Best 38 special

[Rcal56]

Who makes the best 38 special? Looking at buying one for my girlfriend so she could carry it in her purse or what not. If you have any other suggestions on what handguns are good for women.

 

[Plinkuh]

Who makes the best 38 special? Looking at buying one for my girlfriend so she could carry it in her purse or what not. If you have any other suggestions on what handguns are good for women.

Look at a Taurus 85. Sweet gun for the money.

 

[sloughfoot]

Smith & Wesson. Specifically the J-frame for purse carry. It is not a magic wand. Training is necessary. A K frame is much easier to shoot.

 

[netsecurity]

I would look at the Ruger LCR. Hammerless, inexpensive, and popular.

 

[bobbittle]

My only advice:

Let her pick it out. Don't blindly buy something for her. Any handgun can be "good for women."

As far as a .38Spc, S&W is always a good choice, I liked my Ruger LCR quite well.

If you know people that shoot, try and go with them and let her try some stuff out. Or take her to a range that rents guns.

 

[686 Shooter]

I'm partial to S&W, but my wife carries a Ruger LCR. S&W 642 or Ruger LCR, can't go wrong with either.

 

[Kw1P]

Any revolver with a bobbed hammer so there is no chance of AD in a purse bersa makes a cheap 38 like that you can find one for 200$

 

[Rcal56]

Cool, I will have her check them out to see if she likes them.

Thanks

 

[rn7554]

I got my wife a Smith and Wesson 637 Airweight as her first pistol. She used to carry it in diaper bag or her purse. It's a very reliable, accurate and light revolver. She carries a glock 30 SF now.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Small / snubby revolvers generally don't make good "first guns"...

Especially true for the light weight ones.

It takes work to be accurate with them. And all that work using them can be painful - especially for a light one. Practice with an all steel version is better - but carrying an Al. framed one is easier.

-J-

 

[bobzilla]

"Best" Will have to go to S&W. I like my Rossi, had it for 15+ years now.

 

[Skywired]

Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight Snubbie: BEST in fit & finish, BEST in light weight, BEST in accuracy???.....only with lot's of practice.

 

[45fan]

How big is her purse? As others have mentioned, a snubbie isnt the best thing to learn with. If she could fit it, maybe a K/L frame Smith with a 3-4" barrel. If she has smaller hands, perhaps a 3" J frame would be a good idea to consider.
If smaller is what she is looking for, then the Smith & Wesson J frame is hard to beat. For purse carry, I would look at a hammerless or shrouded hammer model. If weight isnt such an issue, I would look at steel framed models too, as it will help control recoil considerably. A second choice would be the Taurus line in a similar sized revolvers. Taurus isnt a bad choice, just not my first. I have shot, and my wife does own a Taurus revolver, and as compared to the Smith and Rugers that I have, the Taurus is pretty rough around the edges. It still goes bang, and with the right loads still respectably accurate, but IMHO but the Smith if its not out of your price range, as you will be much happier with it.

 

[Kagnew]

Smith & Wesson 642.

 

[cosermann]

Small / snubby revolvers generally don't make good "first guns"...

Especially true for the light weight ones.

It takes work to be accurate with them. And all that work using them can be painful - especially for a light one. ...

Agreed. Indy Guy knows whereof he speaks.

Has your girlfriend ever shot an "airweight" snub nose revolver with +p defensive loads? If not, she might be surprised by the recoil. Most people find it "significant." If so and it's not an issue for her that's fine. Just be aware that a 13-15 oz revolver with a short grip firing +p loads is a completely different animal from a 26-ish oz revolver with a full grip firing standard loads. Night and day.

Given that, I prefer the Ruger LCR. It's the lightest, has the best trigger pull, and most people find, the lowest felt recoil (given the squishy back strap area of the std grip). Just my opinion of course.

Keep in mind, many loads don't work all that well in barrels this short (in terms of expansion and penetration). There are only 3 loads I'm willing to run for defensive purposes, so that can affect the cost and availability of ammo side of the equation too.

Something else to consider might be a medium size .380 like the Bersa Thunder 380 or similar - lower felt recoil, higher capacity, faster reloads, and better ergonomics. Most people find it easier to get hits with something like this.

And as someone has suggested, involve her in the process. Have her shoot some different things and you might be surprised what she picks.

And we haven't even addressed the advisability, or lack thereof, of purse carry.

 

[cbseniour]

I bought an LCR .357 for myself recently. I'm loving it and it does not shoot as hard as you would expect.

 

[indiucky]

Agreed. Indy Guy knows whereof he speaks.

Has your girlfriend ever shot an "airweight" snub nose revolver with +p defensive loads? If not, she might be surprised by the recoil. Most people find it "significant." If so and it's not an issue for her that's fine. Just be aware that a 13-15 oz revolver with a short grip firing +p loads is a completely different animal from a 26-ish oz revolver with a full grip firing standard loads. Night and day.

Given that, I prefer the Ruger LCR. It's the lightest, has the best trigger pull, and most people find, the lowest felt recoil (given the squishy back strap area of the std grip). Just my opinion of course.

Keep in mind, many loads don't work all that well in barrels this short (in terms of expansion and penetration). There are only 3 loads I'm willing to run for defensive purposes, so that can affect the cost and availability of ammo side of the equation too.

Something else to consider might be a medium size .380 like the Bersa Thunder 380 or similar - lower felt recoil, higher capacity, faster reloads, and better ergonomics. Most people find it easier to get hits with something like this.

And as someone has suggested, involve her in the process. Have her shoot some different things and you might be surprised what she picks.

And we haven't even addressed the advisability, or lack thereof, of purse carry.

True what both said but....My wife had a 442 and the recoil bothered her not a bit. I bought it from a buddy of mine who got rid of it because of the recoil being so bad. I finally had both of them hold the weapon where I could see what was going on here and my wife has very dainty hands, I mean her ring size is like for a 12 year old girl while my 6' 2" buddy had big meathooks. I finally came to the conclusion that my wife could actually "grip" the gun better so she never really "felt" the recoil the way my buddy did. It was at that moment that I quit equating the cartridge with recoil and began thinking that ergonomics and hand size were at least as big a factor as cartridge. Her pinky don't dangle and in her hand a J frame is like a K frame in an average persons hand.

Your results may vary but that is my 2 cents.

 

[cosermann]

...It was at that moment that I quit equating the cartridge with recoil and began thinking that ergonomics and hand size were at least as big a factor as cartridge. ...

Yup. There's a difference between the "free" recoil, or objective rearward momentum of a firearm (can be calculated), and the "felt" or "perceived" recoil of a firearm (somewhat subjective and dependent fit, ergonomics, etc). The latter can mitigate the effects of the former.

 

[indiucky]

Yup. There's a difference between the "free" recoil, or objective rearward momentum of a firearm (can be calculated), and the "felt" or "perceived" recoil of a firearm (somewhat subjective and dependent fit, ergonomics, etc). The latter can mitigate the effects of the former.

^^^^^
I really wish I had the wherewithal to say it like that...If I had a degree in something other than hard knocks I bet I could have.

Thank You coserman for translating it so even I know what I was trying to say...

 

[TheDude]

^^^^^
I really wish I had the wherewithal to say it like that...If I had a degree in something other than hard knocks I bet I could have.

Thank You coserman for translating it so even I know what I was trying to say...

J-frames are good guns once you get use to the trigger and dont use supernuclear +++++++++P++++P+P++PPP ++ ammo.