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I have a female friend that is looking to purchase a revolver for conceal carry. I would be interested in feedback as I know very little about revolvers compared to semi-autos.

It seems like S&W makes good revolvers.

Thoughts?

.357 is not something that all females would want or could shoot! It's a powerful round and causes quite a bit of noise and force in the hand.

S&W makes some of the finest revolvers made. They have a several models that will shoot BOTH .357 , .38 Special and/or .38 Special +P and I would recommend one of them for your lady friend. She could then shoot either round and decide for herself what she wanted to carry in it.

Some of these models are lightweight versions for CC and ladies. But having a lightweight gun means more felt recoil when shooting the heavy loads!

Ruger also makes a nice .357/.38 Special in a 5 shot model and it is less expensive than a S&W. It is called a SP-101 and you can get it in .38 Special ONLY or in .357/.38 Special.

I've got a Ruger SP-101 in 357mag, with a 3 1/16" barrel. It's relatively light, small, easy to shoot, and also conceals quite easily. I think it's hard to go wrong with this gun, especially considering it's quite a bit cheaper than an equivalent S&W. The only thing is having 5 shots, but if 5 shots of .357 magnum aren't enough, I'm not sure having 6 in a larger frame would be all that much better.

Also, I chose to get the SA/DA model with the exposed hammer. It would be even easier to carry if it were the DA-only model.

For new small-frame revolvers, the Taurus models in .357/.38 are probably the best value for the dollar. Their steel 2-inch barrel, five-shot cylinder models run around 25 ounces unloaded, which is an ok weight for .38 Special shooting but too light for much .357 shooting, in my opinion. You have a choice of shrouded or unshrouded hammer, with the former probably being the better choice. A new one from Bud's Gun Shop should be around $300 (that includes shipping and there's no sales tax), which gives you a starting place for dickering with a local dealer. Most local dealers can't meet that price when tax is added in, but it might be worth an extra $25 or $30 to have a local place to go to if necessary.

Welcome to the forum. (Invite your lady too.) Another place she'll learn a lot is http://www.corneredcat.com.

Some good suggestions above. Hopefully she can try before she buys. If in DFW area and interest in training, I have Ruger SP-101 (3") and the Smith 340PD. Newbies introduced to them with 130 grain 38s. .357 loads not recommended until lots of trigger time. And possibly not then.

S&W Models 442 and 642 are probably the most popular for "carry" - although not necessarily the best for learning initially. If she's not shot before, I'd start her off with a .22 revolver with a longer barrel than anything mentioned so far.

It's possibly important to understand that the grips that come from the factory on many of the 5-holers can be replaced with aftermarket products, often for $20 to $30. Many of the factory grips do not cover the backstrap, which can be a turn-off (recoil-wise) for some, even with 38s. If she does eventually move up to 357 loads in a model that has the capability, the proper grip can make a world of difference.

mdek wrote:I've got a Ruger SP-101 in 357mag, with a 3 1/16" barrel. It's relatively light, small, easy to shoot, and also conceals quite easily. I think it's hard to go wrong with this gun, especially considering it's quite a bit cheaper than an equivalent S&W. The only thing is having 5 shots, but if 5 shots of .357 magnum aren't enough, I'm not sure having 6 in a larger frame would be all that much better.

Also, I chose to get the SA/DA model with the exposed hammer. It would be even easier to carry if it were the DA-only model.

This is the exact weapon my wife has for "at home" protection (she doesn't carry).

The few times she practices with it....she uses .38 special (very mild recoil).

For defensive purposes...it is stoked with potent .357 rounds. Under the stress of a deadly force situation...she will never notice the difference in recoil.

And a very nice gun it is too, Flint

You nver told me it was your WIFE's gun

Is she set on wanting to get a revolver to carry? I LIKE shooting my husband's S/W 357 and I have a Colt Cobra that I will use as a "home" gun - but I do not want to carry them.

I wear form fitting clothing most of the time and they are bulky. I do not like purse carry and "fashion-wise" a revolver doesn't conceal as easy (for me).

More importantly, I don't like that they don't have a safety (I know, keep your finger off the trigger). That may sound like a foolish concern for people more experienced with handling guns, but starting out (I am "new") I want to feel safer than sorrier.

mjoy64 wrote:I have a female friend that is looking to purchase a revolver for conceal carry. I would be interested in feedback as I know very little about revolvers compared to semi-autos.

It seems like S&W makes good revolvers.

Thoughts?

Welcome to the Forum, Mjoy64!

You didn't indicate whether or not the lady is already a handgun shooter. That status may or may not have a bearing on how she'll end up feeling about a .357 revolver .... especially when practicing with carry loads.

If she actually goes with a .357 revolver, a general rule of thumb is: "the lighter the piece, the heavier the felt recoil".

T3hK1w1 wrote:And a very nice gun it is too, Flint

You never told me it was your WIFE's gun

When you get married you'll find out that everything in the house is your wife's, but....sometimes they'll let you use the item.

Community property is a legal term, it means nothing at home.

This person is actually a friend. She is not a *real* experienced with firearms. She already owns some sort of .357 revolver though it is large enough where she wants a smaller form factor. She doesn't like to shoot often becaue it aggravates her golfer/tennis elbow pain. She went to renew her CHL this weekend (up until now she only occasionally purse carried) and I tried to convince her to qualify on a semi-auto (since that would work for revolver carry as well), but she wanted to stay with what is familiar to her.

I appreciate the friendly advice on good revolvers that work for CC and the issues w/ caliber choice. I talked to a guy at the local gun shop today and he also recommended .38 over the .357. It might save some wear and tear on her elbow as well.

fyi... I do have a wife and she likes shooting her Glock 19. An HK USP 40 S&W is my firearm of choice for the home. Both of us are waiting for our CHL. Unfortunately even though I self reported my college sins of 20+ years ago... including case numbers, dates, and disposition, the DPS insists on official court documents. It looks like I'm in for a day trip to Austin soon.

Thanks again and I'm enjoying the information from this site!

MrsFosforos wrote:Is she set on wanting to get a revolver to carry? I LIKE shooting my husband's S/W 357 and I have a Colt Cobra that I will use as a "home" gun - but I do not want to carry them.

I wear form fitting clothing most of the time and they are bulky. I do not like purse carry and "fashion-wise" a revolver doesn't conceal as easy (for me).

More importantly, I don't like that they don't have a safety (I know, keep your finger off the trigger). That may sound like a foolish concern for people more experienced with handling guns, but starting out (I am "new") I want to feel safer than sorrier.

I would never judge anyone over their concerns with saftey as related to choice of firearm or how they carry. I think it is important that all owners feel 100% comfortable with their choice.

You might suggest to her to join here and visit the the Ladies forum on this site or Woman & Guns Forum. It is hosted by the "Women and Guns" magazine, has a lot of good information and resources.

I like to visit and check in every day or so, but just as a general warning -- there is a good amount of spam and xrated postings that get through on the message board. Once the moderators see them, they will remove any inappropriate listings, but a lot gets through. If the topic title looks 'fishy' or the poster is new, I generally don't let my fingers do the walking to open those posts. Otherwise it has a lot of great resources and experinces shared with women specifically.

My wife shoots a .357 and a .44mag. I shoot 9mm.

You never know what the ladies will like till they try it.

She should try a 3", all steel, fixed sight J frame in .38 Special.