Revolver help please

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I have decided I would like to try a revolver. I admit to knowing very little about them!

The Smith & Wesson Performance Center revolvers appeal to me, specifically the R8, and the Model 627 Comp-V. I am also interested in the Model 929 & 986 as they are both available in 9mm.

My only stipulations would be that I would prefer at least a 5 inch barrel, and I want to avoid the large calibres.

Thanks in advance for your advice!
 
You need to go to a store and try them in your hand. Some of those guns you listed are large N-Frames and are heavier than the K-L frames.
The 986 L-Frame might be the ticket for you. 9mm ammo, low recoil, but you need moonclips to use it.
I have the 929 and love it, but it's a big gun.
 
The frame size isn't an issue. My husband has a 500, and it fits comfortably in my hands.

Weight isn't an issue either.
 
If weight or the size of the gun is not an issue then the only thing you have to worry about is recoil. 357 will have more recoil then a 9mm will.

I would get the 627 and if you find the 357 ammo to costily then you can always shoot 38 special. It is cheaper and has less recoil.

Just my two cents worth.

Graydog
 
Not particularly concerned about recoil--my favorite pistol caliber is .45 ACP.

Any of these more inherently accurate than the others? Is the moon clip compatibility a big deal?
 
graydog said:
If weight or the size of the gun is not an issue then the only thing you have to worry about is recoil. 357 will have more recoil then a 9mm will.

I would get the 627 and if you find the 357 ammo to costily then you can always shoot 38 special. It is cheaper and has less recoil.

Just my two cents worth.

Graydog
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Agreed. Hard to beat a 38/357 in a wheel-gun. You get a pussycat and a cannon in the same firearm.
 
I'd say cut your teeth on a 586/686 and call it a day. It's arguably chambered in the most versatile and commonly available pistol cartridge outside 9mm Luger. If you aren't afraid of recoil load up some 180gr. Hornady XTP's at magnum pressures and get back to us on that.
 
I compete with Revos and have owned 625's, 929's and 986's.
They each have their own strong suits, but it really only shows in competition.

For a plinker, any of them will do. I would still opt for a PC model (already cut for moon clips and can still run without, 627) Better for resale and also if you ever decide to compete with it, winner winner chicken dinner.
Having said that, the 625, 929 and 986 models only run with moon clips, they will not fire without them (they were really built for competition) A good quality moon clip runs around $10.
Note: 929 & 986 come with Titanium cylinders, pretty rare these days, may not be offered for long...just saying.

Either way, have fun, running a Revo fast and accurate is hard as hell, but O so rewarding.
Very much a lost art form in competition, but some are working on resurrecting it.

Forgot to mention...if I had to choose one it would be the 986 hands down.

Does everything well.
IMHO, it's the perfect all around Revolver
 
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Nice vintage 6" model 19, and mate it up with a 17 or 617.

A 4.2" GP100 with original style grips and a spring upgrade is a good option to.

M
 
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Note that if you intend to use it in any competitions that many of the rules prohibit loading more than 6 rounds at a time. You can use a 7 or 8 shot revolver but you can only load 6. Needless to say that leaves you with a built in disadvantage. So my suggestion would be to go with a 6 shot model so that it stays within the rules for the most event options.

Similarly you can get the good Safariland Comp III speed loaders for both the GP100 and the 686. And holsters for these are quite readily available. These two points are two more advantages of going with the mainstream options for the gun itself.

I thought that moon clips would be the hot setup. But since I've gotten two revolvers that use them I've found that it isn't as automatic a speeding up of the reloading process as I thought it might be. Or perhaps I just need a bit more practice.

Why the longer barrel? It doesn't make the guns more accurate. The longer sight baseline length does make it easier to aim to a finer degree. Or sometimes it just shows how shaky we are. A 4.2 inch barrel actually is just as accurate in the hands of most folks as the longer 5 and 6 inch barrels.
 
I find the longer barrel more aesthetically pleasing. Yes, it is a dumb reason to get a longer barrel;)

I don't plan to compete with the revolver.
 
The S&W PC 929 is a nice revolver! Titanium cylinder holds 8rnds of 9mm. A little pricey but ammo is cheap. The use of moon-clips is recommended.
The top one is a 6.5" 929….the bottom a PC 625 45ACP (my fav HG).
DSCN1567_zps8fe85f5f.jpg

DSCN1569_zps7316751f.jpg

DSCN1570_zps2f2dd83a.jpg
 
graydog said:
If weight or the size of the gun is not an issue then the only thing you have to worry about is recoil. 357 will have more recoil then a 9mm will.

I would get the 627 and if you find the 357 ammo to costily then you can always shoot 38 special. It is cheaper and has less recoil.

Just my two cents worth.

Graydog
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+1 Shooting with 38SPL is a great way to learn to shoot the gun cheaply and move up to 357 when you have been comfortable with the gun..
 
johNTO said:
The S&W PC 929 is a nice revolver! Titanium cylinder holds 8rnds of 9mm. A little pricey but ammo is cheap. The use of moon-clips is recommended.
The top one is a 6.5" 929….the bottom a PC 625 45ACP (my fav HG).
DSCN1567_zps8fe85f5f.jpg

DSCN1569_zps7316751f.jpg

DSCN1570_zps2f2dd83a.jpg
Click to expand...

Very nice!

The PC 625 isn't currently available in that barrel length is it?
 
Note that if you intend to use it in any competitions that many of the rules prohibit loading more than 6 rounds at a time. You can use a 7 or 8 shot revolver but you can only load 6. Needless to say that leaves you with a built in disadvantage.
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Not correct (at least for IPSC) You can only SHOOT 6 shots, anything after that is penalized. You can load 8, 7, 6 or 198, but you can only shoot 6.
There is no disadvantage.

I thought that moon clips would be the hot setup. But since I've gotten two revolvers that use them I've found that it isn't as automatic a speeding up of the reloading process as I thought it might be. Or perhaps I just need a bit more practice.
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You need a massive amount of practice.
If you go to a match and run speed loaders against even a half a**ed competitor running moons, you'll get trashed, it won't even be a match.
 
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