Hammer or hammerless??? ...............

I picked the SP with the hammer. If I put it in the hands of an untrained shooter (my wife for example) for protection I don't want her to have to get acquainted with a DA trigger in the moment. When drawing I place my thumb on the back of the hammer to provide a no snag ramp on the draw.
 
d762nato said:
Yeah that would make a Shela huh! I typically carry mine on my hip in a holster. If you had it in your pants pocket you definitely want to make sure its pointed the right direction. :eek: It just just something I read about Massad A. doing this if need be. Hammerless is my vote though for self defense carry. Good luck with your choice though. :thumbup:
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I have a friend who loves his hammerless. Maybe I will buy one someday and I am sure I will love it more for self defense carry too as it fits that role better. Pick the right tool for the job! The guy I knew of actually blew one of his nuggets off! :eek: I guess that's why we have two. It's better to have one live nugget than two dead ones's! :) Maybe that's how the Mossad perform circumcisions now.
 
I'm going with:

2009-11-11-mc_hammer.jpg
 
I have been carrying a Smith and Wesson 638 Bodyguard for awhile now and I think it is the best of both worlds.:thumbup: The shrouded hammer is available to shoot single action if you choose but is also low profile enough that I have never had an issue with it snagging on a draw. While never having to use a my carry piece in a real world situation I do teach the Concealed Carry Course classes here in Ohio so I have had a lot of practice time drawing.

Really, like previously stated there is no correct answer to the original question as it comes down to personal preference and you ability to be proficient with you carry piece. I have had people in my training classes that have hammerless revolvers only to find that they are terrible shots when shooting double action. Others have no problems shooting single or double action.

Just make sure you are comfortable with the choice you make. We all have our personal preference, but if you ever are in a situation where you need to use it, it better be something that you are comfortable and proficient with.

Garth
 
I agree, OTE. I'd never carry that way, but some do. And are taught that way by pro's with creds. BTDT.

Now, on to other things:

1. That MC Hammer pic violates TOS. If it doesn't, TOS should be changed so it does. LOL

2. Cockable shrouded hammers are cool, but if it's a concealed carry gun, skip it. You can't think of one logical situation where you would cock the hammer of a J-frame in a self defense situation. If you COULD come up with one, it's one in a million and not worth training for because it's so bizarre.

3. That said, I've got a early-70's vintage Model 36. It's my favorite snubby but I never EVER carry it. . . because it's in mint condition high polish blue and too nice to be carried. (Hey, it isn't just satin finish Busse's that sit in safe's with me. LOL But I HAVE shot it at least.)
 
Tim, just buy a Smith and get the best. The best only because Glock doesn't make a revolver, yet:eek:
 
Supposedly, Clint Smith used to advise potential students to bring an old coat to use in drills for shooting from the pocket. I can't find anything other than anecdotal claims to support that, however.

The Ruger "hammerless" is only a very well trimmed hammer. It is fully capable of snagging in your coat pocket lining if you attempt to fire it. The S&W Centennial and Bodyguard models are the only ones that really make it possible.

Mine is an L-Frame, the 242:

frostyjack1.jpg


Seven shots of .38 Special in a very lightweight package (aluminum frame, titanium cylinder).
 
^^^^^^^^^^2 questions.

1. Great grips. Ahrends?

2. Is the bottle opener effective on that sweet SJTAC?
 
One of my carry guns is a Smith 640-1. I'm glad I went with the totally hammerless design, as it makes one of the slickest little guns I can imagine. I've got Barami Hip Grips on it, which allows IWB carry with no holster, and I wouldn't trade it. :thumbup:
 
Unless you regularly wear a bullet proof vest I would not advocate shooting through a pocket at someone who had the drop on you with a firearm....the liklihood of stopping them from shooting you if it is close proximity is low ... central mass hits won't cut it ...they are likley to fire back ... more so if they are wearing a vest ....

To be certain of instant incapacity you need to hit the medula stem of the brain ... which means shooting them through the mouth ... you cannot do this without drawing your weapon ... anyone good enough to hit a medula shot shooting upwards through a pocket I have yet to meet .... in which case using a more versatile semi auto pistol makes sense...

I would rather draw from the pocket and hit the right place .... there are a few drills you can practise to make it less obvious that that is your intended course of action .... but what you feel good with is the important thing ...no one really has the right answer when it boils down to it ... go with what feels best for you ....
 
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I'm with you guys on the J-frames. They are great carry guns. However, the OP is specifically asking about the SP-101 which is a totally different animal.

Foremost, the Ruger has a much heavier, beefier frame. This doesn't bode well for pocket carry vs. the J frame. The J is a concealment King. But I must say that shooting .357's from a SP-101 are just dreamy. The extra weight is welcomed by my hand. Most folks feel that shooting the same load from a J-frame are about like hitting your hand with a hammer. :eek:

They may shoot the same caliber, but comparing a J frame to a SP-101 isn't really apples to apples. More like apples to grapefruits. Both are fantastic, but different. Like knife steel, every gun and caliber has it's places where it shines... and places where it doesn't. It is all about compromises. ;)

BTW... that MC Hammer pic made me vomit a lil bit in my mouth.... :barf::barf::barf:
 
I used to ankle carry a S&W Chief's special .38 for a backup. It had a hammer and I liked it :thumbup: Then one night I dropped it on the locker room floor and instantly became hammer-less :thumbdn: :grumpy: :eek: I don't have a preference now :foot:
 
Let me start by saying that I am a decent, but in no way an expert shot, with a handgun. I owned a Ruger SP101 and a S&W 642. When I shot them side by side, the S&W was easily twice as accurate as the Ruger (3.5" groups at 25 yards compared to 7"). I said I wasn't an expert. I carried the S&W daily, but I never carried the Ruger. A couple of years ago, I sold the 642 and bought a 340 M&P. I now carry the 340 daily in a pocket holster, in my front pants pocket. If you decide to carry this way, there are some safety concerns that you should address. First, never put anything in the pocket with your gun. Keep your pockets clean and lint free. Inspect your gun before you put it in your pocket and when you take it out. Finally, get a good pocket holster that is made to fit your gun. JMHO. Stay safe.
 
What kdstrick says is true. The SP-101 is a lot easier to shoot in .357 than the 340 M&P. It took me alot of practice, before I felt comfortable carrying the 340M&P loaded with .357. It is a beast to shoot.
 
I have carried my spurless Sp101 in .357 for about 8 years now. I do carry it front pocket on occasion (in a holster), and it works fine. I would not recommend any tumbling or anything. It does make it much quicker to present if you already have a hand near your pocket, or even in the pocket. I also have an inside the waist band holster. It gets a lot of ankle carry as well (not as quick to retrieve, but with long pants on it is convenient).

I have done a few extremely minor things to it. I deburred the hammer face, and broke the corners a bit. One problem with it is if you get fabric (ie shirt material) in between the hammer when it goes click, it can be very hard to get out. You can't pull the trigger again, because it has not returned to battery, and the shirt can be hard to get out because the sharp edges on the inside of the hammer. I also broke a few more edges that were cut a bit sharp.

It is a very very strong revolver. It is a pleasure to shoot even with hot heavy loads, due to the weight. Shooting full power loads through super lights is not pleasant. But they are much more convenient to carry.

I can empty the .357 with full power loads very fast one handed with no worry of it being uncontrollable, even with 158 grain loads.

It is probably the best value in a gun around.

Of course I love Ruger 10-22s, Blackhawks, and especially MarkI, II, III's etc.

The grip on the sp101 is also different from most revolvers. It is a "stick" type tang or grip. You can put all kinds of different custom grips, and you are not limited to the size of the grip frame like on many guns.

Customizers also can do really cool stuff with them. They are super stout.
http://www.geminicustoms.com/RugerServices.htm
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Wow, sorry those were not that size when I linked them.


Even Bowen offers custom work on them (specalizes in custom hand cannon conversions of Rugers etc)

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As for myself, I wouldn't have a hammerless revolver. Been shooting a long time and have always wanted the option of a lighter shorter trigger pull.
Bobbed is fine.
 
G19G26 said:
Tim, you bought a Glock 26 yet? That would settle this once and for all!
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No, the only Glock I have had was a 27 and it had too much recoil flip to it, so I traded it for a Colt Commander a long time ago. I have plenty of autos and wanted a wheel gun.

.
 
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