Is the single stack nine the modern snubby?

[great scot]

I have a Smith Shield in 9mm and I just bought a Glock 43. I had a chance to compare them to my Smith 442 and it got me wondering whether single stack polymer 9mms are the modern equivalent to the classic .38 special snub nose revolver? Both are light, relatively powerful, and easily concealable. But, both have limited capacity and sight radius, and both can be a handful to shoot. I can imagine a modern Serpico or Popeye Doyle carrying a Glock 43!

[Pistolay]

It's a good analogy except for the "handful to shoot" part, I mean, they can be, but don't have to be. I've owned both a SIG P938 and a Ruger LC9s (my current co-EDC), and neither of them were difficult to shoot. My former LCR 38 was a different story. 50 rounds and I was done and lucky to stay within an 8 inch circle. Either of the above semi-autos, I can easily go 200+ rounds with good accuracy

[dahermit]

...50 rounds and I was done and lucky to stay within an 8 inch circle. Either of the above semi-autos, I can easily go 200+ rounds with good accuracy

In my self-defense fantasies, I only envision firing five or so rounds total...your self-defense fantasy evidently is much richer than mine. In your imagination, just where/how do you carry that many rounds?

[JohnKSa]

In my self-defense fantasies, I only envision firing five or so rounds total...your self-defense fantasy evidently is much richer than mine. In your imagination, just where/how do you carry that many rounds?

I don't have self-defense fantasies and I don't usually try to carry as many rounds as I typically shoot during a practice session.

But I do like to practice with my carry gun to build skill and I consider the ability to shoot a decent amount of ammo at the range during a practice session a big advantage. I find that it's much harder to build skill in a gun if it's so uncomfortable to shoot that I have to limit my range sessions with it to just a handful of rounds.

[seeker_two]

I replaced my Charter Arms .38SPL Snubby with a LC9 and never looked back. Easier to pocket carry the gun and the spare ammo. Easier to shoot as well.

The single-stack 9mm is the new .38SPL snub.....and the single-stack .40S&W is the new .357Mag snub.

[tallball]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Water-Man]

To each, his own.

[Cosmodragoon]

Maybe but you've got to love the LCR. It's a modern revolver that's light to carry but relatively easy on the hand. I find .38 special very pleasant to shoot with it. I feel like the .327 Federal version hits a sweet spot in the compromise between power and ease of control, plus six shots. It might not be most popular choice anymore but it's still "the modern equivalent to the classic .38 special snub nose revolver".

[Pistolay]

Originally Posted by dahermit

In my self-defense fantasies, I only envision firing five or so rounds total...your self-defense fantasy evidently is much richer than mine. In your imagination, just where/how do you carry that many rounds?

Well, I'm also one of those people who believes in practicing a lot with any gun I'm going to carry. Strange, but true.

[jbarbourtrim]

I carry a g26 or 19 daily but I have a soft spot for snubbies. I've had a shield and an xds 45. But they just don't do it for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[AK103K]

My 26's have replaced my 642s. Basically the same size, and carried in the same places I carried the 642's, but offer a lot more.

I get twice the onboard ammo, a good set of night sights, and the capability to be basically a full sized gun, with a simple mag swap. Shoots like a full sized gun too.

[lee n. field]

Is the single stack nine the modern snubby?
I have a Smith Shield in 9mm and I just bought a Glock 43. I had a chance to compare them to my Smith 442 and it got me wondering whether single stack polymer 9mms are the modern equivalent to the classic .38 special snub nose revolver? Both are light, relatively powerful, and easily concealable. But, both have limited capacity and sight radius, and both can be a handful to shoot. I can imagine a modern Serpico or Popeye Doyle carrying a Glock 43!

My two most commonly carried guns are a S&W 642 and an XDS 9mm. So, yeah.

[g.willikers]

Fun with recoil.
Youse guys realize that guns only recoil when you pay attention to them.
The next time you're at the range, try this:
Imagine the target to be some drooling meat eating monster hell bent on eating your kids.
Your immediate job is to stop it in its tracks, right then, right now.
Drop that creep in the mud before it moves another foot.
Betcha' you won't notice any recoil at all, no matter what you are shooting.
Of course, the more realistic the target, the better.
But that's the idea what ever the target you have to use.
This works even better if someone else is yelling Look Out, Danger, Danger or the equivalent.

[AK103K]

It not the initial recoil thats the issue, its the repeated pounding, with minimal grips that tends to start to aggravate.

I can shoot my 26's with +P+ loads all day. 50 rounds out of my 642's, and my hand hurts for a couple of days.

[g.willikers]

For those who choose one of those little beaters, maybe the trick is not to practice with them so much.
It isn't really all that necessary to use a lot of ammo in order to get a meaningful practice session.
It's more about making a realistic plan about what to practice.
IDPA has added a BUG division recently for small handguns.
Maybe they have some course designs for them that would useful for practice without wearing yourself out.
But running short quick practice stages should do it.
No one is going to use one for fighting a war.
Just a thought.

[Deaf Smith]

Is the single stack nine the modern snubby?

Yes and no.

It surely replaces the six shot 2 1/2 snub .357 magnums (which most people used .38s in anyway) and 2 inch K frames but not the J frame 5 shot .38s.

Now the Glock 42, in .380, gets awful close to replacing the J, the the 43 is more like a K frame replacement. The exemptions are those people who cannot retract the slides, then the revolver still has a place for them.

BTW, I have both 42 and 43 as well as LOTS of K frame and J frame snubs.

Except for woods carry, I now use the Glocks.

Deaf

[CajunBass]

It has for me.

All it took was one range trip with a LC9s to realize that I shot it better, right out of the box than I could any J-frame size revolver I'd ever owned.

The Colt Cobra I was carrying went in the safe, the Ruger went into a holster.

[smee78]

I would agree that it has taken a big chunk back from the ole standard wheel gun. I find them easier to carry and faster to reload, they also are easier than a small revolver for me to shoot. YMMV

[JERRYS.]

the compact single stack 9mm can easily be equated to filling the modern role of the J frame of yore. the same can be said for the holstered side arm of the modern mid frame Glock or Sig replacing the K or L frame of days gone by.

[JohnKSa]

Imagine the target to be some drooling meat eating monster hell bent on eating your kids.
Your immediate job is to stop it in its tracks, right then, right now.
Drop that creep in the mud before it moves another foot.

I agree that this would probably take your mind off the recoil. On the other hand, I can't imagine a worse way to train.

Training should involve carefully doing things exactly correctly with enough repetitions to ingrain the proper methods. An artificially induced panic may help one ignore the effects of recoil, but it's not a good way to insure that training is carried out correctly.

For those who choose one of those little beaters, maybe the trick is not to practice with them so much.

I don't think it's a good idea to practice so much that you begin to hate shooting one, but very small/compact carry guns tend to be hard enough to shoot even with practice. Having to cut back on practice significantly due to recoil is making a bad situation worse.

[JDBerg]

I'd much rather shoot & carry my Walther PPS M2 than any J frame revolver that I have direct experience with.

[Auto5]

My two primary ccw guns are a Kimber Solo and a S&W 642, they are roughly the size and weight, but the Solo is slimmer and holds two more rounds. I prefer the Smith for pocket carry. In the winter months, I sometimes carry both, with the Solo IWB and the revolver in my outer overcoat or jacket pocket.

[rock185]

I haven't been entirely converted yet, but I think the little single stack 9s have become the modern snubby. I usually have a S&W J-frame or 3913 depending on weather, environment, etc. Wouldn't want that to get around and have to turn in my Man Card for carrying one of these little guns. I most often carried a full sized pistol even off-duty for years, but my resolve weakened as I got older

[g.willikers]

Training should involve carefully doing things exactly correctly with enough repetitions to ingrain the proper methods.

No question.
But I was talking about practice, not training.
They are very different from one another.
First get training, then practice.
First get training, then practice.
First...

[AK103K]

But I was talking about practice, not training.

How else do you maintain and progress your training, without constant and varied practice?