Which .357 Revolver is Best?

Cheeky Munkey

Cheeky Munkey

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Hi there Gunnutz. Mind if I pick ya'll's brains a bit here?

S&W Model 27 6" Highway Patrolman in .357 or an 8" Colt Python. Both pretty storied firearms.

Which would be the preferred tool for range work and maybe eventually competition fun?

What other revolvers in .357 are in a similar category/class?

Western style guns don't appeal to me: Handles too small and poorly located for confidence with modern cartridges, imho. Please don't be offended, it's just a matter of personal preference.

Thanks in advance for your offered wisdom, experience and the inevitable dreck.

Cheeky Munkey
 
S&W m66 is my fave. That frame size works for me best.

There are some custom shop S&W in the EE that look like real serious ppc pistols
 
I have a Model 27 with 5'' barrel and love it but If your looking for good revovler for competition then get yourself a S&W 686 or a S&W 625 thats what i use
Model 27
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Model 686
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Model 625
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You actually have two guns in the S&W category. They made a S&W 27 that is king S**t of Turd Hill when it comes to large 357s in my opinion, but the Highway Patrolman is a bit different gun. The 27 has really nice blueing, a partridge front sight IIRC, target hammer and trigger, and checkered top strap and barrel to reduce glare.

The Highway Patrolman is actually what you would consider a 28. It was made for police forces that loved the 27, but could not afford the expenditure. They have a less polished blue, ramped front sight, standard trigger and hammer, and bead blasted areas where glare should be reduced. I have a 28, as well as another range member, and we both really like ours. The nice thing about them is that since they are a lage (N) frame, they abosrb recoil really well with full powered 357 loads. I shoot 158 HP 38 Special out of mine in front of a middle of the road dose of Win 231; I have shot 22 pistols that recoil as much.

They are now making the 27 again in the classic line with a 6 1/2" barrel either blued or nickel plated.
 
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I prefer .357 magnum Smith & Wesson revolvers over Colt. Either one of these is nice.

]
model 27
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model 19
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^ found our 4inch to be a really nice gun indeed. Got to keep that one very clean thought as it can get fouled up and the cyclinder parts get sticky. Very tight tolerences in that MasterPiece!
 
highlander said:
Colt Python - the best and most accurate revolver made.
Click to expand...

I agree it is an accurate revolver, but honestly...

S&W makes some awesome revolvers - if you ever tried an S&W Performance Center 686, you'd never look at your beloved Colt the same way. In fact, some of the 586 and 686 S&W revolvers are pretty damn accurate right out of the box. Get an S&W and shoot the #### out of it :)
 
The extra cost of a Python over a 686 is not worth it at all IMHO. You really aren't getting much for your extra couple hundred $$$....:)
 
And if I may enquire further, what might one be reasonably expected to pay for these various firearms? New, used? :confused:

S&W 685, 625, M27, M28 Colt Python etc?

I honestly have no idea of the market.

tia,
Cheeky Munkey
 
Haven't tried a S&W, but I can tell you that my 6" Python is a beauty to shoot and VERY accurate. This pic is from my first trip to the range with it shooting at 25m. I picked it up 2 years ago for $900.00

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Cheeky Munkey said:
And if I may enquire further, what might one be reasonably expected to pay for these various firearms? New, used? :confused:

S&W 685, 625, M27, M28 Colt Python etc?

I honestly have no idea of the market.

tia,
Cheeky Munkey
Click to expand...
For used S&W prices on the EE here I'd say something like $500-$600 for the 686, $700ish for the 625, $600-$700 for the M27, $450-$550 for M28. There's also the M25-2 in .45ACP, but they're not as common.
 
Cheeky Munkey said:
And if I may enquire further, what might one be reasonably expected to pay for these various firearms? New, used? :confused:

S&W 685, 625, M27, M28 Colt Python etc?

I honestly have no idea of the market.

tia,
Cheeky Munkey
Click to expand...

Never had the opportunity to hold a Colt Python, which I want to rectify soon (I could probably find room in my gun safe for that 8" Python if necessary :D ) but the rest of the list is very nice. I particularly like my PC627 8 shot with 5" barrel. It is my favourite by far and has an amazing trigger. Prices are variable depending upon condition and availability as can be expected.
 
I have a 586 that I bought new, and a 66 that I bought second-hand. Both nice to shoot, but a steady diet of full-house .357 would need the 586. In the past, of the shooters at our old gun club, I can't recall any Colt revolvers, but oodles of S&W. FWIW :p:p
 
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