Subject: Seeking A revolver suitable for concealed carry and low trigger pull and low weight.
Specifically I’m concerned with recoil and a lower caliber for concealed carry see my note below.
Situation: I’m a disabled veteran with damage to my hands/arthritis/loss of strength. The additionally, I cannot tolerate the amount of recoil from a 45, so large calibers out.
I need comparative metrics to make revolver selections.
I’m seeking a revolver with lightweight and the caliber of 22/32/38. I need multiple copies.
Seeking A revolver suitable for concealed carry and low trigger pull and low weight.
Additionally, I would like your thoughts in a caliber. Are there are other revolvers you can recommend? Are their specific ammo loads recommended?
@Dan51 welcome aboard! Did 24 in the Navy brother.
You have a fairly extensive list of limitations. To that end I would be looking at mid size revolvers that will provide you a “hand filling experience” which will compensate to some degree for your loss of hand strength. As far as revolvers go I am fond of the Ruger Security or speed Six or even a GP-1000 as a mid size hand filling revolver.
I have never taken a shine to S&W as I always thought there was too much going on inside. Colt’s are a bit spendy.
The problem with low weight is that the recoil becomes unbearable. It is better to have a heavier gun that fills your hand and allows you to use arm strength in CONJUNCTION with your hands. Trigger pull obviously can be adjusted from heavy to nothing. Trigger Shoes, (I think they still make them) can be added to multiply trigger finger pressure across a wider plane.
You may find a heavier GP-100 in a 2 or 4" barrel loaded with 38 SPCL or +P+ or even 357 Magnum may be your hot ticket as it is a bit heavy to reduce recoil, fills your hand better than a “Saturday night special” and offers you more “ooomphff” than a 32. When it comes down to it, you will only need one or two rounds a cylinder offers you the ability to select your statement.
Revolvers aside there are a few new pistola’s out there that are built to address low “racking” pressure in 9mm and 380 but I am not very familiar with them, something about “EZ”. I’m learning though because my wife is now interested and she has poor hand strength. She was able to successfully rack a Sig 365 (I think) which the gun monger reported as one of the “stiffer” auto’s. She CAN NOT rack my EDC 1911 Officers Model in her current condition with two shoulder injuries.
Your options may be more varied than you give yourself credit for. A hand filling 9mm/380/40S&W auto w/ a shorter barrel may be better than the long double action pull of a revolver.
Maybe look for an older Beretta semi auto with the tilt barrel—no racking of the slide necessary but you do have to cock the hammer for the first shot—single action so the trigger pull can be very light and Beretta made alloy frames for light weight (70A, I’m thinking, but I’m not up on models) fairly common in.380 and .32, but they haven’t been made in awhile so it’ll be a bit of a hunt.
No other semi auto I know of has the tilt barrel feature and I recall them being popular with people suffering from arthritis for that reason.
For revolvers, a .32 would be very low in recoil. A steel J frame may be light enough for you, maybe not. I don’t think S&W made alloy .32s but I could be wrong.
The old Colt Police Positive(not Police Positive Splecial) frames were also very lightweight for steel, but then you’d be looking at a 60 year old gun!
High Standard made the Sentinel awhile back, a.22(also .22 magnum) I think an 8 shot and alloy frame. I know of at least one old boy who still depends on his for SD and really likes it.
Dan51, your service to the country speaks volumes of your charcter, thank you.
Moving to the next problem, light weight, low recoil, revolver.
My first suggestion would be a J frame S&W in 38, with some of the defenceive ammo that is out this can be a real show stopper. The J frames can be had with or without an exposed hammer. DAO will have a higher trigger pull than DA or SA(exposed hammer).
The only problem that I see is the side flame burst from a revolver, being a short barrel you must be careful of your hand placement.
I will suggest a .380 Cal in one of the new EZ models, again with the correct ammo this can even the playing field, low weight, very thin, concelablity is great. Not to mention reload is quicker with the semi-auto.
Best thing to do is to try each or many if you can, rent them try them buy the one that works.
Not necessarily about ergonomics. But I was at range today and guy came in with a revolver ticked into his back of his pants and the only retention was a bunch of rubber bands around the handle. Pointed it out to RSO. They made him disarm and empty the revolver.
Ruger has a 327 LCR revolver… you could load it with one of the lower powered .32 loads. I don’t know how easy it would be for you to find ammo though.
Are you dead set on a wheel gun? A small 380 like a Sig 238, M&P 380 EZ, or a Browning 1911-380 might be a good option. If it is to be a revolver, a Ruger SP101, in either .357(you can use .38’s) or even in 9 mm. It’s heavy enough to mitigate recoil, but, not too heavy to carry in a quality holster and belt. If you want a .22, a Ruger LCRX would be how I’d go. 8 rounds of .22, or 6 of .22 Magnum.
I have an LCR in .38. It has a very smooth trigger and with some low recoil ammunition is quite manageable for my old hands. I will admit 100 rounds will beat your hands up. I wear shooting gloves and have some Pachmayr grips that help considerably at the range.