Sam Hoober makes the case that there’s no time like the present for snubnose revolvers or wheelguns and the people who carry them.
Obviously, there’s a glut of polymer-framed striker guns on the market, but what some people might not appreciate is there are also a great number of really good snubnose revolvers around as well.
Given the march of time, advances in materials and also design, a person might even dare to say that right now is the golden age for snubbies in terms of what you can put in a revolver holster these days.
There’s a fantastic selection out there to fit any budget or desire, and new models coming to market with regularity with more innovative features that could not have been envisioned when the snubbie revolver was first popularized.
Not Your Father’s Concealed Carry Revolver
The concealed carry revolver used to be 5 or 6 shots of .38 Special – .32 in some models or even .22 Short for some vest pocket guns of the late 19th Century – with a 1.8-inch to 2-inch barrel, blued steel or nickel, wood grips and that was about it for some time. Smith and Wesson’s J-frame was quick to introduce some innovations, such as DAO or shrouded hammers as well as lighter-weight alloys such as aluminum or titanium.
There are few pistols easier to learn than a double-action revolver and with good carry ammunition, a .38 Special snubbie was almost all the gun most people would need everyday carry and arguably it still is.
But today’s snubbie handgun has SO many more available features compared to yesterday’s models. Unless a person has totally swore off revolvers, there is a snubnose to fit almost any and every sensibility and budget, from bargain-basement guns that will go “bang” with every trigger pull and little else to 21st Century wheelguns that would have been unimaginable even 20 years ago.
Live Inventory Price Checker
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442 Pro Series .38 Special Revolver - Pc Pro Model 442 J-Frame 38 Special 1.88" Bbl 5rd Black | Brownells.com | $ 499.99 |
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Smith & Wesson Model 638 .38 Special Revolver - 1.9" - Silver/Black | Primary Arms | $ 495.59 |
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Ruger LCRX .38 Special Revolver With Green Laser Grip, Black - 5434 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 899.99 $ 799.99 |
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Ruger LCRX .38 Special Revolver With Green Laser Grip, Black - 5434 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 899.99 $ 799.99 |
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The Snubnose Revolver Of Today
The snubnose revolver of today is a far more diverse breed than ever before. Chamberings have broadly remained the same, and there are certainly plenty of Plain Jane models in blue steel carrying 5 of .38 Special +P are out there. There are also .357 Magnum models as well.
However, caliber selection has also expanded to include .32 H&R and .327 Federal magnums, the latter being capable of near .357 Magnum performance with less recoil.
Blue steel and lighter alloys abound as well, but the dawn of the 21st Century has introduced polymers into the mix, as polymer-framed revolvers such as Smith and Wesson’s M&P Bodyguard 38, the Taurus Poly Protector, and the Ruger LCR and LCRx.
Blade front sights and trench rear sights have given way to fiber optics, tritium night sights and Crimson Trace lasers.
Such is the enduring popularity of the snubnose revolver in the concealed carry market that Colt saw fit to revive the Cobra with modern appointments. Kimber designed and released the K6s, one of the most attractive and easy-shooting compact magnums on the market.
Really, a person who wants a CCW revolver has an embarrassment of riches for choice. Desired features and price tag is really all a person has to settle, as there are snubnose revolvers to fit any budget. Bargain-basement revolvers from Taurus, EAA, and Rock Island Armory/Armscor are out there for a relative pittance to the $1,000+ range for Kimbers, Korth revolvers, and some of S&W’s more exclusive offerings.
It really is the golden age of snub revolvers.
Sam Hoober is a contributing editor at Alien Gear Holsters, as well as for Bigfoot Gun Belts. He also writes weekly columns for Daily Caller and USA Carry.
Old article responses. I have 4 and they are all for shooting fun in the mountains or the range because they have all been replaced by guns that hold 15 rounds and more.
Gang bangers work in groups and in most cases their are at least 3 and you might not be able to get a hit on each shot. They spray and pray with 30 round magazines and Glock switches. You need to be armed as well as your enemy at the least.
Oregoneistan
While semi-autos can be very reliable under ideal conditions, a quick, improper grip is all it takes for a malfunction. Revolvers rarely fail to fire and some can carry more than the usual 5 – 6 rds. I’m comfortable with a revolver, but prefer .44 Spl to .38. I carry speed strips and / or speed loaders. You are responsible for every shot you fire; concentrate on “HITS”. Don’t fire unless you are positive of a hit on your intended / identified target. Practice with equipment you carry including reloading devices and holsters. Know the law.
I prefer the 3-inch, round-butt K Frame in .38 spl. they can take +P without discomfort and have better sight radius. I would be first in line if S&W came back out with the 9mm in that configuration that they made for the French and Israeli police.
I carried a similar Colt pictured, but with wood grips, as my backup. Miss that little gun too.
I had a S&W .357 snub nose for all of two weeks. I’m 6’3″, 275 lbs and have large hands. I’m no “wimp”, but I found the gun to be too punishing to my hand to consider keeping. I figured if after 6 rounds of. 357 magnum I couldn’t feel my hand, how was I going to practice with it so I could become proficient with it. So, I took it to Cabelas and traded it in on a Springfield XD .45ACP. I must admit though, I have a S&W 38 special snub nose in my queue at Sportsmansguide.com. So,… Read more »
I carry a semi-auto as my main weapon but also carry a S&W titanium air weight 38 as a back up. If my first line of defense fails you can find it on the ground as old reliable takes up the fight. The performance of modern semi-auto pistols is amazing. There is just something comforting about a good old wheel gun.