Most S & W revolvers have been for a long time - and still are - built on one or another of a series of common frame sizes – J, K, L, M, and X – which differ primarily in their size, trigger systems, and suitability for increasingly more powerful cartridges. The most common revolver cartridge these days is the 38 Special (38spl) and its more powerful younger sibling, the 375 Remington Magnum (357mag), and these rounds are also very suitable for small personal defense weapons. Being the smallest and lightest of the S&W revolver series, the J-Frame is the natural choice for a concealed carry weapon. Modern variants of the model even have a shrouded (enclosed) hammer or “hammerless” profile to make the gun snag-fee when withdrawing from clothing concealment.
Before we discuss accuracy and ergonomics let’s remember that the primary, perhaps sole, mission of this gun is self-defense. A shooter would not buy a J-Frame for use in marksmanship competition, nor would the little beast be very comfortable for an all-day recreational shooting session. With some practice, however, almost any shooter can handle the short grip length and sight radius well enough to place bullets regularly on center-mass of a man-sized target at normal self-defense distances.
As with most concealed carry revolvers, the sights on the J-Frame variants are optimized to the anti-snag profile, meaning that the front sight is relatively short and rounded while the rear sight is actually a square groove cut in the top of the frame at the rear. There is no adjustability but none is necessary to permit acceptable accuracy at distances within the mission specs. The quick “draw-point-shoot” mission and short sight radius of an ultra-concealable defense weapon renders sight adjustability superfluous. The gun, however, is absolutely capable of placing bullets on target whether the shooter is or not. In fact, we’ve demonstrated that a highly competent marksman, with a little practice, can achieve surprisingly tight groups from the little J-frame even out to 25 yards. Simply put, bullets from a J-Frame absolutely will go where the gun is pointed.
On a related subject, ergonomics is an important factor in a shooter being able to successfully utilize a gun’s inherent accuracy. When potential purchasers pick up the J-Frame – or any of its similarly sized competitors – “too small for my hand” is a frequent first comment from those with medium or large hands. With the J-Frame, however, a bit of practice at the range and/or “dry firing” at home will usually allow those folks to find a grip method that suits them, allowing the shooter to effectively deploy the gun as a self-defense tool. Aside from the dimensions, the J-Frame design is well designed to interface all of its controls to the human operator. The mere fact that it has been selling well for over sixty years speaks volumes about its excellence in all facets of its design.
This may seem to be a rather short review but the simplicity and excellence of the J-Frame design leaves little else to be said. It’s idiot-proof. Bullets go where the gun is pointed. It's reasonably priced and easy to conceal. S&W offers a multitude of variants to closely fit the gun to a personal preference. There are several other manufacturers offering revolvers in this class and some are quite good but the S&W J-Frame is one of the two or three we would classify as “The best of the bunch.”
Respectfully submitted
The Bunker Bunch
September, 2014
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