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gak · October 2, 2005, 10:10 AM

You're right about the "...not first thing on my mind" part, but there is after-the-fact regret...if another format could've done the job just as well or better. Yes to the extra barrel length in terms of remedy, whether .357 or .38, but the former seems to be a bigger issue. Others can speak better than I as to how "what load?" comes into play here as well. But, in a .357 I would go no less than a 3" ruger SP101 or Smith J frame--in .357--for CC...though that might be slightly bulkier than you want. Other than that there's the .38 "Dick" (Colt Detective Special no longer made), which I believe variously was between 1-3/4-2 and 3" (someone else chime in here) or more modern Smith J's that will perform about the same duty, though with one fewer round.

October 2, 2005, 10:10 AM	#3
gak Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Location: Aridzona Posts: 2,767	You're right about the "...not first thing on my mind" part, but there is after-the-fact regret...if another format could've done the job just as well or better. Yes to the extra barrel length in terms of remedy, whether .357 or .38, but the former seems to be a bigger issue. Others can speak better than I as to how "what load?" comes into play here as well. But, in a .357 I would go no less than a 3" ruger SP101 or Smith J frame--in .357--for CC...though that might be slightly bulkier than you want. Other than that there's the .38 "Dick" (Colt Detective Special no longer made), which I believe variously was between 1-3/4-2 and 3" (someone else chime in here) or more modern Smith J's that will perform about the same duty, though with one fewer round.