Ruger LCR?

[mmc45414]

I had to turn the P30SK into a G26.5 first. [emoji41]

And that car thing...

IMO there are three things that impact the level of comfort carrying and shooting these things: 1)Weight 2)Ammo 3)Grips

Weight is just that simple, but this is also a big factor with portability, especially in regard to actual pocket carry. All of these things get bigger and heavier when you shove them in a pocket and start walking. Three ounces is a lot, IMO, when it is banging around in a pocket of dragging down an elastic waistband.

Ammo is a huge variable, and the reasonable choices would be 38, 9mm and 22LR. There are lots of 38 options, and with reloading (you do live in a house now...) even more so. 9mm gives you ammo compatibility, but no Smith option, and the LCR is molded over the stainless frame (as is the 357, the others are molded over aluminum) and they are heavier and more expensive than the 22 and 38 versions. As has been mentioned, 22LR might be the overlooked option. Ammo is on the shelf again, you could get a 43C or LCR, or if you didn't really plan to put it in a pocket a 3" 317. Claude is the big j-frame EDC advocate and he is using a 43C. With any of these options you could shoot thousands and thousands and thousands of rounds, all while having the dog walking gun. Maybe later there is a 38 or 9mm or 357 mate. And if your wife has any interest in this at all I say the 22 has a big advantage.

But grips are the part of this that I think has been under discussed. If it is not actually in a pocket or the pockets are larger there are a lot of advantages to something larger than the little boot grips. There are a bunch of options but I like the Altamont Bateleur on the J, and the Hogue that Ruger ships on the 3" guns sure look interesting.

[Jared]

Check.

Yeah I didn’t explain that very well.

The snubby I shot was a scandium frame, possibly a 340PD. It was not fun.

To the extent an alloy/stainless would be heavier, I think I’d prefer the heavier model. (Not to mention the cost difference).

I’m not going to take a snubby through 100 rounds a time. And if my wife ends up shooting it I don’t really want it to be painful for her (she absolutely felt pain shooting the scandium J).

Hope that helps explain where I was coming from.

Rich, I've recently made the swap from my old 442 to a 357LCR for the things I use a snub revolver for. Now, I'll never put a single round of 357 in this gun, but I got a good deal on the used model, so there it is.

Take this for what it's worth, I found the LCR to be more comfy with +P ammo than the 442, and the factory trigger was much better than the factory Smith trigger. Plus, as you noted, the front sight is pinned on and replaceable, to me it makes the LCR a better option. Which, for this long time S&W fan is kind of a hard thing to swallow.

Honestly though, either a 442/642 or one of the various LCR models will do exactly what you are wanting to do quite well, it's sort of a "neither answer is wrong" type of question.

[Stephanie B]

Or a .22. Or be prepared to roll mouse fart loads.

What I did, with the minimum recommended load of Trail Boss. Still, 15 rounds was enough for one session through a 442. (Though to be fair, the LG-105 grips don’t help any.)

[KPD]

That's interesting that you get issued one. I assume as a BUG.

Are there any after market options for a TRS?

Yes, issued as a BUG.
I don’t know for sure about any springs. I don’t think there are because of the trigger design. At least that is what I was told.

[Duelist]

What I did, with the minimum recommended load of Trail Boss. Still, 15 rounds was enough for one session through a 442. (Though to be fair, the LG-105 grips don’t help any.)

Haven’t tried Trail Boss. 130gr RNFP moly coated lead over 2.7-3.4gr Bullseye, and my bullet supplier recommended an even lighter bullet (~105gr) to try that I’m going to pick up the next time I’m up that way. Maybe I’ll see if they have any Trail Boss, too.

The 3.4gr/130 load out of my 13-3 is money. I’m rarely able to actually watch a front sight go up and down on anything that isn’t a .22, but that heavy barrel magnum does it with that load, and it drops poppers. From the 642, I can’t watch the sight, but I can stand to shoot a whole box of it. Poppers drop very slowly.

If I drop it down to 2.7, I don’t get as complete combustion (judging from added soot on cases and the gun) but I can shoot the 642 till I run out of ammo and not suffer for it later with my wrist. My wife might even like it if I drop the bullet weight down closer to the 95gr .380 bullets she runs out of her G42.

[BehindBlueI's]

How big a difference are 148 gr WCs vs 158 gr +P HPs?

The 158g I shot to qualify with my 637 killed my hand by the end of it.

A lot. I can shoot hundreds of my .38 WC loads through my LCR without even a pink palm.

[TheNewbie]

A lot. I can shoot hundreds of my .38 WC loads through my LCR without even a pink palm.

Yea I would say that's a significant difference. Lol

Do you use the stock grips ?

[wvincent]

For me, and just me, the CT grips that come with the red laser seem to do a really good job at mitigating recoil.

[SAWBONES]

For me, and just me, the CT grips that come with the red laser seem to do a really good job at mitigating recoil.

Those are the same grips I have on both my .38 Special LCRs, and I agree with your assessment.
They're not as "cushiony" as the stock (non-laser) grips, but they still provide considerable felt-recoil reduction.

[TheNewbie]

I'm guessing Waddcutters still beat out .380. Is my assumption correct ?