The Smith & Wesson J-Frame and the Ruger LCR are both compact revolvers designed for concealed carry, but they take very different approaches in design and construction.
The S&W J-Frame is the classic snub-nose revolver. It uses a traditional steel or aluminum frame with a metal cylinder and hammer-fired action. The J-Frame line has been around for decades, proven for reliability and simplicity. It offers various models—hammerless, shrouded, or exposed hammer—and is available in calibers from .22 LR up to .357 Magnum. The trigger has that distinct double-action pull that smooths out with use, and aftermarket parts and holsters are plentiful.
The Ruger LCR (Lightweight Compact Revolver) is a more modern design. It uses a polymer fire control housing, aluminum or steel upper frame, and a stainless cylinder to reduce weight while maintaining strength. The biggest standout is its cam-based trigger system, which gives the LCR one of the smoothest double-action pulls of any small revolver.
The polymer frame also absorbs recoil better than most expect for such a light gun. It’s offered in similar calibers—.22 LR, .38 Special +P, .357 Magnum, and 9mm.
Ruger LCR: Optimized for Carry
Let's get it out of the way: you don't get as much in terms of choice with the Ruger LCR (it stands for Lightweight Carry Revolver) series. You can pick (the LCR) or a low-profile hammer with the LCRx. The finish can be any color, so long as you like black. (Though a few distributors may have some special color options available, if that matters.) The frame is a polymer lower and aluminium alloy upper.
You get Hogue rubber grips and a whole lot of surface contours for an easy draw from concealment. Sights are notch rear and blade front, though you can get luminescent front sight inserts and a couple of LCRx models do come with target rear sights.
You can get Crimson Trace from the factory or order the grips yourself.
You do get a bit more choice in terms of caliber, though. You get the classics, .38 Special +P and .357 Magnum. There are also .22 LR and .22 Magnum models, in both the LCR and LCRx. However, the LCR - though not the LCRx - can also be had in .327 Federal Magnum and the . The latter requires the use of moon clips, but Ruger sells them cheap.
Everything you need, nothing you don't, but you can get a little bit of what you don't if you want.
The LCR has a 1.87-inch barrel across the board, save for two LCRx models with 3-inch barrels. (One in .38 Special, one in .22 LR.) Unloaded weight is 13.5 ounces at the lightest, 17.2 ounces at the heaviest. Despite the frame contouring, the LCR is slightly bigger than the smaller J-frames, at 4.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches long, but slightly narrower at 1.28 inches wide at the cylinder.
Granted, fewer choices in appointment over the J-frame series, sure, but the LCR is designed for function first, which is why a lot of people regard it as the best concealed carry revolver on the market.
Ruger LCR Specs:
- Overall Length: 6.5"
- Height: 4.5"
- Barrel Length: 1.87"
- Width: 1.28"
- Weight: 13.5oz - 17.2oz
Take advantage of our 30-day Test Drive! There's more Ruger LCR holsters available on our page under Ruger on the Revolver tab.
J-Frame Revolvers: Freedom of Choice
Thing about the J-frame is there are J-frame revolvers for almost any sensibility. For the most part, you get 5 shots of .38 Special or .357 Magnum, though there are a couple of 7-shot models in .22 Magnum and a few 8-shot models in .22 LR.
However, everything beyond that is up to you. What you can get depends on what you want and how much you're willing to pay...and there's a J-frame for almost any budget.
Want wood and blue steel? The Model 36, the classic J-frame, is for you.
Rather have a lightweight DAO optimized for the deepest concealment? Try the 642. Want the best of both worlds? The 648 in .38 Special and 649 in .357 Magnum have shrouded hammers, allowing for but streamlined for an easy draw from concealment. Lasers are available, as are models with target sights.
And so on. There are more than 3 dozen individual models under the J-frame banner, so it's a buyer's market. Choose the model you like.
Specs vary by model, but the typical barrel length is 1.875 inches with an overall length of 6.3 inches. Some have a 2.125-inch barrel, and a few J-frames - most notably the Model 60 3" - have a 3-inch barrel, which makes them a tad longer. Width is 1.3 inches at the cylinder, and most models are around 4.2 inches tall, though a few have slightly longer grips so it depends on the exact model you look at.
Weight also varies by model. The lightest is the M&P 340 (the current M&P line of plastic fantastics are not the first to wear the label; the first was the Model 10) at 13.8 ounces. The heaviest is the Model 60 3" at 23.2 ounces. Most of them are 14.4 ounces, so less than a pound unloaded. Easy to conceal, easy to carry, easy to operate - that's why CCW revolvers are still relevant.
In short, there are so many iterations of the J-frame revolver that it would take all day for you to read about them. Suffice to say it's a versatile platform, with offerings to suit nearly any gun buyer's desires.
S&W J-Frame Specs:
- Overall Length: 6.3"
- Height: 4.2"
- Barrel Length: 1.875"-2.125"
- Width: 1.3"
- Weight: 14.4oz
Take advantage of our 30-day Test Drive!
J-Frame vs. LCR: The Choice
If you had to choose between the J-frame vs. Ruger LCR...it really comes down to which one you like. You won't go wrong either way; it's like choosing between a Civic and a Camry. Either way you get a good car that's going to last.
They're practically the same gun. Both can be in most gun stores, though you should anticipate paying a little extra - probably about $50 - for the Ruger over a base model J-frame. Both chamber .38 Special and will run +P, so they are both good defensive pistols, though .357 Magnum can be had if desired.
They're both about the same size and weight, though the Ruger is about 1 ounce lighter than most J-frames; hardly enough to make a serious difference. Both can be had in DAO or double/single configuration.
However, there are a few things that could tilt a person in one direction over another. Ruger installs a friction-reducing cam in the trigger group, so you get a smoother pull in double-action which some people have bemoaned in S&W revolvers. Expect a 10- to 12-pound pull either way.