Evolution of the Smith & Wesson Snub Nose
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- The first Smith & Wesson J-frame revolver hit the market in 1950, but the basic design it's derived from goes all the way back to 1896. There's a lot to learn from looking at how this iconic concealed carry favorite has changed and evolved over time -- in some ways, it's a window into the changes in defensive shooting doctrine over the years. This video isn't a catalog of every technical change made to S&W snubbies in the last century -- it's more about the "whys" behind those changes.
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My grandfather daily carried an 2" I frame .32 S&W Long (very much like the one in this video) but it had a smooth trigger and a "Tyler T Grip" adapter to make it more suited for double action shooting, Oh and he "bobbed" the hammer.
I appreciate this channel. Of the gun channels I've found, yours is the most comprehensive and intuitive. As a new gun owner who loves revolvers, I learned a lot from this. Been considering getting a snub nose, your break down of the different types of frames and grips was really informative.
When I was a police officer in the mid-1980's, a Smith and Wesson Model 38 Airweight Bodyguard with nickel finish rode in my ankle holster or coat pocket (in winter) as my secondary gun. It felt good to know it was "on-duty" with me.
I began a career in law enforcement in 1973. The S&W Model 40 Centennial was my first CC/off duty revolver. Later I added a S&W M19 with 2.5" barrel. I still have that beautiful revolver but it is a bit too heavy and big to conceal under light clothes, so it no longer gets carried very much. When the Model 640 in stainless came out, I bought one and retired my Model 40. Now I am retired and still carry everyday and my current "most days carry" gun is a Model 642. I always liked the concealed hammer design and now prefer the light weight 642. I have many other CC handguns, autoloaders and revolvers, from .32 ACP to .45 ACP and everything in between, but the S&W J frame .38 snubbie has been my "go to" carry gun for more than 45 years. I still have all three, but the 642 is my everyday "using gun" now. I carry it in a DeSantis OWB leather holster, under an un-tucked shirt. It is outfitted with small Rosewood checkered grips and a black aluminum Tyler "T-Grip" grip adapter, something I have not been without since the 1970s.
For decades the J frame 5 shot DA revolver was S&W's top seller by far. 💲📈🗂...
I’ve carried/shot all my J frames set up the same way since 1968 when I began my career (retired 30 years later) and see no reason to change anything today.
What's a Tyler T grip
@@craigfinley2507 The greatest invention ever! Far better than lasers, red dots and weapons lights for self defense handguns.
RUclips doesn't allow me to add links, so just put it in an eBay or Amazon search.
Get some soon. Thank me later.
MY GOD!! WERE WAS THIS GUY? How after being studying guns for 3 years, I just bump on this guy now? This channel is a gem!
I only found him because another gun site mentioned that he did such a great video on a topic he said just go watch his video. I have nothing to add to what he said.
I always feel smarter after watching Lucky Gunner.
I just wanna say thank you guys for running such a professional channel and website. I will never again by ammo from anywhere else. Keep up the goodwork!!!
Solid and informative, as always! Thx and keep it up!
I own several J frames and my favorite carry J frame is the model 638 bodyguard. The shrouded hammer allow shooting from a pocket, yet the gun retains the signal action capability.
I appreciate the style of your presentation-- simple, direct and to the point without extra words.
I have a 38 special j frame from 1960 and a colt police positive 38 special from 1912 love them both
Eu tenho um 38 especial,mod 80 Taurus 2"6 tiros,,,,espelhado no Colt detetive,,,,🇧🇷👍
I have a .32 cal colt police positive. And when he was talking about finger location, I thought about my hair line fx on my trigger finger.
There is a lot of good gun content on RUclips. Lucky Gunner is the best of the best.
You are simply outstanding. I can’t wait to watch the rest of the series!
I have a .32 Colt Police Positive that I absolutely adore, so I'll be keeping my eye out for an older I-Frame like yours.
LOVE this revolver series. Keep up the great work here, this channel ROCKS!!
Man, are you a refreshing NKD (non knuckle-dragger). When my ex-wife and I were dividing up our late dads' firearms (yeah, I know), I acquired an S&W Model 10 with a 2-in. barrel, which sparked my interesrt in smaller revolvers. Your channel's a great resource. Thank you!
Always love the Lucky Gunner videos.
Glad pocket pistol series isn't done yet.
I absolutely agree with the kudos given to Lucky Gunner. I watch a lot of LG videos twice because there is so much good info.
THANK YOU LG FOR NOT WASTING OUR TIME WITH A LONG INTRO!!!!
I carry a Smith and Wesson 340 everyday and all day. I've got both the M&P and the PD versions. If I'm carrying just one it is usually the M&P. My primary goes in a horse hide and Kydex AIWB hybrid that I made for it. The secondary goes on my ankle or in a pocket. My main reason for going with the 340s over the 642 is the ability to add an XS Big Dot sight to them.
Totally agree, I hate sitting through big, dramatic, movie-like intros on YT. Mostly made to stroke the egos of their creators but lost on me.
Prob been my fav series y'all have done yet, thanks guys 👍. Lotta great info.
Really appreciate your overall series on the many varieties of smaller handguns. Thank You!
Another great video! I saw my dad get shot in the shoulder with a S&W .32 long many years ago. He survived but it was close. Anyone that thinks these guns are no good just don't know. Many thousands have met their ends from being on the wrong end of a .32.
Pablo Enrique you bet, its bullet placement. Where I live I feel very protected with my Walther PPK/S
You got that right Pablo. For up close social work, not one thing wrong with 32acp ball ammo. You need to have a fine filter with things spoken about here in the cyber world, then always use two filters
Pablo Enrique Glad to hear dads ok
Some years ago when I worked for FN we had an retired SGM who studied firearms fatalities. One night he asked the group "what caliber has killed more men than any other?" Lots of reasonable guesses, but none correct. The answer was .32!
I never ever felt undergund while carrying a .32 anything’ whether it was a 1903 colt pocket model or a Smith and Wesson .32 hand ejector’ anyone who says it’s not effective I dare them to stand in front of it’ Stopping power is a myth’ I’ve seen 250lbs of raging angry drugged up creeps dropped by a lowly .22 short to 110lbs of raging animal angry men take 7 shots from a .45 and walk into a hospital E.R.’ That myth is shattered’ the only differences in any of those cases was bullet placement’ I’d take a guy who knows his way around a .32 ppk or similar auto or same caliber revolver any day of the week and twice on Sunday over a guy with a 16 inch naval gun who couldn’t hit the earth if he was standing on it, all comes down too shot placement’ any caliber fired with accuracy into the central pumpkin’ will drop em’ all day long,
Absolutely LOVE this pocket pistol series!
excellent video as always. Interesting and informative. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Love my 637-2 Airweight S&W snubbie. Thanks for doing a J frame highlight. Great video and awesome channel.
The J Frame snub has stood the test of time because it is the most instinctively easy to use in a panic situation by a newbie or expert can be shot from a pocket or even pressed against an attacker and can be counted on to fire.While I still like my autos I still won't sell my snubs anytime soon.
For a gun that I intend to slip into a pocket, the J-frame is the king. 5 shots of .38 special in a super reliable platform beats out a 9mm that doesn't like to run in the same size.
@@RaderizDorrety lcp max has been extremely reliable with 12x 9mm rds.
The only firearm I ever returned was a Taurus .38 revolver that jammed randomly 🤷♂️
I do trust the SW bodyguard .38 I replaced the Taurus with my life though, but rather carry 12 rds on a slimmer more pocket friendly pistol package.
I love these videos. Great work as usual!!!
Being a person with a love of revolvers during the cooler seasons, I sure learned a lot. Thank you for the history lesson. And yes, the smooth triggers are indeed a blessing as I seldom shoot SA. Be well and safe
Good stuff, Keep it coming. Thank you.
Love these history episodes. Well done.
Outstanding video - a lot of great information!
Great review and history of the J frame. I love my 642 Airweight. It has been one of my all time favorite off duty carry guns, and has also served me as a BUG while on duty.
One of the best channels on RUclips. 👍
I love the feel of the trigger on a double action Smith & Wesson
I think the K/L/N frame trigger design is superior to the J frame trigger, but do agree with you and think both are very nice triggers. However, have you ever played with an old Colt DA revolver? As much as I love my S&W M69, I handled a Python and the the Double Action pull was just a delight. I always thought it was just myth about how the Colt triggers were perfect, but man, I will tell you the DA Colt pull is miles above S&W. The Python was around 5lbs DA and there was zero stacking. SA i would say I like my M69 better, but it's not stock. And it's possible the Python I saw had some work done. Issue is that I'm not willing to pay $3000 for a revolver.
The new J frames suck in d/a mode. S & W has always made a fine s/a trigger, but who would use that in a d/a gun?
If we’re talking J-frame here, I find the Ruger LCR noticeably better. (And, yes, I own both....)
I tried Colt revolver once I wasn't happy, colt's cylinder have you to pull back while S&W has a push button.
Also S&W seems to have a friendly smoother trigger.
The new taurus revolvers have better triggers in single and double action IMO.
Model 36 king of Kings imo
Thank you Sir. Informative and very helpful like everything on this channel.
Love this channel and the videos!
Thank you for another superb video. Your channel is consistently awesome. Keep up the great work brother.
I love revolvers and especially J frames. Carry one daily.
With one bullet in your pocket? 😆
Like the profile picture 😎👍
@Nick That’s a nice set up and enough to get home alive.
@Nick I like your set up. The AR is a great setup but by no means is it the end all be all. I have a Henry lever chambered in 357 as my home defense rife. I feel very good about that accompanied by my SW model 66.
@Nick love them or hate them the Glock is a great handgun. I settled on a G30 years ago. That’s my so called SHTF piece.
@Nick yeah I just shot it better than the others. I do like the 45acp
Great info thanks for sharing! I enjoy a few old revolvers in my collection but the model 60, still my favorite. Great stuff here!!👍🏼
Awesome episode !!!! Also thanks for the knowledge about S&W revolvers.
Another great video. Love the history of these old guns.
I'm a big fan of the S&W revolvers. I have a small collection of models 10, 15 and other models. Thanks for the presentation.
I really enjoy the production and professionalism of your videos.
As always awesome job and very informative keep up the great work
Thanks for the history my brother! Subscribed!
"The cops call a .32 a woman's gun because it's easy to handle, don't do the damage a .38 does. But ya know it does enough. "
Love the irishman movie
Yes it was, but there very accurate ~ I would love one
Plus, it may not kill you immediately, but it will leave you paralyzed and broke 😂
The woman you mean?
32 Caliber is the Best Caliber
An excellent video. I really appreciate all the research you do for these videos. And I like those old advertisements.
I own a S&W model 37 and 638. Both are great revolvers! Thanks for the content!!
Great video! Loved this information. Thank you.
Great video, thank you for covering pocket revolvers.
Great video and information about 38 special. Thanks
Nice bit of history there and congrats on snagging an I-frame. You really don't see those around in used gun counters often.
My first S&W was a model 638-2 (pre-lock). The bodyguard. I actually dig the form factor because sometimes you want that single action shot. Later on, I was made aware of the model 649 in .357 Magnum. It's a solid chunk of steel and a good 7oz heavier than the 638. It's in the same form factor except it has a bull barrel on it that is a ¼" longer, so it doesn't fit my Kramer pocket holster for the 638. Another feature it has is a pinned front sight. I replaced the front ramp sight with an XS big dot tritium sight. It is quicker to pick up, but it is also less precise. The extra mass of the revolver makes shooting hot +P ammo more comfortable. I've shot 180gr Remington .357 Magnum HTP through it. I don't recommend doing a lot of that. In spite of the extra weight over the 638, the 649 is my pocket revolver of choice.
As I'm sure you've discovered by now (I don't know if you did a video on it), retrieving a J-Frame revolver from a pocket is *much* easier and faster than any semi-auto because you have that large grip to grab onto. Obviously five rounds is a limitation many people can't live with, but if you need more than three 38s, you can have two 357s in there. I've heard them referred to as aces in that context. Great video.
PS: Running Fiocchi 142gr 357 Magnum FMJ ammo is a great way to attract attention at an indoor range. You can feel it in your chest. And, after 100 rounds, you get to show your torn blood blister on the web of your hand to people. Yeah, I'm not doing that again. But I proved to myself I could shoot both right and left handed and center punch the target at 7 yards with magnums in a J-Frame.
@Keanu It really is.
Great stuff once Again!👍
Very informative and well made video. As always!
I read a shooting book from the 20s, the author accused smith and wesson of stealing the grips off of old coffee pots
Keep up the good work. You put out great material.
That 32 S&W would be awesome to own. What a piece of history right there. Bought a used 442 rcently..looking for a nice used Chief Special for my father. Hes always wanted one . love this whole series, i keep watching them over lol
Wow, what an excellent review / history lesson. Thanks.
What an interesting video!!! 😎 Keep up the brilliant work with the smoking content guys 👌🏾
Love my passed down .38 J frame. Fits perfect in the small of the back for a backup firearm.
Hey Bill
I loved this video. Very informative. Thank you
Very informative easy to listen to. Thanks keep up the good work.
Great video. I have alotta love for the old J Frames
Those model 30 hand ejectors are works of art.
Good vid.
Very informative
Great review! I learned a lot.
Pretty straightforward practical handgun education ..and history should be included. Well done . Thanks
Another great video I learn more from your videos than any other 👍
I have a mint 1957 Model 36. I do carry it occasionally, but usually carry my 1973 Model 60. Great Video!
Outstanding video!
liking the new ending. great content as always
Great video.. Always give great info.
Lucky Gunner is the most under rated RUclipsr out there
After Paul Harrell
Zero clickbait. Bucketfuls of information, awesome host and a great topic! Guns! :p
This dude Does Not even come close to Mr. Harrell and never will.
To be fair, Mr harrel isn’t human 😂
To be "fair", what is He?
Great information. Very helpful. Thanks!
Sorry I did not come across Lucky Gunner sooner. I can actually understand every word and my interest did not fade.
Great vid! I learned a few things!
Excellent video!
This is a really nice pistol, I kept one in pocket for years, I was doing security at a club and it’s really nice 👍🏽 👍🏽💯
I love 32, I was hoping with the advent of 327 fed mag that the market would have introduced more than it did, specifically a good modern target revolver but alas it was focused on CC, 32 seems to be very accurate and a great small game cartridge
Very informative video. I have a older blued Bodyguard and the details about the trigger grooves and the reasons for the smaller grip panels was very interesting.
Great review, as usual. Ty.
This was an incredible history lesson. Much enjoyed
Thank you- always a good to great educational experience.
I learned a lot from this video thankyou.
Great presentation Sir!
Yes!! More revolver videos!
very enjoyable and informative. thanks
This has been a great series.
My grandmother died and I got her Chief's Special. It's one of the originals with the flat latch. HE had bought it for her because he was a truck driver and was often gone for days at a time. She replaced the original grips with these cheap plastic one that she wrapped in electrical tape. I cleaned the gun up and replaced the grips with mahogany panel grips
It’s always great to see some vintage wheel gun love.
Great subject. Very well done.
Awesome video and very informative as always! I'm a big fan of the S&W Model 60 or the 649 J frame.
Great summary of the Smith and Wesson snub nose guns.
excellent video. Thank you.
Great video. Thank you.
Oh I know it’s old folk to you but anything that is new about the pistols we have. I love watching the info about different pistols most I have and teaches me how to field strip. That’s the best thing. Way to go god bless America.
I love the S&W .32 revolvers. The one like yours became the 30-1 (there was a 31-1 which has a square butt and is the only time S&W ever used a model number to show something as minor as a grip profile change).
Several years back, while still and active LEO, I developed some rather severe osteo arthritis (Oddly, I'm 10 years older now but overall much better ... which speaks volumes for the demand of the job). Anyway, Shooting (something I practiced a LOT) was frankly too painful for a while. I was always enamored with the .32 S&W Long (and .32 acp) and my department had a .32 Long S&W 31-1 in inventory which I got issued as a BUG/OD piece. Meanwhile, I kept seeing these S&W 30-1 J-frame snubs and badly wanted one as I much prefer the round butt grip (square butt may be better for shooting ... maybe ... but the roundbutt carries better). Only whoever had them was VERY proud of them and I saw ridiculous prices. Well, in my time of need (very tender hands and all) I found a VG condition S&W 30-1 and got it for $200 out the door. Obviously it takes any S&W J-frame grips so I upgraded from the skinny wooden stocks and off I went. I shot everything from RNL to full wadcutters (which oddly tend to be the hottest load depending on manufacturer) and some 115 gr hard cast LSWC loads. I even found some .32 ACPs that would headspace well enough to be reliable. My old agency kept some boxes of high quality .32 acp for some of the backup guns others used and they (Gold Dots) worked 100% and were even accurate and did not stick in the chambers. But that depends heavily on brand and I didn't want to trust the variance from one lot to the next for my safety using a round for which the gun wasn't really chambered.
Anyway, I wound up choosing the 115 gr HCLFP rounds (Hard Cast Lead Flat Point) loaded by a now defunct manufacturer (but now Buffalo Bore makes what appears to be the same load) as my carry ammo. Deep penetration and in every medium I tested they yawed and even tumbled all the way through which produced a bigger profile than a hollow point would ... not that a JHP will expand at typical .32 S&W Long velocities anyway). Even those "heavy" loads were very mild (so mild my ex-wife, with her forearm held together with a plate and screws could shoot it). I've shot a lot of J-frames and carried various ones, and I know they can be surprisingly accurate but between the .32's accuracy and the very light recoil, I could shoot this tiny revolver not only accurately, but FAST and accurately. I'm a big believer, having seen what happens when bullets hit bodies, that insofar as handguns its 99% "Where" you hit them rather than "with what." Today I still tote that little J-frame sometimes and it remains my front room "go to" handgun in it's discreet case for in case trouble comes a-knocking.
If anyone decides to carry one (oh, and I also have a S&W Hand Ejector .32 I-frame with a 4" barrel ... I really like the I-frames), be aware not all ammo is created equal! I was once qualifying with mine and chose to use some inexpensive lead round nose ammo I'd found (I want to say Fiocchi, but it might have been S&B or another import). While doing course-required "draw and fire five shots as fast as possible" (course based on a 5-shot .38), my earplugs fell out and I (foolishly) continued the string of fire anyway. My ears did not ring. Now, I'm sure damage was done (they ring ALL the time now), and admittedly this was outside, but if those rounds were mild enough to not make my ears ring I can't help but think they would not have been the best for self-defense.
awesome!! thanks for the history lesson :)
About 5 years ago I shifted from my M&P Shield 9 mm to a 442 J Frame, and haven't looked back. It was supposed to be for summertime carry only, and then shift back to the Shield in the Autumn. However, I didn't specify Autumn of which year. Nothing wrong with the Shield. But the J Frame is just magical. The only thing I disagree with you on in this excellent video is the grips. I swapped out the original synthetic grips for the old classic checkered wood, and couldn't be happier.
To each his own Matthew. I personally would not trade the stock grips (butt or combat) on the Smith J's for any I've seen. The ultimate for comfort, durability, and low maintenance for me.
@@andyostertag We are in absolute agreement. I find the old classic wood stocks more comfortable, but the real reason I switched is I like how they look. It's all personal preference. 😀
@@andyostertag I have a 442 as well and just can't hit " the broad side of a barn" with it. Practice will hopefully make perfect.
@@BELCAN57 practice will teach you that the 1-7/8" barrel will be as accurate as you are. Please view the video from Silverado Shooting Academy on "Mastering the Handgun". Practice, then watch it again, and then practice some more. Wonderful insight on taming the reactive response within
Personally love that black version better
Love revolver and pocket reviews