Anybody suggest a decent Revolver?

I'll agree with many folks here... can't beat a pinned N-frame. My M28 (working mans 27) can shoot 10x's all day with .38 spl WC loads and still take the big ol' full house .357 loads... and with the 6" tube is very accurate. Also, you can find the 28's much cheaper than 27's. Take it to a smith for a nice trigger job and you have one fine DA wheelgun. Here's my slightly less then pristine Highway Patrolman (so named because many police depts back in "the day" required their cops to purchase and carry their own personal revolver... hence the "cheaping down" of the M27). I guess it could use a blueing job... :roll:
m28.jpg
 
Colts and S&W's EH

My own pick for myself would be any S&W N Frame in whatever calibre you like best.
The earlier production the better. Get a set of Herrett's grips that are hadn fittied to your own/and/or your wife's hand.
Teaching her to start with your revolver is the first step.
I shoot my N-Frames in IPSC Revolver; a model 625 in 45ACP and a Model 27 in .357. My all time best ever smoooothest N Frame is a 1931 38/44; no modern DA can touch its smoothness. With eight or so H&K reloaders for the S*W N Frame or Colts, IPSC Revolver is a "good testing ground" as is PPC or IDPA.
The S&W N frames adapt very well to trigger work; the "extra weight" N Frame soaks up recoil.
In a lighter weight would pick a Colt Python which out of the box is a very accurate and serviceable revolver. Best balance is the 4"brl or get a 6"brl and shorten it to 5" or 4&1/4"brl. There is a reason they currently sell for over a $1000. On this CGN board they often go for much less.
For smaller hands and the "5'2" eyes of blue, 128lbs like my wife" I have help her to pick out several for her over the past 41 years of marriage.
The biggest benefit is that my wife supports my hobby and interest. She has helped with matches and just shows up sometimes.
There is nothing sadder to hear on a gun range as I did x 2 last Sunday,"I have to hide this new pistol from my wife! IF she finds out! etc etc"
My wife's first pistol pick in 1973 was a Colt SAA in 45 Colt or 45ACP; basically she found simple to load and fire. has been since 1873 eh! Currenty it is her own Cowboy Action Pick.

For DA revolver for PPC Auxilary CPCA Match she picked a Colt Police Postive Special with Herretts grips and speedloaders. It's nickel plated and has a set of genuine stag grips on it. Bought used for ridiculous price.
She likes the weight and balance of a Colt Police Postiive Special as did Chic ###lord in 1958 for his "Urban Special". Great balance, DA is good and takes 38 special plus P okeh.

IF I had to recommend a revolver for anyone that is easy to manipulate and load it would be a moon clip one. Easy to load and unload; no loose rounds or speedloaders involved. Drop a moonclip and all rounds are secured; drop a plastic speedloader and rounds may scatter or speedloader breaks. Try it on concrete sometime eh!

For PPC or IPSC or NRA 2700 you need to experiment; the S&W 586 and Ruger GP 100 are all good choices.

Best way to pick a revolver is to stand back 10 metres on an outdoor IPSC Pistol range and have your wife shoot several at plate targets 6" x 6" or better yet a Pepper Popper or two. Depending on size of hands (my wife's hands are larger than mine) and adaptability to the actual design let her try several with live firing verus the "gunstore salespitch" and/or what works for you. Have her reload with a timer.

Buy your wife a "used but not abused" revolver of whatever type. Then if she doesnt really like it she can trade it off for another model until finallyshe gets the ones she likes best. Women usually dont buy the first dress they put on in a store or even stay with their very first boyfriend eh!

Maybe you and your wife are an exception to this rule of thumb. great!

The main thing is: Teach Every Wife To Pistol Shoot". You will have more companionship on Ranges and when you are not gonna be around, you wont hear the phrase< "I'm afraid when you are not here at night in this neighbourhood. What would I do if there is a breakin and I am upstairs in bed?"

Revolver with full moon clips reduce to a minimum the "fumble factor" for everyone. You can have an N Frame or even a J Frame adapted for full moonclips.

The main thing is, let your wife pick out the pistol herself. Thats the method she used to pick you out and it worked so it will do as well in pistol selection.

She may surprise you and want a self loader instead! Also she make pick a larger calibre than you do..like a 44 mag or 45 Colt. I still remember the spectators awe at a bowling pin shoot in 1978 when a certain good looking woman blasted five pins off the table with six shots with a Ruger Blackhawk in 44mag. She had wrists like steel as she did farming for a living eh! Two handed hold cocking the Ruger hammer with her offhand. Very nice!
 
Thanks for the review, sonofpaleface. You've given me renewed hope that I'll get my wife into shooting some day. :)

Speaking of full moonclips, has anyone here tried out the S&W Model 327 with the 5" barrel? I'm thinking of getting one for use at bowling pin matches and IDPA shoots.
 
This is biased information!- Get a Smith 686. Totally reliable, smooth as silk, more accurate than most people are capable of, and just about the finest all around revolver ever made. It will last 2 lifetimes if you shoot a lot, more if you shoot recreationally. The main "user" difference between the 686 and the GP100 is that the 686 uses a flat mainspring, this makes a big difference in the feel and control of the trigger pull, on the build side of things the 686 is forged and the GP is cast, I don't have a problem with cast guns, but those S&W forgings are beautiful!!
 
ian_in_vic said:
and yes pinned barrel Smiths ARE better built!
Click to expand...
Can someone (and preferably someone unbiased) explain that to me? How does the presence of a pin make a gun "better built"?
 
Pinned Barrel on S&W

My take on this is that the pinned barrel gives an accurate index to screwing the barrel into the revolver's receiver. It's my "best guess". What it appears to do is to "true up the barrel in the receiver" as the pin goes through the thread of the barrel. It certainly secures the barrel in the receiver as it cannot tighten anymore or loosen once the "pin is in". Thats just my S&W fan take on it.
What I have always admired about 1900 to 1960 S&W and Colt Revolvers is what appears to be in 2005 "incredible attention to detail".like the way the side plates are finished and fitted so that you can barely see the line where they meet the receiver. Securing the barrel with a pin is part of that attention to workmanship. I dont think we will see their like again yet they are "going cheap" considering the effort it took to both design, enginner and assemble them.
 
Darkstang wrote, "I am split between Smith and Ruger!! I really want to get my hands on a GP100 in 6" and have Gunnar cut it down for me to 4.25".Thats legal and is different!!"

This exact gun is for sale at Shooter's Choice in Waterloo. I saw it in the display case this afternoon. http://www.shooterschoice.com :)
 
Go with the S&W 686. Shoots .38 Spl and .357 equally well. Have used mine for 15+ years, thousands of rounds, never a problem, great double action trigger pull and superb single action pull. Put on a pair of rubber grips and you're all set. Recommend a 6 inch barrel.
 
Go with the S&W 686. Shoots .38 Spl and .357 equally well. Have used mine for 15+ years, thousands of rounds, never a problem, great double action trigger pull and superb single action pull. Put on a pair of rubber grips and you're all set. Recommend a 6 inch barrel.
 
Re: Pinned Barrel on S&W

sonofpaleface said:
My take on this is that the pinned barrel gives an accurate index to screwing the barrel into the revolver's receiver. It's my "best guess". What it appears to do is to "true up the barrel in the receiver" as the pin goes through the thread of the barrel. It certainly secures the barrel in the receiver as it cannot tighten anymore or loosen once the "pin is in". Thats just my S&W fan take on it.
What I have always admired about 1900 to 1960 S&W and Colt Revolvers is what appears to be in 2005 "incredible attention to detail".like the way the side plates are finished and fitted so that you can barely see the line where they meet the receiver. Securing the barrel with a pin is part of that attention to workmanship. I dont think we will see their like again yet they are "going cheap" considering the effort it took to both design, enginner and assemble them.
Click to expand...

So these are threaded barrels, screwed to the receiver in the traditional way, then drilled and pinned in place? Just wondering as pinned barrels are usually press fit and not threaded which makes for cheaper and easier production.
 
My wife really likes the 686 especially with the fibre optic front which I got from Brownells. Its really my gun, but I let her shoot it sometimes especially since she has reloaded some of her own ammo now.
 
Wow! Three pages of smart people repeating the same refrain: Smith & Wesson 586/686 (with interjections from people who haven't used one a lot) ;)

My wife's 586 is the handgun I go to if I want to shoot longer ranges than 25 yds.
 
Re: Frames

Hello,
I just picked up a used 686-3 from someone on gunnutz, and just love it:D . Being new to the sport, what I would like to know is how the heck you tell n-frame to an l-frame etc. Is there any information that explaing the differences between the frames and why?

Thank for any help or info
 
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