...for gym shorts pocket carry? There are plenty of 9s in a small frame but most of them have reliability issues. I'm thinking a S&W airweight would be the best. How does the airweight fare when compared to say, the Ruger LCR in 38 special?
Lightweight Revolver versus Lightweight Mouse Gun
- Thread starter zerosoma
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My vote goes for the Ruger Lightweight (LCR).38 Special. Weighs 13 1/2 ounces and is rated for +P ammo.
My vote goes for the Ruger LCR in .357 flavor.
You can still load it with .38 or .38+P but its slightly heavier weight (compared to .38) means it has less recoil.
With this revolver at 7 yards (max distance for self defense), my accuracy is as good as with my S&W .357 with 4" barrel!
You can still load it with .38 or .38+P but its slightly heavier weight (compared to .38) means it has less recoil.
With this revolver at 7 yards (max distance for self defense), my accuracy is as good as with my S&W .357 with 4" barrel!
So nobody's really a fan of the lightweight j frames at this price point? I do have an sp101 that I pocket carry about 50/50 with my px4c the other times, but I know it's too heavy for drawstring shorts cause it swings. Sp101 is 26 oz and I'd really like a Shield but I'm afraid that would be too heavy too @ 19 oz. I really don't want to go the mouse gun 380 route but the lcp fits mighty fine in my shorts when I've tried them in the store... I just hate the price vs effectiveness of 380 ammo, it's like lose-lose.
I think you're not quite up to date on the reliability of pocket 9's these days. I have Ruger LC9 and it has been totally reliable (after break-in, when it did have a very few FTF's) with FMJ and HP, even with them mixed in the magazine. I have around 500 rounds through it now, and it is much more comfortable to shoot than I'd have believed just by looking at it. Rugers are a well engineered, competently built gun for the money; and their customer service is first rate.
s&w 642. there have been and still are a gazillion sold for a reason. Infinite number of different grips if you are recoil sensitive. Plastic semi-auto I can take, but plastic revolvers? what is this world coming to? And the lcr is ugly!
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
I would say about 50 rounds of .38+P and that's more than enough in a 642. Magnums are not pleasant to shoot nor do they serve any purpose. I can't imagine anyone buying one of these guns for fun. It's for concealment. Practice for reaonable accuracy at 5 yards and call it a day.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
NO, Not at all what they are designed for. A s&w 642 is a .38 for close range personal defense. My sp101 and gp 100 can fire as much .357 as I can afford with ease.
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
NO, Not at all what they are designed for. A s&w 642 is a .38 for close range personal defense. My sp101 and gp 100 can fire as much .357 as I can afford with ease.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
It depends on your definition of fun. Some guys love big recoil, and would have a blast doing that.
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
It depends on your definition of fun. Some guys love big recoil, and would have a blast doing that.
Some people love recoil, but heavy recoil almost always results in you developing "recoil flinch" which can be a real bugger to get rid of. Even the most seasons big game hunters still usually go hit the range with a 22 and a brick of ammo after getting it to rid themselves of it.
Originally Posted By: Blaze
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
I put 100 rounds of .357 Mag through my LCR one day and I will say that my hand and grip was starting to suffer. I could have gone more, but had no desire to.
Can you take one of these light weight mouse guns and shoot 200 rounds of .357 and have fun day at the range? Yes/No?
I put 100 rounds of .357 Mag through my LCR one day and I will say that my hand and grip was starting to suffer. I could have gone more, but had no desire to.
The amount of bozo "advice" in this thread is obnoxious.
For gym shorts pocket carry, the Ruger LCP .380 will be the biggest firearm you will want to carry. It's doable, but still pretty heavy for draw string gym shorts. The Air-weight J frame and Ruger LCR .38 are completely out of the question. Not to mention the Ruger LCR grip is HUGE unless you find a boot grip or laser grips. The Ruger LCR in .357 mag is a fat heavy pig at 20 ounces when loaded - your shorts will probably fall down with one of those in your pocket.
Might even want to consider the North American Arms mini pocket revolver, if you can accept the small .22LR or .22 mag caliber.
For gym shorts pocket carry, the Ruger LCP .380 will be the biggest firearm you will want to carry. It's doable, but still pretty heavy for draw string gym shorts. The Air-weight J frame and Ruger LCR .38 are completely out of the question. Not to mention the Ruger LCR grip is HUGE unless you find a boot grip or laser grips. The Ruger LCR in .357 mag is a fat heavy pig at 20 ounces when loaded - your shorts will probably fall down with one of those in your pocket.
Might even want to consider the North American Arms mini pocket revolver, if you can accept the small .22LR or .22 mag caliber.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
How does the airweight fare when compared to say, the Ruger LCR in 38 special?
They both are reliable. The airweight (442/642 models) weighs 15 ounces unloaded. The LCR .38 weighs 13.5 ounces unloaded. The LCR has a better trigger, much smoother and lower weight. The grips on the Smith are smaller and more concealable. The stock grips on the LCR are massive and practically unconcealable in a pocket. Laser grips should be strongly considered since they are more concealable and offer a great benefit.
How does the airweight fare when compared to say, the Ruger LCR in 38 special?
They both are reliable. The airweight (442/642 models) weighs 15 ounces unloaded. The LCR .38 weighs 13.5 ounces unloaded. The LCR has a better trigger, much smoother and lower weight. The grips on the Smith are smaller and more concealable. The stock grips on the LCR are massive and practically unconcealable in a pocket. Laser grips should be strongly considered since they are more concealable and offer a great benefit.
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
The amount of bozo "advice" in this thread is obnoxious.
For gym shorts pocket carry, the Ruger LCP .380 will be the biggest firearm you will want to carry. It's doable, but still pretty heavy for draw string gym shorts. The Air-weight J frame and Ruger LCR .38 are completely out of the question. Not to mention the Ruger LCR grip is HUGE unless you find a boot grip or laser grips. The Ruger LCR in .357 mag is a fat heavy pig at 20 ounces when loaded - your shorts will probably fall down with one of those in your pocket.
Might even want to consider the North American Arms mini pocket revolver, if you can accept the small .22LR or .22 mag caliber.
Bubba's pretty much right. The LCP is 9.4 oz. A 642, 340, or LCR will run around 14 oz, give or take depending on model. A Kahr PM9 is 14 oz.
While running, weight is very important. The more it weighs and the more it moves, the more likely your pants are to come down. Something that may help would be a belly band type of holster.
I really, really do not like the LCP. Sights suck, trigger sucks, caliber is mediocre, recoil is brutal. BUT - it is one of the few guns that weigh less than 10 oz and carries more than two shots. For me, it would be a gun that I'd carry under very limited circumstances. It certainly has its niche.
If you know "gun people", you know someone with these guns. Swing by for pizza, and ask if you can job around the block with their pistol to see how it is.
The amount of bozo "advice" in this thread is obnoxious.
For gym shorts pocket carry, the Ruger LCP .380 will be the biggest firearm you will want to carry. It's doable, but still pretty heavy for draw string gym shorts. The Air-weight J frame and Ruger LCR .38 are completely out of the question. Not to mention the Ruger LCR grip is HUGE unless you find a boot grip or laser grips. The Ruger LCR in .357 mag is a fat heavy pig at 20 ounces when loaded - your shorts will probably fall down with one of those in your pocket.
Might even want to consider the North American Arms mini pocket revolver, if you can accept the small .22LR or .22 mag caliber.
Bubba's pretty much right. The LCP is 9.4 oz. A 642, 340, or LCR will run around 14 oz, give or take depending on model. A Kahr PM9 is 14 oz.
While running, weight is very important. The more it weighs and the more it moves, the more likely your pants are to come down. Something that may help would be a belly band type of holster.
I really, really do not like the LCP. Sights suck, trigger sucks, caliber is mediocre, recoil is brutal. BUT - it is one of the few guns that weigh less than 10 oz and carries more than two shots. For me, it would be a gun that I'd carry under very limited circumstances. It certainly has its niche.
If you know "gun people", you know someone with these guns. Swing by for pizza, and ask if you can job around the block with their pistol to see how it is.
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OK, well the OP didn't say anything about actually carrying this at the gym or running with it while wearing drawstring gym shorts.
If that's the case I don't know why he would put a gun in his pocket at the gym.If you realy feel the need, use a small fanny pack with your ipod etc. in it so it looks normal. They make bags for just that purpose.
The last thing I need is somebody dropping a gun out of there pocket while doing sit ups at my gym. The next thing would be a no guns sign on the door and I dont like seeing them.
I carry everywhere but some places it is just not practical or a good idea. I may have made the assumption he was referring to every day carry in shorts.
If that's the case I don't know why he would put a gun in his pocket at the gym.If you realy feel the need, use a small fanny pack with your ipod etc. in it so it looks normal. They make bags for just that purpose.
The last thing I need is somebody dropping a gun out of there pocket while doing sit ups at my gym. The next thing would be a no guns sign on the door and I dont like seeing them.
I carry everywhere but some places it is just not practical or a good idea. I may have made the assumption he was referring to every day carry in shorts.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
So nobody's really a fan of the lightweight j frames at this price point?
Not for what you're looking for. I'm not much of a revolver guy anyway, but especially for concealment/carry in gym shorts or any "tighter fit" clothing...a revolver is a non-starter in my opinion. I recently bought a very small gun for such purpose: a Kel-Tec P-32. It shoots .32ACP, so it's not the biggest caliber out there, but the advantage is you can carry this gun ANYWHERE. It's only 6 oz unloaded and about 9 oz loaded. It shoots very pleasant due to the low .32 recoil and it's super thin. It's a seriously concealable gun. Kel-Tec's P-3AT is also nice (and in .380), but I don't like its lack of last round slide hold open, like the P-32 has.
I like this Kel-Tec so much, I'm considering buying a PF-9 in the future. It's a very thin (0.88") single stack 9mm that holds 7+1 if I recall correctly. Very concealable, and still very light weight. Kel-Tecs are affordable to buy and own and are pretty good little guns. They don't have the best fit-and-finish, but that just means you can buy more ammo with the money you save over something else. Reliability in general is very good because of that "looser" fit.
They don't get much mention because they're not one of the sexier or more marketed brands like Glock, Smith, Ruger, etc, but they're very good guns that won't set you back a ton of money.
So nobody's really a fan of the lightweight j frames at this price point?
Not for what you're looking for. I'm not much of a revolver guy anyway, but especially for concealment/carry in gym shorts or any "tighter fit" clothing...a revolver is a non-starter in my opinion. I recently bought a very small gun for such purpose: a Kel-Tec P-32. It shoots .32ACP, so it's not the biggest caliber out there, but the advantage is you can carry this gun ANYWHERE. It's only 6 oz unloaded and about 9 oz loaded. It shoots very pleasant due to the low .32 recoil and it's super thin. It's a seriously concealable gun. Kel-Tec's P-3AT is also nice (and in .380), but I don't like its lack of last round slide hold open, like the P-32 has.
I like this Kel-Tec so much, I'm considering buying a PF-9 in the future. It's a very thin (0.88") single stack 9mm that holds 7+1 if I recall correctly. Very concealable, and still very light weight. Kel-Tecs are affordable to buy and own and are pretty good little guns. They don't have the best fit-and-finish, but that just means you can buy more ammo with the money you save over something else. Reliability in general is very good because of that "looser" fit.
They don't get much mention because they're not one of the sexier or more marketed brands like Glock, Smith, Ruger, etc, but they're very good guns that won't set you back a ton of money.
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