My P3-AT is in its second trip to FL and, if it isn't fixed this time, it's for sale. In the mean time I am looking for another carry weapon and am considering a small frame revolver. The one I am considering is the Taurus 651 SHC .357. titanium with a 2" barrel. Does anyone have any experience with this revolver? I plan on shooting .38 and .38+p and using the .357 only for carry purposes? Thoughts and suggestions welcome.
Which wheelgun would you carry?
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I have a Taurus 85 titanium 38+P in the 2" barrel. The thing weighs less than my Keltec 40 cal. It has the barrel ported which helps with reduced recoil. It takes some getting use to because it also seems to point low when I bring it up to my sight picture. I don't really care for the grips because of that reason. Just doesn't fit my hand that well. But all in all it does shoot pretty good at close range. I also like the fact that it has a concealed hammer that you could snag on your clothing while drawing.
If you are going to carry a snub (and, speaking personally, I believe the Colt Detective Special and variants are the best ever made and worth looking for used), and it's a .357, I'd suggest you practice with your carry load.
NOT just "familiarize" yourself with it... PRACTICE with it.
This kinda reminds me of various stories of Cops who'd practice with .38 loads while carrying .357s. When the time came to fire, some actually dropped their guns in a panic; they thought it'd exploded, the report, recoil and flash was so much greater.
The 2 inch snub is the single most difficult handgun to shoot well and fast. Best to keep this in mind, and practice with what you carry!
Flyer
NOT just "familiarize" yourself with it... PRACTICE with it.
This kinda reminds me of various stories of Cops who'd practice with .38 loads while carrying .357s. When the time came to fire, some actually dropped their guns in a panic; they thought it'd exploded, the report, recoil and flash was so much greater.
The 2 inch snub is the single most difficult handgun to shoot well and fast. Best to keep this in mind, and practice with what you carry!
Flyer
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Ruger SP-101 .357 2"
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S&W has priced their 642s very reasonably. I see them in the low $300s. I was going to buy it or the Taurus titanium 850 CIA 2" barrel. I only owned S&W up till then (4 of them) but I was intrigued by the idea of a titanium revolver so I got the Taurus. Both are hammerless, which I prefer for carry.
I was leary of the porting, half expecting blinding flames to shoot up but that's not the case. The pistol was so tight the cylinder face was touching the forcing cone, causing it to lock up numerous times while dryfiring (I've seen this reported several times since with the Taurus titaniums). I sent it off to Taurs before firing a shot and they fixed it up. It has a very nice trigger. It weighs the same as the 642 (about 15 ounces) and is the same size.
Both are fine pistols.
I was leary of the porting, half expecting blinding flames to shoot up but that's not the case. The pistol was so tight the cylinder face was touching the forcing cone, causing it to lock up numerous times while dryfiring (I've seen this reported several times since with the Taurus titaniums). I sent it off to Taurs before firing a shot and they fixed it up. It has a very nice trigger. It weighs the same as the 642 (about 15 ounces) and is the same size.
Both are fine pistols.
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8) I usually carry an auto pistol but, I recentlly aquired a Laser Guided S&W 642 for the woman in my house. Nothing to remember or jam or break,and Laser Guided too !! Just point red dot, squeeze trigger,,bang ! Hole where dot was placed, very effective !! \\\\\\ Wil ///
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1,327 Posts
it depends......
Hi, Flick,
it depends on just how and how much you want to carry one. My close friend and shooting partner just acquired a new S&W 342PD 38special sc/aluminum frame, titanimum cylinder, SS liner in barrel, 1 7/8" long barrel. He had a bad scare at a motel in south Alabama where he stayed and vowed he would have a carry gun from now on. But he wanted the smallest, lightest, deep conceal pocket carry gun he could find. His favorite dealer in Birmingham talked him into the little "AirLitePD",weight only 11oz. It is a discontinued S&W model but still expensive, he paid $450.
We shot it at the range yesterday using several different kinds of ammo I had on hand from previous tests with my Taurus. The recoil was as expected from such a light weight revolver, about like the Taurus with full .357 loads. We both tried all four 38special ammo brands we had and judged them as follows:
Winchester 110gr NT flatnose.......worst recoil
Winchester 130gr FMJ.................about the same, a tad less
Rem 125gr+p GoldenSaber............fair, less than FMJ
Win 125gr+p SilverTip..................fair, less than FMJ
I liked the Rem but my friend like the SilverTip best. Toss up. We both have strong hands so the recoil was not a problem for us. But sure ain't no ladies gun or someone with sore hands.
We didn't do an "official" :lol: wetpack test but I brought along an old 5 gal heavy plastic gas jug missing it's top filled with water and 2 pieces of 1/2" plywood taped to it's back. Fired 2 rounds of each ammo into it quickly before the water all leaked out. Both GoldenSaber rounds went clean through everything and were lost. One round each of NT and FMJ bounced off back inside of jug and stayed in it, the other 2 went through and one bullet was found on the ground. Both SilverTip rounds bounced off back inside of jug and stayed in it with only minor expansion. There is no doubt the short barrel slows down velocity. The heavy plastic wall of the jug slowed the bullets even more.
We'll do a real wetpack test later this year to get a better idea what a really small pistol like this will do. (Or won't do.)
So, before you buy one of the lite weight alloy revolvers, try to find someone with one that will let you fire it. The recoil is there and it's not for target shooting. Just for self defense if every needed.
Let us know what you decide.
og
Hi, Flick,
it depends on just how and how much you want to carry one. My close friend and shooting partner just acquired a new S&W 342PD 38special sc/aluminum frame, titanimum cylinder, SS liner in barrel, 1 7/8" long barrel. He had a bad scare at a motel in south Alabama where he stayed and vowed he would have a carry gun from now on. But he wanted the smallest, lightest, deep conceal pocket carry gun he could find. His favorite dealer in Birmingham talked him into the little "AirLitePD",weight only 11oz. It is a discontinued S&W model but still expensive, he paid $450.
We shot it at the range yesterday using several different kinds of ammo I had on hand from previous tests with my Taurus. The recoil was as expected from such a light weight revolver, about like the Taurus with full .357 loads. We both tried all four 38special ammo brands we had and judged them as follows:
Winchester 110gr NT flatnose.......worst recoil
Winchester 130gr FMJ.................about the same, a tad less
Rem 125gr+p GoldenSaber............fair, less than FMJ
Win 125gr+p SilverTip..................fair, less than FMJ
I liked the Rem but my friend like the SilverTip best. Toss up. We both have strong hands so the recoil was not a problem for us. But sure ain't no ladies gun or someone with sore hands.
We didn't do an "official" :lol: wetpack test but I brought along an old 5 gal heavy plastic gas jug missing it's top filled with water and 2 pieces of 1/2" plywood taped to it's back. Fired 2 rounds of each ammo into it quickly before the water all leaked out. Both GoldenSaber rounds went clean through everything and were lost. One round each of NT and FMJ bounced off back inside of jug and stayed in it, the other 2 went through and one bullet was found on the ground. Both SilverTip rounds bounced off back inside of jug and stayed in it with only minor expansion. There is no doubt the short barrel slows down velocity. The heavy plastic wall of the jug slowed the bullets even more.
We'll do a real wetpack test later this year to get a better idea what a really small pistol like this will do. (Or won't do.)
So, before you buy one of the lite weight alloy revolvers, try to find someone with one that will let you fire it. The recoil is there and it's not for target shooting. Just for self defense if every needed.
Let us know what you decide.
og
Re:
I do think 5 shots for self defense isn't enough, but if you squeeze the trigger, a revolver goes off. Limpwristing, funny angle, bad primer (won't go off but it'll go to the next shot a lot quicker than you can clear a jam in a semi-auto), etc., doesn't matter. Easy to load/unload without damaging cases too.
If I had to go with one for everday carry, it'd be the S&W 340 or 360
For mountain carry (bear defense, you know), it'd be the 500 Smith and Wesson in a four inch barrel (although if I had actually shot one I might disagree! I hear its not that bad though!)
I have to ask Midi, why not? Elaborate!Midiman said:
I do think 5 shots for self defense isn't enough, but if you squeeze the trigger, a revolver goes off. Limpwristing, funny angle, bad primer (won't go off but it'll go to the next shot a lot quicker than you can clear a jam in a semi-auto), etc., doesn't matter. Easy to load/unload without damaging cases too.
If I had to go with one for everday carry, it'd be the S&W 340 or 360
For mountain carry (bear defense, you know), it'd be the 500 Smith and Wesson in a four inch barrel (although if I had actually shot one I might disagree! I hear its not that bad though!)
Those times I packed a revolver I usually carry a S&W Bodyguard M38 Airweight loaded with Golden Sabers. The M38 has the advantage of a shroud around the hammer, but it can be cocked for SA shooting if you want. The thing is small and lightweight. The ammo I've shot thru it has not been punishing (no worse than a Kel-Tec P11).
Allan
Allan
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1,327 Posts
Oh no!! The feeling has come back!!
Now you've all gone and done it!! I just got over the feeling of wanting to buy another firearm for awhile. This blasted thread has got me feeling like I need another revolver, one of those nice little, lite weight 38specials like ya'all have got. (The 38spec is alive and well with the new revolvers and modern ammo now available.)
I knew I should never have replied to this thread. It's all my friend's fault for showing up with that little S&W. And my friend, Flick, is to blame too for starting this thread.
Might need to call my Dr. for some tranquilizers.
Help!
og..........help! help!
Now you've all gone and done it!! I just got over the feeling of wanting to buy another firearm for awhile. This blasted thread has got me feeling like I need another revolver, one of those nice little, lite weight 38specials like ya'all have got. (The 38spec is alive and well with the new revolvers and modern ammo now available.)
I knew I should never have replied to this thread. It's all my friend's fault for showing up with that little S&W. And my friend, Flick, is to blame too for starting this thread.
Might need to call my Dr. for some tranquilizers.
Help!
og..........help! help!
Taurus 85, or a 605 or 651. Personally, I pack a model 85 when I want to carry a wheelgun (which isn't often, actually).
I put 205 rounds thru it this last weekend, 50 of 125gr WinClean, 100 of 130gr Win. Whitebox roundnose, and 55 rds of Win +P 125gr 1/2-jacket JHPs. When I was done, my hand was so rakkin frakkin sore that I could hardly shoot my .45. I managed 50 rds of .45 and then had to give up. That +P stuff is just nasty with the model 85. I'd hate to see what it's like in a titanium or scandium framed gun that weighs half as much as the 85.
My next purchase isn't going to be a wheelgun (it'll be a G36), but after that I plan on getting a Ruger SP101 with a 3" barrel. Seems to me that a 3" barrel still conceals well, and the extra 1" gives added accuracy and velocity. I'd love to carry one of S&W's new lightweight mountain guns, but I don't think I could conceal it with my small size, and I'm not sure I'd be able to handle .357mag in a lightweight frame...
I put 205 rounds thru it this last weekend, 50 of 125gr WinClean, 100 of 130gr Win. Whitebox roundnose, and 55 rds of Win +P 125gr 1/2-jacket JHPs. When I was done, my hand was so rakkin frakkin sore that I could hardly shoot my .45. I managed 50 rds of .45 and then had to give up. That +P stuff is just nasty with the model 85. I'd hate to see what it's like in a titanium or scandium framed gun that weighs half as much as the 85.
My next purchase isn't going to be a wheelgun (it'll be a G36), but after that I plan on getting a Ruger SP101 with a 3" barrel. Seems to me that a 3" barrel still conceals well, and the extra 1" gives added accuracy and velocity. I'd love to carry one of S&W's new lightweight mountain guns, but I don't think I could conceal it with my small size, and I'm not sure I'd be able to handle .357mag in a lightweight frame...
G
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·For me it would probably be my Smith and Wesson 642-1 airweight Bodyguard. However, having my druthers I would love to have a model 28 4" in 357 or a 29 4" in 4 magnum.
I have a Charter2000 .38 special undercover. The hammer is concealed so it doesnt snag on clothing. I have lost count of how rounds I put through it. Never a misfire, and this is one of the guns that I tend to carry when I want something different. Sometimes the semi-autos are just too big, and of course, the p3at is always on me.
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