Best 38 special

[gohard43]

Ruger LCR! Light, great trigger, perfect size for purse carry. I'm thinking about letting my g/f have mine. It's a great chick friendly, little gun!

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

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-

+1 BIG TIME

I am not recoil shy in handguns but a snub in 38 can be a handful and painful.

If she is going to put it in her purse Id advise you find someone who has one and let her shoot it. I can almost guarantee she wont like it.

A better bet may be something like a 9mm Glock 26, XD sc 9mm. Little bigger, little heavier but much more manageable to shoot. Its in a purse so I am not sure the extra 4 or 5 ounces and slight extra bulk will be noticeable. Plus you are going with a better cartridge and twice the capacity.


That being said I have an LCR and I like it for what it is, I am more accurate with it than I have been with any .380 or 38 snub I have ever shot. But its not fun to shoot more than 30-50 rounds of full power loads. It hurts my hand and I can shoot a lightweight 45 1911 all day.

 

[BE Mike]

I think one of the best revolvers for a woman for purse carry, is a S&W model 60 with a 3" barrel. That extra sight radius makes a big difference in the ability to shoot it accurately and the all stainless steel construction gives the extra weight to help reduce felt recoil. Please start her off shooting .38 Special wadcutter target ammo until she feels confident with safe gun handling and marksmanship. You can introduce "carry" ammo later. IMHO, one of the best ways to induce a permanent anticipation of recoil reflex in a shooter is to start them off without hearing protection/ eye protection and start them off with hot ammo. Too many boyfriends/ husbands with ego problems want to scare their female companions and show how macho they are rather than really teach the basics of safe gun handling, marksmanship and self-defense. Like driving, it is usually best to get someone qualified to instruct who is not known to her.

 

[rilesss]

Another vote fors&w j frame 637
I put a longer grip on to handle recoil

 

[Colt556]

Lots of good info here so far. I think the Colt Detective Special series is the best small 38 Caliber revolver out there. They are built very well and can handle all 38 Special ammo without worry. They also hold 6 shots vs 5. You can find Colt models in light weight and all steel versions. I also like the S&W J frames and the Taurus 85s. The 2"-3" S&W K frames are excellent guns as well, although a little larger than the Colt or J Frames. They make up for the difference in size by being a bit more accurate and easier to shoot. I used to have a S&W mod 60 but my ex found out how well it shot and now she has it. I have a couple DSs loaded and stashed around the house for emergency use. Also if you do go with a 38 revolver don't overlook using 38 Special wad cutters as a PD load. They shoot extremely well, are accurate, light recoil and that flat hunk of lead hits pretty hard.

 

[Cat-Herder]

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$

The bobbed hammer is to prevent snagging on clothing and whatnot....it doesn't prevent an AD. Modern revolvers have transfer safety bars that require the trigger to be pulled for the hammer to strike the firing pin.
There are very few "accidental" discharges..most of them are negligence...

To the OP...there is no "perfect" 38 special out there. The lighter the weight, the more recoil. The more recoil, the less likely she is to practice with it. The only way to become proficient is to practice.
Get her a gun she feels comfortable with....

 

[Sticky]

Ruger SP101. It's a little heavier to absorb some recoil. 5-shot. Can also be had in .357 magnum in case she wants to use them later.

Let her handle and/or fire a few to see what she likes the best, if possible.

 

[swamptick]

I agree with bobbittle let her pick it out then weigh the pros and cons of her choice.

 

[BlueEagle]

If you're set on a snubnose .38, pretty much any of the big name manufacturers will work just fine. Let her handle a bunch and find what she likes. My fiancee carries a Taurus 85 and loves it.

Also, don't completely eliminate .357; for not much more money, (or sometimes equal, if you shop right,) you can get the same gun in .357, and be able to shoot both .38s AND .357 magnums. She may not like those .357's, but if you ever want to carry the gun, you may want them. Plus, its just good practice to be able to use more types of ammunition, especially as it gets scarce sometimes.

 

[goinggreyfast]

My wife carries a S&W 442. Depending on where you live, we would be more than happy to let her try it out. Just know that those "airlight" guns have more recoil, but at an "up close and personal" scenario that recoil is that big of a deal.

Also remember, if she carries in her purse, that purse needs to be "secured" all the time. Someone walks off/runs off with the purse, now you have a stolen handgun issue to deal with.

 

[davedolli]

+1 for S&W 642


Dave

 

[Ryno300]

We've got a Taurus UltraLight and my wife (whose not a very active shooter) handles it just fine even with +P. As stated, perceived recoil and how it fits her hand are probably your most important factors for finding the "best" gun for the job. I'm confident I could give her a heavier gun with a lighter load and she'd still think ours is more manageable. It's all about her comfort level and confidence.

 

[7.62asprin]

This thread is relevant to my interests. My girlfriend has rheumatoid arthritis so her hands are pretty sensitive.

 

[Kick]

It all depends. If you asked me 2 years ago, I would tell you any Smith J Frame, a little after that, I would have said an old school bodyguard.

Then I discovered the Ruger LCR. I liked that for a very little while.

Now, I would say a Colt Cobra or Det. Special.

It's all personal preference. Smith and Wesson has the bigger variety, Ruger is new technology, and I personally like the Colt's for the time being, because I shoot the best with them.

Shoot as many as you can and then made an informed decision...

 

[Kagnew]

This thread is relevant to my interests. My girlfriend has rheumatoid arthritis so her hands are pretty sensitive.

If she has very pronounced arthritis, you might want to look at a .22, rather than a .38.

 

[lmyer]

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.

I'm quite partial to my old 1920 Colt Officers Revolver with 7.5" barrel. Think old-time target pistol. Not something for her to carry in her purse.

357 Mag is better for protection, unless she is a crack shot and able to drill multiple shots into an assailant. 38 Special requires multiple shots to to great harm. This is actually why the 357 was developed and adopted by the police.

 

[FERLACH]

Smith J frames are hard to beat. They always work, very dependable.

 

[gunman41mag]

S & W LADYSMITH

 

[jurassicnarc]

+1 for J frames, esp. the 640, 642, or my favorite the M&P 340 (all S&W non snag "Centennials"). I have one of each... the 640 all steel is better if you need .357 mag, but the M&P 340 has a huge White dot night sight, and although marked .357, just might be the world's best +P .38 :-D

 

[Tyrusvirus1]

Agreed, LCR all the way for quality/value