Smith & Wesson 351C vs. Ruger LCR

[handloadingnotes]

If you're looking for a carry gun with a short barrel, I recommend the LCR, not the LCRx guns with the exposed hammer. The larger 3" barrel LCRx is it's own odd thing and I'm not commenting on it. My experience is that the single action mode with the very short barrel and poor sights wasn't an accuracy game changer the way it is with bigger guns. Obviously the slick-backed DAO guns are simpler and more snag free. But also, they have an extra screw keeping the frame together!. There's a screw at the top-left "corner" of the frame on an LCR that is not there on an LCRx. The two halves of the LCRx is only held together by the single screw in the crane. I've had that work loose on me under 38 Special +P loads. The LCR has not done this yet.

In my opinion the LCR is ugly, but it's a nearly perfect carry gun — it just needs better rear sights.

I don't have any experience with the 351C. The specs say it's lighter, which is nice. I'm a little wary of current S&W quality, because the rental guns at ranges are beaten apart or still have rough triggers. The LCR trigger is nicer out of the box. That's what convinced me to start my snubnose journey with an LCR. (An LCRx that I've since replaced with an LCR). A counterpoint is that there's more support for improving S&W triggers.

I hope this helps!

[oddshooter]

dup

[oddshooter]

If you have any hope of dry-firing with your seller, I strongly suggest you take 6 expended 22mag cases in with you. The firing pin hits the rim of 22's and can leave a mark on the chamber hole if no case there to hit; making it harder to sink a new round all the way. It is never recommended without a Snap cap or used brass to dry-fire any rim-fired cartridge.


Good luck,
Prescut

[bsfloyd]

Oct 20, 2023 13:51:03 GMT -5 handloadingnotes said:

If you're looking for a carry gun with a short barrel, I recommend the LCR, not the LCRx guns with the exposed hammer. The larger 3" barrel LCRx is it's own odd thing and I'm not commenting on it. My experience is that the single action mode with the very short barrel and poor sights wasn't an accuracy game changer the way it is with bigger guns. Obviously the slick-backed DAO guns are simpler and more snag free. But also, they have an extra screw keeping the frame together!. There's a screw at the top-left "corner" of the frame on an LCR that is not there on an LCRx. The two halves of the LCRx is only held together by the single screw in the crane. I've had that work loose on me under 38 Special +P loads. The LCR has not done this yet.

In my opinion the LCR is ugly, but it's a nearly perfect carry gun — it just needs better rear sights.

I don't have any experience with the 351C. The specs say it's lighter, which is nice. I'm a little wary of current S&W quality, because the rental guns at ranges are beaten apart or still have rough triggers. The LCR trigger is nicer out of the box. That's what convinced me to start my snubnose journey with an LCR. (An LCRx that I've since replaced with an LCR). A counterpoint is that there's more support for improving S&W triggers.

I hope this helps!

Thanks for the detailed info, hln!  This is valuable for sure.

[bsfloyd]

Oct 20, 2023 16:16:58 GMT -5 oddshooter said:

If you have any hope of dry-firing with your seller, I strongly suggest you take 6 expended 22mag cases in with you. The firing pin hits the rim of 22's and can leave a mark on the chamber hole if no case there to hit; making it harder to sink a new round all the way. It is never recommended without a Snap cap or used brass to dry-fire any rim-fired cartridge.


Good luck,
Prescut

Most certainly!  I have snap caps in all calibers of my firearms and have brought them with me to gun shops in the past.  I like to think the shop owners have appreciated this