The second problem with the light trigger pull is the false allegation of an accidental discharge. Here’s the situation I’ve seen play out over and over again in both civil and criminal cases over the years. Good guy shoots bad guy. Publicity-hungry prosecutor or money-hungry plaintiff’s lawyer needs a scapegoat to grab political or financial profit. This attorney fabricates a case of accidental discharge due to recklessly cocking hammer and creating hair trigger (or carrying pistol that would always fire with “hair trigger”). This BS allegation is dignified in court as the accuser’s “theory of the case.” Without this frail hook on which to hang the bogus case, it probably would have gone away. Instead, the shooter who fired in self-defense goes through a nightmarish (and nightmarishly expensive) ordeal. See the “Aftermath” chapter.
One is wisest to avoid it entirely. The revolvers I carry for personal defense will fire double action only. Some came that way from the factory and some were modified. My carry autos are either double action (with heavier-than-target-grade trigger pulls even on single action), my XDs have 6 to 7 pound trigger pulls, none of my carry 1911s are lighter than 4 pounds, and as noted my carry Glocks have New York triggers in the 7–8 pound pull range. Anyone who tells you it’s impossible to shoot well with these guns, doesn’t know how to shoot. I’ve won IDPA matches with Glock and XD pistols in the above pull weights, and for three years running won the NH Police Association annual state shoot with a Glock 22 that had a New York trigger, shooting against some who had put 3.5 pound pulls in their guns before the match.
In a clothing store, it’s hard to go wrong with “the basics”: “basic black,” gray pinstripe, and all of that. In the world of CCW, the first of “the basics” is a small revolver.
S&W’s J-frame series is the odds-on choice of professionals. High quality, smart engineering, and a wide range to choose from: 22, 32 H&R Magnum (off and on), 38 Special, and 357 Magnum. My advice would be to go with the 38 Special, though the little 22 Kit Guns make great “understudies” for cheap practice. An all-steel 2-inch (actually 1 7/8-inch barrel in most cases) will run about 20 ounces. The aluminum frame Airweights go about 15 ounces, a profound difference when the gun is carried in a pocket or on the ankle, but much less noticeable in a belt holster. The AirLites are available in various mixes of Titanium and Scandium, and are proportionally expensive due to the rare materials used in their construction, but they can get down to the eleven and twelve ounce weight range. There’s no excuse not to carry when adequately powerful handguns come this light.
Of course, the lighter the gun, the harder it kicks with the same ammunition. The all-steel small frames aren’t too bad, even with 38 Special +P ammo. The Airweights are downright unpleasant, and after I’ve finished a 50-shot qualification I’m glad it’s over. The AirLites, however, are downright painful, and with Magnum loads they’re torture devices. I find them more painful to shoot than the mighty Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum hunting revolver, by far. If you get them in 357, load them with 38s and do yourself a favor.
It’s a myth, by the way, that it’s OK to practice with mild loads but carry monster Magnums because somehow, fight or flight reflex will make up for the kick in an actual defensive shooting. True, the dump of nor-epinephrine and endorphins that accompanies high level body alarm reaction may block the pain of the recoil, but that won’t keep a too-powerful gun from twisting in your hand and preventing you from getting fast, accurate follow-up shots. You don’t need me to tell you that a hit with a 38 Special beats a miss with a 357 Magnum.
The J-frame — a 32-size frame with a cylinder bored out for five 38 rounds instead of six 32s — can be had in three styles, all dating back to the period between 1949 and 1955. The original Chiefs Special series is the “conventional style” double-action revolver, with exposed hammer that allows thumb-cocking to single action. The Bodyguard style is that gun with a built-in “hammer shroud” patterned after the bolt-on Colt shroud introduced shortly before, which keeps the hammer spur from snagging on clothing or pocket linings during a fast draw. A small button-size portion of the hammer is exposed to allow thumb-cocking for light-pull single-action shots. The third variation is the Centennial series, known colloquially as a “hammerless” but actually having a hammer that is totally enclosed inside its streamlined frame.
It is generally accepted that for fast defensive shooting, double action is the way to go. With this in mind, the Centennial is clearly the best bet, followed by the Bodyguard, followed by the Chiefs. The reason is found by analyzing shooter ergonomics in live fire, not theory born in dry fire.
When a revolver recoils, it wants to torque its muzzle up and to the side. With the conventional-hammer Chiefs series, the butt can roll up into the web of the hand, getting after one to three shots to a position where that web of the hand blocks the hammer and prevents subsequent shots from being fired until the gun is re-gripped. That won’t happen with the Bodyguard, whose hammer is shielded within its slot, and whose shroud is shaped in a way that catches at the web of the hand and prevents “roll-up.” The Centennial is even better, because not only can’t the gun roll up, but in addition the shape of the rear frame allows the shooter’s hand to grasp the gun higher. This lowers the bore axis vis-à-vis the gun hand and arm, keeping the muzzle down, and maximally enhancing the shooter’s recoil recovery rate for the most accurate possible rapid fire.
Because the Centennial can only be fired double action, it also prevents cocked gun accidents and possible false accusations of same. All these reasons have combined to make the Centennial series not only the most popular of the J-frames overall, but in most years of late the best seller among J-frames overall.
Factoring in cost, shootability, and portability, the S&W Model 642 Airweight is my personal choice among all those available, most of which I own or have owned and all of which I’ve shot. It’s the one I’d personally recommend. Taurus has a line of similar revolvers in all three hammer styles which are acceptable alternatives, trading less fancy finish for a lower price tag.
Going up a notch, there are slightly larger revolvers that are more powerful. The two I could most strongly recommend are the snub-nosed Ruger SP101 357 Magnum and the 2-inch barrel Taurus Tracker in 45 ACP. The latter takes the rimless auto pistol cartridges in a fast-loading “moon clip,” and mine shoots to point of aim at 25 yards with groups like a service revolver’s. The SP also has target-grade accuracy. Each has extra-cushiony trips to bring their recoil down to manageable levels. In the 25-ounce weight range, these are too heavy for my taste for pocket or ankle carry, but for the person who wants a small, powerful snubby in a belt holster, they’re great.