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.38 S&W J Frame 442 vs Ruger LCR, opinions?

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  • Sz20DF

    Member
    Oct 14, 2013
    63
    11
    Houston
    Do any of you have any experience with a .38 S&W J Frame Mod. 442 or the Ruger LCR? Buying something for the wife's purse or glove box in her car. Thanks!
    Target Sports
     

    Moonpie

    Omnipotent Potentate for hire.
    Lifetime Member
    Oct 4, 2013
    24,107
    96
    Gunz are icky.
    No experience with the LCR so can not comment.

    Do have experience with the 442.
    Good solid quality firearm.
    Difficult gun to shoot well. Takes a LOT of practice using the DAO.
    D/A pull is a bear. Smaller/weaker hands even more so. Be prepared to send it out to a smith for trigger/action work.
    Muzzle blast and recoil are intense. But that goes with any snubby.
    Most woman I've taught don't like shooting them.
    A standard Model 60 or 638 are better because you get S/A and D/A.
     

    The Lox

    Well-Known
    BANNED!!!
    Jun 6, 2010
    1,248
    21
    Farmers Branch
    The j frame will have a smoother lighter trigger.

    Actually the rolling cam on the LCR has a better "feel" because of the way it breaks. If I hadn't started off a smith guy I probably would have bought the LCR, but I already had multiple J frames before the LCR came out.

    The 442 is a great purse gun, but she certainly will need to practice with it a little bit given the fact that the sights are such a complete waste. My wife and I both carry the gun on a primary basis..
     

    SIG_Fiend

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    Feb 21, 2008
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    If the gun is for her, I would honestly recommend her picking the gun out. She should find something that fits her hand, that's easy for her to handle, that she feels comfortable with. Some women do like J frames and LCR's. There are plenty that do not like J frames due to the 12-15# trigger pull, atrocious sights, and general lack of ergonomics. I would have her dry fire each gun. Quite a few are going to like the LCR trigger much better. If possible, the best thing to do would be to take her to a range and rent either of these that you can find, or at least something close. When it comes to revolvers, I HIGHLY recommend people actually try them out first before just buying. Revolvers can do the job, and have for many years, but there is no way around the fact that they absolutely suck to shoot.
     

    pistolpadre

    Well-Known
    Feb 25, 2013
    2,156
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    "They absolutely suck to shoot"



    huh, what.. been shooting 50 years .. about equal .. and that confuses me.. i've never met that revolver.. had a blackhawik in 30 carbine once that wasn't "fun".. but even in didn't suck..

    have a couple revolvers that are both inside 5 years of 100 one on the "other side" of the mark.. their both great fun shooting handguns that will print with modern what ever's..

    i normally take 1911's and a couple revolvers to the range.. and see no difference in shooting either one..

    remember also that with an auto a round has to be put into battery (less you carry condition one, most wont) before an engagement, that revolver just has to have it's trigger pulled.. i agree with the SA/DA choice of the 60, or airweight..

    with the exception of the comment (still shaking my head.. sigh) SIG's advice on her picking it out is really the best on the page.. No doubt it will work out better if she's comfortable with the piece from the start..
     

    Whisky

    Well-Known
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 27, 2013
    1,407
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    my Wife bought 2 pistols for herself last year - a Glock 19 (which is one of her favorites) and an LCR in .357mag (which she doesn't have a problem shooting - mostly .38spec ammo)

    I think it's a nifty, 5 round pistol but I prefer more capacity
     

    SIG_Fiend

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    Feb 21, 2008
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    "They absolutely suck to shoot"



    huh, what.. been shooting 50 years .. about equal .. and that confuses me.. i've never met that revolver.. had a blackhawik in 30 carbine once that wasn't "fun".. but even in didn't suck..

    have a couple revolvers that are both inside 5 years of 100 one on the "other side" of the mark.. their both great fun shooting handguns that will print with modern what ever's..

    i normally take 1911's and a couple revolvers to the range.. and see no difference in shooting either one..

    remember also that with an auto a round has to be put into battery (less you carry condition one, most wont) before an engagement, that revolver just has to have it's trigger pulled.. i agree with the SA/DA choice of the 60, or airweight..

    with the exception of the comment (still shaking my head.. sigh) SIG's advice on her picking it out is really the best on the page.. No doubt it will work out better if she's comfortable with the piece from the start..


    I guess I should clarify what I mean by "suck". I'm not talking about recoil or anything. It is considerably more difficult for the average person to extract a meaningful level of performance out of a revolver in comparison to a semi auto. I have seen it time and time again in classes as well as local action pistol matches. With minimal training and in a relatively short period of time, it's not all that difficult to teach a person how to shoot a semi auto fairly fast, as well as doing their manipulations (reloading) relatively fast. It's not difficult to teach a person how to shoot a revolver either, however it has been my experience that it takes considerably more effort for the average shooter to attempt extracting a competitive and fast level of performance with a revolver.

    So what I'm saying is it's my opinion that they "suck" in terms of performance for the average shooter. I have known and shot with several people that can run a revolver very fast, and have excellent performance, but that's still relatively uncommon. Go to most action pistol matches, and except for the rare odd duck, if anyone is even shooting a revolver, there is usually a substantial percentage of semi auto shooters running considerably faster.
     

    navyguy

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    Oct 22, 2008
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    DFW Keller
    Sig P238. Very low recoil, easy to rack the slide (real easy). Thin light and easy to carry .380 not as much punch as 38sp, but not so bad. A really nice little pistol if one doesn't want something bigger.
     

    winchster

    Right Wing Extremist
    Nov 7, 2010
    4,295
    31
    Justin, TX
    The LCR flat sucks to shoot. Bought one for the wife and she hated it, she preferred my SP101 so I sold the LCR. The 442 shoots much nicer than the LCR but for the money I'd buy a 3" SP101.
     

    pistolpadre

    Well-Known
    Feb 25, 2013
    2,156
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    age old debate.. SIG; i see what you're talking about, and yes it takes a lot of drill time to master tactical reloads with revolvers, course as an over view you never have the tap rack issue to deal with.. the real advantage (MHO stuff) is that a revolver is condition one out of the holster, and in most cases thats not the case with an auto.. best advice still stands with letting her chose, and have the buy in..

    SZ20 good luck and what ever you chose please keep us posted
     

    ROGER4314

    Been Called "Flash" Since I Was A Kid!
    Jul 11, 2009
    10,444
    66
    East Houston
    I have the Smith 640 hammerless and the LCR in .357 mag. I like the Smith better but the LCR is not bad.

    In .357, the frame of the LCR is stainless instead of aluminum and it gives the pistol a nice, solid feel. The 640 is still heavier but I like that stainless heft of the pistol. Both are .357 mag and 5 shot.

    Been messing with J frame .38 specials for a long time. They get a thumbs up from this shooter. I have not owned the LCR in 38 special.

    Flash
     

    Sz20DF

    Member
    Oct 14, 2013
    63
    11
    Houston
    Thank you to all who took the time to comment. I appreciate the helpful information, but I have one more question. Someone tossed the Ruger SP 101 in the mix. Aside from the added weight, any reason I shouldn't consider a 2.25 or 3 inch 101? Is there much difference in a 2.25 inch over a 3 inch barrel? It's just 3/4's of an inch? Thanks.
     

    winchster

    Right Wing Extremist
    Nov 7, 2010
    4,295
    31
    Justin, TX
    I have, and use to carry, a 3" SP101. For shooting full power 357 loads it is the best of the three in my opinion. My wife liked it much better than the other two. In my research, it is claimed that .75" is helpful in recoil management.
     

    Mross217

    New Member
    Oct 27, 2013
    34
    1
    Colleyville
    Have the 642, trigger was a bear until I picked up a Wilson Combat spring kit. About 15 minutes to change them out. Now it is much smoother and easier to fire.
     

    OIF2

    Well-Known
    Dec 28, 2008
    1,708
    96
    Hill Country
    The 442/642 S&W revolvers are excellent carry pieces. Small, very light (15 oz unloaded), with a good punch if you load the right ammo. Tough to shoot well at distance, but she won't be shooting a bullseye match at 50 yds. The key is to put some decent stocks on it; it'll give up a slight bit of concealability, but the comfort goes way up. Shoot wadcutters in it for practice; she won't notice the recoil of a Plus P if she uses it for real. She'll be fine; at the range she might use it (2-3 feet out to 15 feet) it'll work great.
    Bob

    1-1_zps1a9b40ed.jpg
     
    Last edited:

    pistolpadre

    Well-Known
    Feb 25, 2013
    2,156
    21
    The 442/642 S&W revolvers are excellent carry pieces. Small, very light (15 oz unloaded), with a good punch if you load the right ammo. Tough to shoot well at distance, but she won't be shooting a bullseye match at 50 yds. The key is to put some decent stocks on it; it'll give up a slight bit of concealability, but the comfort goes way up. Shoot wadcutters in it for practice; she won't notice the recoil of a Plus P if she uses it for real. She'll be fine; at the range she might use it (2-3 feet out to 15 feet) it'll work great.
    Bob

    1-1_zps1a9b40ed.jpg

    until recently this was my primary carry piece.. notice the grips on both airweights.. much better than factory .. i use'd a HKS speed loader, faster than the speed strip, but a trade off as it's bulky and prints.. sorry for the lousy picture.. OIF2 is not the best person to follow when it comes to pictures , but wanted to show another take on airwights..
     

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