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Old October 7, 2012, 10:33 PM   #1
raindog
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Larger-than-snub revolver for carry

My daily carry is a .38 Ruger LCR, which has served me well.

During fall/winter/spring months, when I'm in the woods, I realized I could carry something bigger as I'm normally wearing a big coat.

I also have a 4" GP 100, but that is way too heavy to lug around. I know Ruger makes the SP101, which seems to be that company's lighter-weight alternative.

Just wondering what else I should be looking at. When I say "bigger" I mean bigger than a snub - longer barrel, six-shot perhaps, maybe big enough that .357 Mag is an option. (I find .357 Mag in a snub to be unpleasant).
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Old October 7, 2012, 10:47 PM   #2
stormyone
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They make a nice Ruger SP101 4" 357 revolver now.
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Old October 7, 2012, 11:20 PM   #3
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I have 2 of the 3" GP100s, and I plan on carrying one of them this winter.

Six shots of .357 in a frame that isn't really all that much bigger than a S&W K-Frame.

Other than that, I have a S&W Model 19 that I could give a try at carrying. I have a little OWB holster that fits it. Medium frame, 6-shot revolver with 4" barrel. I think it's do-able with a decent cover garment.

I also have a Charter Arms Mag Pug that is nice and lightweight. It holds 5 rounds of .357 and doesn't break the bank to buy.

Pics of all three:






Last edited by lowercase; October 7, 2012 at 11:29 PM.
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Old October 8, 2012, 12:16 AM   #4
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The Talo S&W Model 686 plus in a 3" barrel is great. You get 7 rounds of 357, or 38 special if you want it.
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Old October 8, 2012, 08:38 AM   #5
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I carry a S&W M586 with the 4" barrel. It rides best in my shoulder rig than on the belt.
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Old October 8, 2012, 08:59 AM   #6
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A 4 in. GP 100 is too heavy to lug around? Good grief! You really need to go to the gym and work out more. I am 60 years old and retired on full medical disability and walk with a cane and I have "lugged" an L frame around for at least 20 years. You've been brainwashed. Buy a good belt and holster and you can carry any handgun (unless you're more crippled than I am)
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Old October 8, 2012, 09:07 AM   #7
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These have been my latest carry rigs, the Blackhawk .44 Spl. being my favorite for the past two years.



I do like the .44 Special.

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Old October 8, 2012, 09:09 AM   #8
Chuckusaret
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Quote:
drail
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A 4 in. GP 100 is too heavy to lug around? Good grief! You really need to go to the gym and work out more. I am 60 years old and retired on full medical disability and walk with a cane and I have "lugged" an L frame around for at least 20 years. You've been brainwashed. Buy a good belt and holster and you can carry any handgun (unless you're more crippled than I am)
Very good advice.
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Old October 8, 2012, 09:10 AM   #9
drail
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Me too. A 696 has been my daily carry for 16 years now. All of this marketing B.S. regarding carry guns must now be made of alloy/polymer/styrofoam etc. etc. and need to be very very small is simply incomprehensible to me. Are you gonna "carry" it or wear it on a necklace? What is happened to our race? I can only imagine what the Drill Sgts. at Parris Island must think when they get a new batch of recruits.

Last edited by drail; October 8, 2012 at 09:16 AM.
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Old October 8, 2012, 09:18 AM   #10
Bob Wright
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The late Mrs. Martha Faulk, proprietress of East Park Sporting Hardware, use to pose this question:

"If somebody's coming at you, which stick would you rather have, a little stick, or a big club?"

I sure miss that lady.

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Old October 8, 2012, 11:22 AM   #11
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A 3" .357mag k-frame. Not very common, especially those with adjustable sights, but the fixed-sighted Models 13 (blued) and 65 (stainless) can be found. Nearly the perfect all-arounder, IMO.

Here's an übersmooth 3" M65:

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Old October 8, 2012, 12:30 PM   #12
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A 3" .357mag k-frame. Not very common, especially those with adjustable sights, but the fixed-sighted Models 13 (blued) and 65 (stainless) can be found. Nearly the perfect all-arounder, IMO.

Here's an übersmooth 3" M65:
I have its blued twin.
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Old October 8, 2012, 02:05 PM   #13
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I'll add to the sentiment that the 4" GP isn't too heavy to carry with a good belt and holster. But if your just looking for an excuse 2 1/2" to 3" K frames are great as are SP101s I also wouldnt overlook a 3" model 60.
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Old October 8, 2012, 05:50 PM   #14
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I carried a 3" sp101 in .357 for a bit in a DeSantis viper, not a very comfortable rig. I didn't really care for the whole deal over all. My carry gun for a while now is a 4 3/4" Uberti "73 in .45 colt. Neither of these are very light and or compact as most tacticool plastic weapons are these days.

P.S. Bob, how do you like that PS6-sa? and what color is that? It looks like a darker, more rich brown than is shown on the website.

Last edited by BerdanSS; October 8, 2012 at 06:01 PM.
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Old October 8, 2012, 06:04 PM   #15
Deaf Smith
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Any of these will do! All .357s.



And the Speed Six DAO pictured is my favorite.

Or my GP100 3 inch 'Canadian' .357.


Or even a .38! K S&W 64 2 inch snub or Speed Six in .38 spl.



Yes there are lots of good choices. Just pick one and master it cause it's the skill that matters the most, not the hardware.

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Old October 8, 2012, 06:32 PM   #16
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I carry these three on a fairly regular basis. Three inch Model 65, 4 inch Model 19, and a sweet 6 inch Python.
Takes good leather, and a good belt, but it is easily done.

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Old October 8, 2012, 07:09 PM   #17
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I carry a 3 inch GP most days. Like most have said already good holster good belt makes a world of difference.
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Old October 9, 2012, 12:01 AM   #18
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I think my Rossi 720 in .44 spl. would work well under a jacket.
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Old October 9, 2012, 12:21 AM   #19
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Ruger Speed Six .357 (see Deaf Smith's photos)

6 shots. A little bigger than the SP101 and a LOT more pleasant to shoot. Quite a bit smaller than the GP100, but as strong as you will ever need for social work or anything in the woods for which a .357 is adequate.

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Old October 9, 2012, 12:25 AM   #20
raindog
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Thanks for all the advice.

BTW, I do have a high-quality gun belt from the Belt Man and don't mind investing in a good holster. In fall/winter I have rain/snow gear, outdoor gear for whatever activity I'm involved in, and I'm usually hiking around for several hours at a time, hence my thought about weight. I may see how bulky the GP100 is to carry - really had never considered it but that is definitely the cheapest option so perhaps I'll look into it.
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Old October 9, 2012, 08:35 AM   #21
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I've had no trouble carrying a 3" S&W M36 over the years...and really, it's no more difficult to conceal than my wife's S&W M637 with its 1-7/8" barrel. I'd opine that for the most part, it's the size of the grips on the gun, not the barrel lenght, within reason, say up to 4", that affect concealability and printing. The grips on this M36 offer firm control even with +P HD loads. I carry this scarred veterin in a close fitting, high riding, Tom Threepersons, open top holster, behind my right hip. I tuck the tip of the holster into my right rear pocket for better concealment. HTH's, Rod


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Old October 9, 2012, 09:51 AM   #22
Bob Wright
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BerdanSS wrote:

Quote:
P.S. Bob, how do you like that PS6-sa? and what color is that? It looks like a darker, more rich brown than is shown on the website.
I have carried this rig just a month short of two years, and am very pleased with it.

The brown is mahogany brown, after two years of use.

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Old October 9, 2012, 11:52 AM   #23
ClydeFrog
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Charter Arms .44 DA Only Pug...

Did you look at a stainless Charter Arms Pug .44spl DA Only?

I've heard a lot of + things about the 5 shot Pug revolver.
Charter Arms QC has been +/- in the last few years but it's improved.
The .44spl DA Only model is a good value too.
For rounds, I'd check the Magsafe or Glaser Safety Slug, the Corbon DPX, the Buffalo Bore line, or the Speer Gold Dot 200gr JHP.

Clyde
www.Gunsamerica.com

PS: A stainless Rhino snub in .357magnum or a Ruger LCR .357magnum may work too(with a CT lasergrip).
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Old October 9, 2012, 11:56 AM   #24
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Try a 3" j-frame. just somethng about the look and feel of those.
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Old October 9, 2012, 12:33 PM   #25
Obambulate
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Ruger LSR

The many suggestions for 3" guns are spot on. 3" J-frame, K-frame, SP-101, or even L-frame are good sizes for winter carry, but they tend to be pretty heavy.

They were talking on the Ruger forum about the possibility of a larger carry revolver built like the LCR. Maybe call it LSR for Light Service Revolver.

So instead of a steel framed gun weighing between 23-oz (J-frame M60) to 37-oz, (3" 686+), you could maybe have a K/L-frame sized LSR with a 3-4" barrel, weighing somewhere between 21-oz and 25-oz, depending on whether the cylinder frame is alloy or stainless.

The interesting thing is, with a larger frame and cylinder, they should be able to offer the LSR as a 5-shot .44 Special or .45 ACP, 6 or 7 shot .357/.38, and a 9 or 10 shot .22 Magnum or .22 LR.

I think a lightweight DAO full-size revolver would make a very good house gun and also be excellent for cool weather carry. Ruger has excellent reliability and it would be interesting to see what they could do with the cammed trigger group in a larger frame. Also there's no reason they couldn't build and market them for around $600 list and under $500 street price.

I'd be all over a 22-oz, 10-shot, 4" .22LR with a great trigger for $450. Ditto for a 7-shot, 3" in .38 Special +P if it used an alloy frame. I think the .357 and .44 models might have to use stainless steel in the cylinder frame for strength.

Let's go, Ruger! We love our steel Smiths but if you can make the LSR at half the weight and half the price, I might just have to buy several.
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