Effective barrel range???

[lil bubba]

What do you think is the most accurate effective (deadly) range of a 2 in. barrel in .38+p ??? Looking to get a revolver for the house and was looking at a 357 with 4.5" barrel and a .38+p with 2"....I know what a 357 would do but I never had exp. with the 2" barrel...

[southern151]

Plenty effective for around the house! PLENTY!!

[southern151]

Look at the S&W 642. It's a great pistol!

[capt coonassty]

Its easier to aim with 4" than 2". (insert small pole joke)

[Let um land]

Not sure if you have others in the home. I asked that question and ended up with a 410 hand gun with the home defense rounds for a "first grab". My worry is where that round will end up, sheet rock doesn't stop much.

[lil bubba]

Originally Posted by Let um land

Not sure if you have others in the home. I asked that question and ended up with a 410 hand gun with the home defense rounds for a "first grab". My worry is where that round will end up, sheet rock doesn't stop much.

Only my wife and as of now she still in the same bed...Not worried about going thru walls...Furthest shot 30 feet...I'm using 00 now and its a youth model but still kinda bulky...Revolver be easier to grab and if I got to shoot somebody in my house I'd hate to see them wounded and suffering...

[rardoin]

Originally Posted by southern151

Look at the S&W 642. It's a great pistol!

Yep...642 airweight in 38+P. Lighter dry weight than full steel frame and much lighter than .357 with the cylinder full. My wife still keeps a standard .357 J frame at bedside but I bought the airweight for the purse and she loves it.

[lil bubba]

So a 2" barrel is effective enough to roll someone over at 25-30 feet??? If you hit them in the rite spot of course....

[southern151]

Originally Posted by lil bubba

So a 2" barrel is effective enough to roll someone over at 25-30 feet??? If you hit them in the rite spot of course....

Graveyard dead.

[Dogface]

Originally Posted by lil bubba

So a 2" barrel is effective enough to roll someone over at 25-30 feet??? If you hit them in the rite spot of course....

Oh yea!!!

[lil bubba]

Thanks guys...I been shooting rifles and shotguns all my years but only a 22lr revolver with a 7 in. barrel so I'm partial to a simple revolver...Lil 2 inch barrel just had me wondering...I'm kinda leaning to the 357 with a 4.5 barrel cause I can take it for a walk in the woods too....

[kcinnick]

2" revolver is plenty, but have you considered a semi auto pistol? If it is a bed side gun, a mid size polymer pistol will hold more rounds, be easier to aim, easier to practice with and will have cheaper, better ammo.

We sell a ton of J frames, but I sell shields 10 to 1 over j frames, compact semi auto's probably 50 to 1 over revolvers. Revolvers make good back up guns and competition guns, I personally always have a semi auto pistol on my person.

[lil bubba]

I thought about semi's but I been have'n my 22 revolver in use now for about 35 years or so and Its like my right arm...I can draw a revolver with one arm and with a semi I would not leave it ready to fire so I would have to cycle a round and I have arm problems especially on the left which I get up and its sort of dead so with a revolver I can pull the safety and the hammer and let the GOOD LORD have mercy on their soul...I don't plan on any CC but later I would like to get small semi to carry to the boat launch...Its isolated and someones always shooting out the lights and I'm usually by myself....

[eman]

Originally Posted by lil bubba

I thought about semi's but I been have'n my 22 revolver in use now for about 35 years or so and Its like my right arm...I can draw a revolver with one arm and with a semi I would not leave it ready to fire so I would have to cycle a round and I have arm problems especially on the left which I get up and its sort of dead so with a revolver I can pull the safety and the hammer and let the GOOD LORD have mercy on their soul...I don't plan on any CC but later I would like to get small semi to carry to the boat launch...Its isolated and someones always shooting out the lights and I'm usually by myself....

Check your PM

[eman]

Originally Posted by lil bubba

I thought about semi's but I been have'n my 22 revolver in use now for about 35 years or so and Its like my right arm...I can draw a revolver with one arm and with a semi I would not leave it ready to fire so I would have to cycle a round and I have arm problems especially on the left which I get up and its sort of dead so with a revolver I can pull the safety and the hammer and let the GOOD LORD have mercy on their soul...I don't plan on any CC but later I would like to get small semi to carry to the boat launch...Its isolated and someones always shooting out the lights and I'm usually by myself....

Check your PM

[MathGeek]

The longer sight radius (and often better sights) on 4" and 6" barrels makes shooting accurately at 15-30 feet much easier. I find many shooters also do better with the larger grips on the handguns with 4-6" barrels.

Get to a range and see what you can do with different handguns with different barrel lenghts. You have to hit it to hurt it. Most members of my household do much better with a 4" barrel. The attached photo was a target at 21 feet.