Why would anyone think it's crazy to use a snubnose revolver for self-defense? For 70+ years the .38 Special (in various barrel lengths) was used by beat cops, undercover cops, and federal agents. Many civilians carry snub nose 38's to this day and they have saved just as many lives as any other handgun.

Before I went to Viet Nan in 1968, I practiced with both hands, rifle and pistol,M-16 and .45, just in case I was injured. I still practice, and am proficient with both hands. 5 shots in 5 seconds 25 ft, in the space of a human heart. Always practice with left and right hands. 28 Aug 2021.

In 1974 I was involved in a gunfight w/armed robbery suspects while armed w/my issued Colt Detective Special, about the same size & weight as the S&W Chief Special & I owe my life to that little gun. They’ll do the job but you will have to spend time on the range to become proficient.

Video from damn near a decade ago but still useful as hell. Thank you sir.

I've carried a snub nosed S&W .38 for 35 years --- I love it when people tell me those aren't accurate, the look on their face when they see me shoot it is priceless...

No matter the weapon practice is the key.

and remember, revolvers don't drop evidence.....er, i mean casings.

This video has aged really well, I absolutely love shooting snub nose revolvers. Always come back to this video. Thank you, sir.

The First Rule of Gunfighting: HAVE A GUN. Everything else is a nuance.

Carried one of these as a detective for over 20 years and you bet I BET my life on it. Perfectly good gun.

Good common sense video. I bought my wife a Lady Smith 20 years ago and she loves it. She practiced several scenarios including firing without bringing the pistol up for a sight picture. In a critical moment you can't expect the perp to wait for you to get your shooting stance. Controlled point and shoot should be part of the practice routine.

38 Snubnose? Good Enough for Det. Joe Friday, badge number 714. 🚔

Back in the day ,a military issue 1911.45 loaded with fmj rounds was the main carry for front line infantry officers and NCOs, Besides my .45, I carried a .32 caliber snub nose (non government issue) as my personal back up piece. in a close quarter fire fight we were trained to use our fire arm always with our strong hand. The other hand either held a grenade, or a sharpened entrenching tool for close up work. When I emptied my .45 (no time to re mag.), the .32 came out and did its dirty work. But never did it perform with one shot, one kill.Just about every bullet had to be used to take down an enemy soldier at 10 ft. or less. But at least it saved my life on more than one occasion. After the war, I never fired a fire arm again. Just like to look though.

Over two years later this is still an important, pertinent and timeless education of practical sense . Once when I was in a gun shop, younger and not as wise " 30 years ago" I made a snide comment about a mans pocket gun being to small . The owner , who I had great respect for said to me. "That .38 spl. he has in pocket will protect him a lot better than his .44 magnum at home in his closet " I learned a lesson that day, and acknowledged he was right. I just stood there looking at my 8 inch Dan Wesson .357 and keeping my mouth shut.

According to crime stats, most gunfights occur within 3 feet. A snub nose or hammerless snub nose is an excellent carry for self-defense.

My wife and I both made the decision to not carry semi autos for self protection after both of us having too many failures to fire with the ones we thought to carry. We have both practiced and can shoot our airweight 38's very well, and in my opinion the reliability and the fact that they go everywhere with us makes the difference.

I inherited my Dad's old model 15 (combat masterpiece) snub-nose .38. I always thought that you'd have to be lucky to hit the broad side of a barn with one of these things. I thought they were "city guns" for close range only, but boy was I wrong. The first time a fired it I was in the back yard and the only thing in my way was the garden hose laying on the ground. So, thinking that this gun was inaccurate.....I aimed for the water hose. Guess what? I nailed it on the first shot! My wife is still mad at me over that one. Long story short, with the right ammunition, these guns are very accurate. I shoot a 6" group at 45 feet and hit the paper 9 out of 10 shots at 100 feet! Smith and Wesson sure make some very nice revolvers. Thanks for the video.

"Practice shooting one handed..." You are so right about that. One day my then 4 year old daughter and I were out walking when we were approached by an aggressive stray dog (we live in the country). I picked up my daughter and positioned my body so I was between her and the animal - that left exactly one hand to hold my pistol which was a revolver. Thankfully no shots fired. But it sure brought home the lesson to practice one handed. Peace.

Under 50yds, say inside a room, a little .38 revolver may just save your life. Small guns are underrated...

Most old school guys like me prefer the snub nose over any auto. Although I am convinced compact auto's have a perfect place. The small wheel gun remains tops for me.

Snub .38's, especially the S&W Model 36 and 49 were once the standard for police detectives and other plainclothes assignments. This was back in the old revolver days before autoloaders became the standard. We used to file the hammers down so the spur wouldn't catch on clothes when drawing. Of course the pistol would no longer function single-action since it couldn't be cocked, but it would only be used in double-action anyway. Never fire a self-defense in single-action; if you do, you will cock the gun before firing it in a real shooting situation. Ditto for using sights; if you have time to do a sight-alignment before firing, you probably shouldn't be shooting anyway. Learn to draw, point and shoot in one movement. If you want a case in point, I knew a cop who was in the rare shootout which required reloading the service revolver. He reloaded, but before resuming fire he also picked up all his spent brass and placed them in his pocket. Why? Because that's what he had always done on the qualification range. You will always do what you train to do. Been there, done that. Retired, 32-years metropolitan police.

There is a good reason why plainclothes detectives carried these for many years.

Any gun that you practice with and become proficient with is a good gun to carry. It goes back to it's better to hit somebody with a 22 than to miss somebody with a 45..

Have been carrying a Model 36 for 55 years. Still loving it

I am from Naples 🇮🇹.And i grew up in Brooklyn NY.And i am an old lady .Italian nieghborhoods used to be the safest place in the city .Not anymore .I am 63 years old .Im not a little girl anymore .But i can kill with the best of them .There is no more respect !!!Used to be people had respect .And we could sleep with our doors open and we were safe in our neighborhoods.Not anymore !!!

my dad survived the 1970's. in the nypd with the snub nose 38 but if he knew it was going to be a shtf. kind of night he brought the BIG GUN.mom always said say an extra prayer when dad brought the big gun..it wasn't necessarily the gun but the accuracy that saved him more than once!

I have been carrying a S&W Centennial for almost 30 years and I love that gun. It's been a fantastic "concealable" gun. It's double action only but has a shroud so there isn't a concern over a hammer getting caught up in clothing (it's been mentioned) if fired from a jacket pocket, etc.. It's also rated for +P ammo. In certain careers there is a benefit to guns like it. When you're in a close quarter SHTF situation you're not too worried about how much expansion your hollow point gets from a 2 inch barrel or if it can penetrate 10 inches or more. You're more than likely only worried about the person you are shooting at in a very close quarter situation. These guns serve a certain purpose. If people have a need for longer range accuracy or a bullet that penetrates further, they should be considering a different gun entirely.

I have been ccp holder for more than 20 years. Ive carried many different firearms. I carry my little S&W airweight more often than all others. Its easy, accurate, reliable and comfortable. 100% confidence in my 5 shots.

The SP101 gets my vote. That trigger, smooth edges, the Ruger is a well built machine.

at the end of the day, it's a hot piece of metal hitting your chest at supersonic speeds. even if it only stops someone for a moment, a moment's all you need.

Used by undercover detective police for years w no complaints. They work if you do your job.

Totally agree with shooting "weak handed". As a private in a ranger battalion my squad leader had us shoot the qual course left handed after we had qualified "for the record" with our dominate hands. He explained, logically, "What if you're shot in your right arm, dumbass?"

The best gun in a gunfight? The one you have with you. The S&W J frame is a great little gun!

I carried one undercover for 14 years and for many other years off duty and a fine weapon. I had plenty of confidence in it.

I carried a .38 snub for a lot of years as a copper. I did go to a snub .44 special at times. I did consider it a ten foot sword because I was a narcotics officer then a detective when I carried snubs. In reality I could readily make twenty five yard torso shots and fifty yards was not to difficult. On patrol I carried a .357 smith mod 27 with a six inch barrel. I am 66 years old now and carry a smith .38 bodyguard in my pocket all the time. One of the most concealable weapons with a decent bullet I have found.

I carry a Smith & Wesson model 36 loaded with Hornady critical defense every day. I never leave home without it.

For a fine example of proficiency and alertness letting a snub-nose revolver prevail against a semi-automatic magazine pistol, a full-auto magazine pistol, and a shotgun, look up the action of Sgt Dallas R. Pruitt, Winston-Salem NC police, on 29 May 1990. Two suspects came in the front of a venue, firing with intent to kill him. Two more came in back. First suspect was DRT, with a head shot. Second suspect was found on the sidewalk, with head and groin wounds, died later in hospital. The other two were captured later. Pruitt recovered and retired, because of nerve damage to his arm, but a clear head, muscle memory, and grit let him fight through an ambush with only five rounds. For the record, I used to carry a 45 semi almost everywhere, but in my one peacetime confrontation, a snub 357 beat my opponent's magazine pistol. Small size, reliability, practice, and constant alertness beat high capacity and false confidence, which most assailants have.

You guys in America are so lucky. I have to defend my self with a Butter knife and Potato peeler.

A coworker had someone bet him a case of beer that he couldn’t hit a styrofoam coffee cup at 50 yards with his 2” S&W. Guess who ended up with a case of beer? Yup, my coworker.

Wow, a ton of great advice in less than 5 minutes! Good stuff. 👍

nothing sweeter than a little s&w j frame . easy to conceal and go bang everytime.

I've been carrying the same 2 1/2" S&W model 10 for 34 years now. It has gotten me out of a few sticky situations, and I'll still bet my life on it.

Been carrying a snub .357 since the mid-70s, when I was a cop in Atlanta area, also a Fulton County Regular Deputy Sheriff. At first it was an S&W mod 19 2", nickle plated. Then I graduated to a Colt Python for a few years, but had to sell it due to medical needs. I now carry a Taurus 605 stainless .357, and I swear it's the equal of any of them! That .357 Remington 125 gr. semi jacketed hollow point load is more powerful from my two inch barrel than ANY 9mm load, including +P+ loads. Yeah, the recoil and muzzle flash are something else, but I never have to worry about making an impression on the bad guys.

The perfect non jamming gun for close quarters protection. Most people panic in these close quarter situations anyway & couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Stay cool and make sure you hit your target.

In 1979 I bought a S&W Model 60 (stainless steel .38spl) for $160 and they threw in a shoulder holster, I still carry it to this day.

I have a 642 S&W .38 Special (Airweight J frame. it's compact, light, no hammer to get caught in your shirt, 158 grain bullets and it will stop an attacker a lot better than a 9mm. no worrys about the safety being on, or is one in the chamber, or a bullet jamming. just point and shoot. it's your life your protecting.

I love my little .38. The other .38 has no hammer. I can’t be particular though. I love all my guns. They get the best in loving care. Yes! Practice, practice, practice. No gun likes lying around not being shot.

Spent time, money, and effort trying to find a satisfactory .380, but always come back to my old J-Frame for simplicity, reliability, and integrity.

The Smith & Wesson model 36 chief was one of the finest guns ever produced.

You're the first one I've seen to recommend practicing with the weak hand!

I think the idea that it’s hard to shoot a snubby is just one of those firearm myths that keeps getting repeated. It’s easy to make single action 25 yard hits. I heartily agree, and this is what’s hard, that we need to practice with both hands in double action. A Bulldog in double action in my left hand is pretty lively.

Many many men and women lost their lives to a 38 snub. Top choice of the gangsters of the 20s and 30s.

It's fine for carry and defense, I bet it hurts when it hits you! Never wanna find out

It is the sidearm I choose. Fits in a pocket. Draws very quickly. No I'm not crazy.

Carried a Smith and Wesson model 36-0 most of my life and loved it. Most reliable gun I’ve ever owned.

Whatever you carry has got to be better than what we get to carry in the UK, a bunch of keys and bad breath!

Ive packed on as a back-up for 35+ years. No safety, no jams. The perfect "in the room" defense gun

My 2.5" Bulldog in .44 sp. is for every day carry. I'll save my 1911 for the Zombie Apocalypse.

I have a S&W 442. It can hit a pie plate size target at fifty yards. While conceal carrying I had to draw it twice. Both times the perps did a 180 and left.

Here in the UK legal self-defence would be a walking stick or shouting at the enemy while your be stabbed.

Great video. I've had my snub nose for almost 10 years now. Easy to conceal and being a revolver I have a lot more faith that if I ever do need it, it'll work.

In NY, I carried a Colt 2 inch revolver in an ankle holster as a backup when I was in uniform in 1967-1988 and while in plainclothes Strike Force. No jams, good action and stopping power.

That’s my sweet pea! Carried her around 35 years. Will never fail you!

Many owe their lives to these

I carried a Colt Detective Special in Viet Nam and I carry one now. It saved my life in the war. I'd rather have my FAL but they won't let me carry one. Thanks for the video. You're right on the money, by my experience, knowledge and belief.

I re-watched this video today and it's really informative. I saw it a couple years ago and I started carrying a Smith and Wesson model 649 (I have a CCW) after watching it. The lower profile and size is what sold me (649). I ride a lot and I used to carry a G26 but after watching this video, I practiced and often. Most gunfights are within 7 meters, with +P hollow point ammo, it's a very lethal pistol. People will argue about 'capacity' but most criminals will never know you're armed. Five in the cylinder and a couple speed strips and practice and you're good to go.

The best gun to carry for self defense is the one you have with you when you need it.

Have a Taurus 38 snub. Good little gun fits in the pocket easy.

Very good video. I carry a Combat Magnum ,Model 19,.357 magnum with a 2.5 in barrel. It has provided more than adequate protection.

Man, revolvers fill a whole in me only revolvers can. "Metal and wood, that feels so good"

I'm not finding any 38 hollow point either. But I just read that the Remington plant in Arkansas, now owned by Vista Outdoors, has reopened and plans on running three shifts. I also read that its one of three of the largest ammunitions plant in one location in the world. As of October 22, they doubled the work force to 1,100 with plans for more expansion. Its a start.

I bought a S&W model 60 in the 80’s when I was in law enforcement. Carried a 66 when in uniform. Carried the 60 when I worked special duty at court in plain clothes. I kept it loaded with hydra shock ammo. Nice shooting little gun. I still take it out shooting every now and then. Paid $168.00 (new) back then. I bought a 642 hammerless airweight a few years ago for back pocket carry in my wranglers. Aluminum frame started to corrode from body sweat when I was out working on my farm. Sent it to Smith and they refused to warranty it. I’ve bought a half dozen new guns since then, but not one smith.it still shoots fine but it just pissed me off they wouldn’t honor their warranty. I paid about $400 it. If you carry a short revolver, practice is a must but they are definitely lethal. They were known as “Saturday night specials” back in the day. States and the government wanted to outlaw them just like they’re trying with everything now.

Those cans never had a chance.

There are naysayers on here who think that the .38 Spl +P isn't enough gun. It's saved my bacon when I needed it!

This may be a 10 year old video but it’s one of the best out there for proper theory on how to practice using your carry weapon. I also believe the snubnose revolver is still one of the most carried backup guns by police officers and detectives.

I have carried a 2 1/2" .357 Ruger SP101 for decades! Have practiced with it for years. In a defensive situation the attack is almost always less than 10 feet! A snubby can actually be an advantage in close quarters over a longer barreled weapon.

For a long time I carried a model 36 loaded with .38 spl +p ammo concealed, i worked in a rough part of town 2nd shift, had to use it one night, fired one round and the fool dropped everything and ran. Cops picked him up later at the e.r. the bullet hit him left of his belly button, maybe 3" from where I was trying for, from 3 feet away. My boss chewed someone out and they fixed all those lights in the parking lot that didn't work

As a retiree of 34 years of LE, I carry either a 2.25” Ruger SP101 or a Ruger LCR and have never felt under armed. The issue is always competency, willingness, and heart. Duty wise, I have carried both revolvers and auto loaders. My greatest comfort zone is still a revolver. Shotguns and lever guns still have their place as well!

In the 80s my department requested that you qualify with any off duty gun. Since the issue was the model 10 my model 36 was the perfect off duy and backup gun. We qualified up to 25 yards and quite frankly the model 36 is very accurate. I now use a Taurus 605 with full .357 mag critical defense loads and the gun is also a pleasure to shoot with the rubber grips. You can call me a Fudd but I still believe these revolvers are relevant today for CCW.

You are absolutely right about shooting with your weaker hand by itself. If your good arm is disabled for some reason, like being shot in it, then your weaker hand may just save your life or at least help you to get away.

It never crossed my mind to practice shooting one handed but it makes absolute perfect sense. Thanks for the tip.

In my police career, I was armed with six gun revolvers for the first twenty years. Then we were issued Sig Saurer P226. And suddenly we had stove pipes and other problems. I never had a revolver mishap but several with the semi-autos. Luckily, I am still alive.

1996 a couple clowns attacked me w/ a tire iron they wanted my motorcycle I ended up shooting one of them in the leg w/ a target load it damn near took his leg completely off... if all you have are target loads use em ....

I bet my life on a snubbie every day that I carry a gun. If you can't get out of trouble with 5/6 rounds of good .38 +P hollow points, you've obviously done something real, REAL dumb.

The .38 in your pocket beats the .357 at home :-)

I carry a Smith and Wesson Model 36 chief's special. Which is the same gun as this but in a blued variant. Most self defense situations are up close and personal, within 10 feet, not 25 yards, so I feel very safe carrying it. I have carried a Walther PPK .380, but I like the reliability of a revolver. When my life's on the line, I want to know when I pull the trigger a round will fire, and then I can fire again. I use Hornady personal defense hollow point ammo. These are great carry guns.

Just remember the 3 rule. Most gun fights take place within 3 yards, with 3 rounds in 3 seconds. A .38 snub nose is just fine for self defense. As a former police officer I carried a 2 inch S&W 38 as a backup which we had to qualify with it in order to carry . I had no problem qualifying which included distances of 15 yards and I usually shot a 99-100 with my service weapon and back up

I carried a Rosi 38 like this .for years. Easy to carry and had fantastic fell in the hand . wasnt the same as my Beratta 92f I carried in the military .but I loved that 38... You can drop a target at 25 yards max on range . it takes some handling at that distance but practice you can do it . practice practice practice

I totally agree! I was a Combat Arms Instructor if the Air Force for over 20yrs and I would always tell my students to practice one handed as well as with your weak hand. You never know what can happen, if your strong hand is incapacitated in a fire fight, you need to have the proficiency to engage targets with your weak hand! Great advice & great video!

Carried a 2" model 19 S&W .357 for years on and off duty. Dependable and accurate. Practice is the key, 7 yards from the hip.

No reason anyone should carry any form of gun other than the .38 Spl revolver.. That’s a perfect self defense weapon.

Earlier today I watched a video about an armed robbery gone wrong. The perp fired six rounds, the store clerk fired five. Eleven rounds fired from shiny, new autoloaders and only one hit. Even worse, they were literally close enough to shake hands. In other words, it ain't the gun that makes you accurate.

My S&W 36 and a speed loader with +P Silver tips is always on me for a main gun and for backup with a Glock 23 - 40 cal. Some of these folks called "experts" have no clue about what a 38 snub can do ... even with multiple opponents at close range = 20 feet or less . More than one deer has wound up in the freezer after being nailed with a snub .

I love the snub-nose .38, got two five-shooters and a 6-shot .357. It's a classic, enduring design for a reason, it just plain works. Simple, reliable, and plenty accurate for self defense. I have yet to see a semi-auto that won't misfeed a round occasionally. Even the most reliable ones are subject to the odd dud round.

Used to carry one of these. I had some guidelines. Under 300 pounds: one shot. 300-325: two shots. 325-350: 3 shots. 350-375: 4 shots. 375-400: 4 shots to the body, one to the head. Over 400 pounds? Run, he'll never catch you.

The moral of the story... Practice, practice, practice.

Excellent man, good advice, good job shooting!!! Just goes to show it's not the weapon that counts it's the man behind that weapon!!!

I use a 38 special for my protection I just was attacked recently in my attacker is put in prison for 45 years so obviously I am getting better with mine but I obliterated a Target and sometimes you have to feel really confident learn it yeah practice makes perfect

My grandfather taught me to shoot as a kid ( with a 1950's S&W Model 10 "skinny barrel"). I learned to fire double action FIRST, In his view a revolver is first and foremost a DEFENSE tool. "Fancy single action bull's eye shots impress, but won't save your life." - He was an WWII US Army paratrooper, and lifelong avid hunter. I think he knew his shit!

I just recently requalified for my CCW. 5, 10, & 15 yards, with my Model 36. All double action. Scored 29 of 30.