Carry Revolver - What are the options?

[jar_]

Hah! Revolvers most often here. Only the Colt Government Model gets a pass when the mood is for an automatic.

I have never really gotten comfortable with any 1911 except one that followed my dad home from his African and Italian and Persian excursion in the early 1940s. It was so loose it rattled in its holster when it was in the drawer. How the pieces parts stayed together remains a mystery.

But I have been known to cart around a few Colt semi-automatics, particularly 1903s.

A 1906 1903:

A 1919 1908 VP:

 

[noelekal]

Have always wanted to have a Colt Model 1903 .32 or a Model 1908 .380. Attractive timeless appearance and a good John Browning design. I'd tote one too, just because I could, if I had it.

Do have a Colt Model 1908 .25. Used to tote it behind the wallet in my hip pocket when I couldn't contrive to hide anything larger. .25's a bit weenie to suit. Got better holsters and it's mostly retired except for fun shooting.

 

[jar_]

Have always wanted to have a Colt Model 1903 .32 or a Model 1908 .380. Attractive timeless appearance and a good John Browning design. I'd tote one too, just because I could, if I had it.

Do have a Colt Model 1908 .25. Used to tote it behind the wallet in my hip pocket when I couldn't contrive to hide anything larger. .25's a bit weenie to suit. Got better holsters and it's mostly retired except for fun shooting.

I'm not going to be making arrests or traffic stops or taking on some guy with an AR and body armor or responding to a domestic disturbance or taking shots inside a crowded store across the length of the building with folk panicking all around. If I ever use a gun for self defense against something more than our four legged coyotes or Mr Nolegs (Not Oleg Cassini's brother Nolegs that invented short shorts) it will be at Bad Breath Distance and that's where 32acp and 25acp and even 22LR have a long history of being effective. Back in 1968 importation of the tiny small caliber handguns was not banned because they were hard to conceal, unreliable or ineffective. For far too many decades I've had a small mouse gun in my pocket, usually a 25acp, most often my FN 1906 Vest Pocket or the little Colt but sometimes a Baby Browning (that JMB had absolutely nothing to do with) or Walther Model 9 or Beretta 1919 or Bobcat/Tomcat/950 ...

They are still easy to conceal, handy, reliable and effective when used as they were designed.

 

[whiteweed]

Quite a nice thread. I think my KSP 3231, 32 H&R magnum will fit into. I am getting ready to purchase a 442 and get back to revolver carry. I love the simplicity.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

I picked this up from the local gun store last night. I have not shot it yet, but I already own the 357 and 38 models. I plan on reloading the 32 caliber, and I ordered dies yesterday as well. I may end up buying an SP101 as well.

The 38 model weighs in at 13.5 oz and both the magnum versions are 17 oz. The magnums have beefier frames for obvious reasons. These revolvers are probably not going to win any beauty contests but they are well built and have excellent triggers that make them much easier to shoot.

The thing that intrigues me is that the 327 Federal Magnum comes very close to 357 Mag performance with less recoil and the additional 6th round in this snubby form factor.

 

[Ad Astra]

Have always wanted to have a Colt Model 1903 .32 or a Model 1908 .380. Attractive timeless appearance and a good John Browning design. I'd tote one too, just because I could, if I had it.

Do have a Colt Model 1908 .25. Used to tote it behind the wallet in my hip pocket when I couldn't contrive to hide anything larger. .25's a bit weenie to suit. Got better holsters and it's mostly retired except for fun shooting.

They make .25 ACP Speer Gold Dots. I have a box!


AA

 

[jar_]

They make .25 ACP Speer Gold Dots. I have a box!


AA

At 25acp or 32acp or 22LR I always carry ball.

 

[Toothpick]

Nice photos! I tried contacting a local store yesterday but all I got was “I’ll see what I can do”. Whatever that means.....
He either didn’t have any in stock or didn’t want to make a sale.

Anyway, still on the hunt.

 

[noelekal]

This is topic drift, but regarding the .25 ACP: I've shot 'em for years and used 'em for fun and for a defensive side arm. I do think the cartridge is weenie in the extreme, but it is superior to any .22 Long Rifle automatic with the same barrel length. Not by a lot, but I'll take heavier larger diameter bullet and slick .25 ACP feed reliability every day of the week and twice on Sunday over the rim fire .22 Long Rifle in any of its loadings, comparatively long and configured somewhat unwieldy to feed in automatic actions as it is.

Story about a .25 I once had. It was a Beretta Model 1919. Once shot a coyote seated on its haunches about five yards from me. Hit him full in the chest: saw the fur open up when the bullet struck. Was a great heart/vascular hit which should have laid him down. Instead he whirled around and skedaddled. I swear the corner of his mouth was curled into a sneer of contempt for my armament.

Some time later I was out at the gun club range. One of the more slob members had discarded a washing machine in a gully beside the main road through the 46 acre range. I took out the Beretta .25 and shot the side of the washing machine. Only made dimples and chipped white paint. A Smith & Wesson Model 17 .22 Long Rifle drilled neat holes right through.

Got to examining the Beretta .25 and noted the bore's condition. There really wasn't any effective rifling left, just a hint of a shadow of rifling being devoured by fine pits. Corrosive ammunition used without cleaning afterward sometime in its prior history had blasted the bore, rendering it poor indeed.

Traded it for the first Colt Model 1908 I acquired soon after. As the washing machine was still beside the road, I assailed it with the newly acquired Colt which had a fine bore. Same ammunition, but this time it punched right through just like the .22.

To bring this back around to the topic at hand. The rabid automatic pistol aficionados forget that the modern double-action revolver is also a repeating handgun. Its complement of ammunition may not be as large as the capacity of many automatic, but it offers multiple opportunities to bring things to a positive conclusion within its cylinder and does it as reliably as possible.

Look maw! No tap-rack-bang!

Some folks make a lot out of the expediency of Tap-rack-bank. Tap-rack-bang's alright as far as it goes to clear a pistol, but it's not the way the automatic was designed to run and is a pitiful way to have to use a handgun.

I own and shoot both revolvers and automatics and I believe in the revolver for ultimate dependability. Just based on personal experience.

 

[jar_]

Got to examining the Beretta .25 and noted the bore's condition. There really wasn't any effective rifling left, just a hint of a shadow of rifling being devoured by fine pits. Corrosive ammunition used without cleaning afterward sometime in its prior history had blasted the bore, rendering it poor indeed.

My Beretta 1919 also had a smooth bore when I got it. Fortunately I found a new barrel that actually had rifling. Surprisingly, even with the smooth bore it still produced an acceptable pattern. My only issue with old washing machines involved them stealing one sock out of a pair and while grievous I felt that did not rise to the level of extreme sanctions.

 

[Bhugo]

I want a Ruger Alaskan in 44 mag for backpacking and fishing. Also, I know a guy who carries a m29 4” with 44 special all the time. Hard to beat revolvers for reliability.

 

[xiletero]

I saw a SW 547 at the range today. Great looking 9mm revolver, and it DOESNT use moon clips...will extract the cases. Now that is a cool revolver...

 

[Ad Astra]

... I swear the corner of his mouth was curled into a sneer of contempt for my armament.

Some time later I was out at the gun club range. One of the more slob members had discarded a washing machine in a gully beside the main road through the 46 acre range. I took out the Beretta .25 and shot the side of the washing machine. Only made dimples and chipped white paint. A Smith & Wesson Model 17 .22 Long Rifle drilled neat holes right through.

Got to examining the Beretta .25 and noted the bore's condition. There really wasn't any effective rifling left, just a hint of a shadow of rifling being devoured by fine pits. Corrosive ammunition used without cleaning afterward sometime in its prior history had blasted the bore, rendering it poor indeed.

Traded it for the first Colt Model 1908 I acquired soon after. As the washing machine was still beside the road, I assailed it with the newly acquired Colt which had a fine bore. Same ammunition, but this time it punched right through just like the .22.

To bring this back around to the topic at hand. The rabid automatic pistol aficionados forget that the modern double-action revolver is also a repeating handgun. Its complement of ammunition may not be as large as the capacity of many automatic, but it offers multiple opportunities to bring things to a positive conclusion within its cylinder and does it as reliably as possible.

Look maw! No tap-rack-bang!

Some folks make a lot out of the expediency of Tap-rack-bank. Tap-rack-bang's alright as far as it goes to clear a pistol, but it's not the way the automatic was designed to run and is a pitiful way to have to use a handgun.

I own and shoot both revolvers and automatics and I believe in the revolver for ultimate dependability. Just based on personal experience.

Did visualize this perfectly!

Mine's a Beretta Jetfire, never jams - learned the hard way .... Small round, but LOUD without earplugs ...


AA

 

[Earcutter]

.327 goodness

nom, nom!

 

[noelekal]

.327's bound to be good and ought to be more popular. it ought to do anything a judiciously loaded .32-20 revolver could do and that ain't shabby.

 

[Toothpick]

Went with the S&W 642 38 +p

Now to find a nice holster.

 

[Acmemfg]

Andrews Leather Saddle Holster. In stock and ready to ship today. $125.00.
As Merle Haggard would say...
"Ain't nothin' finer".

Andrews Leather Catalog

Andrews Custom Leather - Fine Handmade Holsters

www.andrewsleather.com

 

[Toothpick]

Idk how i feel about belt loops. I want one I can slip on and slip off easily. Without having to take the belt off. but then again...I’ve never had a belt loop holster so who knows.

 

[Acmemfg]

No worries.
R.Grizzle Leather has you covered with his excellent Georgia Snap 2.
Great gear. Rather long wait but well worth it.

 

[Toothpick]

It says they are working on orders from the week of Nov 11. Holy smokes that is a long wait.