Revolver For Wife. Hammer or Hammerless?

[scootn103]

I would think it will be all up to her and what works best for her situation. Explain the pro's and con's of both and go from there..

 

[Jeepster48439]

Look forward to hearing how the shopping trip goes.

 

[indiucky]

A lot depends on how she wants to carry it. For a carry piece, I'd recommend a hammerless if I was asked. Less chance to snag, and you aren't likely to be shooting single action if you have to pull in a defense situation. There are also "compromise" guns that have a round back and a recessed hammer, so they are both snag free and allow thumb cocking, but at the cost of a bit of concealability. The older Bodyguard comes to mind, but I'm not a big enough S&W guy to tell you all the models it came in.

Model 38 Blue, alloy Frame, 638 Stainless with alloy frame, Model 49 blue steel frame, and Model 649 in .357 Magnum and steel frame.

AkA "Bodyguard"..

 

[45fan]

I own a 442, and an older model 60, as far as shooting them, the 60 is way easier on the palm when shooting +P ammo, but neither is what I would call punishing. The 60 has S&W wood boot grips, the 442 is shod in Uncle Mike's boot grips. My wife went for the Ruger LCR, and it actually is the best of both, and is a smidge lighter to boot.

With/without hammer has ended up being less an issue than I would have originally thought, though the hammerless does lend itself to a few options that the exposed hammer might not agree with. (like firing from a pocket/purse).

Best advise, get as many options in her hands as you can, adn let her shoot as many as possible (trying to keep ammo consistent, as that will effect recoil from one gun to the next. Since she has already decided on a revolver, at least that much has already been narrowed down.

 

[88GT]

have her try out many different ones.

This, this, and this. Handling at the LGS is not good enough. I'm not recoil sensitive at all either. I carry the Taurus 85 Ultra Lite and I dislike it immensely. Which may sound counterintuitive, but it is a BUG and I have accepted that the trade-off for weight is a gun I dislike to shoot. However, for less experienced or less enthusiastic shooters, disliking it it most definitely NOT a good thing. You simply cannot tell whether you will be comfortable with SHOOTING it simply by holding in your hands at the sales counter.

One thing to consider... if you get a revolver with a hammer for single-action shooting, make sure there's plenty of practice in double action as well, especially follow-up shots. Any defensive engagement is going to be double action exclusively, and that takes some practice to handle well, especially if all you're used to is the light, short single action trigger.

Just want to iterate this. I'm not partial to one way or the other when it comes to the hammer, but for a woman who sees the firearm as a utilitarian tool and will devote minimal time to practice for proficiency, I almost think the hammerless variety wins out by a bit. She won't have the option when at the range to "cheat" in SA mode all the time. Her efforts will have to be DA, just as they are likely to be in real life. Train with it the way it will be used when hell breaks loose.

 

[in625shooter]

OK as a firearms instructor we have OCD on two things. Range cleanliness/neatness and proper terms. There is a DA/SA obliviously with an exposed hammer then there is the DAO with a "shrouded" hammer, THEY ALL HAVE HAMMERS!!! at least until the striker fired Glock revolver comes out. OK I'm better now LOL.


Seriously though nothing beats a good quality DAO revolver. The ability to "cock" a hammer is really not needed on a defensive wheelgun. (yes single actions Blackhawks etc rock but!)

I recommend letting her pick it. Only a women knows what fits her hand and let her try different ones. Don't throw out consideration based on the factory grips of a particular model. There are several aftermarket grips that make a whole different feel.

The other more important thing is get her some good un biased instruction by someone that UNDERSTANDS and KNOWS DAO revolver triggers. There is an art to it and contrary to most Glockboy's opinion you can shoot DAO revolvers very fast and accurate if you take the time to learn the RIGHT way.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

OK as a firearms instructor we have OCD

Seriously though nothing beats a good quality DAO revolver

As long as we are being OCD, isn't a DAO actually single action? Is it not more accurate to say "trigger cocking only"? I mean if we are OCD?

Without a hammer, one has to roll check on the trigger. I want the hammer because I am a safety nanny.

Whatever you get , buy them in pairs. Shoot the snot out of one and carry the other.

Why not a M638 shrouded hammer?

 

[seldon14]

As long as we are being OCD, isn't a DAO actually single action? Is it not more accurate to say "trigger cocking only"? I mean if we are OCD?

Without a hammer, one has to roll check on the trigger. I want the hammer because I am a safety nanny.

Whatever you get , buy them in pairs. Shoot the snot out of one and carry the other.

Why not a M638 shrouded hammer?

What's a roll check?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What's a roll check?

Ensuring that the weapon functions properly and does not malfunction because of faulty ammunition by ensuring that the cylinder rotates in a complete cycle (I go twice).

Guys who carry revolvers with concealed hammers have to roll check without a thumb on the hammer. That is not for me.

 

[in625shooter]

As long as we are being OCD, isn't a DAO actually single action? Is it not more accurate to say "trigger cocking only"? I mean if we are OCD?

Without a hammer, one has to roll check on the trigger. I want the hammer because I am a safety nanny.

Whatever you get , buy them in pairs. Shoot the snot out of one and carry the other.

Why not a M638 shrouded hammer?

DAO is an accepted acronym and simply means the trigger only does double function only it cocks the hammer and releases the hammer.
As far as "roll checking" The only revolver (outside the movies or a Colt SAA design) I have every seen or suggested that be done on is something that takes moon clips to make sure the clips are not bent etc. Never really been an issue with traditional rimmed cases (38, 357 44 etc)

 

[NKBJ]

Gonna rehash others advice but it will be in the form of my better 2/3's experience.
A couple of decades ago she adopted the S&W Airweight with the shrouded hammer.
Her selection was based upon:
Big enough.
Light weight.
Hammer won't hang up even though it's there if you want it.
Can blow a hole through the front of her shoulder bag even though the Airweight is not for +P's.
Double action.
No ejection jams inside the bag or coat pocket.
Can use light loads for practice and for fun.
With practice she walked cans across the back yard and embarrassed her nephews. With the passage of the years and changes in muscalature the bouncing trigger guard was banging her on the finger and taking the fun out of it. So what to do? We went shopping. Went to store after store and gun show handling available designs. The SP101 with Crimson Trace grips did the trick. She doesn't have any use for the laser but the cats like it. And the grips are perfect for her hand.

 

[nashfred01]

I would go hammerless so it doesn't get snagged on anything. JMHO.

 

[Bosshoss]

As long as we are being OCD, isn't a DAO actually single action? Is it not more accurate to say "trigger cocking only"? I mean if we are OCD?

S&W has listed DAO in their catalogs and on their website for years to describe these guns. If it is good enough for the mothership it is good enough for the rest of us.

 

[lava dog 1/3]

WOW, do not make the mistake of misidentifying internal parts of a weapon on this board. Jeez...Class is in session.

 

[45fan]

Gonna rehash others advice but it will be in the form of my better 2/3's experience.
A couple of decades ago she adopted the S&W Airweight with the shrouded hammer.
Her selection was based upon:
Big enough.
Light weight.
Hammer won't hang up even though it's there if you want it.
Can blow a hole through the front of her shoulder bag even though the Airweight is not for +P's.
Double action.
No ejection jams inside the bag or coat pocket.
Can use light loads for practice and for fun.
With practice she walked cans across the back yard and embarrassed her nephews. With the passage of the years and changes in muscalature the bouncing trigger guard was banging her on the finger and taking the fun out of it. So what to do? We went shopping. Went to store after store and gun show handling available designs. The SP101 with Crimson Trace grips did the trick. She doesn't have any use for the laser but the cats like it. And the grips are perfect for her hand.

I can understand everything in this post except that you state that Airweights are not for +Ps. My 442, clearly labeled an airweight, and certainly is an aluminum frame, is very clearly roll marked "38 Special +P". I dont see how that could cause any confusion as to the ability to handle +P ammunition. Granted, Im sure it will accelerate wear on the handgun, and shooting +Ps wouldnt be as pleasurable as standard pressure ammo, but I doubt that it would cause catastrophic failure of the handgun when +P ammunition is used for carry duty, and only shooting a limited number of them for familiarization in the intended handgun.

 

[sbond]

Wheel gun

 

[seldon14]

Ensuring that the weapon functions properly and does not malfunction because of faulty ammunition by ensuring that the cylinder rotates in a complete cycle (I go twice).

Guys who carry revolvers with concealed hammers have to roll check without a thumb on the hammer. That is not for me.

This seems really silly, like hand cycling your mag of carry ammo through a semi auto, to check for "for faulty ammo" . For some one that preaches against coon fingering, this seems like the definition of.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Single action would be more fun for her at the range. However, hammerless would be more convenient and easy for her to CC because the hammer wouldn't get caught on things in a purse/etc. I would say it depends how much she would shoot at the range, how she would carry, and more importantly, how she feels about the two options.

THIS!

my wife started carrying my dads j frame because that is all we had at that time. I saw serious issues with the hammer snagging when she purse carried or used a maxpedition versapack. Especially the versapack, the hammer tended to snag on the zipper.

If she will NEVER EVER carry in a bag, and ALWAYS holster carry, I don't see a problem with a hammer. Otherwise, I'd go hammer less.

 

[partyboy6686]

Well the Wife was sick all weekend so no gun shopping yet. Hopefully I can get out to the gun stores next weekend.

 

[poberly]

Make sure she tries many different configurations (hammer/hammer less, different frames). My gf just applied for her carry permit and we went looking last week. I'm still trying to get it across that comfort is more important than looks. She's gonna realize it when she shoots my "cute" COP 4 barrel 357.