[Kygrizzly]

I own and carry a 638 Airweight, Bodyguard and was wondering about the danger of shooting from retention due to the gasses coming from the where the cylinder meets the barrel. We all know or at least hope we do not to have your fingers near that area. I was just wondering if it would burn you/your shirt, etc? Thanks in advance.Great site

 

[Stevew]

I wouldn't pracice like that. If my life depended on shooting from retention I would shoot and just deal with any flash. Unless you have some serious cylinder timing problems nothing too solid should be escaping.

 

[RETSUPT99]

Take a pistol SD course and you will shoot from retention. You'll be close to the target, close enough to touch it. Then you'll draw and fire, it's not really a big deal, but not the same as normal fire...you should practice this, as this is what most likely will happen in a WalMart parking lot.OMOYMV:22a:

 

[RebelRabbi]

It will cause a powder burn....it is not a particulary bad injury. The 357 Magnum has the most muzzel / cylinder gap flash of any defensive caliber. Modern fast burning powders help but don't eliminate this problem. When I was a young buck we used K-Frames with 125 Gr. 357 Mags, we were taught to index by muzzel flash at night!

 

[Kygrizzly]

Thanks for the replies, i agree you wouldn't want to do this all the time and if you did Have to use this technique, i would just deal with it. With that said I also agree that one should practice this for SD. Again , thanks for your response.