My First Revolver - New to Handguns!

I will have a look into that S&W M.19, thanks. Seems good. Now, please, don't bite my head off on this one, but it seems to me revolvers and handguns are quite expensive compared to rifles... Is $500.00 really considered the "low end" in price for a half decent 357 Mag revolver? :)

Update: I had a look into that handgun. Looks very nice and sturdy but still light on S&W's K-frame. Now I'd want a 4" barrel, but as another poster here mentioned, it has to be 4.2" long minimum to be restricted (I was born in '87... kinda missed out on that whole "I got that prohib, yeah!" deal.) When did that law come into effect? Are all the Model 19's in Canada 4.2" barrel? I have no issues with an extra .2", but a 6" barrel is getting a bit long. I fired my friend's S&W 6** (don't recall exactly what it was) in 357 Mag and it had a 6" barrel. A bit too hefty.
 
Last edited:
graydog said:
In my humble option the only two guns you should be looking at in 357 are the Ruger and the S&W unless you want to spend big dollars. Watch for a S&W model 19. They are chambered in 357 and I see them for approx $500.00 from time to time and they are a very nice gun.
Click to expand...

x 2 on this statement.

If you are looking at the SAA, the triggers are very light. If getting into the replicas, then you have to remember that in 1873, the powder in those days did not generate the same pressures as today. My rule is to use the same energy loads. The Ruger Vaquero, I'm told, will not be an issue in that regard, but you have that absence of the SAA "clicks".

For the SAA I would look at the Uberti's first (before Pietta or Chaparrals), as their are an overall tighter and better made revolver, in my opinion. And yes, I own 3 Uberti's and tried out several Pietta's and a couple of Chaparrals too).
 
Greetings Have played around with S&W Mk2 Hand Ejector in .455Colt. Finding ammo is not impossible but I reloaded with black powder and round ball just to play and other than the pain of clean-up it is fun. Have now acquired a box of late 40,s ammo and looking forward to trying that. Value is not too high at around $400- or so depending on condition. Mine will be for sale in near future in case you like the idea. Cheers, Bill
 
Any good used S&W K -frame or L, would be a good choice. Fire .38special through it regularly and get used to that fine double action pull. You will surprise yourself how with that long trigger pull you will pound them in tight with a little practice. Feed it magnums only to "Shock and Awe" the girlfriend. Most .357 revolvers that were ever used in PPC, my 586 being one, were feed 50 rounds of magnun to 5,000 rounds of .38.

Don't forget S&W M&P's in 5 or 6 inch as well, sound solid .38Spcl revolvers that were Police standards for many, many generations. I see a lovely M&P 10-5 on the EE right now I'd buy in a heartbeat if I had the cash. These 5" were the RCMP revolver for many years prior to the S&W autos. A classic, and cheap to feed, with standard velocity .38 158gr.
 
I've got a few S&W revolvers in .357 as well as a couple of Rugers in .44Mag. I'm also a HUGE fan of K frame S&W's. But if you're going to reload and shoot even 50-50 Magnums to Specials then I would suggest you go with a L frame or N frame if you go with S&W. The Ruger equivalent to the S&W L framed 586 and 686 is the GP100 already mentioned so often.

The K frame guns will most certainly tolerate a fair amount of magnum's. Especially if you stick to 158gn bullets. I've shot lots of such loads from my own Model 19. But I find that it's at the ragged edge of my tolerance for recoil if the rounds are loaded to full pressure. But back off by a little and it's all good.

On the other hand my N framed Model 28 Highway Patrolman eats full power .357Mag loads with ease and leaves me grinning like a kid with candy.... :D It's a touch bigger and heavier but it's a tough one. After all it has to be since the N frame is the one chosen to host the .44Mag Model 29 when it was introduced. So if it handles that cartridge then you KNOW it's really at home dealing out .357Mag loads.

As for the triggers I suppose it's what you get used to. But having started out with a couple of S&W's before I got my first Ruger there is simply no comparison. It's S&W all the way for smoothness and lack of any hints that it's about to drop the hammer. And on top of that if you fit it with a Wollf spring kit that uses the lightest of the three rebound coil springs you reduce the DA pull and smoothen it even more.
 
I think with a $500 limit, you are best to look at a used gun rather than new. When I was breaking into handguns I did the .38 S&W and .380 auto thing, but neither of those was particularly satisfying, but moving up to a .357 was. The other ingredient essential to success is that you begin to handload at the same time as you begin your journey into the realm of centerfire handgun shooting. Yes factory .38 Specials are less expensive than factory .357s, but you have to shoot lots to get good, and shooting lots of factory ammo is expensive regardless of the cartridge being discussed. I began with a .38 Special Lee Loader, which produced lots of ammo for my new Colt Trooper, a .357, but it wasn't long before I realized this wasn't the answer and got a press, scale and a set of dies. Lee makes a neat little C press that goes for about $40, and a set of carbide dies will run you another $40, but you want a good scale like an RCBS 505. For the short term you could even get by with a set of Lee powder measure spoons. Pick up 100 pieces of brass, a box of 500 primers and a pound of Unique or Bullseye, a 1000 lead bullets, and you're set for quite some time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom