Recommended revolvers WITH A SAFETY (for pocket carry)?

[klokos]

My mother wants to start carrying. Just one huge problem..She doesn't have the strength to rack a slide back, so a semi-automatic pistol is out of the question. And she's very adamant about having safety features on a weapon that she would carry.


My criteria is as follows
.22 caliber
Pocket-size
SAFETY SWITCH !

 

[Cabin Fever]

Why not just carry on an empty chamber? Probably just as fast to pull the trigger twice as to disable a safety and fire.

 

[klokos]

Why not just carry on an empty chamber? Probably just as fast to pull the trigger twice as to disable a safety and fire.

Great idea. I'll bring this up to her and see what she says.

 

[IPSC_DRL]

All modern revolvers have inherent internal safeties. No way it will fire unless the trigger is pulled.

 

[7.62x39]

Why not just carry on an empty chamber? Probably just as fast to pull the trigger twice as to disable a safety and fire.

That doesn't even make any sense unless she is going to be packing a SAA Colt. First off, there is a hammer block so that the hammer/firing pin can not come in contact with a round unless the trigger is pulled. Secondly, a revolver does not fire the chamber that is up, it rotates to the next chamber when the trigger is pulled

All modern revolvers have inherent internal safeties. No way it will fire unless the trigger is pulled.

This

 

[slap shot]

A rimfire self defense carry? There are much better small caliber choices.

edit: it's safe, dw about a safety...

 

[soam]

I personally have never seen a revolver with a safety lever other than some old oddballs like the Webley-Fosbery.

Take a look at the Ruger LCR. It's pocket sized, lightweight, and is available in lots of calibers including .22LR and .22WMR. It's also got all the safety features you could want.

 

[exo]

All modern revolvers have inherent internal safeties. No way it will fire unless the trigger is pulled.

Yeah, OP I think you need to work on getting your mom past her fears. I'm noy aware of any revolver with a manual safety. Most of them have rather heavy double action pulls as well.

 

[KBCraig]

Why not just carry on an empty chamber? Probably just as fast to pull the trigger twice as to disable a safety and fire.

That means carrying with the hammer down on a loaded cylinder.

Not that that's unsafe, like it was back in the old Peacemaker days, but it's rather pointless.

Tell you what: take her to any rental range, and let her dry-fire any DA modern revolver. Let her see for herself that there is no way to accidentally pull that trigger.

- - - Updated - - -

I personally have never seen a revolver with a safety lever other than some old oddballs like the Webley-Fosbery.

Or a Korth, which is very modern, and will set you back several grand.

 

[transamkid86]

With any firearm just make sure she has a holster or even the kydex that just covers the trigger so that way nothing will get into the trigger guard.( i seen you said pocket sized so i figured it was a purse carry)

and another thought is if she doesnt have the strength to rack it all you have to do is rack it once fpr her and then just leave it till it time for a cleaning.

 

[92G]

if she is unable to rack slide, no guarantee she will be able to manipulate a heavy DA revolver trigger. Ran into this issue w my mom. Ended up settling on LCR in 38 because trigger pull is smooth and not too heavy. She was unable to accurately pull the trigger on a SP101 or stock J frame trigger.

also no need for external safety on a revolver. They have many inherent safeties built in. If she needs to fire the gun she likely wouldnt have time to disengage a safety anyway.

 

[45collector]

Most people who know nothing about handguns think that to safely carry one, it needs to have some kind of external safety. Nothing against the OP's mother, just saying.

How does she plan on carrying the gun? Please don't say purse carry.

 

[EddieCoyle]

My criteria is as follows
.22 caliber
Pocket-size
SAFETY SWITCH !

There's only one pistol I know that will meet your requirements.

A Beretta 21a Bobcat. It's a semi auto with a double action trigger and a safety, and it has a tip up barrel so the slide does not have to be racked.

Not the best gun for self defense, but I suppose it's better than a sharp stick.

 

[browncoat]

There's only one pistol I know that will meet your requirements.

A Beretta 21a Bobcat. It's a semi auto with a double action trigger and a safety, and it has a tip up barrel so the slide does not have to be racked.

Not the best gun for self defense, but I suppose it's better than a sharp stick.

Now to wait for the sharp stick apologists to come out of the woodwork ....

 

[pupchow]

Yeah, OP I think you need to work on getting your mom past her fears. I'm noy aware of any revolver with a manual safety. Most of them have rather heavy double action pulls as well.

The rimfires, I hear need an even heavier pull, to ensure primer ignition. We've got a S&W 351PD (.22WMR), and it's got a stout D/A pull. Hair trigger in S/A though.

 

[Pants]

A revolver carried in double action is one of the safest firearms to carry - It's very unlikely to go off accidentally. I would recommend a S&W 642 in .38. She would just need to get comfortable with the idea of carrying and she would be fine.

 

[Jenny]

re: the "revolver on an empty chamber" idea - I assume that means the NEXT round in line (one off from the bore, not the one under the hammer) is left empty. Yes?

There's only one pistol I know that will meet your requirements.

A Beretta 21a Bobcat. It's a semi auto with a double action trigger and a safety, and it has a tip up barrel so the slide does not have to be racked.

Not the best gun for self defense, but I suppose it's better than a sharp stick.

Best idea I've heard yet.

And to re-ask the question - how is she planning on carrying it? A solid holster that firmly grasps the pistol and covers the trigger should allay the manual safety concern.
Loose in a purse filled with the usual purse detritus I wouldn't trust anything, manual safety or no.

 

[spt_1955]

A revolver carried in double action is one of the safest firearms to carry - It's very unlikely to go off accidentally. I would recommend a S&W 642 in .38. She would just need to comfortable with the idea of carrying and she would be fine.

I agree with S&W 642 or 442. If the double action only is to heavy for her it is very easy to drop a Wolff spring kit into it to reduce the trigger pull. The 442/642 is the best pocket carry that I know of. Perfect size, lightweight , and the operating instructions could not be easier ..... point it and pull the trigger.

 

[whacko]

You'll be looking for a long time for what you have asked for. A revolver safety feature is the long double action trigger. You have to be a total ass clown to have a ND with a double action only revolver.

That said.....smith 642 or 442 or river LCR loaded with 110 grain hornady ammo. With that light 38 load its actually quite tame. Its what my wife carries

 

[mark056]

That doesn't even make any sense unless she is going to be packing a SAA Colt. First off, there is a hammer block so that the hammer/firing pin can not come in contact with a round unless the trigger is pulled. Secondly, a revolver does not fire the chamber that is up, it rotates to the next chamber when the trigger is pulled



This

Sense or not, some people who I respect very much still keep the hammer on an empty chamber and the Army proscribed it for revolver carry when they issued .38's. If it makes Mom happy, who cares? It's quirky, but some times it's better to take the path of least resistance and get Mom carrying. .22 is not the best choice, but it is better than no choice and a helluva lot better than pepper spray.

 

[Pants]

A revolver safety feature is the long double action trigger.

Exactly!

Forgot about the LCR. A lot of people like it over the Smith choices. A standard pressure .38 load is very tame compared to +P.

 

[formula]

I would recommend a 642 no-lock model with wood grips. Reliable, no buttons to worry about, light weight, wood grips won't snag drawing from pocket. (still use a pocket holster)

 

[white feather]

if she is unable to rack slide, no guarantee she will be able to manipulate a heavy DA revolver trigger.

+ This.

There's only one pistol I know that will meet your requirements.
A Beretta 21a Bobcat.

Also, the Taurus PT 22 clone. The only problem is that both are not on the list and therefore are more expensive (in MA) than they are worth. I had the Taurus and the trigger was very heavy. Also, you could not fill the magazine to capacity if you wanted it to work (at least two or three fewer rounds).

So, my recommendation for the OP specs would be a new model Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper. Pocket sized, perfectly safe with six shells loaded due to the transfer bar, must be cocked to fire, with a decent single action trigger pull,. Got to think outside the box. OP, here is a picture and video:

[video]http://www.guns.com/2013/02/05/ruger-bearcat-shopkeeper-22-single-action-revolver-video/[/video]

 

[PATRON]

Her fear is coming from lack of training,Take time to take her out to the range, and give her some trigger time with some pocket guns you will see how things will turn around.

 

[exo]

re: the "revolver on an empty chamber" idea - I assume that means the NEXT round in line (one off from the bore, not the one under the hammer) is left empty. Yes?

No. The "safe" way to carry old style revolvers was to have the hammer over an empty chamber, so that if it was dropped and landed on the hammer it couldn't accidentally set off the primer. Modern revolvers have internal safety mechanisms to address that very problem, and generally the firing pin is no longer part of the hammer. Modern firearms, in general, are very safe against accidental (vs negligent) discharges.

 

[Heath]

Why not just find her a semi-auto that she CAN rack the slide on? If you are looking at .22lr as an option, I know the SR-22 I had barely took any effort to rack the slide. That gets you more rounds than a revolver and she can have her safety features too.

 

[Jenny]

No. The "safe" way to carry old style revolvers was to...

Quite so.
However, nham's comment was -

Why not just carry on an empty chamber? Probably just as fast to pull the trigger twice as to disable a safety and fire.

.. which isn't the worst idea ever for a revolver bounding around in a purse (heaven forbid!), but not one I'd want to do.
(higher cognitive load/easier to screw up, more monkeying that can go wrong, reducing already low capacity)

 

[M1911]

No modern revolvers have a manual safety. All modern double-action revolvers are drop safe. When pocket carrying a revolver, they should be carried in a pocket holster.

 

[white feather]

Quite so.
However, nham's comment was -

Why not just carry on an empty chamber? Probably just as fast to pull the trigger twice as to disable a safety and fire.

.. which isn't the worst idea ever for a revolver bounding around in a purse (heaven forbid!), but not one I'd want to do.
(higher cognitive load/easier to screw up, more monkeying that can go wrong, reducing already low capacity)

If you carry with the hammer down on an empty chamber and pull the trigger twice, the gun will fire twice...
Single or double action, no difference. Pulling the trigger on a double action/cocking the trigger and pulling the trigger on a single action will advance the cylinder from the empty chamber to a loaded chamber.

Edit: unless you leave two chambers empty and carry on the first empty in case it is dropped and if you accidentally pull the trigger, it will fall on the second empty chamber so you have to pull the trigger again...

 

[whacko]

If a new shooter seems like they have any "ability" as far as marksmanship a revolver is a good first gun. The manual of arms is as easy as it gets. All you have to do is remember to load it! In the RARE instance of a misfire just pull the trigger again!