J-Frame or 9mm Auto

[LP1]

Another thing to consider is how much time and effort you will devote to break-in, practice, and maintenance. Semi-autos seem to need more break-in in order to be reliable. In my opinion, they will also be more sensitive to the dirt, lint, etc. that they will pick up while being carried. Not a problem if you keep up with maintenance. On the other hand, the J-frame will pretty much go bang no matter what.

 

[stacks067]

I personally prefer a 9mm auto but thats what i feel comfortable with. Try and get your hands on both and buy a good quality gun and you can't go wrong.

 

[stacks067]

I personally prefer a 9mm auto but thats what i feel comfortable with. Try and get your hands on both and buy a good quality gun and you can't go wrong.

 

[alc1985]

I carried my 640 in a OWB holster all day today just to see how the weight on my (Beltman)belt would feel. After the first 15 minutes I forgot it was there. I guess the weight difference between the 640 and a small 9mm wouldn't make much difference carried in a holster.

 

[Daniel686]

I carry a S&W model 60 proseries. 5 shot .357 mag with night sights. Love my carry gun and would put my life on it! But it's whatever you shoot best. Im a revolver guy! And shoot better with them than i do autos. And if i can't stop someone or something with 5 .357 mag bullets.... then i should have been running to begin with!!

 

[9mmfan]

When I carry my 642 I forget I have it; iwb or ankle. The weight just disappears.

 

[alc1985]

I'm pretty comfortable with my shooting ability of the 640 but I would like to try a small 9mm. The only 9mm I ever owned was a Browing Hi Power I bought new in 1968 for $79.00. I was young and stupid then, I traded it for some car parts.

 

[mbaza3]

I feel it all comes down to how confident you are with the weapon you decide to carry. While a small 9mm pistol is flatter and conceals better than a J-frame, the revolver should never let you down in terms of reliability. I had to put about 350 rounds through my current carry pistol before I felt comfortable that it would work without any issues if ever called upon. When I purchased a S&W 442 revolver a couple years ago, from the minute I got it there was no doubt about reliability. I shot about 25 rounds through it and put it in my pocket with complete confidence.

 

[cosermann]

5-shot snubs are BUGs as far as I'm concerned (and deeper concealment pieces).

For a primary carry gun, I'd go with a midsize 9mm in a heartbeat for two or three times the ammunition capacity and quicker reload capability. You do realize your M640 is heavier than a Glock 19 (both guns empty), right? And neither is an issue to carry with the appropriate holster, belt, and clothing.

 

[alc1985]

I realize the S&W 640 is a heavy piece and it carries only 5 rounds. This is one of the reasons I'm looking at a 9mm pistol. How many rounds do I need? My old Hi-Power held 13 rounds and it was pretty flat. The Springfield XDm series pistols have plenty of capacity but I'm looking for somethimg smaller. I was looking at the Kahr 9mm pistols and liked them a lot. The Taurus and Walther small nines are also interesting.
I own the 640 and would need to sell it to buy a 9mm. I want to be sure that the pistol I choose will have no regrets.

 

[gloxrok]

i generally carry a 2" .357 mag. it's light, comfortable for me, and it's tough to argue with the .357 round, especially vs 9mm.

 

[cosermann]

i generally carry a 2" .357 mag. it's light, comfortable for me, and it's tough to argue with the .357 round, especially vs 9mm.

Have you actually chrono'ed the mighty .357 out of a 2" barrel? With most loads using mid-weight bullets you'll be lucky to break 1,000 fps. .357 out of a snub is a completely different animal than .357 out of 4" and longer barrels.

BBTI - 357 Mag

Whereas 9mm out of a 3.5" barrel will easily best it with less muzzle flash and recoil translating into faster follow-up shots.

... How many rounds do I need? ...

A lot of this depends on you, your situation, and your risk tolerance. From the stats I've seen, planning for 6-8 shots per assailant is not unreasonable.

 

[CoyoteCreekGuns]

Have you actually chrono'ed the mighty .357 out of a 2" barrel? With most loads using mid-weight bullets you'll be lucky to break 1,000 fps. .357 out of a snub is a completely different animal than .357 out of 4" and longer barrels.

This is true which is why it's so vitally important that no matter which firearm you decide to purchase that you research the ammunition that you plan to use and ensure that they're a good match for one another. In the case of .357 Mag out of a 2" barrel, the best choice is Buffalo Bore Low Flash 125gr as seen here:

Item 19G/20-125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point bullet @ 1,225 fps from a 2.5 inch S&W mod. 66 barrel. Designed to mushroom violently, yet hold together and penetrate deeply-roughly 12 to 14 inches in human tissue.



S&W mod. 340PD 1-7/8 inch barrel - 1,109 fps (341 ft. lbs.)
S&W mod. 66 2-1/2-inch barrels -1,225 fps (416 ft. lbs.)
S&W mod. 65 3-inch barrels - 1,322 fps (485 ft. lbs.)
S&W Mt. Gun 4-inch barrel - 1,445 fps (579 ft. lbs.)
Colt Python 6-inch barrel - 1,388 fps (535 ft. lbs.)






Tactical Short Barrel Lower Recoil Low Flash 357 Magnum Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

 

[alc1985]

Wow! There is a lot to consider in choosing a carry piece. There are so many different calibers and brands I'm going in circles. After I finally choose one I will need to find a holster that works for me. This is going to take a lot of time. I'm going to every gun shop and gun show so I can look and feel all the different options. This site has a lot of advise and opinions and I have read and sorted thru all of the posts. Thanks for your help, I'm on a mission.

 

[X ring]

One of my favorite carry rigs is a Smith&Wesson model 60 in a Don Hume inside the waistband holster.

 

[alc1985]

My son just weighed his Kahr PM9 and my S&W 640 loaded.

Kahr PM9 19.05 oz.
S&W 640 25.4 oz.

Going to the range with both of them to compare them to each other.