“4 reasons a new shooter should not carry a .38 snub nose” ~ h/t @JRB
U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- Despite the fact that revolvers are among the most recommended carry guns for new and female shooters, they aren’t all great choices.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’ve owned and carried revolvers for years. While six-shooters absolutely have their place in a shooter’s arsenal, they’ve often employed wrong. This isn’t to say that they’re a bad choice when shoe-horned into roles they weren’t built for, but more so that a combination of factors have caused some of their most shining moments to eclipse. Paramount among these is the .38 special snub-nosed revolver. Compact, reliable and fool-proof, the .38 wheel-gun should be the perfect concealed carry option for new shooters – but it’s not.
Here are four reasons why it’s not.
You’re Not a Good Enough Shot.
RIP my inbox – but hear me out before you glass me from orbit. A snub-nosed, double-action-only revolver in any caliber is a very difficult firearm to shoot both accurately and quickly. In fact, I would argue it is among the most difficult. The combination of minimalistic carry sights and ultra-short sight radius stack the odds against the shooter purely from a usability perspective.
After all, how is a shooter supposed to successfully hit a target if the sights preclude both accurate and fast target acquisition?
Think about that for a moment. Most modern firearms have sights designed for either speed or precision and sometimes even both. But have you ever heard of a pistol with sights that are both slow to align and too large to place shots accurately?
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Sign up for the Daily Digest email and protect the 2nd Amendment.If you own a two-inch barrel revolver you have. My point is that it takes a ton of dedicated practice to even be on par with a casual shooter armed with a quality auto-loader equipped with modern sights. And this problem only gets worse for shooters with bad eyesight, in dim lighting conditions, or worse shooting under pressure. You know, exactly the sort of conditions someone might need to use a concealed carry weapon. For these reasons, I only recommend double action only, snub-nosed revolvers for experienced shooters.
.38 Special Terminal Ballistics Suck
While a bit over-the-top, the statement holds true. The terminal ballistics of a standard SAAMI spec .38 special round fired from a short barrel is terrible. That said, newer .38s chambered for +P rounds help mitigate this, but in my opinion, for any serious use, a revolver should be chambered in .357 Magnum and have at a minimum, a three-inch barrel.
Why? Because out of a super-short barrel, a 38 special has similar or worse penetration than a 9mm round. And given the seemingly endless number of new subcompact 9mm handguns hitting the market every year, there’s not a huge reason to opt for a .38 over one. Yes, some shooters struggle to rack an auto-loaders slide. But buying a locked-breech pistol and giving proper instruction makes this feasible for anyone who isn’t struggling with a disability.
Big Kick, Little Pew
One of the most common comments I’ve heard when I’ve let new shooters fire my Smith & Wesson Model 442 Revolver, is on how much recoil the thing has. Especially from folks who’ve shot bigger .38 special revolvers or level-action rifles in the past. They expect the same mild recoil of an old S&W Model 10 out of the alloy-framed 442. Instead, they’re met with a disproportionate muzzle blast and sharp recoil impulse. And before the comments section fills up with such brilliant recommendations as, “You’re a wimp!” or “Hit the gym!” It’s not about whether I can handle the recoil. It’s about whether the average shooter can. And in my experience, most cannot.
Not 1980’s B-movie amounts of silly recoil where the gun seems to be firing SCUD missiles, but enough that most shooters will want to stop a practice session after firing through two cylinders worth of ammunition. This makes the pistol, in general, a tough sell for new shooters. Especially given the aforementioned short sight radius. In a nutshell, punishing recoil combined with difficult sights makes successfully grouping rounds on paper very tough. This will very likely discourage new shooters from practicing and honing their marksmanship skills.
Slow, Difficult Reloads
The comment section is going to be flooded with readers talking about how fast they can reload their favorite wheel gun. But the fact of the matter is that given equal amounts of practice, a magazine-fed firearm is vastly faster to reload than a revolver. Yes, there are ways to partially mitigate this. Speedloaders, speed strips, and moon clips do a great job of speeding up the process. But they’re just addressing the symptom and not the cause.
But I’m not blind to the benefits of a revolver. Assuming the wheel gun of choice is chambered in something really potent like .44 Magnum or .357 Magnum, the slow reloads are acceptable. After all, each pull of the trigger is delivering an insane amount of energy. But on a snubnosed .38 special, shooters are slowing themselves down needlessly. OK, you might be thinking, the reloads are slow, but they’re not difficult! You simply remove the spent rounds and replace them with fresh ones. Que Jerry M video….
True. In essence, reloading a revolver is a simple affair. But it’s a combination of what’s involved and the circumstances under which a shooter would do so that makes them difficult. Let me explain. When humans (or really any animal) are frightened or confronted with a major threat, our bodies dump adrenaline into our bloodstream. This increases our strength, speed, and stamina. But like anything, there’s no free lunch. This increase in physical capabilities comes at a cost – reduced fine motor skills.
This is a huge component of why it’s important to train extensively both for soldiers entering combat, and civilian shooters for a potential armed confrontation. Under stress, it’s difficult to do intricate tasks. It’s why defensive instructions tell shooters not to use the slide release, but to charge the slide with their whole hand.
Worst case scenario, reloading without a speed loader is akin to playing a life-or-death version of “Operation” with advanced Parkinson’s Disease; your hands will tremble uncontrollably while you fumble to load slippery cartridges into a free-spinning cylinder – and if you fail you might die.
Am I being dramatic? Sure.
Am I wrong? No.
Parting Words
There is no such thing as a hand-held, 100% reliable fight-stopping weapon. Terminal ballistics are a crazy thing. As a defensive shooter, part of our jobs is to help shift the odds in our favor. This is why many instructors have a minimum caliber recommendation. But equally as important as ballistic potency, is shot placement. A .25 ACP round to the eye is more effective than a .44 Magnum to the small finger. But all things equal, bigger is better. More powerful is more reliable at incapacitating an attacker, and expanding ammunition is crucial to maximizing a round’s potential.
Why add this to the article? Because I carry a Smith & Wesson 442 in .38 special from time to time. But I’m realistic about both my, and its capabilities. And that should be the takeaway from this article. There are a ton of reasons to carry something better, but even so, a .38 snub nose is a dangerously effective tool when employed correctly. Personally, I think that it is recommended to new shooters far too often for reasons that can be easily overcome with rudimentary training and familiarization.
That said, I would take a .38 snub over any rimfire weapon for self or home defense any day of the week. Think of the .38 snub as a small tack hammer. If you need to build a treehouse, there are better options. But that doesn’t mean the little guy can’t get the job done.
About Jim Grant
Jim is a freelance writer, editor, and videographer for dozens of publications who loves anything and everything guns. While partial to modern military firearms and their civilian counterparts, he holds a special place in his heart for the greatest battle implement ever devised and other WW2 rifles. When he’s not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country.
I’m always impressed when some noob teaches me important lessons about guns. I have socks older than Mr Grant.
I’ve been carrying revolvers for 53 years and have enjoyed moderate success with them. They are accurate. They have adequate oomph if good reason is used in the choice of ammunition.
aryfrosty . . . . I assume from the attitude taken in your post that you consider yourself another Jerry Miculek.
I carry a wheel gun a Ruger SP 101 more often than my PX 4
px 4, called comfort, but main thing is the amount of time you practice with all guns I carry!!!!!!! I don’t claim to be another Jerry Miculek, I just don’t want to be a statistic, so I do practice!
this article is a joke. for a up close and personal defense response, the 38 snub will do the job.
Surely, Lee Harvey Oswald will agree.
Yep, you’re a yyoungster who probably loves guns made from plastic. As a mature male who has carried a firearm before the invention of plastic, I love a good revolver. I still enjoy a good modern age auto, like my Kimber ultra-Carry. You say that a revolver is only for the “most experienced of shooters.” I totally recommend revolvers for the inexperienced. Most self-defense situations are NOT like at the range where you have a static target at 25+ yards. I’d say it’s slightly beyond knife fighting distance… so who needs fancy sights anyway. My wife carries a snubby. When… Read more »
jdtaylor . . . . Thank you for your post. BTW, do you and/or your wife engage in any tactical pistol competition, e.g., USPSA or IDPA. i would recommend that if you do not you should start, It is the very best training/practice in which you can engage short of as real gunfight. Besides which, it is immense FUN!
I always stop after the first insult to a product that is a passive way to insult all owners of said product. It’s the perfect way to show a total lack or respect for people and prove you have no real experience that’s useful to anyone.
As a retired police officer with over 40 years experience, I strongly disagree with this article. Most shootings happen within 3 to 7 feet distance. A .38 is a fine round for this purpose. A hammer less snub nose can be carried and fired both from a purse and in a pocket. The hammerless firearm will not hang up when drawn from the pocket or purse because of the lack of a hammer. The no hammer revolvers do not allow debris, coins or make up to interfere with the weapon firing. There is no thought process needed in a stressful… Read more »
Imagine, over the last 100 years or so, there must be thousands of people buried in graveyards across the country, disappointed that they were killed by the obviously inadequate .38 Special.
I put this article under gun writers have to write.
As with any firearm one has to learn to use it properly.
next will trucks with a stickshift should not be used in mountainsplease everything has a learning curve an lcp in 9 has flip up and is horrible for someone with big hands. does not make it great for others
And now for the other side of this coin. My top four reasons that one SHOULD carry just a .38 snub. 1. Reliable. The most likely to go BANG, when the trigger is pulled, regardless of conditions of neglected maintenance, dirt, a bent mag that didn’t get noticed, etc. 2. Even in a DGU, which is highly unlikely in the first place, a reload is almost never needed. And even if one IS needed, one is a fool to not hunt cover for the reload anyway, no matter how fast it can be accomplished. So that one is no reason… Read more »
We appreciate your insight and effort in sharing your observations about snub-nose, .38 Special revolvers for EDC and self-defense. Thankfully, your article clearly acknowledged that these revolvers are “reliable”. Unlike our somewhat finicky, favored class of semi-automatic pistols, revolvers will never experience failures to feed, failures to extract, stove-pipe jams, and they do not require a pesky magazine or manipulation of a stiff charging spring to chamber a round. You will likely never “limp wrist” a revolver. Negligent discharges are possible with a revolver, but nothing compared to those with semi-autos. Actually, premium defensive ammo performs very effectively from a… Read more »
Better to have something than nothing. I’ll occasionally carry a S&W 640-1 357 magnum 5 shot with two stripper clips. When I go out I’m not looking to get in to trouble. I’m not looking for a shoot out. If SHTF I’m looking protect mine, for cover and for an exit. The firearm comes out if I have to take action.
Well said!
There is a small fraction of truth here, however…. a snubby has it’s place and training and practice can overcome it’s shortcomings. There are better carry solutions but snub nosed .38s have killed a lot of people over the years. Don’t underestimate it’s lethality.
0. Its better than a pointy stick 1. Majority of self defense shooting are at “bad breath” range. If you can hit a human size target from a yard or less away, it doesn’t matter what you use. 2. See pointy stick reference above. Any attacker what will just shrug off a couple of 38 spcls will likely do the same with a 9mm or 357. Drugs are wonderful things. 3. Anything big/heavy enough to -significantly- reduce recoil is going to be too big/heavy to carry. Recoil is a thing, Practice and learn to live with it. 4. How often… Read more »
mgkdrgn . . . With some reservations my reply is YUP!
Don’t care what You own, Practice, Practice, Practice, The Most Expensive Round You Shoot Will Do No Good Unless It Hits It’s Target !
@mlh, Yes, I think that is better advice than the author gave. Skip the gizmos and increase the practice.
I agree with Felixd. They aren’t called “belly guns” without reason. The ballistics concerns in your article may be true, but there is no substitute for being able to fire point blank from a pocket or purse without having to draw the weapon.
From “pocket or purse”, meaning the hammer is enclosed like in the picture at the top of the article. Otherwise there would be a big chance of getting it hung up on something.
Actually Jim small, hammerless, revolvers are great when you need to defend yourself while interviewing a moron who might be involved in a crime. You simply carry it in an overcoat pocket and keep your hand on it as you talk. Just shoot through the coat. No one expects to reload if you use it. You just grab your auto pistol and go to work. The only big problem is that the coat may catch fire. BTW, only buy inexpensive overcoats if your working.
Not sure how you came to the conclusion on 38 spl snub . I personally have defeated bad guys with a mod 60 SW. I have also use a 4 inch mod 64 that worked just fine. You are entitled to your opinion. I have seen the result of a 38 spl snub and 4 inch . Very effective . Grave yard dead effective.
I never felt that my backup 3-1/16″ stainless Ruger SP-101 loaded with Federal or Winchester 158gr. LSWCHP +P put me at a disadvantage if I needed to go to it. I DID, however, strongly feel that the levels of power and velocity required the use of non-jacketed bullets to get expansion. Didn’t come across any jacketed bullets back then that I would choose, but did not try Super-Vel. Haven’t tried any newer ones; no longer have a .38.
As a cop in the 70s carried a 4” Smith; no +P, no speedloaders. Never had to shoot anyone, had transitioned to a 9 when I did. But lots of other cops then and before shot lots of bad guys and killed many. Bought my backup 2” in 1971 and still carry it without feeling inadequate.
Not that long ago, I bought a Smith model 360. When I showed it to the wife, she snatched it up before I could say, “… only five shots!”.
She is kind of a wild child when it comes to shooting at those “thug with a gun” paper targets. When she hears the whistle she starts at the crotch and shoots five shots straight up the middle until she gets to the face and that little Smith goes click, click, click.
I had to buy her some HKS speed loaders.
Finding the HKS speed loaders today is a little bit of a project, short supply where I live, carry 4 speed loaders as backups for my SP 101’s
Yeah, everything is short supply. I am amazed at the short time it took Biden’s handlers to turn America into a land of shortages!
Good article!
I love the 38 special, it’s economical, versatile, easy to shoot and reload plus it’s accurate. I have a two inch model 19, at close range it’s okay but it’s not my go to weapon. The magum’s weight has its trade off, but +P’s recoil is tame.
As for my right gun, It’s the one I have and the hopefully the proficiency to use it.
Every tool has a specific purpose. I would never dream of driving a 2″ trim nail with a sledge hammer. Neither would I try to break concrete with a tape measure. It’s like trying to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig. A small DA internal hammer .38 special like a Smith & Wesson 642, is what my Father referred to as a “belly gun”. He, and I, would never dream of trying to hit someone 15 = 20 feet away with one unless our sole goal were to make as much noise as… Read more »
Thanks for your opinion.
I carry a stainless Ruger Blackhawk. 44 Remington mag 5.5 inch barrel . Don’t care about imprinting , just want to make sure if I have to use it . It’s one 240 grain XTP and done .
Great gun with awesome load! If you have to pull it bad guys will probably run away.
Good greef, I’ll just leave the model 60 at home and and carry a pocket full of rocks.
Mike . . . I own several “,38 snubbies”, including a S&W Model 60. Upon RARE occasion, I do carry one of these sidearms for personal protection, I hope you never have to find out, even with +p ammunition, just how inadequate they are to stop a fight. They are better than a “handful of rocks”, however, they certainly are not the be all and end all of a defensive sidearm,
This is just click bait, next write an article saying the 1911/is dead. It would be about as relevant. Most of what you say is both wrong and ignorant. Might I suggest you take lessons?
Don in 805 . . . . And what, I might ask, are your qualifications to make your derogatory statements?
If you think that a DA revolver is difficult to shoot due to minimalistic sights and short sight radius, try shooting a small DA only pistol. Not only do they have for the most part, even smaller sights and a shorter sight radius, the trigger pull for most are atrocious. If you think the .38 Special is feeble, then try the .380 Auto. I know several small ladies who l shoot with using a variety of both pistols and revolvers and with training and experience they shoot both equally well. However, when first introduced to shooting, they ALL learned on… Read more »
Hi Jim – well, kind of. If you are relying on a snubbie you HAVE TO PRACTICE. Is that any different from any other self defense firearm? Terminal ballistics with premium loads are actually quite good, esp. in +P. Federal HydraShok comes to mind, many others out there. Ball ammo not so much. Number 3 is related to number 1. You have to practice. If that is a hardship, rethink self defense, maybe take up knitting. Number 4, no argument. Reloading revolvers under time pressure is a drag and not fast. How likely are you to be in a position,… Read more »
I had no idea that I’ve placed my life in danger because I carry a snub in my overcoat pocket. How did I ever survive the last 49 years? But, Mr. Grant, are you paid by the word when you write something? Just wondering as your article seems somewhat rambling, perhaps adrift might be more accurate. Your work appears ponderous as well on a over used topic that was popular a decade ago. Might I suggest something a little more timely in the future and something more researched.
Gramps used to carry a 38 snubby in his pocket all the time. He always told me that it was not a target pistol. It was a pocket gun. He also taught me how to shoot from the hip. I can still hit a target at 10-15 feet from the hip. I would not try to do this unless necessary. I’m fairly proficient in aiming the revolver as well. That also took LOTS OF PRACTICE AT THE RANGE. That being said; I agree with your point; that a 38 Snubby is NOT a gun for beginners. My EDC (every day… Read more »
I agree to a point. Yes DA only is difficult for a novice. It requires many hours of practice, and few newbies are willing and/or able to dedicate that kind of time. Ballistically, every caliber suffers in a 2″ barrel (there’s simply not enough barrel to provide the stability the bullet needs to achieve its maximum velocity and energy regardless of caliber. That’s Physics 101). The only answer to that is to use more powerful cartridges, which just increases the recoil, and all the pluses and negatives that goes with that mechanics of shooting. The only way to neutralize that… Read more »
Chuck) I’ll have to disagree. If you have newbies that find hitting with DA difficult, you have them too far from the target. If needed, have them hit a man size silhouette from 6 feet! Nothing wrong with that at all. That’s the range that DA was designed for. They used to call it “card table” range, or the distance to another man on the other side of a poker table. Another point, that I admit is picking a nit, it is NOT stability that the bullet gains from a longer barrel. The spin, imparted by the twist rate of… Read more »
Between family and I we have had five 2” snubs three 3”. Never had a bullet stability problem. Countless amateur and professional penetration tests prove with proper ammo penetration is not a problem. NYPD records prove the effectiveness of 38spl +p 158gn swc Bullet. At 21 ft I’m having no prob hitting 5/5 rapid fire looking over my little painted white front sight. Ejecting spent shells from a 2” snub with a smart smack on the ejected rod.
I carry an HK USP.45 c but going out to dinner it’s either sig 365 or ruger sp 101and I can and will bust your ass @20ft with NO PROBLEM and have no doubt could be accurate further we have many years and rounds together fat boy .38s or med weight .357 only 5 shots but she’s a bad bitch.
I concur. I usually carry a Glock 26 9mm but never feel under gunned when carrying My SP101. Practice with 38 AND 357 – carry with 357. I’d rather have that than the Glock for firepower. That said – the S&W 442 is DAO and lighter than a gnat’s wing. It is bitch but far better than nothing.
Think of a firearm as a tool. Tools have specific jobs. Hammers, wire cutters, screwdrivers all have different jobs. Some of them have good crossover properties. I have no idea of how many people have been killed by 38’s but a safe bet would be in the thousands, maybe the ten thousands. The author is correct in that light weight short barreled revolvers are beyond difficult to accurately shoot. A short barreled anything is designed as a belly gun for short range engagements. With this in mind the lowly ole 38 starts to shine. Ballistics: You have basically a 9mm… Read more »
I understand where Jim is coming from, but I don’t agree with all of his thought processes. Point one; none of us are good enough shots. Yes, we are awesome at the range, but that is not shooting under stress. Under stress, even the police don’t shoot as good as they do on the range. We all need more practice and when possible, more realistic practice. Few of us get to take classes and get realistic training. One nice thing about a lot of revolvers, is you can manually cock the hammer, which reduces trigger pull length and pressure allowing… Read more »
My complaint is with the headline. “… to NEVER Carry Just a .38 Snubnose …” Implies that we all might as well toss our snubbies into the trashbin. Of course, the author is concerned about all the newbies who have been pushed toward the apparent simplicity of point and click. The headline is no better than clickbait. Nothing more. Ammoland editors, you can do better.
Did you miss the ‘just’ in there? It reads to me like he’s saying carrying a 38 snub as your one and only gun is not a good idea considering all the other better options on the market especially for the average shooter. As a backup, it would do in a pinch.
Well, I use a .22 mag rimfire for EDC. Granted it’s not a .38 spec, but I do have a few more rounds on me , …60 to be exact and at 50g, ballistic tip, I think it’s gonna leave a mark, permanent to! It’s very lightweight, even fully loaded and very comfortable .
In figuring reload time, don’t forget the time it takes to empty the spent cylinder. A friend told me that a three inch barrel is better because the longer rod will push the empties completely clear of the cylinder.
Which brands do that? I have both 2″ and 6″ and ejector moves roughly the same distance in both. It frees shells enough so that gravity easily pulls them the rest of the way.
I think it is easier to work a speedloader with cylinder held vertically anyway. If you mess up somehow and release rounds partially in the cylinder, they are likely to just slide the rest of the way in.
I know that the old S&W model 60 had a shorter ejector rod, and one had to be careful to hold them so that the empty shells would fall straight down and give the rod a good healthy rap. S&W has corrected that, however.
What are this guys qualifications? Military, PD , forensics? 357 Minimum? NYPD was well satisfied with the stopping power of 38spl SWC. And before that Jim Cirillo (look up his qualifications) felt well equipped with full wadcutters. We all know the vast majority of defensive shooting takes place inside 7 yds. What kind of sights do YOU need? And how many shots are fired? If you missed with 5 where did they go and are you going to hit with the next 5? A NYPD Officer shot and stopped 3 assailants with 3 shots from her snub. That leaves two… Read more »
I have not heard that name in a while. One of the greatest gun fighters in American history. I read about his techniques. He wrote and spoke with the authority of expertise. Much like Rob Leatham talks about shooting fast, today.
I think that you may have missed the point. I don’t think that the author would assert that .38spl is NEVER effective. It absolutely is effective, as demonstrated by your examples. I think the point is that a snub .38 is often recommended to those who would be better served by a more forgiving caliber or a larger capacity. I think the article was well reasoned, and I agree for the most part. However, there are exceptions. Everyone just needs to look at their situation and come to terms with the compromises we make to go armed. Any handgun in… Read more »
My Model 36 Smith and Wesson with barrel less than 2 inches long fires a 148 grain hardcast WC at 782 fps. At 5 ft. it will penetrate 5 one gallon milk jugs filled with water. Not too bad for a snubbie!
The author’s point is that .38 Special out of a 2″ barrel has very poor ballistics compared to 3″ or 4″ barrels (4″ and 5″ barrels are what most PDs issued back in the day). Combine that with the short sight radius and the heavy DA trigger pull, and there’s 3 of the reasons why it’s a poor choice for a new/novice shooter. IDK about NY, but here in the midwest, most Officers were issues +P+ Police Loads, which are quite a bit hotter than regular .38 Specials
I am so sick and tired of these articles that say you are under gunned with this or that caliber. If you have any gun on you, you are never under gunned!!
People have said I was under gunned when I carried a M-2 carbine in Vietnam in 1962!!!
All of this talk is B.S.!!!
RE: Short sight radius: Install a Crimson Trace grip laser sight!
Or learning to hold one’s pistol square in your hand; point like you do your index finger; and keeping your pistol on that one true like while you pull the trigger is lots faster and cheaper.
Change the title to 4 reasons a new shooter should not carry a .38 snub nose. And your points will have some validity. Otherwise they are just straw-man arguments.
No matter what else I’m carrying IWB at 4 o’clock my 342PD is in a right side front pocket holster and has been for decades.
In public when yellow sometimes begins to turn a shade of orange I can nonchalantly slip my hand inside my pocket without the oranges of the world knowing that I’ve got a full combat grip on my sidearm.
Thousands of rounds, zero malfunctions, zero issues, zero concerns.
SW 342PD
I own a 642. I changed out the grips to an old timey skinny J-frame grip and my accuracy improved.
Will, 10 4 to that, the 642 is great! 3 hard cast wadcutters with 2 90 gr. Hornady Critical Defense loads. Penetration and expansion.
I don’t know how many people who have been killed by a 38 but it must be a ton of them. That said, there are two basic types of people who would carry something like this as their PRIMARY self defense tool; Someone who is extremely confident in their abilities under extreme stress along with a very good working knowledge of ballistics and good choices of same OR someone who never shoots for practice, doesn’t realize how much and sharply these things recoil etc. and has no idea how small they will feel in a fight going against someone or… Read more »
You can add that this article is primarily for those who have never shot and those who offer advice to those who are considering a first gun. The group who really know what they are doing, are very skilled, practice regularly and have the confidence this inures are going to ignore advice in this article as it pertains to them. The other group you described deserve all the sympathetic and useful advice we can provide. Perhaps an article like this will cause an experienced shooter to carefully reconsider advice they provide to newbies. Once something is ingrained to point of… Read more »
I’ve always considered a subby kind of a ‘backup’ weapon for up close and personal use when the aggressor could get their hands on the weapon and interfere with slide function. Then again, like like Ed stated, it would be better than nothing for getting their attention, cover and exit.
Thank you, Mr. Grant for this article. I owned two gun shops for a total of about 20 years and was an active certified instructor for a total of about forty years. I have been active in a number of shooting competitions throughout the years including IMSA, PSAA, IPSC, and IDPA. I was most active in IDPA where I had 24 first place finishes in regional, state, and major club competitions. I have never recommended a .38 special snub – particularly a light weight model – as a primary carry sidearm to a new shooter. They are definitely NOT a… Read more »
The only way to use the snub nose is like the S&W I got for my wife to have as a bedroom gun. It came with a red laser grip sight. sighted it in for the bedroom door to the end of the hall leading to the room and it is like I told her put the dot on the torso and pull the trigger, do it at least twice
I personally hate using a laser on any handgun. Just my experience.
ElHalcon . . . Have you considered a 20 gauge youth pump shotgun for home defense. it certainly can be used by your spouse and is far more effective than a .38 Special.
This clickbait listicle could have been two items.
1. I don’t know you, but you suck.
2. .38 Special is weaksauce, because it’s not even more effective than 9mm. And also, you should get a 9mm instead.
A friend told me that in a revolver course he took he was encouraged to carry a 3 inch barreled gun rather than a 2 inch barreled one. The rationale was that with the 3 inch the extractor would completely remove the fired casings. With the 2 inch, the shooter would have to manually augment the extractor. That’s extra time.
@A, that was a complaint about the S&W model 60, but I believe that S&W fixed that on later model 60s, and has not repeated the error.
@Wild Bill
Kojak and crocker use to keep NYC clean with those old smitty .38 wheelie snubbies remember that? hellzz yea
(Let’s make tv great again)
@SEMPAI, Peter Gunn, too. He could hit his target thirty yards away without using the sights! Gotta love Hooiewood.
@WB
Datz right..no sights ..no problem
Mannix used to shoot guys off roofs with his!!!
Actually Jim, you’ll get no arguments from me. I agree with your reasoning and your points. I too carry a S&W Model 60 on occassion during the summer, but I’m much more comfortable with my P365 or M9.
Unless someone is willing to dedicate the time and training required for a snubby, it’s a poor choice for a novice shooter.
Great. One of the old gunwriter standbys Like… “The 30/06 is Dead!!!” and the always popular “Rimfire Roundup”.
don’t feel undergunned with my S&W 19 2 1/2 357 MAGNUM, it is barky and only 6 shots…but it ALWAYS goes bang and it is NOT a recoil killer. frankly anybody who goes into a long engagement with only a few speedloaders is truly nuts, this is not the 1960’s anymore. it’s intended to get the guy (s) out of my house with a few new holes. if stuff gets serious, I go to my CZ-75 and it REALLY lays the hurt down on them combo’ed with my HOUSE AR-15 Carbine, carrying a red dot scope, flashlight, and spare mags… Read more »
Author’s an idiot.
a lightweight 5/6 shot hammerless snub nose revolver is the most comfortable conceal carry gun I have. Obviously it is only effective for very close range within say 15 feet where most shooting happen. Chances are you will go through your whole life cycle without ever shooting anyone. Keep a warrior mindset and live each day as if you may have to shoot someone and pray it never happens. I was a cop for 30 years and been in a few shootings. Believe me when I tell you, you never want to get in a shoot if you can avoid… Read more »
Actually the S&W 442 or S&W Bodyguard are great little revolvers for what they are. I drop one in my pocket while walking the dog. I don’t expect to do any long range shooting with it. At 5 yards I am pointing not aiming. I don’t feel like it has that much recoil shooting Federal Hollow Points. Rule number 1 in a gun fight is have a gun. I usually carry a Glock G19. Besides, who is going to be taking long range shots for self defense? My first course of action is to get out of the situation. I… Read more »
Very timely article. At the start of the pandemic my FIL decided to finally get a gun. He was convinced it should be a 38 snub. His reasoning was sound as far as it went, simple to use and no safeties. That doesn’t mean it was the best choice, only that he had good reasons. We finally got to go shoot a week or so ago and I am now convinced he needs a small semi-auto. He’s older and doesn’t have the arm strength to keep it straight out in front. His arthritis keeps him from thumbing the hammer without… Read more »
The Walther CCP is a good choice for arthritis sufferers. The “soft” rack and recoil is more forgiving. My wife has RA, and she can’t handle my P365, but she does fine with the CCP I bought her. Available in .380 ACP or 9mm, she handles the 9 OK, so we stuck with that.