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Posted: 1/30/2016 9:19:10 PM EDT
[#1]
Quoted: Should I get a Ruger steel frame (.357) LCR or an aluminum frame (.38 +P) LCR? I will never use .357 mag ammo. It’s unlikely I will even use much .38 +P ammo. I will often carry in my front right pants pocket. I currently have a S&W 640 .357 and a S&W 442 .38 Empty weights: Ruger .38 LCR – 13.5 ounces S&W 442 - 15.0 ounces Ruger .357 LCR – 17.1 ounces S&W 640 - 23.0 ounces The heavier S&W 640 is much more controllable than the S&W 442 with .38 Special ammo. But the 640 is too heavy for prolonged, every day pocket carry. For shooting, the slightly heavier weight of the .357 LCR compared to my 442 sounds like a good thing. The weight of my 442 falls directly between the 2 Ruger models. Will the extra 2.1 ounces of the .357 LCR be significant in pocket carry versus my 442? Or should I go with the .38 LCR for EDC pocket carry? I'm probably going to replace it with a 442 soon. Also, why would you upgrade to a heavier larger gun in 357 if you don't plan to carry it/shoot it with 357? You already have a heavier 357 (the 640) to shoot with and the 442 to carry. I don't think it'll be worth it. If you are definitely going to buy one or the other I think you should get the lighter one since you have no plans to shoot 357. The 357 LCR will maybe be a marginally better shooter due to weight than the 38 LCR but it'll never be a real fun gun to shoot. Might as well get the one that will be better to carry. Just my opinion. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 9:50:19 PM EDT
[#2]
Echoing Andrew, If you plan on never shooting 357 Mag in it why pay the extra money for the 357 Mag.
Another thing to keep in mind is that although perfectly safe to shoot 38 Special in 357 mag you do loose a little bit of velocity. If you take two identical revolvers one with 357 Mag chambers and the other with 38 Special chambers and shoot 38 in both the 38 special gun will shoot faster. The ~1/8 inch longer chamber allows enough blow by of gases to cost you roughly 50fps depending on load. If you are sure you are not going to shoot 357 Mag I would select a revolver chambered for 38 special. Curious, you already have two nice S&W concealed carry size revolvers why are you thinking about going over to Ruger? |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 10:16:01 PM EDT
[#3]
A little background:
I won't be getting rid of the 442 and 640. But I want a snubby with both night sights and laser. Due to hand and finger size, about 1/3 of people, including me, cannot use lasers with instinctive actuation like Crimson Trace Lasergrip or Laserguard. I need a laser mounted under the barrel with a tap switch on/off in front of the trigger guard. No one makes this sort of laser for the 640. LaserMax makes one for the 442, but due to poor mounting design it detaches itself from the gun about every 50 shots (I have one). The 640 has a pinned front sight that can be replaced with a night sight, but the 442 does not. All Ruger LCR's have pinned front sights. The LaserMax Centerfire laser for the Ruger has a superior attachment design to the one for the 442 which stays properly in place. So the Ruger LCR is the only platform that will host both of the accessories that I want. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 10:31:36 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: A little background: I won't be getting rid of the 442 and 640. But I want a snubby with both night sights and laser. Due to hand and finger size, about 1/3 of people, including me, cannot use lasers with instinctive actuation like Crimson Trace Lasergrip or Laserguard. I need a laser mounted under the barrel with a tap switch on/off in front of the trigger guard. No one makes this sort of laser for the 640. LaserMax makes one for the 442, but due to poor mounting design it detaches itself from the gun about every 50 shots (I have one). The 640 has a pinned front sight that can be replaced with a night sight, but the 442 does not. All Ruger LCR's have pinned front sights. The LaserMax Centerfire laser for the Ruger has a superior attachment design to the one for the 442 which stays properly in place. So the Ruger LCR is the only platform that will host both of the accessories that I want. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 10:36:28 PM EDT
[#5]
99.9% of the time it's going to be doing what? And if you ever need to use it to defend your life, are you going to care about increased recoil? Where will you be carrying it? Will more weight be measurably more undesirable with that method?
Answering those questions IMO should allow you to easily decide for yourself. But personally if you're not going to use +p or .357 ammo, and it's not going to be fired much, Aluminum frame all the way. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 10:47:10 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
99.9% of the time it's going to be doing what? And if you ever need to use it to defend your life, are you going to care about increased recoil? Where will you be carrying it? Will more weight be measurably for undesirable with that method? Point taken, It will be carried constantly and shot little. In an adrenaline charged self defense situation I would not feel the recoil. However, the worse it kicks, the shorter my practice sessions will be. Ultimately, I may need to get both. Each practice session, fire a couple of boxes through the heavier gun and finish with 15 or 20 rounds in the lighter gun. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 10:51:48 PM EDT
[#7]
Have you considered a .380auto? .380auto is on par with "standard" .38spc ammo in standard pressure, with bullets from 130-158gr yield 189-208ft/lb advertised from Federal. That puts .380auto right about in the middle with a 95gr bullet yielding 203ft/lb advertised from Federal. Less weight 9.75oz (unloaded) , more compact, 1 more shot as well if I'm not mistaken. That said, the .38 does give you a wider veriety of bullet weight choices and "real" +p loads that aren't BS advertising, should you choose to use them.
Note: If you go that route, Hornady XTP hollow points seem to be the only .380auto HP ammo to consistently function as designed in these micro .380 pistols. Also you would likely give up a inch or three of penetration depending on bullet weight of the .38spc loads. I think most gel tests show the XTP loads of .380 reaching 10" reliably and sometimes more. Keep in mind, gel emulates MUSCLE tissue, organs tend to be far less dense. Bone...well bone's obviously a lot more. Point is if you hit a non fat as fuck person in the chest or side with a .380, if it doesn't hit bone, it's still very likely to pass though or go from one side to the other. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:01:45 PM EDT
[#8]
Until recently I had almost always EDC'd autos. Often .380's. But age and joint deterioration is catching up with me. Racking slides is becoming increasingly difficult and painful. So I am having to transition to snubbies.
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:06:35 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Until recently I had almost always EDC'd autos. Often .380's. But age and joint deterioration is catching up with me. Racking slides is becoming increasingly difficult and painful. So I am having to transition to snubbies. I see. Question: Do you not leave a round chambered? Or is it just the DA pull that's getting to you? Have you seen the LCP Pro? It has reduced trigger travel and pull. And you may or may not like the "real" sights. IMO they are a snag point. pistols like this are for pull, point, squeeze. Just throwing that out there, since I'm not sure if you're aware of the Pro model, I wasn't until a couple months ago. I think my bias is likely obvious, but it's because of the extra shot. Doesn't sound like much to most, but, since pistols are poor man stoppers anyway and depend highly on shot placement and number of hits to incapacitate someone quickly, that extra shot is a potential big plus imo. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:06:35 PM EDT
[#10]
I would go with the 357 LCR, I have one and I am quite happy with it. The extra weight does help, even with 38's. Honestly, I can shoot 100+ rounds of 38 in a session with zero fatigue, it's surprisingly pleasant to shoot. 357 isn't pleasant, should you decide to shoot it eveuntally, but it is controllable, especially with the factory Tamer grip.
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:11:12 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I would go with the 357 LCR, I have one and I am quite happy with it. The extra weight does help, even with 38's. Honestly, I can shoot 100+ rounds of 38 in a session with zero fatigue, it's surprisingly pleasant to shoot. 357 isn't pleasant, should you decide to shoot it eveuntally, but it is controllable, especially with the factory Tamer grip. "But age and joint deterioration is catching up with me" |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:24:26 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
"But age and joint deterioration is catching up with me" Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I would go with the 357 LCR, I have one and I am quite happy with it. The extra weight does help, even with 38's. Honestly, I can shoot 100+ rounds of 38 in a session with zero fatigue, it's surprisingly pleasant to shoot. 357 isn't pleasant, should you decide to shoot it eveuntally, but it is controllable, especially with the factory Tamer grip. "But age and joint deterioration is catching up with me" And my comment still stands. The extra weight helps, even with 38's. LCR also has the best out of the box trigger of any snubbie I have ever fired, and it's dramatically better than any of S&W's current offerings, which can also play a role if hand strength is an issue. |
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:25:21 PM EDT
[#13]
I own a LCR 38, 642, 342, 60(no dash), and a 640-1 as well as a few other Smiths. Grips matter more than anything. I like the LCR but it would most likely be the first I will separate with if I ever have to. I don't have a 357 LCR but I desperately want a 327 for the extra round and a round more potent than .38 with less recoil than a 357. I think the 13.5 oz LCR recoils more than the 10.8 oz 342. The 640 is the lightest gun I want to shoot the magnum rounds in at 24 oz. I just don't see the need in the LCR 357 if you know you will never carry with magnums. I will say this though, the 135 gr Gold Dot magnums are a slightly reduced and mild load.
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Posted: 1/30/2016 11:45:32 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Question: Do you not leave a round chambered? Or is it just the DA pull that's getting to you? Have you seen the LCP Pro? It has reduced trigger travel and pull. And you may or may not like the "real" sights. IMO they are a snag point. pistols like this are for pull, point, squeeze. Just throwing that out there, since I'm not sure if you're aware of the Pro model, I wasn't until a couple months ago. I think my bias is likely obvious, but it's because of the extra shot. Doesn't sound like much to most, but, since pistols are poor man stoppers anyway and depend highly on shot placement and number of hits to incapacitate someone quickly, that extra shot is a potential big plus imo. I carry with a round chambered. I have 5 .380's with acceptable D/A triggers. I could buy a slide racker for initial loading. But having to clear a stoppage in a grave situation might prove too difficult. Too bad Beretta quit making the model 86. |
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Posted: 1/31/2016 6:05:26 AM EDT
[#15]
Everybody has an opinion, and here is mine.
I own an LCR, .38 Special. If I had to do it all over again, I would get another LCR, in .38 Special. It is lighter, and as a previous poster noted, it will produce a slightly higher velocity than a .38 fired in a .357 chamber. (Not drastically higher, but short barreled .38s need all the help they can get). I do not plan to fire any lightweight .357 ever. I know my limitations. Old age and joint deterioration haven't crippled me yet, but the lightest .357 I will fire is my S&W model 13. I would really prefer my model 27, however. Yes, years ago I owned a Ruger SP-101. I could even shoot it reasonably well, as long as I practiced regularly. The Ruger LCR .38 Special is the ideal lightweight short barrel revolver for my needs. .38 +p is as much as I want to shoot out of a lightweight snub. |
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Posted: 1/31/2016 6:33:02 PM EDT
[#16]
I don't like the LCR's trigger over the Smiths' . While it feels lighter it is a little less consistent and gear like feeling. I also tend to short stroke the trigger on the LCR; the Smith triggers reset more positive.
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Posted: 1/31/2016 7:02:29 PM EDT
[#17]
I have a smith and wesson airweight model 638. I love that snubnose. My brother has an LCR in 357. If I had to do it over again I might get the same Ruger LCR in 357. I have fired magnums in it and it hurt, but to me it's nice to have that option. I am very impressed with the trigger on the LCR, and that's coming from a fanboy of S&W triggers. In the end, I am not at all disappointed with my 638, I love that gun. You can't really go wrong here.
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Posted: 1/31/2016 10:43:11 PM EDT
[#18]
Question - "Should I get a Ruger steel frame (.357) LCR or an aluminum frame (.38 +P) LCR?"
Answer - Get the .38 Special(+P) Ruger LCR. ....<><....:) |
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Posted: 2/7/2016 4:12:49 AM EDT
[#19]
I love my 38spl LCR. If you get it without the lock in the grip it actually weighs 13.1 ounces. Put on the Hogue bantam grips and it drops down to 12.7 ounces.
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Posted: 2/9/2016 6:27:15 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I love my 38spl LCR. If you get it without the lock in the grip it actually weighs 13.1 ounces. Put on the Hogue bantam grips and it drops down to 12.7 ounces. Its my understanding that Ruger quit putting the lock in the LCR's sometime in 2013. If anyone knows different, please correct me. |
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Posted: 2/13/2016 8:49:37 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Its my understanding that Ruger quit putting the lock in the LCR's sometime in 2013. If anyone knows different, please correct me. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I love my 38spl LCR. If you get it without the lock in the grip it actually weighs 13.1 ounces. Put on the Hogue bantam grips and it drops down to 12.7 ounces. Its my understanding that Ruger quit putting the lock in the LCR's sometime in 2013. If anyone knows different, please correct me. That is also my understanding....<><....:) |
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Posted: 2/13/2016 12:54:55 PM EDT
[#22]
just get the 38
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Posted: 2/13/2016 1:20:43 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
A little background: I won't be getting rid of the 442 and 640. But I want a snubby with both night sights and laser. Due to hand and finger size, about 1/3 of people, including me, cannot use lasers with instinctive actuation like Crimson Trace Lasergrip or Laserguard. I need a laser mounted under the barrel with a tap switch on/off in front of the trigger guard. No one makes this sort of laser for the 640. LaserMax makes one for the 442, but due to poor mounting design it detaches itself from the gun about every 50 shots (I have one). The 640 has a pinned front sight that can be replaced with a night sight, but the 442 does not. All Ruger LCR's have pinned front sights. The LaserMax Centerfire laser for the Ruger has a superior attachment design to the one for the 442 which stays properly in place. So the Ruger LCR is the only platform that will host both of the accessories that I want. M&P 340 with a CT grip. |
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Posted: 2/13/2016 10:59:55 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
M&P 340 with a CT grip. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
A little background: I won't be getting rid of the 442 and 640. But I want a snubby with both night sights and laser. Due to hand and finger size, about 1/3 of people, including me, cannot use lasers with instinctive actuation like Crimson Trace Lasergrip or Laserguard. I need a laser mounted under the barrel with a tap switch on/off in front of the trigger guard. No one makes this sort of laser for the 640. LaserMax makes one for the 442, but due to poor mounting design it detaches itself from the gun about every 50 shots (I have one). The 640 has a pinned front sight that can be replaced with a night sight, but the 442 does not. All Ruger LCR's have pinned front sights. The LaserMax Centerfire laser for the Ruger has a superior attachment design to the one for the 442 which stays properly in place. So the Ruger LCR is the only platform that will host both of the accessories that I want. M&P 340 with a CT grip. Unfortunately, not an option for me - see in red above. |
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Posted: 2/13/2016 11:59:56 PM EDT
[#25]
I buy magnums to shoot magnums.
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Posted: 2/14/2016 4:11:30 AM EDT
[#26]
The difference in weight/recoil will be overall negligible unless compared back to back. However one is slightly more pleasant to shoot, one is slightly easier to carry. There is no 'best', just best based on which of those you prioritize. If never shooting .357 I'd just get the .38.
The LCR is of merit because it's small and lightweight. That's why it's being discussed now after all. Why detract from that? If one were chasing shooting comfort one wouldn't be looking at the LCR anyway, they'd be discussing a heavy 6" .357 shooting .38s. I say keep it at what it's designed for and best at, a small, lightweight, convenient, comfortable .38. |
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Posted: 2/23/2016 10:39:39 AM EDT
[#27]
I haven't bought it yet, but I've made my decision. I'm going to get the heavier .357 LCR to moderate the recoil of .38 Spcl ammo.
No matter how much this will be a carry much shoot little gun, there is still a limit. No one want a .44 mag the size of a North American Arms mini revolver. I've been shooting my 442 and also a 9mm LCR. For either the recoil is punishing and the time to get back on target for a follow up shot is excessive. The steel frame 357 LCR is only 2.1 oz heavier than my 442 so I don't think it will be that much harder to carry all day in a pocket or IWB holster. But that 2.1 ounces should lessen the recoil some small amount. |
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