Learning motor skills as described above requires physical and mental programming. Once thoroughly programmed however, little conscious thought is required to perform them. This should be the “practitioner’s” goal since time is precious and armed confrontations can be unforgiving of improper gun handling.

By Gabe Suarez

Jeff Cooper once told me that, in the old days of training, half of a typical pistol class would be comprised of auto-loading handguns Typically Browning/Colt types. The other half, usually police officers, would be armed with revolvers. He said that this trend slowly began to change in the early eighties. By the time I attended his courses in the late eighties, it was rare to see a revolver-armed student.

This trend was also seen in law enforcement. I went through my original Police Academy pistol training, back in the old days, with a revolver (S&W Model 67). The most common sidearm for many officers, at that time, was some sort of Smith & Wesson or Colt revolver, usually .38 Special or .357 Magnum. Today, however, you rarely see revolvers in the field, and then only in the holsters of older officers, usually just months from retirement. Most of the newer breed sport Glocks, Berettas, and other ultra-modern handguns. The feeling among many officers is that the wheel gun is obsolete. For many, its only true role is that of last-ditch backup in the form of a 2 Barreled .38 snobby. Is the revolver obsolete? Lets think about this.

While, I am one of those who favors a modern handgun (Glock in my case), I am not so quick to dismiss a good revolver. The revolver is very effective as a fighting tool. All you need do to verify that is study your history. A fighting handgun, regardless of design, is intended for a specific mission. That mission, specifically, is to allow its operator to respond to unanticipated threats, quickly and in a powerful manner. That mission is the same today, as it was 50 years ago. These confrontations have always been characterized by high intensity, short duration violence, where so-called firepower is rarely an issue. Of greater importance is the ability to deal the adversary a solid and powerful blow, before he does the same to you. Most revolvers designed for anti-personnel use fulfill that mission as well as any other handgun, but no handgun is powerful enough to come with a 100% guarantee. Sometimes a follow-up shot or two is needed. So controllability becomes an issue.

Many fighting revolvers are of the .38/.357 caliber family. This will do fine as long as careful ammunition selection takes place. Some .357 magnum loads, for example, are dramatically over-penetrative and exhibit excessive muzzle flash. Other loads, which are just as effective against humans, do not share the same characteristics of penetration and muzzle flash.

Revolvers are also available in .40/.44 caliber. In my opinion, although larger than their 357 caliber cousins, provide a greater potential of creating damage to the adversary. Be careful with load selection again. It is a rare individual who can control a full-house .44 magnum in hammers and multiple target engagements. Don’t trust your life to magic bullet propaganda. A thorough study of the literature available from forensic specialists on wound trauma, and terminal ballistics should be your guide.

While on the issue of weapon control, mention must be made of the stocks on a revolver (No, Grasshopper They are not called Grips). Many of the wooden stocks originally sold on revolvers were there as almost an after thought. This has changed in recent years as revolver manufacturers attempt to regain a share of the market. These weapons are now being sold with more suitable stocks from the factory. Whether you retain the factory stocks or purchase some type of after-market stocks, be certain that the left-side panel allows clearance for speed-loader insertion and manipulation. If this is not the case, either change them, or modify them.

Additionally, any sharp edges or points on a weapon intended for combative use are to be avoided. Briskly rub your hands all over the revolver. Anyplace you find a sharp edge, remove it. Do this even if refinishing the weapon is needed as a result. This is not an issue with the stainless steel revolvers, but it may with a blue steel weapon. Skill requires practice, both dry and live-fire. This is something you’ll probably avoid if your gun tears up your hands so much that you need to keep some bandages and plasma around when you practice.

Along with control, accuracy is of great importance. The two things on a revolver affecting this the most, assuming that everything is in working order, are the sights and the trigger. Revolver sights come in adjustable and fixed varieties. Either one is acceptable, as long as they are easy to see quickly under stress, and in dim light. Avoid any sights that are extremely high profile, or which have sharp edges. Again, sharp, hand-slashing points may be rounded off with a file. For those who operate in low light environments, tritium sights are available for many revolvers.

The actual trigger on most revolvers is suitable as issued. It should not be excessively wide, nor should it have grooves or other additions on its face. Smooth and polished is the best type of trigger face. Remember, most combat revolver shooting will be done in double action, so a trigger that allows easy double action work is preferred. There is little that the individual can do in order to alter the actual weight of the trigger press. This is the realm of the revolver-gunsmith. Whatever you do, do not cut the springs on your revolver. If you wish a lighter, smoother trigger, you can have one, but there are no shortcuts here.

Revolvers are issued with all sorts of barrel lengths. Again, keep sight of the mission. These weapons will be carried in and presented from a holster. A very long barrel will be slow and difficult to maneuver. Similarly detrimental, an extremely short barrel will sacrifice other mission requirements. A good compromise is something in the 4 inch to 6 inch range.

Those are all the requirements of a fighting revolver. I have found that when compared to the auto-loading pistols, unless the test is slanted toward the auto-loader with excessive and unrealistic speed loading requirements, the revolver is just as useful. With proper ammunition, the revolver gives away nothing to the auto-loader in terms of terminal ballistics. The only area where it is surpassed by the auto-loader is when long strings of fire are faced, requiring constant reloading. Remember, however, that such scenarios are rare in the real world. Even when such problems arise, such as a North Hollywood Robbery type of incident, they are probably not going to get solved any better if you are equipped with an auto-loading pistol! No handgun equipped operator will do well in a rifle fight.

The revolver skills that an operator must have to be effective are the same ones he would need if equipped with an auto-loader. Constant attention must be given to double action trigger manipulation. This is the heart of the wheel gun, so dry practice the DA trigger day and night. Along with this, manipulating Speed Loaders is of great importance, as is developing ability to maneuver individual rounds during tactical reloads. This is the only weakness of the revolver, so make allowance for that. In order to be the best you can be with the revolver, it is essential to seek out and obtain professional instruction.

Is the revolver dead? In a word, no. I suspect that as we enter the next century, however, there will be very few revolvers in the duty holsters of police officers, or security personnel. For those who are required to carry it, or for those who favor its simplicity, the revolver will still allow them to do just as well in a confrontation as any space-gun, as long as the operator does his part. As we’ve always said, It is the man, and not the weapon which makes the difference.

Visit Gabe’s Site (Or better yet, take a course from him.)

By Ronald S. Markowitz

When I obtained my “Pennsylvania License To Carry Firearms” I spent a considerable length of time mulling over what type of handgun to carry. Like most of you I read all the “how-to” articles in the popular gun magazines by all the so-called “experts” and spoke to people I knew that carried.

I came to several conclusions:

1. The gun had to be as close to 100% reliable with factory ammo as possible;
2. It had to be chambered in a caliber with good stopping power;
3. I had to feel comfortable with the piece, i.e., it had to have good ergonomics for me; and
4. It had to be easily concealable in the type of clothing that I wear.

You should know that I have a thing for Smith & Wesson revolvers, especially the L frame 586 and 686. While it is possible to carry these revolvers using any these revolvers using an inside-the-waistband holster covered by a jacket or photographer’s vest, they are really too large and heavy for the way I dress, which is usually in khaki pants with a tucked-in shirt. What I needed was a revolver that was small enough to fit in a pants pocket and chambered for a powerful, yet controllable cartridge.

But I have gotten ahead of myself, why a revolver and not a semi-auto?

I will not get into the revolver versus semi-auto argument; there are hundreds if not thousands of articles in the gun literature on this subject. In my opinion, with the current state-of-the art in ammunition and firearms manufacture there are no practical differences in reliability between the two types. The advantages of easier repair and greater firepower possessed by the semi-auto are only of concern in the military. The civilian needs reliability, good stopping power and the ability to get hits in the kill zone. My decision was to go to the revolver because of familiarity, but for you the same thought-process might lead to the semi-auto.

So I decided on a small revolver, but I wanted something better than a .38 Special if possible, although I could live with that if necessary. In the last several years all the major revolver manufacturers with the exception of Colt have developed small 5-shot .357 S & W Magnums. I decided to limit my search to the bobbed-hammer Ruger SP 101 and their SP 101 and the Smith & Wesson Model 640-1. If I had seen one, I might have considered the Smith M940 in 9 x 19 mm.

Both the Smith and Ruger were well built, felt good in the hand and had, to my surprise, equivalent trigger pulls. The 640-1 had the advantage of a totally enclosed action, important in a pocket gun as you don’t have to worry about lint getting into the action. The Smith had one other advantage. Because of being totally enclosed rather than being just bobbed, one can safely fire the piece in your pocket without worrying about jams due to the hammer catching on something.

Now the subjective enters in I just prefer Smiths. Rugers are good but they are not a Smith. Rugers remind me of Russian guns — strong and reliable, but without finesse. So I went with the 640-1. In a recent review of the Ruger SP101 and S & W 640-1 in Gun Test Magazine the authors chose the Ruger as number one in this category, but also spoke highly of the Smith. You might agree.

Ammunition

When the snubby .357 Magnums were introduced by Smith & Wesson, Rossi and Taurus (in response to Ruger who had started everything with its SP 101) all the gun magazines ran articles comparing the revolvers. A constant thread that ran through all the articles all the articles was how difficult it was to control the heavy and very uncomfortable recoil. It was suggested that maybe the smart shooter should not use the magnum loads, but instead use +P .38 Special loads. I thought that if this was the case, why chamber the guns for the magnum cartridge in the first place? All the reviewers had made the same error, they tested full blown 125 grain and 158 grain loads. They neglected to test the easier to shot 125 grain medium velocity loads of Remington and the still easier to shoot 110 grain loads available from most of the major manufacturers.

I have tested Winchester 110 grain magnum loads and Remington 125 grain Golden Saber loads. They are both manageable and within 7 yards shoot close to point of aim. Remember we are talking about fixed sight guns that are probably regulated for use with 158 grain bullets. At longer ranges my revolver shots low. I don’t consider this to be a hindrance as most gun fights are under 7 yards (or so goes the conventional wisdom).

I have done some shooting with 158 grain .38 Special P+ handloads out to 50 yards and find the sights to be well regulated for this bullet weight. If anyone tells you that snubby revolvers are not accurate they are wrong, it’s possible to plink clay targets at 50 yards and get hits a good percentage most of the time.

Using these reduced power magnum loads you will get approximately 350 ft./lbs. of energy, putting this class of gun in the same class as a hot 9 mm Luger. This may disappoint you, but we are talking about an easily concealable pocket revolver and not a full size service pistol.

Carrying the Revolver

I don’t like the idea of carrying a handgun loose in the pocket; rather it should be in a holster designed for the specific gun and for this specific purpose. I want the gun to be in the same place when I reach for it, not muzzle up or in some other position that will preclude a fast draw. Pocket holsters are available for snubbies from Kramer, Galco, Alessi and others. My 640-1 resides in a Galco made specifically for J-frame Smiths. I do carry on my belt if wearing jeans that are too tight to pocket carry. This is only if I am wearing a knit shirt, not tucked in, or when the weather calls for an open jacket. This circumstance requires a different mind-set. If carried under a shirt you have to remember to lift the shirt up with your weak hand first before drawing the revolver (pistol) or if wearing an open jacket you have to remember to sweep the jacket aside before drawing. Practice with an unloaded gun!

In summary: I chose a snubby .357 revolver because it provides reliability, power, conceal-ability and handling familiarity. I gave up firepower because I don’t consider this to be of major importance in a personal defense situation. The ammunition I use is more suitable than full power loads because it’s controllable and I made sure I knew where its point-of-impact was. I chose a holster that secured the revolver in my pocket and allowed easy access.

This was my solution to the problems of concealed carry, yours might be different, depending on your circumstances, but you need to give it a good deal of thought.

This article is republished with consent of the author.

By Dan Smith – genitron.com

I’m relatively new to revolvers. Being a semi-automatic man for many years, I only have one revolver in my gun collection. That’s been a Smith & Wesson Model 66 .357 Magnum service revolver. Not a small gun, and with reasonable weight, this gun has none-the-less been a joy to shoot at the range, being quite capable of absorbing the power of a .357 Magnum round. This would be a nice home defense gun, and would be a reliable piece to have for camping or hiking. But, I wouldn’t consider it a good concealed carry weapon for self-defense. It’s just too big.

And my focus here is on self-defense. I’m not a hunter, so you won’t see me reviewing the likes of the Smith & Wesson Model 500 for instance. Nor will I probably ever review a .480 Ruger or .454 Casull model. These are big hunting guns, and I’ll let others review those models. So, for my first review of a revolver for self-defense, I jumped right into it and acquired the Smith & Wesson Airweight 360PD super-lightweight revolver.

Introduced in 2002, this small, lightweight revolver is built from Smith & Wesson’s “J” frame design which has a lineage that goes all the way back to 1950 with the introduction of their Model 36 “Chiefs Special”. The key feature of this “J” frame model is the use of exotic alloys in its frame and cylinder construction, producing one of the lightest revolvers on the market.

Specifications –

Caliber: .357 Magnum, .38 Special +P, .38 Special

Action: revolving chamber

Length: 6.375 in

Width: 1.312 in

Height: 4.25 in

Cylinder Capacity: 5 rounds

Barrel Length: 1.875 in

Rifling: 5-grooves, RH twist

Trigger: double-action

Sights: red ramp front, fixed notch rear

Weight Empty: 11.3 oz

Weight Loaded: 13.7oz

Features –
Titanium cylinder.
Scandium/aluminum alloy frame.
Black anodized finish.
Stainless steel barrel tube.
Hogue Bantam Monogrip.

Click HERE to see the full line of Smith & Wesson revolvers.

Design Notes –

The frame of the 360PD is constructed from a scandium reinforced aluminum alloy. Scandium, a novel alloying element for aluminum, is mined and processed in Zhovti Vody, Ukraine, the only primary scandium mine in operation in the world. The key properties of this alloy are light weight, superior strength and good resistance to corrosion. The frame is topped off with a smooth black anodized finish.

The titanium cylinder weighs just 60% of what a similar stainless steel cylinder weighs and yet is able to withstand the same operating pressures. As with all “J” frame designs, this is a swing-out cylinder with an axial pin driven star extractor. The extractor pin rests in a slot in the bottom of the barrel shroud when the cylinder is closed.

The barrel is a hybrid construction consisting of a scandium/aluminum alloy shroud keyed into the frame with a metal tab, and a stainless steel barrel tube which is screwed into the frame with a special tool, holding the shroud in place.

The grip is a Hogue Bantam Monogrip, a one-piece wrap-around construction that is held into place by being pressed into a stock pin that extrudes from both sides of the frame near the base of the butt.

The Caliber –

The .38 Special cartridge was developed by Smith & Wesson and was introduced with its Military & Police Model revolver in 1899. It is considered one of the best-balanced, all-round handgun cartridges ever designed. It is also one of the most accurate and very widely used for match shooting. This subsonic round is available with bullet weights ranging from 95 to 200 grains.

The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in 1935 by Smith & Wesson for its heavy-frame revolver. Ammunition was developed by Winchester in cooperation with Smith & Wesson using a lengthened and strengthened version of the .38 Special case. While it has less power than .44 Magnum, it compares favorably to the .45 ACP, but with better armor penetration. Today factories offer over fifty different loadings in this caliber. Bullet weights range from 110 to 200 grains with an average muzzle energy exceeding 500 ft-lbs.

The following data set is based on standard factory loaded cartridges fired from a 4″ barrel, listed by weight, brand, type and muzzle velocity. This is only a very small sample of what is available.

.38 Special

123 grain Norma FMJ : 886 Feet Per Second
132 grain PMC FMJ : 841 Feet Per Second
158 grain MagTech SJHP : 890 Feet Per Second
125 grain Federal JSP+P : 900 Feet Per Second
158 grain CCI-Speer FMJ+P : 900 Feet Per Second

.357 Magnum

125 grain Remington JHP : 1220 Feet Per Second
158 grain Norma FMJ : 1214 Feet Per Second
180 grain Winchester JHP : 1180 Feet Per Second

Handgun Observations –

I should first note that in the description of the .357 Magnum cartridge above I mention a bullet weight range that goes as low as 110 grains. You will notice that engraved on the right side of the 360PD barrel is the statement “NO LESS THAN 120 GR BULLET”. This statement refers to .357 Magnum rounds only, not .38 Special rounds, and there is an interesting reason for this restriction. Magnum bullets that weigh less than 120 grains will exit their cartridge before the cartridge charge has a chance to completely burn. This charge will leak out onto the cylinder and frame while still burning, causing damaging oxidation to the gun’s exotic materials over time.

My initial observation of the 360PD was that the grip was obviously too small. But, I based this observation on my experience with many sub-compact semi-automatics whose standard grips are usually just shortened. Those grips are typically fat and straight as they house the gun’s ammo, and the grip stance usually leaves the little finger hanging. The grip on the 360PD though, has a small diameter and is ergonomically curved to fit deep within the palm of the hand. All of your fingers wrap fully around the grip and make good contact, including the little finger.

The 360PD’s sister, the 340PD, is basically the same revolver but with a spurless hammer, making the 340PD a double-action-only revolver. I chose the 360PD for its ability to fire in both double-action and single-action modes. Although the spurless hammer was designed to minimize snagging while being carried concealed, after a month of carrying the 360PD in-the-waistband I found no problems with the exposed hammer spur. In fact, when drawing the gun I found my thumb falling naturally next to the hammer spur, not only protecting it from snags but also staging my thumb for quick cocking during the draw for single-action firing.

I was surprisingly pleased with this with this little 5-round revolver. In my opinion it is quite adequate as a self-defense weapon. Having carried it for a full month, I am very comfortable with it, and now include it in my cache of weapons that I regularly use for concealed carry. I have a new appreciation for revolvers.

One note about cleaning Although the black anodized frame cleans easily, as well as the stainless steel barrel, I found it extremely difficult to remove gunshot residue from the somewhat porous surface of the titanium cylinder. I tried every gun solvent and cleaner I had with no success. What finally worked for me came from my car cleaning supplies. A small dab of magnesium and aluminum rim polish lifted the stains right off the cylinder.

Shooting –

With a barrel length under two inches and a sight radius under four inches, it was difficult for me to even hit a small target at 25 yards. Those with a more steady hand and sharper vision my have better luck than I had. But from my perspective, I consider this gun a short range weapon, and I limited my range tests to only 7 yards. Although the gun is rated for .357 Magnum rounds, after shooting just one box of fifty 125 grain rounds through the 360PD, the .357 Magnum recoil left me with a very sore wrist. Surprisingly, my palm and grip remained unaffected, which says a lot about the small Hogue Bantam grip. Firing .38 Special standard and +P rounds through the 360PD, on the other hand was quite an enjoyable experience. I have opted to stay with .38 Special+P rounds when carrying this weapon.

In double-action mode the trigger pull reaches a peak of 15.5 pounds at the mid point of its 3/4 inch of travel. It then drops to 4.5 pounds where it breaks to fire during the last 1/8 inch of travel. Short of the at-rest hammer block there is no other safety. In single-action mode when the hammer is drawn, the trigger moves all the way back to that final 1/8 inch of travel, where it sets, requiring just a slight 4.5 pound pull to fire the weapon.

Often I found I was able to pull through the 15.5 pound double-action travel, and then stop just short of the 4.5 pound break, holding to take aim just before firing. But occasionally I would un-intentionally pull through, prematurely firing the gun. Trying to pull straight through the 15.5 pound travel non-stop to fire the gun brought the worst results. In practice I found that the best control and accuracy for me resulted from drawing the hammer manually to single-action mode before firing.

This article is used by permission of the author
Visit his site. It’s a wealth of information

By Stephen A. Camp

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Choose wisely.

Best.

Visit Stephen’s site at Hi-Powers and Handguns

By Mike Guffey

The Colt Detective Special was an American DA/SA revolver first produced in 1927 as a shortened version of the Police Positive Special handgun. It was designed for ease of carry and concealment. It proved very popular and over 1.5 million were produced in several models by the time production finally ended in 1986. Though originally offered in .32 caliber, the most common of the Colt Detective Specials were chambered for the .38 Special cartridge fed from a 6-shot cylinder and had a 2-inch barrel. (Some models with 3-inch barrels can also be found.) It is a classic-style, swing out cylinder, double action compact revolver with fixed blade front sight and notch-style rear sights and full lenght ejector rod. The cylinder rotates clockwise, unlike Smith & Wesson revolvers. The Detective Special models were also available in other calibers.

The gun first became popular [in 1926] after J. H. FitzGerald, a Colt shooter, began to cut the Police Positive guns down to two inches for use as belly guns. In fact, FitzGerald went even further and bobbed the hammerspurs and cut out the front of the trigger guards in an attempt to make a real speed gun. They called them FitzGerald Specials, and many savvy gunmen preferred them for fighting guns.

– Jim Wilson, writing in the May, 2003, “Shooting Times:

The original square butt configuration was the most common revolver shown in detective movies during the late 20’s through the early 50’s though the first issue (generation) was only manufactured for about 10 years. It had an unshrouded ejector rod housing which gave it a distinct and unmistakable silouette with its square butt. The round butt was first produced in 1933 and the extractor was shortened and shrouded about 1958. Later issues of this handgun had a less distinct appearance. In all, there were four generations of the Detective Special by the time production ended. There are many of these fine revolvers still in service today, though, sadly, Colt no longer caters to the concealable snubby or the revolver market.

Colts Detective Special is still considered by many to be one of the finest snubbies ever made.

The Most Common Question About Older 2″ Snubbies

(As received in e-mail to this site)
Q: Is it safe to use +P ammunition in my classic Colt not rated for it?

A: The revolver was never rated for this higher power ammunition by Colt, not even the late production models. Anecdotal information suggests that current gunsmiths will say, “Sure, go ahead. No problem.” This, of course, is an easily denied statement since there is nothing in Colt’s literature to confirm or deny this position.

AHEM! While it may be that using +P is not likely to cause a kaBOOM! event, there are other types of damage which may occur. And this type of failure could be caused by a combination of other problems such as cartridge case failure or a bullet lodged in the barrel occuring at the same time high power ammo is used.

Q: Wait, wait, wait. A kaBOOM! event?

A: A kaBOOM! (kB!) event is a catastrophic failure of a firearm when it is fired, an explosion sending damage and debris flying in all directions. There are no statistics available on such problems with any but Glock pistols and that is somewhat of an apples/oranges situation.

Here are the important issues:

1. 1. There is always a possibility a firearm suffers from unrecognized damage by the current or previous owner which may have occurred from the use of high power, hot, handloads or use of ammunition loads for which it is not rated. Cracks and metal fatigue can be cumulative and be unrecognizable by the naked eye. Such conditions amount to an accident waiting to happen.
   2. The blast of +P ammo is noticably greater than that of .38 Special loads. This means if it is fired indoors in a self-defense situation two problems will probably occur. The volume of the blast will temporarily (perhaps permanently) damage your hearing. If fired in a darkened room, the blast will temporarily impair your night adjusted vision.

The Long and Short of It

The use of ammo for which this model firearm (or any firearm) has not been rated is not recommended. It amounts to abuse of the gun and will cancel or exempt any potential liability which its manufacturer might otherwise have had. This is true of factory or hand loads.

So here are your safe options regarding using +P ammo in a revolver with a 2″ barrel: (1) Get a current production S&W LadySmith, (2) Get another late production model Colt or S&W or use one rated for .357 Magnum, (3) Obtain another inexpensive 2″ barrel revolver such as the Taurus Model 85 or a Rossi with a 2″ barrel.

Another Point of View on +P in the D-frame Colts:

“I have a comment regarding the use of +P ammo in .38 caliber Detective Specials. According to the owners manual that came with my .38 Special Diamondback, purchased in the early 1980s, D-frame Colt revolvers, specifically including the Detective Special, can safely use +P ammo, subject to certain limitations. The manual recommends that steel frame guns, e.g. the Detective Special, Police Positive and Diamondback, should be inspected by a gunsmith after firing 2,000 to 3,000 rounds of +P. For alloy frame guns such as the Agent, Viper or Cobra, the recommended number of rounds between inspections is 1,000. I certainly would be hesitant to use any +P rounds in a first or second issue weapon, but assuming that there were no changes in the Diamondback throughout its production life and I dont think there were Id think that any Detective Special made during that same timeframe would be suitable for limited firing of +P ammo. In my case, I usually shoot standard pressure ammo at the range, but keep a couple of speed loaders filled with +P rounds available should a serious situation arise. I have shot enough +P ammo through my Diamondback to know that the POA POI relationship is very close to that of standard pressure ammo.” — Dean Storm

This page is use by permission only from The Armed Citizen

A friend of mine and I have an ongoing debate about which snubby is uglier, the Centennial or the Bodyguard. The camel hump hammer shroud on the back of the Bodyguard’s frame, while eminently sensible, has never appealed to my eye. However, it is completely functional. The hammer shrouded Bodyguard, unlike the Centennial, remains snag-free for pocket carry while allowing for single-action fire. The hump also helps the Bodyguard to stay in position when carried in a pocket holster.

The Bodyguard is unusual in one way, in that it was introduced first in the Airweight version as the Bodyguard Airweight in 1955. It later became the Model 38 in 1957. The steel frame Bodyguard was introduced as the Model 49 Bodyguard in 1959. The original Bodyguard “Pre-Model 38” was built in the “four screw” configuration.

In 1985, the Model 649 was introduced. It was a stainless steel version of the Model 49, and it was built until 1996. In 1997 the Model 49 was discontinued in favor of the stainless Model 649 in .357 Magnum.

In 1989, The Model 638 Bodyguard Airweight Stainless was introduced. This was an aluminum alloy and stainless steel version of the original Model 38. Also in 1989, the Model 638-1 was produced. It is distinguished from the Model 638 because it as a 1/8″ sight width.

In 1996, the 638-2 was reintroduced on the “J-Magnum” frame. The J-Magnum frame is identical to the original J-frame except for the fact that it is 1/10″ longer, to accept the .357 Magnum cartridge. Even the .38 Special guns produced from this time forward are built on the J-Magnum frame.

In 1997, the Model 649-3 was introduced. This was a stainless steel Bodyguard chambered in .357 Magnum built on the J-Magnum frame.

From Notpurfect we hear:

“Despite its antiquated basic design, limited capacity, and unimpressive power, this might be among the most politically incorrect of all firearms. At least it would be, if more people were aware of its design, and mission. To the uninitiated, this is simply an oddly shaped, sort of freakish revolver. The hump backed model 49 fires the .38 Special cartridge from a 2” barrel, and has a capacity of only 5 rounds. It is really too expensive, and well made to qualify as a Saturday Night Special (whatever meaning that phrase may happen to have at the moment). Like most specialized devices, the strange appearance of the Model 49 is a reflection of being narrowly designed for a particular function. In the case of the model 49, the gun has been designed to be carried, and even fired, from inside of a pocket.” http://www.notpurfect.com/main/m49.html

Perhaps the most infamous photograph of a pistol from the Twentieth Century involves the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1969. It is the picture of South Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan shooting a Viet Cong captain named Bay Lop in the head. I hesitate to bring up this incident, but at the same time, it is impossible for me to chart the history of this hand gun without acknowledging this moment in history.

At the height of the Tet Offensive, the general executed Bay Lop who had been responsible for the deaths of many American and Vietnamese personnel. Photographer Eddie Adams snapped the picture at the moment that the bullet crashed through the prisoner’s brain. It should be noted that the photographer later became friends with the general and had great regret over the effect of the photo on the general’s life. Adams sent an apology to the general’s family at his death. His statement was “The general killed the Viet Cong; I killed the general with my camera.”

“Adams frequently offered a qualified defense of Loan’s infamous act. Within context, and given the inevitable fog of war, he would say, the killing was understandable, if not excusable. As historian Robert D. Schulzinger points out in A Time for War, the executed VC fighter “had killed some Saigon civilians, many of them relatives of police in the capital.” – Duncan Currie, “Photographs Do Lie”

Regardless of this tragic episode, the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard has rendered exemplary service for fifty years and remains a favorite to many in the pocket gun/backup class of self-defense weapons.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.