Looking for a nice, 38, 357, ect...That is lightweight and concealable for carry. I prefer a 38/357 combo like you were talking bout, but open to suggestions.
Give me ideas n prices. Tnx, HG
If pants or coat pocket carry you need a Snubby J frame size for max concealment and ease of drawing. Taurus 605, Ruger Sp101 or various number S&W's.
All under 30 0z.
If IWB carry I prefer a bit longer barrel, 3 or 4 inches, as the barrel helps keep the grip closer to the body.
I carry a GP100 4 inch on occasion IWB or OWB. It is a bit heavier but like you, I can carry heavy things without to much trouble. an additional 10 oz isn't all that much plus it has 6 rounds vs. 5 in the J size revo's.
I do not reccomend a superlight as you will not practice with it enough.
Since you want .357 and lightweight, that pretty much narrows down the choices. There are the scandium Smith & Wessons, and possibly an Ultralight Taurus. You can get prices at gunbroker.com, or the Bud's Gun Shop website.
You can get all steel versions from S&W, Taurus, and Ruger. These aren't exactly heavy, but they won't be light in weight if compared to the above.
If you would consider .38+p instead of .357, you open up a lot more choices, including the 442/642 already mentioned. Bud's has a scandium J-frame .38 for $409 delivered....
If you plan on shooting a lot of magnums out of your revolver then a Ruger Sp101 with a 3" barrel would be my choice. If you are planning on shooting mostly 38 or 38+p out of your revovler then a K-frame smith (Model 65 or 66), or a J-frame smith (Model 60 or 640) or their Taurus counterparts (Model 66 or 605) are extremely popular options for a CCW piece. If you could find a good Colt D-Frame revolver then you would have both a nice carry gun and a conversation piece. Colts, at least here in NW Florida, are very rare and too expensive, but you may have more luck in your state.
Additionally, you will probably want fixed sights vs. adjustible sights simply because fixed sights are less likely to snag when you draw from concealment. If this is going to be a primary carry weapon, as opposed to a back up gun, then a revolver with a 3" barrel is a nice compromise between concealment and performance. On the other hand finding a holster for a 3" weapon is not as easy as finding a holster for a 2" or 4" revolver.
As far a the weight goes, I have fired a Scandium revolver with 38s in it and it is not fun to do. Of course everyone's recoil tolerance is different, but airweight (aluminum frame) is about as light as I can go before the recoil sting become just too unpleasant for me.
The other issue is how will you carry the gun, if it is going to be in a pocket holster or an ankle holster then you will want an airweight or lighter, if you are going to carry it on the waisteband then an all steel framed weapon will not be that heavy to carry and it will be easier to shoot and practice with.
Don't skimp on holsters. Figure that you may need to spend $50-100 to find a good quality concealment holster. A good holster and good belt will make carrying a CCW much more comfortable. There are a lot of good quality factory holster makers and evan some of the custom holster makers are really not that expensive.
For reloads, I like a speed strip. It is not as fast to use as a speed loader but it is a lot easier to carry concealed than a speed loader.
Sorry about the long post. Best of luck on your search.
Don't overlook a good buy on an old workhorse. Check out S&W model 36 and 37 or Colt Agents like mine below. These guns are pretty lightweight, 6 shot, reliable workhorses.
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