What is your pick for a current non-polymer 38/357 revolver CCW?

[Armor Snail]

Lady Smith is exactly what I was looking for except I am not a lady.  So I settled for the Pro 60. A whole lot more Lady Smiths available than the very hard to find 60 Pro. Price of the Lady Smith has been in the low $700s.  I paid $659 for the 60 Pro. It is not cut for the Moon Clips and am reluctant to spend the money to hire someone to do the machining so will be relegated to using after marked speed loaders.

You could also buy another cylinder to have cut for moons.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/299930.htm

[steerclr]

For what it's worth:

If you use it you lose it. (maybe not forever, but for a while)

A good priced gun is a Charter Arms.  Also, you can get it chambered in the .32H&R mag which will hit as hard as a .38spl, but allows you to use 32 S&W long to practice with. They are reliable and not near the price of a Smith.  Also it is D/A & S/A with an exposed hammer.  The value of this compared to D/A only caused Ruger to offer the LCR in the LCRX (exposed hammer) line. Another value is the availability in an aluminum frame.  It has a full four finger rubber grip, but I know the older models had a slim wooden grip that followed the frame contour and made for an extremely small size, but at the loss of the pinky grip.  The recoil would make you think twice about using it for target practice, but with the factory rubber grips it's fine.

I would not recommend a Taurus.

[M1A4ME]

If I carry a revolver (not much these days) its my Ruger Speed Six 2&3/4" .357 magnum.  I bobbed the hammer years ago to make getting it out of my patrol jacket pocket (winter time) or back pocket of my fishing pants (summer) less snag prone.

[PJM]

Thanks, Armor Snail.  I was not aware one could buy the cylinder machined for moon clips.

[jameslovesjammie]

The S&W 60 is on the small frame "J" while the 686 is on the larger frame "K'. Although I just got my new S&W 60 PRO I already love the easy carry of the gun. Good luck.

The 686 is a L frame.  It's beefier than the K frame.

My vote is any of the J frame Smiths, but in .38 Special offerings.  .357 is NOT a fun cartridge to shoot in a J Frame size gun.

[bigride]

How you plan to carry makes a huge difference.  Holster carry opens possibilty of 6/7 shot Smiths (686-6shot, 686plus-7shot) or Rugers (GP's or used service or security sixes).   

If you actually plan on shooting .357 mag, Ruger SP101 would be first my first choice for a "smaller" snub.  It is heavy. Weight helps with recoil.  Harder to pocket carry due to weight and 5 shots.

For .38 special, Smith J frames (642, 442), are lighter and offer pocket carry.  .38 special+P in pocket carry can get job done.  Only 5 shot but easier to carry because of lighter weight.

A lot of people who buy .357 mag J frame Smiths shoot VERY LITTLE .357 mag through them.  Some do.  If you want a .357 mag snub, try before you buy.  Recoil is a very personal and widely variable preference. 

[Chumley]

I am going to the LGS and handle some of these recommendations.  I am leaning towards the s&w 60 or Lady smith, ss, 38+p.  That or the 32 caliber Charter Arms 85

[powellgibson]

Getting ready to sell SP-01 Talo edition which is beautiful to hold but I rarely shoot 357 with snubs and honestly prefer the S&W 638 with shouldered hammer, airweight.  It shoots well to 20 yards and I forget it's in the front pocket holster.  Belt carry I still love the model 19 snub for bouncing cans through the fields.

[CZinTexas]

A j framed Smith&Wesson would make a fine CCW.

[IDescribe]

I recently shot a friend's Charter Arms in .38, and I can't say I enjoyed the recoil.


Chumley, you need to factor in, as someone already said, how you plan on carrying.  Is this a pocket gun?  Is this something to be carried in an IWB, or maybe an OWB in the winter with a heavy coat?  All of that matters.  It matters for size.  It matters for whether or not you should consider internal hammer DAO's.  It matters for sight selection.  I don't know why you would choose to carry a revolver for ccw, but we would need to know how you were planning to carry it to be able to advise you.  Any time you're getting recommendations for a model 60 and a 686 for the same purpose, you probably haven't given enough information.   

[Chumley]

Thanks for the direction......I find that I usually pocket carry.  It may be used by my daughter from time to time so that would likely be coat pocket or purse. I also have a sig 938 for the car.  I remember someone advises a revolver for car use because less shells flying around. I am strongly leaning towards the S&W model 60 airlight or 60LS.

[Omil]

S&W 60 3"!