4.2 or 6 inch Revolver?

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rkm456

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I'm toying with the idea of getting myself a wheel gun. And although I prefer the look of a shorter barrel. I'm wondering if a 6 inch gun is actually the better option given that they're range only toys for us. Anyone have any reason why they prefer one to the other?
 
I think about weight as I'm holding my arms and the gun in the firing poisition but I guess it's a double edged sword because more weight will eat up more recoil. I don't know which one I'd pick. I own a 44 mag with a 5 inch barrel.
 
Personally, I would base my decision on balance & esthetics. But a longer sight radius is preferable if being used in competition.
 
I have many wheel guns from 4.2 to 8 3/8". Personally I find the longer barrels easier to shoot and thus more accurate for me, ymmv.
 
I find my S&W 586 with 6 inch barrel to be perfectly balanced. My friend has a 686 with 8 inch barrel, and I find it muzzle heavy. I guess it depends on the specific gun, your grip and personal preference.
 
Depends on caliber.
I prefer a longer barrel for a number of reasons:
-longer site radius
-depending on the caliber and powder load, you may not get complete powder combustion with a short barrel, therefore a flame and lower velocity. This is a functional thing, not a preference
-We can't carry a pistol here, so concealment is not an issue
-I think they are better looking (really want a 10 1/2 inch barrel 22 or 44 single action revolver)
 
I like the shorter ones, but I only have a 357 mag. Recoil is not a problem with it. I shoot my dads 6" .22 Taurus tracker, the balance seems off to me, although it shoots quite well.
 
The new 4.2" barrels by most savvy manufacturers deals with the utter ridiculous Liberal two class citizen issue. If your still voting Liberal, your stuck on stupid.
The difference between the 4.2" barrel vs 6" is not that significant. With few exceptions, target revolvers like fast burning powders. The key here is application, or what you want to accomplish with your revolver. For PPC, a factory 6" barrel revolver will make you compete in the open class where you will be up against revolvers with better sights, triggers & barrels.
In the Service class, (no 6") a 4.2 puts you against other 4" factory guns.
And don't kid yourself, a 4.2 can be just as accurate as a 6" at 25 yards.....
 
b/c you'll shoot one and leave the other at home- I found this out with my redhawks- I found I used the 5.5 far more than the 7.5 both scoped- it's plain handier, even wearing a scope- I use the 7.5 off the bench when I'm hunkered down
 
I have a 6" Python and a 4.25" model 19 S&W. they are both great shooters. Both are very accurate. Both take the recoil well with 357 mag.

That being said, the shorter barrel is easier to shoot for extended range trips. I find it more balanced in the hand and is more of a natural shooter. At least to me it is.
 
It depends on the revolver.

If you are looking at a Ruger Super Blackhawk or a Redhawk in .44 Magnum, long 7 1/2"+ barrels make a heavy revolver heavier and are a little awkward for offhand shooting, but offer greater sight radius and long range accuracy for shooting from a rest, or from a sitting position.

For a Ruger Blackhawk, New Vaquero, or Colt SAA Clone, there isn't much difference between a 4 1/2", 4 5/8" or a 5 1/2" barrel, though the shorter barrel is handier. The 7 1/2" barrel is a bit more awkward.

I found the 4 5/8" Blackhawks to be just as accurate as the longer barrel lengths, firing offhand, using either a duelist or two-hand stance.

For .357 DA revolvers, I think that the difference between a 4.2" and a 6" barrel would be also minimal.

Shorter barrel lengths are handier for holster use, if that is a factor.
 
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