Small frame revolver

[STS3_SSN705]

In our quest to find a gun that my wife can shoot and purse carry confidently, we found just one contender: a S&W M63. She enjoyed the way it fit her hands, and was doing well with it. However, this seems like a hard to find gun, and the couple that I saw on gunbroker were expensive. Anyone have other ideas for us to look for? I would prefer getting her into a 38 if one with similar sized grips is available. She has rather small hands (even for a woman), and she has not been able to rack the slide on any autos, so they are out for now.

Our local range didn't have any LadySmith revos, but we do plan on finding one for her to try, but any other ideas are welcome.

 

[Don Lu]

I dont know anything about the m63, actually never heard of it but you may like th 36. Taurus also makes a good line of small framed revos. models 85, 850 and 851 specifically (all .38spl). Good luck. Also the Tauri come w/a lot of different looks, some nicer than others. That may matter to your wife but check these out.

http://www.genitron.com/HandgunDB/n...pl&Make=Taurus&Type=&Submit=Find+It&offset=25

 

[Jkwas]

After kissing lots of frogs (figuratively) , My wife settled on the model 36. The trigger is nice and light and she can shoot it well. Check around at local gun shops. You should be able to find a used model for a decent price if you keep looking.

 

[Geoff Timm]

Try the SP-101 with Hoague grips. The extra weight of the Ruger is sometimes better and the grips can make it comfortable for weak hands.

My wife liked the 4" SP-101 in .22 LR with the small Hougues, now she uses my S&W Sigma, recommended by a friend of hers for the grip. She can cycle the slide without problems.

Geoff
Who notes he can get her to the range only in cold weather. Sigh.

 

[Cowart]

we found just one contender: a S&W M63

The M63 is just a regular stainless J frame, but in .22lr. Any .32/.38/.357 J frame will have the same grip and trigger reach. The M63 actually has a stiffer trigger pull than the .38/.357 M60, as it has a stronger hammer spring needed for reliable ignition of rimfire ammunition.

A Ladysmith has slightly reduced springs, so it would be the ideal choice. You also have the option of installing a spring kit in any J frame.

 

[DVC9]

STS,

As has been mentioned the Md63 is part of the "J" frame series of Smiths. They have been and still are produced in lots of variants.
22lr, 22mag, .32, 32 H&R, 38 S&W, 38special, 357 Mag, 9mm.
Blued, Stainless, Nickel, Steel, Airweight, Stainless, Scandium.
2", 3", 4" Heavy and standard BBLs , exposed hammer or hammerless as well as sporting fixed or adjustable sights.
You can find a J frame to fit most any carry need.

One characteristic usually stands out, Weight.

The steel framed guns are easier more comfortable to shoot.

But, the 10-16oz scandium and aluminum models get carried more.

In my experience, most women dislike the extra weight of the steel guns[
even though they are still only about 2/3s the weight of the average belt sized auto.
For concealed carry other than a belt holster most people prefer the lightweight guns.
The newer Scandium alloy guns are the lightest ,some as light as 10oz but they are also more expensive than the aluminum models which usually weigh in around 15 0r 16 ounces.
A popular model is the 442/642 series. Aluminum framed, Hammerless, 38special, and priced significantly less than their Scandium .357 cousins.

The hammerless design avoids snagging and keeps lint and debris out of the action. Mated with a good pocket holster they are a fine carry gun .

If you limit her to target wadcutters until she is fully comfortable with the gun she should gain confidence quickly and then you can move up to a standard load. Once she has reached a comfort zone find a good SD round for carry.

Good Luck, Mike /B]

 

[flusher]

Get the older Colt Classic Detective Special

 

[STS3_SSN705]

Thanks for the good info on the M63! I was really baffled by this gun, because it did not seem anything like the j-frame snubby that I had shot before. It was also a 4" barrel, which was definately a plus for helping her learn to shoot, but not so good for purse carry.

I'll find her a LadySmith, and see how she likes it.

 

[Prince55]

She might like a S&W model 37 Airweight .38 Special.
It's pretty light but the recoil might be a little more than
the model 36 steel frame S&W.
They're both Great.

 

[chris in va]

I attended a class recently with a lady that had a shrouded airweight. The gun was very light, that's for sure. It also kicked pretty hard with regular 38's, enough to give her blisters after a couple hundred rounds.

I recently inherited an old model 36 which is steel. It's much more manageable and the trigger wasn't that hard to pull IMO. Accuracy was COM at 25 yards.

The Ruger is nice but the trigger pull is much harder in DA. You'll probably want to swap springs out if you get one. Heavier too.

 

[BillCA]

If weight and recoil are an issue, you might want to let her look at the S&W Models 431PD and 432PD. These are 6-shot J-Frame "Airweight" .32 H&R Magnum revolvers. The cartridge is fairly potent and the recoil is not bad at all. A plus is that you can use mild .32 S&W Long cartridges for practice and break-in. Ammo is more expensive than .38 Specials, but if she's confident with a .32 Mag she will be better off than with a .38 that she doesn't like to shoot.

The J-Frames are nicely sized for most women. As others pointed out the "Ladysmith" series have slightly lighter springs. These guns can be had with hammers, shrouded hammers and in "hammerless" designs to suit any carry method.

S&W Model 432PD, "hammerless" .32 H&R Magnum

 

[tlm225]

Also consider the 3" model 60. .38/.357, the extra inch of barrel will make a big difference in her ability to hit well and the all steel format will reduce the sharpness of the recoil over the aluminum or Ti frames.

 

[Diesel1]

I would say in my opinion a Ruger SP 101. I bought my wife one for Christmas a few years ago. It's about as 'bullet proof' so to speak as you can get. Some may say it's too big to carry comfortably, my wife is 5'0 feet tall about 120 lbs and has no problem concealing it and carries it daily. But then again, I'm a Ruger revlover man so I'm a bit biased. The Hogue monogrip as mentioned above does make a huge difference in comfort.