Is this a good off-duty/concealed carry pistol?

Question

OK I'm a criminal justice major, soon to start applying to be a cop. I want to buy my first gun, something that would be good for concealed carry and for off duty.

I have somewhat of an affection for small revolvers, so I was thinking of getting a Smith & Wesson Model 686 Plus 7 shot Revolver chambered in 357 Rem Magnum with a 2 1/2" barrel. Loaded with Federal .357 Magnum 125 grain jacketed hollowpoints.

Do you guys think this would be a good choice or should I just get an automatic?

Picture of the gun: http://www.gunsamerica.com/UserImages/3151/976976741/wm_862241.jpg

Answer 1

Just about any high quality small revolver or semiauto will do, but I'm glad to see the trend on this particular posting is leaning toward the revolver.  An off-duty gun is not meant for a prolonged stand-off with multiple suspects; it's in your pocket/holster/f***y-pack for down-and-dirty emergencies.  If you live or work in a trash community then you may want to consider a little more firepower in an off-duty gun, but in most cases a simple well made .38 caliber revolver will do just fine ... unless of course you want the glitz of a fancy piece of hardware that you can flaunt in front of a young lady that you just met at a local bar after you take her back to your apartment and you're doing the male version of "What do you think of me now?" striptease.

Answer 2

Whatever you choose, make sure that you get a pistol with a hammer shroud or a semi-auto that is hammerless.  For CC, you don't want the hammer "hanging up" on your clothing if you have to draw your weapon.

Answer 3

It would be OK or you could get a Ruger SP101 chambered in .357 magnum caliber. Forget the Federal ammo, get Corbon DPX  125 grain ammo.

Answer 4

UH, why don't you wait until you are hired. Your department may limit your choices.

For example if wanted to carry the 686 I could only load it with .38 spec 158 grain +P.  I could not carry Kahr and only in the last two years a Glock or Springfield Arms.

You cannot beat a wheel gun for reliability but off duty you also want a lot of rounds to keep the bad guys at bay until the cavalry arrives. If your a CJ major look up off duty statistics, or even on duty as to how many rounds are expended before the bad guy's aggression is stopped.

Answer 5

You cant go wrong with any good name brand weapon today. S&W, Ruger, Colt, etc. All have proven dependability, which is the first factor in any weapon you want to carry to defend your life.

In terms of revolver versus automatic, I would definetely choose the revolver. You can leave a revolver loaded for months and not worry about jamming or feeding problems, which you cannot do with automatics. The springs in the magazines will develop a tension memory over a period of time if left loaded. You will get off the first round and maybe the second. After that, the memory takes over and it wont raise the next round. You could die with a very puzzled look on your face as to why your weapon went "click" when it was needed the most.

In terms of your personal choice, the only thought is the 686 is a large framed S&W. If you are a big guy, you can probably get away with concealing this. Also the area of the country would play into this. A hot southern climate would not give you the clothing to conceal an L frame very well. That would be something you should consider.

As noted by another poster above me, there is a definete advantage to a shrouded hammer. Depending on how you plan to carry, having a shrouded hammer can make a huge difference in ease and speed of draw. Not saying to change your mind, but look at the S&W Airweight revolver, which features the shrouded hammer. Then you are making an informed decision as to what might be best to carry.

Best of luck and I hope this is useful to you

Answer 6

I am absolutely in love with the Kel-tec PF-9. I know people criticize Kel-tec for reliability issues, but I've owned two (the pf-9 and p-3at) and have put hundreds through each without an issue. Small, light weight, 8 9mm rounds....Good stuff.

Baby Glocks are probably the most popular.

Snub nose revolvers are good too. Anymore, all the brands are smaller in quality and features. Though in my opinion it goes, Smith, Ruger, Tauras. The problem with snubbies is they are fairly heavy. While that might not be an issue on a quick trip to the grocery store, you may not want to lug one around the zoo all day.

Overall though, most pistols are good. Find something you like from one of the big companies and you'll be fine.