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lcp vs snub .38

19436 Views 55 Replies 40 Participants Last post by  jamesky, 
M
My lcp has taken the place of my smith and taurus snub,I was wondering how many of you had done the same.it is much thinner and lighter than either revolver and with more ammo.
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HowardCohodas
matt said:
My lcp has taken the place of my smith and taurus snub,I was wondering how many of you had done the same.it is much thinner and lighter than either revolver and with more ammo.
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I am too new to carry for there to have been an upgrade like you. ;D However, several of shooters whom I respect and have been carrying for a long time are in the process of "qualifying" their LCP for EDC BUG to replace the wheel gun they have now.
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M
It is a trade off I guess,I went from a .357 S&W 60 to A .38 taurus 85,to the lcp .380.each time less weight and easier to carry.Thats not to say I wont ever carry my wheel guns again,its just that the lcp is easier to carry in the summer.
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C/O
The LCP is my daily carry. I carry it as a BUG to my SP101 or as a primary when clothing don't allow for the SP101 to be carried.
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ADP3
I've had my LCP for 2 months now and carried it daily. S&W just released some Model 642's without the lock so I ordered one. It shoots fine and is well finished but it weighs 5 ounces more than the LCP and is bulkier. I didn't think that it would carry as easily as the LCP and now I've confirmed my suspicion. It's more accurate than the LCP but not enough to matter in self defense. I like it but I'd rather carry the LCP. I'm going to sell the 642 and buying a second LCP.
Best Regards,
ADP3
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RobR369
I have never carried a snubby, but after carrying the lcp(especially in the summer). I believe it would be hard to carry anything else. If it wasnt for the weight of the ammo, I would forget I was carrying it.
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O
First of all I'm new to carrying. I have a Taurus .38 with the "shrouded" hammer. I thought briefly about carrying it but the size and weight of the LCP made it my #1 choice. If, for some reason, the LCP had to go in for repairs(Hopefully not) then I would use the snubbie until I got back my "P".
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P
I won't leave home without mine...........I think the LCP is the best thing since sliced bread and if you have thoughts about buying a Kel-Tec P-3AT, forget 'em. The LCP has the KT beat 3 to 1 in my opinion! I have both and am trying real hard to sell the Kel-Tec!

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R
I have several S&W J frames that I use for carry, I also carry (at times) Taurus Mill Pro .45, Glock 21 and KT P-32.

My LCP carrys and shoots very well (except for the barrel currently on its way to Ruger). My current feeling is that for my carry, the LCP will only replace, if anything, the P-32. I carry the handgun with the most firepower and best reliability that I can reasonably conceal (and sometimes I carry two.)

The attribute of the snubby that I value over all semi-autos is 99+% reliability. There are quite a few things that can cause a semi-auto to malfunction and relatively few that will cause a wheel gun to stop firing.

When I'm weighing concealability, reliability and firepower of my possible carry guns, the snubbies will remain in the mix for me.
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Ooben
matt said:
My lcp has taken the place of my smith and taurus snub,I was wondering how many of you had done the same.it is much thinner and lighter than either revolver and with more ammo.
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I don't think you gain that much going to a 38spl if you are using some of the hotter 380 loads. That's why the snubbie I carry is a 44spl, close to 45ACP performance in a 20oz revolver that I can almost stick in my front pocket.... :)
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D
Ooben said:
matt said:
My lcp has taken the place of my smith and taurus snub,I was wondering how many of you had done the same.it is much thinner and lighter than either revolver and with more ammo.
Click to expand...
I don't think you gain that much going to a 38spl if you are using some of the hotter 380 loads. That's why the snubbie I carry is a 44spl, close to 45ACP performance in a 20oz revolver that I can almost stick in my front pocket.... :)
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But I bet the recoil would be wicked during a ccw encounter.
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Ooben
djchristensen said:
But I bet the recoil would be wicked during a ccw encounter.
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Actually, the recoil is pretty aggressive anytime :) That's why I practice with my Bulldog more than any other weapon I own. I have to smile when I hear people say they can only shoot 50 rounds or so out of their LCP's before it starts hurting, it's all a matter of perception, I guess ;) Take a look at this link, notice the size difference between the 380 and 44, when you touch off one of those 44's in a 20oz handgun, you tend to notice..... :eek:

http://elsiepeaforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=44.0
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F
For me a key advantage of the LCP over any revolver is the reload. Not only is it much harder to carry a revolver speed loader, I sure wouldn't EVER want to try to do a real world emergency reload with one while my adrenalin is pumping! One hole is much easier to find than six without looking while you're feet are flying, in my humble opinion.
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Ooben
funbobby522 said:
For me a key advantage of the LCP over any revolver is the reload. Not only is it much harder to carry a revolver speed loader, I sure wouldn't EVER want to try to do a real world emergency reload with one while my adrenalin is pumping! One hole is much easier to find than six without looking while you're feet are flying, in my humble opinion.
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I agree completely! I have a hard enough time trying to use a speed loader at the range, I shudder thinking about doing that in a real life stressful encounter. That's another reason I practice so much with the revolver, I'm hoping that 1 or 2 solid hits with a 240 gr slug will take the fight out of anyone. I have heard many people say that the fastest reload is pulling another handgun, and the LCP fits the bill perfectly! :)
Regards,
Mike
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J
I just find the lcp a darn nice gun to shoot. I never had any issues with recoil with my kt's either and I shot thosands of rounds in them, before they all went south. I have over 1200 flawless round sthrough my lcp. I just like to shoot it. I feel no pain after shooting it. I don't shoot it good but at 7 yards and under the BG is in trouble. It s not my primary carry peace anymore as my kahr PM9 is my 24/7 pocket carry. I just love the extra firepower and it is much easier to control and carries very nicely.

When I get it back I will photo it and let you guys see what Accurate_iron did to it. He refinished the slide for me in a titanium two tone finish that is extremely durable, and then I ported the little sucker.
I think this lcp will be a keeper and will end up with my son as soon as I can get my hands on the new Kahr P380 when it comes out...
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Z
ADP3 said:
I've had my LCP for 2 months now and carried it daily. S&W just released some Model 642's without the lock so I ordered one. It shoots fine and is well finished but it weighs 5 ounces more than the LCP and is bulkier. I didn't think that it would carry as easily as the LCP and now I've confirmed my suspicion. It's more accurate than the LCP but not enough to matter in self defense. I like it but I'd rather carry the LCP. I'm going to sell the 642 and buying a second LCP.
Best Regards,
ADP3
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What is it about the lock you don't like? I keep hearing that. I'll buy your 642! I want one...
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J
Zach and Holly said:
ADP3 said:
I've had my LCP for 2 months now and carried it daily. S&W just released some Model 642's without the lock so I ordered one. It shoots fine and is well finished but it weighs 5 ounces more than the LCP and is bulkier. I didn't think that it would carry as easily as the LCP and now I've confirmed my suspicion. It's more accurate than the LCP but not enough to matter in self defense. I like it but I'd rather carry the LCP. I'm going to sell the 642 and buying a second LCP.
Best Regards,
ADP3
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great gun to, plus the 38 compared to the 380 is kinda---apples and oranges. With our without the lock a great revolver. I think you can even take the lock "out" if it bugs a person that much...


What is it about the lock you don't like? I keep hearing that. I'll buy your 642! I want one...
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G
I have an LCP, S&W 642-1 (no lock), 640-1...and a few others (i.e., Glock 26, S&W 36, 10, Beretta 92, Seecamp, etc.). For the better part of the past 25 years I've been carrying a firearm. So......my opinion.....is that the LCP is a great defensive weapon. I still prefer to carry my 642 with .38+p's, but the fact is the LCP is a much easier weapon to carry, slightly lighter and thinner, especially here in south florida. I don't ever feel under armed with the LCP, but the reality is the 642-1 with 38+p's is a better defensive round. Also, while I've never had a problem with the LCP, I know its only a matter of time before there's a jam of some sort...and I know that my wheel guns will always fire when I pull the trigger.

I'd say the I carry the LCP...40% of the time, and my Smith 642-1 50% of the time...with the other 10% split between the much heavier 640-1 (357) and Glock 26.

Regarding the lock/no lock issue...I prefer no lock wheel guns, though intellectually I realize the lock versions are just as good. The chances of a lock failure is even more remote than a semi-auto jamming. And...it just looks bad...a lock on the side of a revolver.
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G
My advice would be to practice often...and don't even bother to "target" shoot and small firearn, be it revolver or semi-auto. One handed, close range shooting...no farther than 7 yards, but more often within 3-4 yards. That is where it will be needed.
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mrbunky
i have carried a keltec 380 as a edc and can honestly say that anything else feels bulky after carrying the little 380's for awhile my wife carries a j frame smith and says it feels heavy after carrying my kt or after monday my new lcp ;D
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