I tend to settle on things when I determine that they work. For over a decade now, my deep concealment and backup gun has been the Ruger LCR. Because it works.
Well over twenty years ago I began carrying a gun, daily. I obtained my carry permit as soon as I turned twenty-one. For the decade following I carried a 1911, strong-side hip. Around 2010 I converted to the Glock 9mm platform, specifically the G19 and G26, and have not looked back. Around that same time I realized that I was in need of something small that could be carried in alternate concealment modes, such as the pocket or on the ankle. While the Glock 9mm platform remains my primary carry gun, I often utilize my small, deep concealment gun as well.
Lifestyle changes often usher in the need for new equipment, and at that time I found myself, for the first time, in need of a truly deep concealment gun. I had never liked “mouse guns.” Remember, I carried a 1911, the MAN’S gun, for many years. Even so, harkening back to my youth, I never considered a 38 Special snub a mouse gun, but I considered it a limited gun. My father had a fantastic all-steel Smith and Wesson Centennial, I don’t recall the exact model, that he had done an action job on, and it was a great gun. Still, I never considered carrying such a small and limited-capacity platform. Although I only carried full-size auto loaders at the time, I did, indeed, have significant experience with revolvers.
When I found myself in need of a small gun, circa 2010 or so, the first generation of the Ruger LCP was all the rage. I checked it out, and immediately hated it. It was notoriously unreliable, and it was, literally, too small. Fast forward to our current era, the LCP Max, and the yet newer Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 have changed the genre. These guns seem to prove reliable, and they boast a capacity of 10 rounds of 380 acp. However, over a decade ago, the early generation of these guns was single stack, having a six-round magazine, and the reliability was sketchy, at best. I was simply not impressed with any 380 acp pocket gun.
The obvious candidate, at the time, for a small, yet reliable, pocketable gun were the Smith and Wesson light-weight J Frame variants. Despite my fondness of my father’s all-steel J Frame, the out-of-the-box J Frames had a trigger like a horse’s ass. I realize that they can be tuned, but seriously, why does Smith and Wesson put out stock guns with a trigger this heavy? I really liked the Smith and Wesson 340 M&P, and was close to purchasing one, but the trigger was beyond awful. A Gun that was that expensive, yet that bad out of the box, seemed outrageous, and I could not bring myself to buy one, realizing I would need to further customize it. But, at this time a new player had just emerged on the small revolver scene: the Ruger LCR.
The LCR had a fantastically smooth stock trigger for a small revolver. The “false reset” that many complain about tends not to be an issue for experienced revolver shooters who are used to letting a long, double-action trigger, all the way out to re-set, and I found it not an issue. The gun was also significantly less expensive than the scandium-framed Smiths such as the 340 M&P or 340 PD, yet had a much better trigger. The LCR was slightly more expensive then the Airweight Smith 442 or 642, yet had a much better trigger, was lighter in weight, and also had a pinned and changeable front sight. So, the choice seemed obvious, and I bought a Ruger LCR 38 Special and never looked back.
Until now, the original LCR, chambered for 38 Special +P, remains my favorite. While the 357 Magnum chambering that came later offers a more robust build, it is also heavier, and I truly love the 13.5 ounce weight of the original LCR for my purposes. The LCR is now also offered in 327 Federal Magnum, as well as 9mm, but I still prefer the lighter-weight 38 Special +P model.
At this point, many wonder why anyone would bother with a snub revolver when guns such as the tiny Sig 365 are available. If one needs something truly small, the admittedly excellent Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 2.0, holding ten or twelve rounds of 380 acp in a tiny package, is appealing. Why, then, would I stick to a snub revolver?
The fact remains that tiny auto loaders are more finicky than full-size guns regarding reliability. Also, the new breed of tiny autos, be it the Sig 365 or the Smith Bodyguard, have striker-fired triggers. This makes them better shooters, but I do not like striker fired guns for pocket or ankle carry, thus making the revolver the safer and more suitable option for such alternate carry. The revolver also proves more reliable in alternate carry modes such as pocket or ankle, as compared to tiny auto loaders. The revolver simply suites deep concealment well.
Early on, I changed the front sight on the LCR. The first generation guns had only an all-black front ramp that was terrible. Even when painting it orange, I did not like it. I first put a fiber optic front sight, which was better, but soon afterwards I put an XS Big Dot night sight on the gun. this has proven to be a good option, as the dot is very visible in daylight, and also offers the night sight ability. I find such sights well suited for a snub.
Throughout the years I have never found an after-market stock (grip) that I was happy with over the factory Hogue Tamer grip, until recently. The Hogue Tamer makes shooting the small gun nice, as it absorbs recoil well, but it is bulky and made of a tacky material that clings to clothing. It is also rather ugly. The new Hamre Forge second generation LCR grip has proven ideal, though, and has recently replaced the Hogue Tamer on my LCR. I use the non-hooked grip, as the hook is only for right-hand application, thus not serving me well as a lefty.
While the new generation of tiny pocket autos is better than ever, I still find the snub revolver best suited to my needs for deep concealment and backup gun carry. The revolver proves the most reliable design for backup gun use, and is simple and safe in design for a gun that you may need to hand to a minimally trained individual in a bad situation. For these reasons, the Ruger LCR has remained my choice for deep concealment and backup carry. While the other variants in the LCR line are well established, I still prefer the light-weight 38 Special +P version. The LCR is roughly the same size as the Smith and Wesson J Frame, but offers a much better stock trigger, and the one I have been carrying for years now has proven imminently reliable.
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