Ruger LCR .38sp+

[AllenW]

Anyone actually seen or shot one of these ultralight revolvers?

Composite framed, 5 shot in .38special with a +P rating, concealed hammer and at 13oz this might just be one of the better carry revolvers going, a lot lighter than my .38 Taurus ultralight and it has the +p rating where the Taurus doesn't.

tia

Al

[tbomn]

Anyone actually seen or shot one of these ultralight revolvers?

Composite framed, 5 shot in .38special with a +P rating, concealed hammer and at 13oz this might just be one of the better carry revolvers going, a lot lighter than my .38 Taurus ultralight and it has the +p rating where the Taurus doesn't.

tia

Al

Al,
I have not shot the gun, but I am interested in a 38 special and have been trying out as many as I can. I just shot the S & W AirWeight series model 638 in 2 inch barrel, 38 special +p. This is a DAO revolver(hidden hammer) and I found that I had trouble hitting anything with it. The DAO only allows for a somewhat tough trigger pull, and thus an erratic pattern when fired. I have come to the conclussion that I am going to a DA/SA piece. My favorite piece so far is the S & W model 686, 357 mag, 4 inch barrel. I can shoot 38 special ammo in it and bump it up to 357 mag if I want to. Not only that, but I can shoot a 4 inch group at 18 yds with the 686.....and I like that, and should get better with practice.

I did shot the Taurus Ultra-Lite Protector model 851....another hammerless DAO piece, and didn't care for it either.

[AllenW]

This is for carry and it doesn't need to have a lot of accuracy, say 7-10 yards probably, I shot the S&W scandium framed revolver and while nice, it was a bit spendy for me.

Try the Ruger when ya can find one, supposedly the trigger is pretty nice for a DA, or if the one I ordered ever gets here ya can try that one.

Personally my favorite revolver is a 625 in .45acp, but its waaay to big for carry for me, same with a 686, which is a nice gun too, used to have one with a 8 3/8in barrel, but traded for the 625 to shoot USPSA and steel with.

Al

[Sportdog]

Ah yes....the never ending search for the ultimate CC handgun. It seems like when you want small and easily concealed, you have lack of power or poor trigger pull or both. I thought that I had finally had it right for me but now my wife wants to take over my warm weather CC, a nice little Colt Mustang 380. She purchased a Smith 636? Airlight because of the way it felt in her hands but like Joe, she couldn't shoot it well at all. So now she wants to trade me. Even though she purchased the Colt for me. So now I'm working with the Smith, and getting better. I haven't seen it yet but my son-in-law just purchased a small Glock in 40S&W. Since he was originally looking at the Ruger LCP I can only assume that the Glock comes in a smaller package than the full size 40's, maybe a sub-compact. Good luck with the search!

[AllenW]

Ah yes....the never ending search for the ultimate CC handgun. It seems like when you want small and easily concealed, you have lack of power or poor trigger pull or both. I thought that I had finally had it right for me but now my wife wants to take over my warm weather CC, a nice little Colt Mustang 380. She purchased a Smith 636? Airlight because of the way it felt in her hands but like Joe, she couldn't shoot it well at all. So now she wants to trade me. Even though she purchased the Colt for me. So now I'm working with the Smith, and getting better. I haven't seen it yet but my son-in-law just purchased a small Glock in 40S&W. Since he was originally looking at the Ruger LCP I can only assume that the Glock comes in a smaller package than the full size 40's, maybe a sub-compact. Good luck with the search!

Thanks, wife went from a 9mm Taurus to the Bersa .380 because she liked shooting it better, imho its starting to get a bit low in stopping power, but its what she wanted, and my thoughts are in a self defense senario, being comfortable with the gun may be more important that stopping power.

Was your wife using full load ammo?
Something that light you might want to practice with target .38's instead of the defense loads in 38 or .357?

Hard to hide one of these things in sweats and a tee shirt...:)

Al

[Sportdog]

Al, the wife was shooting light 38 Special reloads that I cooked up myself. She now claims that the Airlight recoil did bother her and she also didn't like the trigger pull. Now she bought a S&W 640 357Mag. She only plans on shooting 38's in it and I have to admit she is shooting a lot better. If she keeps this up I'm going to have a lot of nice pistols "given" to ME! LOL!!!! I'm guessing that down the road that Airlight will start to see some carry.

[AllenW]

Free (kinda) guns are always nice...:)

Just picked up a nice Colt Commander in 9mm from my FIL, he's getting old enough he can't shoot anymore unfortunately.

My gun shop has been having a hard time getting the LCR, but in the mean time another friend of mine says the Scandium (sp?) frame S&W in .357 is lighter than the Ruger in his opinion, if that's the case I may end up with one of them, I'll shoot .38 specials out of it for practice and load .38+P for carry.

Other than making sure it functions and point of aim with the max loads, I don't see any reason to use the heavy loads for practice.

Also imho .38+P is about a hot as you want to go if your caring in a populated area, shoot though is a viable concern in many cases I believe.


Sportdog, my wife shoots a Bersa lightwieght in .380 because that's what she is comfortable shooting, while I think it might be a bit underpowered, its what she likes shooting and a hit target with a .380 is better than a missed one with a .44 mag.

Have fun finding the "right" gun..:)

Al...I am..

[AllenW]

Just got back yesterday from Ahlman's guns in Fairbault where I finally had a chance to shoot the Ruger LCR in .38+p.

Gun does indeed have a very nice trigger pull for a DA, even lighter and shorter than the comparable S&W Scandium framed model and I've been a S&W fan for many years.

Gun shoots very manageable and shot recovery was very quick, I didn't have time to do a accuracy test, but it appears to hit close to point of aim, not as much real issue with a gun with as short a barrel as it has.
I think this imho was meant for close quarters, not bullseye shooting.
But fully capable of center mass shots at 7-10 yards easily.

This guns light, almost unbelievably light and with the slightly bigger rubber grips, is now my carry gun, wife even likes it over her Bersa .380 auto and may get one too.

So, if your looking for a smaller carry or easily concealed revolver and the 38+p is enough gun for ya, give the Ruger a look, so far it seems like a nice gun.

Al

[AllenW]

Just a add to, wife ended up buying one of them, traded in the Taurus 9mm on it and she enjoys shooting this revolver.

Had it out to the range and with a IPSC target at 7 yards had no trouble hitting the center A zone, like I said before, not a bullseye gun, but pretty good for a short barreled pistol.

Trigger pull got even nicer after about 50 to 75 shots and some dry firing, I really like this gun.
Rear grips is a bit wider than most P framed guns and you can tell it makes a difference in shooting, we shot both .38spec and .38+p's though it and neither will cause any problems with most shooters.

Ruger has developed a gun which I think may take many who are leaning towards a S&W airweight gun to their side.

Easier to shoot, cheaper, better trigger out of the box and lighter, nice gun imho.

Give one a try, you might like it..:)

Al

[orchard frank]

I have a Taurus 357/.38, 5 shot with a 2" bbl, concealed hammer,(forget the model #) that has the little tab you can **** for single action use. Not a lightweight series, just blue steel, but a nice revolver. With the right jacket, vest, pocket, etc. it carries well. The 357's are not what you would want for an afternoon of shooting, but the 125 or 158 gr. Fusions are impressive for banging. Shoots all of the 38's well.

[AllenW]

I have a Taurus 357/.38, 5 shot with a 2" bbl, concealed hammer,(forget the model #) that has the little tab you can **** for single action use. Not a lightweight series, just blue steel, but a nice revolver. With the right jacket, vest, pocket, etc. it carries well. The 357's are not what you would want for an afternoon of shooting, but the 125 or 158 gr. Fusions are impressive for banging. Shoots all of the 38's well.


I have the Tauras Ulta-Lite in .38 spec, no single action feature, but its a nice gun too, for CC the LCR is a LOT lighter than the Ultralite though, if ya get a chance try and either shoot one or just pick it up and dry fire it, pretty nice gun and after about 400 rounds, I still consider this my main CC gun.

I like to use the Winchester white box .38 specials for practice...if ya can find them now...:)

Al

[yarcraft91]

I have a S&W 442, a short barrel, concealed hammer 5-shot rated for 38+P, weighs 15 oz- bit more than the Ruger. I found it took some practice, but after a few hundred rounds and dry fire practice, I can shoot it more than well enough for CC purpose. Current prices- $400-$450. The Ruger is probably a good alternative.