Petrol & Powder
Well-Known Member
I'll weigh in on this topic.
A snubnose is a fighting tool for concealed carry, so that's its role. And for me that equates to a 2.5" or shorter barrel and an internal hammer or a bobbed hammer. I am never, never, never going to put that tool into single action mode.
I have an unusual attraction to 3" barreled DA revolvers, mostly because they pack well and still provide a good sight radius. The 3" barreled S&W Model 13 was one of the few good ideas the FBI ever had.
A 4" barreled DA revolver is an "all around" gun that carries well, has a decent sight radius and provides an excellent compromise between ease of carry and useful performance.
For me, anything over 4" in barrel length starts getting into some very specialized territory. A 6" barreled DA revolver is a dedicated hunting or target gun for me. I know that others may not share that view, and that's fine.
I've always considered a handgun to be a bad substitute for a long gun. Handguns exist because it is often impractical to carry a long gun. There comes a point where I might as well just carry a long gun.
I have a few 6" or longer revolvers but they are strictly range toys.
Over the course of my adult life, I've spent a lot of time prowling gun shops. I've always noticed that used revolvers with 6" barrels or longer outnumber the shorter barreled revolvers that are offered for sale. This includes both used guns on consignment and used guns owned by the dealer. I believe people buy those longer revolvers but come to the conclusion that they are a bit unwieldy. Those guns get placed on consignment or traded for other guns while 4" and shorter barreled revolvers are not traded or sold as often.
For people that CARRY handguns as opposed to people that SHOOT handguns, that extra weight and bulk is a constant annoyance. Target shooters and hunters want that extra sight radius and maybe a little more velocity. It's not the amount of the annoyance that is significant, it is the mere existence of the annoyance. When someone opines that a 6" barreled revolver, "isn't that much more difficult" to carry than a 4" barrled gun, they are acknowledging that there is at least some additional burden. While that extra burden might not be significant to them, it clearly matters to the person that intentionally selected a shorter barreled revolver.
None of the above opinion is set in stone. It is, after all, just opinion.
A snubnose is a fighting tool for concealed carry, so that's its role. And for me that equates to a 2.5" or shorter barrel and an internal hammer or a bobbed hammer. I am never, never, never going to put that tool into single action mode.
I have an unusual attraction to 3" barreled DA revolvers, mostly because they pack well and still provide a good sight radius. The 3" barreled S&W Model 13 was one of the few good ideas the FBI ever had.
A 4" barreled DA revolver is an "all around" gun that carries well, has a decent sight radius and provides an excellent compromise between ease of carry and useful performance.
For me, anything over 4" in barrel length starts getting into some very specialized territory. A 6" barreled DA revolver is a dedicated hunting or target gun for me. I know that others may not share that view, and that's fine.
I've always considered a handgun to be a bad substitute for a long gun. Handguns exist because it is often impractical to carry a long gun. There comes a point where I might as well just carry a long gun.
I have a few 6" or longer revolvers but they are strictly range toys.
Over the course of my adult life, I've spent a lot of time prowling gun shops. I've always noticed that used revolvers with 6" barrels or longer outnumber the shorter barreled revolvers that are offered for sale. This includes both used guns on consignment and used guns owned by the dealer. I believe people buy those longer revolvers but come to the conclusion that they are a bit unwieldy. Those guns get placed on consignment or traded for other guns while 4" and shorter barreled revolvers are not traded or sold as often.
For people that CARRY handguns as opposed to people that SHOOT handguns, that extra weight and bulk is a constant annoyance. Target shooters and hunters want that extra sight radius and maybe a little more velocity. It's not the amount of the annoyance that is significant, it is the mere existence of the annoyance. When someone opines that a 6" barreled revolver, "isn't that much more difficult" to carry than a 4" barrled gun, they are acknowledging that there is at least some additional burden. While that extra burden might not be significant to them, it clearly matters to the person that intentionally selected a shorter barreled revolver.
None of the above opinion is set in stone. It is, after all, just opinion.
