Ruger LCR or S&W Airweight?

[mhl6493]

I appreciate all the input on my previous question about the Ruger and M&P 22.  I've pretty much decided that, money being as tight as it is, I can't justify the 22 right now.  I first need to get my carry gun, then maybe down the line spring for the 22.  

 

Which leads to my next question.  Since I kind of have a thing for revolvers, I'm leaning toward either the Ruger LCR or the Smith and Wesson Airweight, both in .38 rather than the .357 versions.  +P will probably be the strongest thing I want to shoot out of something this light.  It will most likely either be carried in my pocket or on my ankle -- for me, those seem to be the best options.  I've held both at a lgs, and I like and dislike different aspects of each.  I haven't been able to actually shoot either one, which I really want to do before I make my final decision.

 

That being said, I'm looking for opinions on each from those who own one or the other.  What has your experience been?  Which do you think would work better for pocket and/or ankle carry?  Overall, which would you recommend?

 

Thanks again for putting up with all my newbie questions.  I'm glad to have a forum of knowledgeable folks that I can rely on.  

[nightrunner]

Id opt for the S&W personally. No real reason other than I prefer metal especially in a revolver and the LCR is just ugly IMO.

My experience has been with a S&W M&P340, which is a scandium frame (very light) .357mag. Wasnt a problem for me, but might be for some. Edited May 3, 2014 by nightrunner

[mhl6493]

Id opt for the S&W personally. No real reason other than I prefer metal especially in a revolver and the LCR is just ugly IMO.

 

Thanks.  The looks of the LCR was definitely one of the negatives to me.  Form is secondary to function obviously, but wow, form definitely is a factor.  So you would opt for the steel Smith over the alloy version?  Would the added weight have any effect on pocket/ankle carry, in your opinion?  

[nightrunner]

Ankle i dont think it would affect as much but for pocket carry, weight is huge, get as light as you can afford. Some of the super light Smiths are expensive.

If you carry alot and shoot little, get airweight. If you shoot alot and carry little, go steel unless you belt carry then get anything.

[leroy]

Here is another vote for the  S & W "j" frame; but with a bit of a twist... I've got two of them; an all steel (...model 36...) and an airweight hammerless... The triggers on the S & W's can be worked on if ya need to, and parts are readily available...

 

I would strongly recommend that ya learn to shoot whatever ya decide on double action; that's the best way for defensive shootin...

 

Something else to consider is that the "plus P" ammo out of a lightweight revolver will be teeth jarring...   If

i wuz gonna opt for a "Plus P" type revolver, it would be a all steel S & W, or a Ruger SP101 (...which i like a lot...)...

 

All that being said, I like the airweights with regular 38 special loads (...158 grain semiwadcutters or full wadcutters...) as they shoot well and are easy to carry... There's lots of bad (...and good...) guys layin in the graveyard after being shot dead with the lowly 38 special... It was the "standard" police carry gun for lots of years... It's highly underrated...

 

Good luck...

 

leroy

[nightrunner]

Ankle i dont think it would affect as much but for pocket carry, weight is huge, get as light as you can afford. Some of the super light Smiths are expensive.

If you carry alot and shoot little, get airweight. If you shoot alot and carry little, go steel unless you belt carry then get anything.

[cannoncocker]

I own more than a few Smith's, including 2 air weights.  I also own a Ruger SP 101 in .357, an SP 101 in .22 rimfire and a Redhawk in .44 Magnum.  I do not own, nor have I fired, a LCR.  The Ruger's are fine guns.  However, it has been my experience,  the Ruger's each needed $100.00 of action tuning to match the out of the box action I received with my Smith's.

 

Don't overlook a Smith Model 60 J frame in .357.  I would much rather shoot .38 +P in a steel gun stout enough to handle .357 than +P in an air weight.

[mhl6493]

I own more than a few Smith's, including 2 air weights.  I also own a Ruger SP 101 in .357, an SP 101 in .22 rimfire and a Redhawk in .44 Magnum.  I do not own, nor have I fired, a LCR.  The Ruger's are fine guns.  However, it has been my experience,  the Ruger's each needed $100.00 of action tuning to match the out of the box action I received with my Smith's.

 

Don't overlook a Smith Model 60 J frame in .357.  I would much rather shoot .38 +P in a steel gun stout enough to handle .357 than +P in an air weight.

 

Thanks.  I'd prefer a stainless steel platform to that of either polymer or alloy.  My only concern is the added weight for either pocket (especially) or ankle carry.  If I could pull it off, it would be great.  Either a Smith Model 60 or 640, or a Ruger SP101, or something like that would be nice if doable.  I just have some serious concerns about the doability factor.  Anybody regularly ankle or pocket carry a SS revolver successfully? 

Edited May 3, 2014 by mhl6493

[nightrunner]

Ankle i dont think it would affect as much but for pocket carry, weight is huge, get as light as you can afford. Some of the super light Smiths are expensive.

If you carry alot and shoot little, get airweight. If you shoot alot and carry little, go steel unless you belt carry then get anything.

[greenego]

I pocket carry an SP-101. Did change the style of pants & shorts I wear to Tru-Spec 24-7. I shot the lighter revolvers. Too much recoil for me.

[three5seven]

Google this topic, read articles, read other forums, and watch some videos. There's a lot of info out there comparing these guns. 

 

My subjective observation: the LCR trigger beats the snot out of any right out of the box plain jane J-Frame D/A trigger. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't shot them side-by-side. I can't vouch for the new LCRx's S/A compared to a Smith.

 

I think of the LCR like a Glock. It is a fugly reliable gun made to do a job and it works. Although I wouldn't make a habit out of shooting .357's out of an LCR, I actually like the couple of extra ounces in weight in the .357 to help tame .38+P loads. I don't think there is much, if any, advantage to shooting .357 rounds out of a 1.875 snubby. But recoil with certain .357 loads isn't as bad in the LCR as one might think. Also, I like having full ammo compatibility with multiple firearms.    

 

It took me a long time to get it in my head that a revolver could be made of plastic. The LCR isn't "pretty." Most Smith J-Frames have a sexy look about them. I think the LCR does as well but in a weird utilitarian type of way. Besides looks, the only real downside to the LCR is the ability to find holsters to fit the trigger guard.  

 

This is a Coke/Pepsi argument. You can't go wrong with either but my vote goes to the Ruger.    

[Patton]

Lots of fairly accurate information has already been provided, I have several Smith & Wesson revolvers and a LCR 38(the wife's). I pick the Smiths over the LCR solely based on aesthetics, nostalgia, and availability of holsters and grips. My only performance complaint on the LCR is that it is easy to short stroke the trigger. I may have noticed a slight bit of accuracy increase with a LCR over airweight.

I prefer an all steel like a 36/40/60/49/640 with a 640 or 940 being my preference over the airweights. The 15oz vs 20oz is noticeable by it makes it such a better shooter. My old 640 was like shooting a target gun compared to a 642. Airweights are not fun to shoot but carry well, but so do 20-22oz all steel j frames. I had the itch for a sp101, which is a fine gun, but I thought a 64 snub nosed gave me one more shot, weighed and was sized about the same, and lastly the 357mag out of a short barrel is not worth doing. I really wish I would have kept my 640 instead of going to the 6shot 64. Edited May 3, 2014 by Patton

[Steelharp]

IMO... the Ruger, hands down. The trigger is SO much better than ANY Smith snubbie trigger, it's ridiculous. It's light, accurate, costs less; I wouldn't even look at a S&W after the Ruger.

[mhl6493]

Lots of fairly accurate information has already been provided, I have several Smith & Wesson revolvers and a LCR 38(the wife's). I pick the Smiths over the LCR solely based on aesthetics, nostalgia, and availability of holsters and grips. My only performance complaint on the LCR is that it is easy to short stroke the trigger. I may have noticed a slight bit of accuracy increase with a LCR over airweight.

I prefer an all steel like a 36/40/60/640 with a 640 or 940 being my preference over the airweights. The 15oz vs 20oz is noticeable by it makes it such a better shooter. My old 640 was like shooting a target gun compared to a 642. Airweights are not fun to shoot but carry well, but so do 20-22oz all steel j frames. I had the itch for a sp101, which is a fine gun, but I thought a 64 snub nosed gave me one more shot, weighed and was sized about the same, and lastly the 357mag out of a short barrel is not worth doing. I really wish I would have kept my 640 instead of going to the 6shot 64.

 

Thanks.  So you think ankle/pocket carrying something like a 640 or SP101 is doable?  I spend most of the day sitting at my desk - not a lot of physical activity -- so the weight might not be as big a deal for me.  I really don't want to make drastic wardrobe changes, though.  I wear a lot of casual slacks/dress slacks, and jeans every now and then.  

[Raoul]

I Shot an  Air weight yesterday. IMHO I can't imagine that as my carry piece. Why punish yourself every time you pull the trigger. And I thought the trigger pull sucked. If you have to have a revolver I'd recommend the Model 60. I have one and I'd much rather shoot it. Much easier to shoot.

That being said I carry a Kahr PM40. I'd rather shoot it over either revolver. ymmv

[frankmako]

both guns are good guns and will do what you want.  throw a dart and which one it hits will work. 

[mhl6493]

both guns are good guns and will do what you want.  throw a dart and which one it hits will work. 

 

Thanks.  It very well may come down to a simple matter of price and availability when I'm ready to buy.

[musicman]

Strongly disagree with the perception that the Ruger trigger is better than the Smith trigger. Of course, all of us (especially me) are just forum jockeys so who really cares what we say. I have owned both... I still have the Smith double action revolvers. No more Rugers. The nice thing about the Smith guns is that you can just about find anything you want from Scandium to Aluminum to Steel for whatever you deem to be a good balance of weight for shooting comfort vs light for carry comfort. They offer more options between the nice but heavy SP101 and the light butt ugly LCR.

I am not very recoil sensitive. 357s out of a steel snubbie don't bother me, but even I can't take more than a cylinder of hot 357s from a Scandium gun. 38 +p, on the other hand, is fine by me no matter what platform it comes flying out of. More than anything, +p seems just a bit louder with a touch more snap.

As others have said, you also have a lot more aftermarket holster/accessory options with the country's #1 carry gun for decades running, the S&W J frame.

That's this forum jockey's useless opinion. ;-)

[graycrait]

I've owned 3 LCRs, 2 SP101s, "airweights" both aluminum and titanium and a couple of S&W 60s.  I can do a fair action job on SP101s and S&Ws.  I also took a class one time where we fired around 400 rds of .38spl which I split between LCR and S&W.  I prefer the S&W, although the Rugers run fine. At the end of the day though I prefer semi-auto for a save your bacon gun. The difference between a LCR and lets say a S&W 442 isn't much.  I think the S&W has a shorter trigger stroke, but out of the box the LCR is smoother.  I think the S&W carries a bit "slicker" and seems smaller than than the LCR but that is mostly grip. If you are bound and determined to have a snubbie it would be a good idea to do some fast shooting in whichever revolver you plan on getting before you purchase.  

[mhl6493]

Strongly disagree with the perception that the Ruger trigger is better than the Smith trigger. Of course, all of us (especially me) are just forum jockeys so who really cares what we say. I have owned both... I still have the Smith double action revolvers. No more Rugers. The nice thing about the Smith guns is that you can just about find anything you want from Scandium to Aluminum to Steel for whatever you deem to be a good balance of weight for shooting comfort vs light for carry comfort. They offer more options between the nice but heavy SP101 and the light butt ugly LCR.

I am not very recoil sensitive. 357s out of a steel snubbie don't bother me, but even I can't take more than a cylinder of hot 357s from a Scandium gun. 38 +p, on the other hand, is fine by me no matter what platform it comes flying out of. More than anything, +p seems just a bit louder with a touch more snap.

As others have said, you also have a lot more aftermarket holster/accessory options with the country's #1 carry gun for decades running, the S&W J frame.

That's this forum jockey's useless opinion. ;-)

 

Definitely have more options.  That's a good thing, but I have to admit, it can sometimes get confusing.  642/442/640/60/36, etc -- hard to keep it all straight when you're trying to figure out what you want.

[nightrunner]

It takes a triple PHD to understand Smith and Wessons number system ;)

[Radlink54]

I agree with musicman... I have several j/k/l frames and I have and shoot a ruger lcr 357. And multiple small 380/9 mm semi autos. IF you want a revolver for carry I find the trigger and overall utility of the smith j frames to be superior to the ruger. Actually I use my ruger to improve my trigger pull and trigger discipline. As noted by others it is really easy to short stroke this trigger, especially if you are shooting at the same time as semi-autos. On the other hand the light j frames are an handful, but personally I find the trigger much more predictable. I think a ruger lcr would work fine if you practice dry fire with snap caps and understand the limits to the trigger pull and long reset. And as long as you are happy with any 5 shot option whether it is a smith, ruger, or other revolver. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Patton]

Thanks. So you think ankle/pocket carrying something like a 640 or SP101 is doable? I spend most of the day sitting at my desk - not a lot of physical activity -- so the weight might not be as big a deal for me. I really don't want to make drastic wardrobe changes, though. I wear a lot of casual slacks/dress slacks, and jeans every now and then.

First, there are several versions of the 640.  One is a 1.85", 2.125 and the other is a 3" all are pocketable but obviously the 1 7/8" is lighter and smaller(perfect in my opinion). There are several versions of sp101 and the smallest is still larger than the biggest 640, you really don't want to shoot 357 out of either of the ~2.25" barrels. The ejector rod is easily bent on the sp101 which is probably its biggest downfall, if you aren't going to be doing tactical emergency reloads it doesn't much matter.

Another thing, I only like the shrouded hammer/body guards as collectors (model 638/38/49/649). You miss out on the best attributes of the chief special and you miss out on the best attributes of the centennial, without any gains.  The shrouds around the hammer act as a funnel for moisture and pocket debris, my grandfather told me stories of cops going out on the range to find the bodyguards locked up from standing out in the rain one day.  Coins love to find their way into the shrouded hammers.

I don't know if it would interest you but there are a few 327 Fed mag,6 shot j frames on the market.  You gain an extra shot, 357mag like performance with 38 like recoil, and the ability to shoot 327 fed mag, 32 h&r mag, 32 long, 32short, and 32acp(only use the 32acp for target practice as the primers often get weak strikes).

If you find a S&W cut for moon clips, in a 3" barrel, or a pro series just buy it. Older non MIM parts and no Hillary Hole (internal lock)often bring more money.

[Patton]

As far as ankle carry, while sitting it is great, while standing not so much. I can't do ankle carry, I have had back injuries and I am not super flexible. The weight doesn't bother people too bad, you really get used to it. There are thousands of people carrying 23oz revolvers or 30oz Glocks on their ankles without complaints.

[mhl6493]

As far as ankle carry, while sitting it is great, while standing not so much. I can't do ankle carry, I have had back injuries and I am not super flexible. The weight doesn't bother people too bad, you really get used to it. There are thousands of people carrying 23oz revolvers or 30oz Glocks on their ankles without complaints.

 

In a perfect world, I'd just get a 640 for ankle carry and airweight for my pocket...  :D