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A Guide to Revolvers for Concealed Carry

Revolvers: They’ve Returned

Revolvers were the king of self defense handguns for well over 100 years. Almost everyone has heard of the two most iconic revolver manufacturers in the US – Colt, and Smith & Wesson.

The revolver faced a decline around the 1990’s due to increasing popularity of the semiauto, how compact and lightweight they were compared to the heavier revolvers made them a lot more desirable.

Revolvers are on the rise, though, thanks to advances in polymer frames and increasing lightweight metallurgy as well as advances like the moon clip.

Are Revolvers Suitable for Concealed Carry?

You bet! Smith & Wesson J-Frames have been cornerstones on the handgun market because of their timeless reliability. There’s been a few introductions, such as 9mm revolvers, that have proven the revolver is still just as timeless. Here’s just a few examples of why a revolver suits concealed carry:

• They meet magazine restrictions. In states like California and other heavily restrictive states they have virtually zero affect on revolvers

• If properly cared for, a revolver can last a life time

• They’re easy to maintain, fewer components that can break means fewer things that need fixing

Alien Gear Holsters has a blog piece about the differences between revolvers and semi autos you might want to check out as well!

Carrying a revolver is a bit different than carrying a semiauto

A good holster, like the Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 3.0 , for revolvers will have high retention and a high quality molded polymer shell. Some folks think a leather revolver holster is a one-size-fits-all, though it’s guaranteed trying to fit a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in a S&W 2” J-Frame holster will work about as well as you breathing water. Even among revolvers that are based off of a more iconic model there may be slight differences in width, barrel length, height, and the geometry of the firearm that interacts with the holster don’t always match up.

You want a holster designed specifically for revolvers, if it doesn’t feature a retention bump for the trigger you may end up with a firearm rotating around inside the shell and causing holster burn faster than expected. With leather holsters there’s a little bit of leeway on the retention bump, the leather will form to the cylinder. Leather does degrade over time, though.

What is the best holster to carry a J-Frame revolver?

What should a body look for when looking for a revolver holster? Ideally, these three things:

1. Trigger Guard Coverage – Almost nothing is as important for a concealed carry holster as trigger guard coverage regardless of handgun type. It helps prevent accidental or negligent discharges

2. It needs to carry easily – J-Frames are more compact than most, however due to their sturdy design features they are a bit more hefty. Ideally, a holster that helps distribute weight along the belt line. Since you’ll be carrying all day, it needs to be comfortable

3. Concealment – Concealed Carry means fully concealed. It shouldn’t print through clothing, allow a shirt to be tucked over it if needed, and the clips should be barely noticeable

What are some good concealed carry revolvers?

Alien Gear has got you covered with five revolvers with a price tag less than $500 for your concealed carry

Taurus 605B2

Taurus, manufactured in Brazil, makes a wide variety of firearms of semi autos and revolvers ranging from small-frame to “you wanna bet?”

Their entry-level revolver is the 605B2, a five-shot snubby in 3.57 Magnum running for around $356.06. Taurus states it fires .38 Special, as almost every .357 Magnum does.

At a 2” barrel length and a true hammer-fired double-action, this is a great concealed carry revolver

Charter Arms

Charter Arms has a great lineup of compact revolvers. Almost every one of them retails for less than $500 and available in calibers ranging from 9mm to .45 ACP, naturally the .38 Spl and .357 Mag, along with .40 and .44 Special

The Charter Arms Undercover goes for $346.00, with a five-shot capacity and chambered in .38 Special with 2” barrel. It can be had with hammer, or hammerless for $6 more.

Charter Arms is also a Made in the USA revolver!

Rock Island

Many folks have heard of Rock Island, part of Armscor International from the Philippines, for their extensive 1911 lineup.

The Rock Island M203 is similar to the 605B2 and the majority of Charter Arms’ lineup, though it has a 6-shot capacity and a price tag of only $283

There’s an option for the 4” barrel version for $275, as well as two hammerless DAO’s in 2” for $492

Rossi

Another Brazilian manufacturer, though the revolvers they offer are actually manufactured by Taurus.

There are nine total, from .22 LR to .357 Mag and only one of which is MSRP’d at over $500. The entry level models are the Model R46102 and R35102 in .357 Mag and .38 Spl +P respectively with a price tag of $390. The R46102 is a six-shot, while the R35102 is a five-shot.

Smith & Wesson

There was no way the creator of the iconic J-Frame wouldn’t be on this list.

There’s nine total revolvers from S&W under $500, with your standard 2” barrel chambered in .38 Special +P with an enclosed-hammer Double Action Only. These snubbies are also only 5-shot, the standard for J-Frame. Six of them run at $469, with the remaining three at $499 – just barely under the $500 mark.

Looking for more info on revolver carry?

Check out Alien Gear Holsters’ Blog! It’s chalk-full of information on Concealed Carry, firearms, and holsters!