Ruger LCR 357 Magnum Revolver 1.875" Barrel, Hogue ''Tamer'' Grip

This is a great, high-quality pocket revolver. As with any double-action revolver it has a long heavy trigger pull, but if you use it enough you can easily find where it breaks and control the aim. I usually put 38 specials through it and found that the recoil isn't too bad, but you can still control it with 357s and I like to have the options of shooting either. It is lightweight and small enough that it fits in most of my front pockets and doesn't feel bulky or heavy at all (I do recommend a pocket sleeve though). It's also very easy to clean, and you don't have to oil the internal hammer but about once every 500-1000 rounds (which is also easy enough to do when you have to).

I purchased this pistol as well as spending an extra $400 + for S&W's M&P 340 so I could have "the best" pocket carry .357 Magnum made. To be fair, the S&W came with a tritium front sight (which I consider mandatory for a personal protection firearm) and I had to spend $80 to add a tritium "Big Dot" front sight to the Ruger, so there really was just over $300 and some change more to get a 4oz lighter .357 from S&W. I want to carry the most comfortable pocket pistol in that caliber. After shooting over 200 rounds through each, I decided on which would earn the place in my right front pocket. In case you don't want to read more, I chose the Ruger. Taking price completely out of the equation, the Ruger simply has a better trigger and I consistently was more accurate with the Ruger in self defense draw and shoot drills. If stout recoil is a deal breaker for you, save some money and buy a .38 Special. Both of these pistols pop pretty strong with full power .357 Magnum cartridges. The 4 oz weight difference is not noticeable carrying or shooting. I didn't have a single failure from the Ruger or the S&W in 200 rounds through each. I do not believe the Ruger is any less durable without the very expensive scandium used in the S&W pistol. The LCR .357 really looks exactly the same now as when it was new and nothing feels loose after launching 200 powerful rounds. It is my personal opinion that the superior trigger in the Ruger made it better overall for my personal defense weapon than the far more expensive S&W. Neither are exactly comfortable to shoot, but that is not their purpose. For having the most controllable firepower in my front pocket (inside a Sticky brand holster), this Ruger wins. When I sold the S&W, I used some of the funds to buy some Crimson Trace laser grips for the little beast. That pretty well makes for the perfect pocket setup with the most stopping power. Not having to bring the pistol up to eye level to hit the target was just the icing on the cake. The only downside to the laser grips is that you lose the cushion of the factory installed Hogue tamer grips. Still, I'll take the trade off. If you want 50 year proven stopping power in a reliable, accurate, pocket carry pistol, this is your firearm.

handy little revolver. got the 357 model cause of it's versatility. 38spl can be shot through a 357 model, can't be done the other way around. use 38s for range use and carry with full power 357 loads. pinkie is off the grip, but i've got enough grip to handle what is practical and to be expected if i ever had to use it for defense. i do wish the shell extrator was longer as the casings are pushed out just over half way and often need to be pluked out by hand. but accuracy is very good with practice and easily concealed. different options are available for front sights and a few different grips, but the tamers are my choice.

Picked up this little hand cannon right from the Ruger rep. during a visit to the Ogden store. Our tactical unit had been looking for a small revolver, weight being a key factor, for use in a special application involving hostage incidents. The concern had arisen in CQB training with suspects using hostages as human shields, contact head shots would sometimes disengage the slide on our semi-auto's when barrels were pressed up against the skull. Of course, this problem is solved by the revolver and we love that the hammer is completely shrouded. I was able to throw the gun on my tac vest with no discernible weight increase or loss of space. Also, I love being able to slide this beauty into my jean's pocket and forget its there. After close to 100 rounds in training scenarios, no problems or malfunctions. Another great gun by Ruger!

This little revolver was purchased as a concealed carry. Don't let anyone tell you it is too much with .357 rounds. I fired 100 .357 rounds through this with no pain or sting. I'm also only 130 lbs.

I have long been a fan of Ruger revolvers and have owned both revolvers and semi-autos in this brand, as well as others. This is the smallest revolver I have ever owned, and by far the smallest .357. I was going to get the .38, but was offered a .357 in trade and the deal was too good to pass up. I haven't shot it a lot yet, but enough to like it. Needless to say, this is a short range weapon and it will take practice to get really good with it, as is the case with most snubbies. The lack of an external hammer, the rounded profile and small size makes this an easy gun to slip into a coat or trouser pocket, from which, if necessary, it could be fired. It is very light, and with magnum loads, a handful. (Can you say muzzle flip?) My only real critism is the grip. The compact grip makes handling a tradeoff, because your pinkie winds up hanging off the grip. If you are going to shoot mags, you really need a better grip on this thing. I wish Pachmayr made Grippers for this gun. It would cut down on concealment a bit, but would dramatically improve the handling.

I've been very pleased with this new weapon. Smooth and accurate with standard 38 loads at 7 yards. Quite an atention getter at the range with magnum loads. A good concealed carry and very handy little revolver to tote on a small boat. Nice quality.

This is a good, reliable gun. Perfect for conceal carry but still has the knockdown when needed. Ruger always makes a good weapon.

The LCR is great for what it is designed to do. The one I shot is not too bad with 38s in it. Full load 357s are a handful. The accuracy was what you'd expect for a close encounters weapon. It would be easy to pack as it is light and fairly small.