Ruger LCRx 3" 357mag for heavier CCW and concealed field carry?

[OlongJohnson]

Lots of options:

https://www.havalon.com/piranta-blades

Looks like they ship with a standard form scalpel blade, #60.

Havalon 60A is the thick one, 60XT is the thinner one. Both are available in smaller quantities than the packs linked below.

60A
https://www.amazon.com/Havalon-Stain...dp/B00F7FLS0E/

60XT
https://www.amazon.com/Havalon-Stain...dp/B00D79EODK/

The reviews say the same blades work in the Gerber handle.

Thanks, this has been an educational bit of the afternoon. I had no idea those knives existed. I like the weight, cost and serviceability a heck of a lot better than what is usually discussed for skinning/dressing knives.

[WDR]

While I have not used the Gerber, I am going to roll with what SST has to say here, as that addresses the primary concern with the Havalon. It appears Gerber has improved the design a bit making it safer. I would be interested in trying one of the Gerbers. If I lose my Havalon, I believe I will pick up a Gerber to try.

I have not used it yet ( I didn't draw squat this year), but I picked up a bright orange Havalon after my friend, who hunts a LOT, started using them and recommended them to me. I may take a soldering iron to mine and stipple it for better grip in cold/wet/messy conditions. The one I bought came with the slightly thicker and more heavy duty blades. Havalon does make a plastic "blade remover/safety cover", and I bought a package of them not long after I bought the knife. Seems like a prudent thing to have on hand, but again, I have not used one yet.

I have nicked myself with my old hunting knife while field dressing a deer before, luckily not badly... I believe these scalpel bladed tools require a lot more caution. My friend always uses a multi-tool to change the blades on his, after one of his wife's family members cut himself badly out in BFE when trying to change blades.

[OlongJohnson]

Havalon does make a plastic "blade remover/safety cover", and I bought a package of them not long after I bought the knife. Seems like a prudent thing to have on hand, but again, I have not used one yet.

Looks pretty well thought out. Lighter than pliers and probably more secure. Washable.

https://www.amazon.com/HAVELS-BRC-4P.../dp/B01MFF9RDO



They also make the Forge handle, intended for a more secure grip.

[Lost River]

As neat as that looks, I hunt in sub zero temps, and am not sure I would trust a plastic blade changer. With my luck it would break in the middle of a blade change when it is 15 below and I would have a scalpel embedded in my palm an hour from the truck, and another 2 hours from a med center.

The small pliers don't weigh much and it minimizes my contact with the blades. When my hands are numb, I do things like blade changes in a very slow and deliberate manner.

I like the fact that Gerber designed their knife to take the Havalon blades. Smart move on their part. I take new people hunting every few years, and if I do take a young kid in the next few years, he/she may inherit a Havalon along with some safety lessons, so I can have an excuse to upgrade.

Speaking of hunting/skinning knives; I know guys love knives and spend crazy amounts on them. That said, for big game hunting, a guy really does not need to spend hundreds of dollar on a skinner. The sub $20 Moras work phenomenally well and I have used them on lots deer/elk. A Mora, a $4 pocket sharpener, a bone saw and a Havalon (or Gerber now) with a couple extra blades and you are totally good to go. The big heavy fancy/expensive knives just are not needed.

[WDR]

As neat as that looks, I hunt in sub zero temps, and am not sure I would trust a plastic blade changer.

I also hunt in places that can get significantly sub-zero cold... brittle plastic is a thing for sure at those temps. I'm not married to it, but it does seem like a good way to keep a spent blade from either becoming dangerous litter in the bush, or becoming a significant risk of poking ones self after it gets tossed in a pack pocket. I always carry a Leatherman tool, so that will also be an option. I should go visit Randolf or Woodruff up along the UT/WY border when they get into the -20's, and see if these things do, in fact, get brittle when cold, before I have to figure it out live with an animal on the ground next year.

It is true that you don't need a fancy knife to break down a deer or elk. I once used my Spyderco Delica on a deer, because it happened to be what was at hand. I know of at least one guy who did it with a small two blade Old Timer pen knife...

Since this thread as made a significant drift from the original topic, I'll put my two cents in to steer us back on course:

I own a 3" S&W 60-10 J-frame .357, and find it a handy carry gun out in the sticks. It's a fair bit sexier than the LCR-X guns, but I'd guess they would both serve about the same purpose. It's for sure a handful with hot .357 loads, but you can shoot everything from light .38 wadcutter up to .357 nukes all through the same gun. +P .38 is pretty mild. I carry mine in a couple of different holsters, but I bought a DSG 3" j-frame holster a while ago, and it carries nicely AIWB or IWB.

[OlongJohnson]

I was scanning my Amazon cart and noticed the Gerber had dropped in price to ~$20, so I read some reviews. I always start with the lowest rating to see what people say when they have problems. Looks like the Gerber has the capacity to truly suck.

Broken blades, broken retaining features, spring-loaded release letting the blade go, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/product-revie...ews-filter-bar