Need Revolver Input

[brm4450]

I am interested in getting into revolver shooting. Now I don’t want to start a war between different brand owners. I am not using this an EDC, I just want to plink, target and varmint shooting. My caliber of choice would be .357/.38, what I need is unbiased thoughts on models?

[BigAl52]

Single Action or Double action BRM

[markiver54]

I cannot say I'm unbiased because I only own three. Two double action and one single action. My favorite, and only 357 is my 6" S&W 686. I love that gun. Very accurate as well.
Not cheap, but a superb revolver IMO.

[fortyshooter]

Check out Hickok 45 videos for some good reviews of a lot of .357 revolvers. Rugers are well built in both SA and DA. S&W revolvers while not as all out strong have very nice crisp trigger action. Uberti makes some really fine SA .357 revolvers too. Lots to chose from depending on what you want and a 4 inch revolver is very handy to have for plinking and holster carry.
I like all three brands I mentioned above and if you have a .357 Henry a Uberti would make a great companion.

[fortyshooter]

Here you go... https://youtu.be/fzBdxsvS-kE Hickok gives a good overview of 38/357 revolvers.

[BigAl52]

I can tell you one not to buy IMHO and thats a Taurus they are terrible and there customer service is way beyond terrible.

[BrokenolMarine]

If you just want something to plink with, I would recommend keeping an eye out for a model 10 or model 64 police trade in until you find one in good condition. It doesn't need to be pretty, perhaps holster wear or worn grips, but sound mechanically. These are 38s, the blue and stainless versions respectively, but if you are just plinking, why spend the extra money for a .357 version, when you can shoot 38 wadcutter, 38 special and hot .38 +P and +P+ in most 38 revolvers.

I was issued Smith and Wesson Model 60 in the academy, and it had been carried by several before me. I carried it for several years, shot it a LOT, unlike most officers, and shot it in matches. When we transitioned to semi-autos I bought mine, and the 2" the Sergeant was carrying. As you can see in the photos, the wear didn't keep mine from being VERY accurate with fixed sights out to 25 yards, and deadly accurate at 7 and 15 yards.

I shot the model 64 in Service Revolver matches at the local level PPC matches and often won against high dollar duty guns with adjustable sights. I shot the same gun in State Level PPC matches in Service Revolver and often won my class against the same quality guns. I still have the gun, it's not going anywhere.

My old Duty Gun:

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First Five Warm up at 15 yards

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Fifteen shots with the 64

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The 2" model 64, both are shooters.

Model 64 snubby.jpg (130.56 KiB) Viewed 4148 times

*** Edited to add, all my shooting was done double action due to the history of my PPC competition. I became very comfortable with it. In addition, I always taught my concealed weapons students to avoid shooting double action revolvers single action, even in practice, for liability reasons. So... I practiced what I preached, pun intended.

[brm4450]

Single Action or Double action BRM

Prefer double action

[Mgderf]

I can tell you one not to buy IMHO and thats a Taurus they are terrible and there customer service is way beyond terrible.

Well, everyone has their own opinion...

[GFK]

My advice is to handle different brands and models. I am partial to S&W. I have handled Rugers and Tauruses. Rugers seemed well made. Tauruses, not as much. S&W's cylinder release and trigger seem smoother than a Ruger, to me. Accuracy, I only have owned S&Ws. So, I have nothing to compare with. Even when I was qualifying to carry firearms as a correctional officer, only S&Ws were used. Since S&Ws work fine, I have had no desire to fix that. Like stated, they are not cheap though. Yet, why buy a firearm for short term use? I typically buy one that may last a lifetime or two. But, that is just me.

[BigAl52]

You cant beat a GP-100 for durability and I have owned both the GP-100 and the Smith and Wesson 686. Ive also owned the Model 66 Smith. Nothing wrong with either one of them its all a matter of what you like. For me I just like the looks of the Smiths better and I think they have a better trigger.

[Hatchdog]

Like most have commented I too am partial to S&W’s. I’ve owned several over the years both K frame and L frame. I don’t know about current production but older K frames (M/19, M/66 etc.) had issues with sustained fire with hot 357 loads. As I recall there was both forcing cone and top strap problems. However, a steady diet of any 38 special load with some limited 357 shooting will keep these fine revolvers running for generations. Seems like that at one time I read some comments on avoiding 110 grain bullets when shooting .357.

If you decide to move away from .357 the S&W K frame 22lr revolvers are pretty incredible to shoot.

[JEBar]

in 357 revolvers I've owned a Smith, Ruger and Dan Wesson ... my preference is a Ruger GP 100 ... ours is designed to allow spring changes that allow easy adjustments to trigger pull and smoothness of operation

[BrokenolMarine]

I am a big fan of revolvers. You'll likely find you shoot slower, are less likely to burn thru your ammunition, and once you master the double action trigger pull and "stacking" the trigger, will be able to shoot quickly and accurately double action, without "rushing" the shot. I "thought" I knew how to shoot when I left the Corps, having shot expert with both Rifle and Pistol multiple times and shot in competition in the Corps. Then I was invited to shoot PPC by a Distinguished Master Class Police Sergeant who built and ran the Department Range for more than a decade before returning to patrol. I learned how little I knew about shooting a handgun. Over the years, the Sergeant and the other shooters taught me how well you could shoot a handgun at 50 yards. I wish you luck on your selection.

vpra excellent downrange view.jpg (100.62 KiB) Viewed 3611 times

[Shakey Jake]

Don't dismiss the S&W Model 14. If you're just plinkin you can't beat the weight and balance. Several on GB used at favorable prices. I'd suggest the 6" barrel. That's what I have and love it. I even carry it once in a while in my rotation. I had it on my belt the last two days as a matter of fact. Just changed to my Ruger GP100 4" .357 this morning.
Jake

[North Country Gal]

Correct on the hot 110 grain 357 loads. You will get unnecessary flame cutting with the shorter bullets and really no need for them, anyway. Accuracy is better with the heavier bullets and the 158 grain bullets are still my favorite. The 357 was designed around the 158s.

As for 357 revolvers, I've owned nearly all of the major brands, plus a couple of lesser known brands, both double action and single action. For sure, we can talk in general terms about one brand being better than the next, but in my experience, nothing beats a good inspection as to trigger, correct timing and alignment, fit and finish and so before you plunk down your money. I've seen some really bad examples in all brands, though some brands are better than others as far as how lemons leave the factory.

What I do not recommend, then, is taking a gamble and buying sight unseen. Make no mistake, all major brands to some extent now use the crank ''em out in big numbers, then customer service to clean up the mess" business model.

As for single action or double action, you need to consider how you will be using the revolver. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. If you do go double action, I would recommend that you learn to shoot in DA. It doesn't make much sense to me why someone would go with a double action revolver and then only shoot it in SA mode, other than the speed of reloading. Make no mistake, shooting in DA takes a lot of practice to become proficient. If you do shoot a lot in DA, then all the more important to check a double action revolver for its DA trigger before buying. Most DA revolvers have useable SA triggers out of the box, but the out of the box DA triggers can be all over the map as far as usability. I've seen some new double action revolvers with such bad out of the box DA triggers that they were double action in name, only.

As for me, I'm still a cowgirl at heart. My first handgun, ever, was a single action revolver and to this day, I still prefer the simplicity and ruggedness of the single action. Over 50 years of using revolvers, everything from 22 LR to 454 Casull, I've had far fewer reliability issues with single actions. My handgun hunting days were all single action revolvers and when I've carried guns in the woods for protection against 4 legged varmints, I'm totally comfortable going single action.

We recently sold off most of our powder burning guns, keeping only our favorites. My husband kept his two favorite double actions, but I saved only my favorite single actions. As for a 357 revolver, these work just fine for me. Top is a Cimarron/Pietta Frontier 357 Colt and bottom is a Taylor's/Uberti 357 Colt. Nothing beats a Colt single action for balance and handling, nothing, not to mention looks.

[GFK]

Like most have commented I too am partial to S&W’s. I’ve owned several over the years both K frame and L frame. I don’t know about current production but older K frames (M/19, M/66 etc.) had issues with sustained fire with hot 357 loads. As I recall there was both forcing cone and top strap problems. However, a steady diet of any 38 special load with some limited 357 shooting will keep these fine revolvers running for generations. Seems like that at one time I read some comments on avoiding 110 grain bullets when shooting .357.

If you decide to move away from .357 the S&W K frame 22lr revolvers are pretty incredible to shoot.

I remember reading something about that. But, I don't shoot mine as often as a service revolver might be shot. So, I have not observed that yet (90~, K frame). Yet, it is a reason why lots of S&Ws were purchased by law enforcement agencies for years (cost, or availability, or reliability, or accuracy?). Nonetheless, I figure that I am not in bad company.

[brm4450]

I have a New Vaquero in .45, i shoot it strong hand and try to practice shooting weak hand. I shot it 1 time with both hands.

[BigAl52]

I have a New Vaquero in .45, i shoot it strong hand and try to practice shooting weak hand. I shot it 1 time with both hands.

Hey BRM
Here is some plinkin for ya




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL4UH3XvBZ8&t=399s

[brm4450]

i don't like egg plant either