# Snubby handiness



## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

I will start by saying that my Beretta Px4 remains my current personal favorite carry gun. It is small enough to conceal and carry without a lot of effort. It handles like a full size 9mm semi-auto. It is as accurate as I need it to be. It has logged several thousand rounds now without any failures. 

What I cannot deny though, after spending a bit of time with little Snub nosed .38 Special and one .357 mag revolver is that they are indeed handy to carry. I now have a couple S&W Airweight J-frames, which are just super easy to grab and tuck in a waistband or drop in a pocket (with their holster). 

they are lighter, and more comfortable than even my Px4. I can put the 442 or 638 in my waistband with the DeSantis SOF Tuck and hardly give them a second thought throughout the day. They offer me the same “always ready” state, of just needing to be drawn, pointed/aimed, and pull that double action trigger, with no safeties to mess with, hang up, forget to disengage/re-engage. Bullet profiles don’t matter for feeding. 

There are trade-offs though. The most obvious is capacity. The little J-frames only stow 5 rounds onboard, in comparison to 15 in the Px4. But that is part of the weight savings. The 9mm does pack more energy, but the .38 does have defensive cartridges designed to give good performance in the .38 pressure envelope. The light weight and abbreviated grip does make recoil management for follow-up shots a bit more work. 
and prolonged range sessions can become a bit painful. 
Currently .38 and .357 ammo availability is tougher than 9mm and pricing is seriously high in comparison when ammo is found. The upside of this is, I can find used .38 and .357 handguns for a bit less now than I could several months ago.

Over the last 2-3nmonths I do find myself grabbing a Snubby and tucking it into my waistband more often than the Px4, EVEN THOUGH they are not my favorite still. It will take a lot more practice to get me as comfortable in shooting and manipulating the little revolvers before they can displace the Px4. Some of the reasoning for grabbing a little revolver is based on the weather and wardrobe. We are getting close to cooler weather here in the Pacific Northwest and the Px4 will likely go back to going on more outings until late Spring, early summer. But…there could be an Airweight along as a back-up or NY reload now.


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## wirenut (Dec 16, 2015)




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## ks1 (Jul 29, 2021)

I love my DAO K6s!


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## armoredman (Oct 14, 2021)

Nothing wrong with a solid 38 Special.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

SSGN_Doc said:


> I will start by saying that my Beretta Px4 remains my current personal favorite carry gun. It is small enough to conceal and carry without a lot of effort. It handles like a full size 9mm semi-auto. It is as accurate as I need it to be. It has logged several thousand rounds now without any failures.
> 
> What I cannot deny though, after spending a bit of time with little Snub nosed .38 Special and one .357 mag revolver is that they are indeed handy to carry. I now have a couple S&W Airweight J-frames, which are just super easy to grab and tuck in a waistband or drop in a pocket (with their holster).
> 
> ...


Nice! I like your train of thought.


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## gwpercle (Jun 8, 2018)

My Air-weight J-frame 38 spcl goes out the door with me religiously ... coat or pants pocket sometimes a belt holster !
But mine has to have a hammer ... I just can't put up with those hammerless models ...
At night it's on the night stand . Been with me since 2004 .
Gary


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

gwpercle said:


> My Air-weight J-frame 38 spcl goes out the door with me religiously ... coat or pants pocket sometimes a belt holster !
> But mine has to have a hammer ... I just can't put up with those hammerless models ...
> At night it's on the night stand . Been with me since 2004 .
> Gary


My line of reasoning on the internal hammer models is that, if I need to use it in an emergency, it is likely that I’m not trying to use time or motor skills to thumb a hammer before firing. I also find the reduced snagging to be a desirable feature when carrying under a shirt or in a pocket. I have snubbies with hammers too, but just don’t expect to manually cock them often.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

My S&W 642 has been a 24/7 companion. For me the trust level is a major factor. My semi-auto skills and knowledge are improving. Decided to upgrade my semi-auto carry and went with a Sig P365 in an attempt replace our LCP's, LC9's and my EC9s in the hope to have something more dependable and few more rounds.
*I will always have a snubby and do not plan on being without one. I also love my LCR's and my LCRX. Those I TRUST as well. 
*I just could never NOT trust my snubby.


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## armoredman (Oct 14, 2021)

What speedloaders are those? I cannot use the HKS on mine due to the grips, and carry Speed Strips instead.


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

Here are a few different options for speed loaders. (L-R) Safariland J C7, Zeta 6 J-clip, and Revision CV Ammo Pod.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

armoredman said:


> What speedloaders are those? I cannot use the HKS on mine due to the grips, and carry Speed Strips instead.


The ones I use are J-Clip 38spl (zeta6) zetasix.com. The other strips I have to look up when I get home.
*Both work well for me.


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## BigHead (Jul 5, 2015)

I got a snub nose .38 a long time ago, after being critical of them. And I got it because it was so handy. And, I would be fine with another one someday.


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

BigHead said:


> I got a snub nose .38 a long time ago, after being critical of them. And I got it because it was so handy.


I have been very much a proponent of the modern semi-autos. I think there are definite limitations to the revolver. I was fond of pointing out those limitations for a long time. I still like to point out those limitations. I also understand some of the upsides of revolvers. When I got into snubby revolvers it was with both eyes open And understanding where both a revolver and auto shine and where they hold trade offs. 

I haven’t done away with semi-autos, but I’ve added revolvers to complement my carry options.

A lot of people get directed to or away from revolvers early in their shooting experience before they really understand the trade offs of adopting one over the other. I’ve been shooting long enough now to consider myself fortunate to appreciate strengths and weaknesses of each design. I’m not an expert, but enough of a comfortably knowledgeable shooter to understand where most handguns have a place in the market and in someone’s shooting “tool box”.


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## armoredman (Oct 14, 2021)

Aw, it has a pink sweater! Seriously, Kerlix tape over a grip adapter?


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

armoredman said:


> Aw, it has a pink sweater! Seriously, Kerlix tape over a grip adapter?


The Kerlix is holding a strip of leather on the back strap. This provides a little more cushion in the web of my hand and increases length of pull for my tigger finger a bit. Just something I’m experimenting with. I didn’t want to increase bulk of the grip much or mess with the concealability of the boot grip length. Hard to find a grip that has back strap protection that doesn’t make the grip considerably longer.


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## armoredman (Oct 14, 2021)

Good point.


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## Javbike (Oct 21, 2021)

I had my subby for 25 years it’s my bed side weapon very reliable always ready


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## rustyaa55 (2 mo ago)

Returned to my truck after fishing on the JAMES River in an industrial area of Richmond, VA. Someone had pried open the camper cap then, stole the Tackle Box left on the front seat of my DATSUN PICKUP. They managed this via the PASS-THRU Windows of the cab/shell. I am small, but that was a tight fit for me. Had i returned a little earlier, it could have caught them in a tight position. And - DESPERATE PEOPLE DO DESPERATE THINGS. Decided then and there to get my first dedicated DEFENSIVE HANDGUN. My Gunsmith got my choice for me. The STAINLESS RUGER SPEED SIX 357 MAG 2 3/4 Bbl.became my companion and went to the Range with me all the time. Always shot with 357 ammo, it was easy to manage and almost rediculously accurate at the 25 yard range we had available. Since then i have carried a wide range of quality DEFENSIVE REVOLVERS and SEMIAUTOS. Flash forward DECADES later: shopping in LGS, the salesman rolled up to show me the new 686 DELUXE PLUS w/ 3'' bbl. that had to be sold as used because it had left the store. No brainer for me - SOLD. Purchased my first 1791 HOLSTER for it. That Holster is GREAT! I wear it all the time around the house and property on my original BIANCHI GUN BELT. That Belt is actually kinda wimpy due to decades of wear, stretching and being soaked by rain and sweat. Even still, that holster keeps that relatively heavy 686 tucked close to the body. It makes the 686 DISAPEAR! So much so that i am frequently checking to assure my Handgun is indeed still there. In the Truck, the 686 is acessible with seatbelt on. HANDY, INDEED, AND PROVIDES ONE WITH 7 ROUNDS OF 357. I still love, shoot and carry both Revolvers and Semiautos.


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