I really like my AP. But I went into it knowing that the brand has no track record or history like S&W, Ruger, Colt or even Charter Arms. So there is no doubt at all that it is a bit of a gamble in a hobby/sport where folks consider that the product should work reliably for decade after decade. If you buy an AP you'll be taking a risk as well.
Out of around 300 rounds shot so far with mine the gun has been 100%. And unlike Jetcocked's experience mine does not have excessive play or seem like it's going to break anything any time soon. I only recently got the extra moon clips so I'm hoping to use the gun more frequently very soon. In fact I plan on using it in a Speed Steel match tomorrow which will pile on another 180 to 200 rounds.
In your case since it's your first revolver I'd strongly suggest you stick to S&W or Ruger. And my own preference is to go with S&W for the nicer trigger pull. And this isn't just brand loyalty since I've got both brands. Ruger triggers have a little "click" in the DA pull where the cylinder stop bolt is released. This felt click telltales that the hammer is about to break. And that can lead to a flinch. The S&W trigger does not give this same click in the trigger which is why I feel that the S&W is a slightly better option.
But more importantly you'll be buying a better known reputation for long term reliability. And for a first gun of any sort that counts for much.
There is a part of the trigger mechanism that catches if you do not let the trigger move the full length of travel. It might just be that I am a new shooter, but it surprises me that this revolver is not capable of the same trigger reset drill that a semi auto pistol is.
Hey Jetcocked, it's NOT a semi auto so I'm not sure why you would think that it would work that way. Since you're trying to work the "reset" I'm guessing that you're shooting in DA mode. You need to realise that it's not only re-setting the hammer but also the LONG travel of the hand which has to be fully back to the forward position to allow it to catch on the next cylinder pawl so it can advance the cylinder. There's no recoiling slide to do that for you like in a semi. There's NO revolver which lets you only reverse the trigger mid way and pull again. In DA mode they ALL require a full release so the action will reset.
If the works did reset earlier in the trigger stroke then the stroke needed to advance the cylinder and #### the mainspring would become MUCH harder. Remember that the work you do during the trigger pull on a revolver is doing all the work that the recoil does in a semi auto. The simple rule of "mechanical advantage" says that to make the effort lighter that it be done over a longer distance. So that's why the trigger pull in DA mode is so long and why there's no "mid travel" reset. Well.... .there IS a reset point. But the one you're looking for occurs when the trigger is just a hair from fully forward. And I do mean a "hair". The slop you feel before the trigger stiffens is all there is. And it's very little to the point of being almost nonexistent.
As for cleaning the gun every 50 rounds I'm going to guess that you got the rimfire version. Someone else noted that the chambers were snug fitting so that even a few shots made the casings stick. This isn't just an AP thing. I've got a S&W 17 that does exactly the same thing. I just bring along a .22 caliber bore brush on a short extension cleaning rod and brush out the chambers when they begin getting sticky and harder to eject the empties. Buying slightly better ammo helps too. Bulk ammo seems to be sloppy on tolerances and fits tighter as a result. Buying the better stuff such as CCI Standard Velocity or Remington Target and they fit better with easier ejection. But again this is a rimfire thing. The center fire calibers do not get as easily stuck. I can shoot many hundreds of rounds from the center fire revolvers before loading or ejection becomes an issue.
Why is it that snug? It's for accuracy. To hold the rounds accurately and seal well the amount of play compared to the round diameter has to be a given % of the casing diameter. And since rimfire cases are so small the play has to be smaller to hold the rounds accurately. But the fouling is the same size regardless so they chambers foul and get sticky more easily. Some folks polish out the chambers to enlarge them slightly. But it's likely that if not done well that accuracy will suffer. It's easier and less risky to carry a cleaning brush and simply brush away the fouling after half a dozen cylinders worth of shooting.
The gun gets hot? Again that's certainly not an AP thing. It's not a rimfire vs center fire thing either. It's simply a revolver thing. They ALL get almost too hot to hold if you shoot 3 or more cylinders worth of ammo back to back. And there's so much metal in the cylinder that they stay hot for a good 5 minutes afterwards.
You don't notice it as much with the semi autos because the slide insulates you from the barrel where the heat is. But given multiple magazines you'll feel it come through the slide and the guns again stay warm for quite a while.
. I found the 6" to best fit for me, as the 8" seemed a bit too heavy. The only downside was the wooden grips were a tad too big.
