good revolver
i am looking a good revolver a 357 or 44 with a 4 to 5 inch barrel just want some input thanks
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All of the major brands, from Taurus, to Ruger, to S&W and others, make what you want.
Doug0 -
I will refine Doug Wilson's answer for my own. The S&W and Ruger make some of the best on the planet. Ruger makes both double and single action. Another top shelf, if not the top here in the US is Freedom Arms single actions. They can be had from 22LR to 475 Linbaugh.
Leave the Taurus on the dealers shelf, and it will save you both a lot of headaches, or probability there of.
Best0 -
True.
I was trying to illustrate that you can spend anywhere from $250 for a used Charter, to $2,000 for a high end Colt Python.
Guess I was being too obscure, and assuming "facts not in evidence".
Just watched JAG.
Doug0 -
For strength, I use Rugers. For smoothness and lighter weight, I go with S&W. 0 -
Many consider the Smith and Wesson Model 686 to be the world's finest revolver actually in production.
I own one in 4":
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=11101&storeId=10001&productId=14798&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=15705&isFirearm=Y0 -
I am not a fan of the -86 "L" Frame Smiths.I prefer the K and the N Frames to them.
However, K frames are not suited to lots of shooting with Magnum cartridges, and many think that N Frames are just too bulky.
The -86s were designed to overcome both those shortcomings, and have a great track record.
Although I know that the .357 Magnum is likely the absolutely most effective self defense round, I have never enjoyed shooting it. So for .357 concealed carry, I carry a Model 19 or a Model 66 - both K Frames - with Mag loads, and shoot a lot of .38 Specials through them for practice, once in a while shooting some .357s to maintain proficiency with that big flash, painful, noisy round.
I really enjoy shooting full-power .44 Magnums. They seem to me to be much less intense, even though they are vastly more powerful than the .357. To me the difference is much like the experience of shooting 9MM P as opposed to the .40 S&W or .45ACP. The .40 & .45 are much more pleasant for me, to shoot.
I guess these reactions are very subjective, and would advise you to get together with a shooting club and shoot all the ones you are considering, before spending your hard-earned money.
You may arrive at completely different conclusions.
I guarantee you'll meet some neat people and have a helluva lotta fun approaching it that way.
Best of luck.
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by jebthegreat
i am looking a good revolver a 357 or 44 with a 4 to 5 inch barrel just want some input thanks
If you want exact model recommendations, a little more information would be helpful.
First off, what is your budget?
.357 revolvers can be had from $250 to $2500 dollars. In general, the more you pay, the more you get, and .44 magnum guns cost more than .357 magnum guns.
Is this for hunting, target shooting, defense, or some other purpose?
Are 6 shots necessary, or do you need more? (Would 5 be ok?)?
Are you trying to conceal this gun? (IE are weight/bulk issues?)
Do you need the ability to mount a scope?
Answer these questions, and you'll have a much easier time narrowing your selection of guns.
In general, as mentioned its hard to go wrong with any Smith and Wesson revolver in either caliber. Rugers are also good choices, in general being built a little tougher, but having a somewhat less refined action.0 -
Jeb...you don't say how much $ you want to spend. If cost is no object, go with a 4" Python. You can shoot it for years and then either give it to your kids or resell it for more than you bought it for as it will always appreciate in value. IMHO you can never beat the quality of the Python. But if money IS the object, as well as quality, the Ruger GP100 in 4" can't be beat. Heavy, rugged, good shooter and will also last a lifetime. S&W are OK, and I have them too, but the Python and Ruger are the two at the top of my heap. Good shooting! 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
I am not a fan of the -86 "L" Frame Smiths. I prefer the K and the N Frames to them.
However, K frames are not suited to lots of shooting with Magnum cartridges, and many think that N Frames are just too bulky.
The -86s were designed to overcome both those shortcomings, and have a great track record.
Although I know that the .357 Magnum is likely the absolutely most effective self defense round, I have never enjoyed shooting it. So for .357 concealed carry, I carry a Model 19 or a Model 66 - both K Frames - with Mag loads, and shoot a lot of .38 Specials through them for practice, once in a while shooting some .357s to maintain proficiency with that big flash, painful, noisy round.
I really enjoy shooting full-power .44 Magnums. They seem to me to be much less intense, even though they are vastly more powerful than the .357. To me the difference is much like the experience of shooting 9MM P as opposed to the .40 S&W or .45ACP. The .40 & .45 are much more pleasant for me, to shoot.
In practice, I think most shooters are never going to wear out their K-frame Smith and Wesson revolvers with .357 loads. Problems like forcing cone cracking and flame cutting of the topstrap were really much more prevalent among competitive shooters who put thousands or tens of thousands of rounds through their K-frame revolvers.
If these K-frame .357 guns were really so fragile with .357 loads, then they wouldn't have been in continuous production for 40+ years (and extremely popular over most of that time frame)!
{Edit: Just came across this on the topic. . .its kind of funny: http://www.gunblast.com/Butch_SW-Model19.htm )
Cost alone probably means that the average shooter is going to be firing 10-15 .38 special rounds through their gun for every .357 they shoot.
If you really DO intend to shoot literally tens of thousands of full power .357 rounds through your gun, if you like a Smith and Wesson revolver, then I would suggest either the L-frame or heavier N frame, which is what most wheelgun competitors are using.
Frankly, though, at that point the gun cost is going to be dwarfed by the ammo cost and then in that context, having to repair/replace a gun every few years shouldn't be that big of a deal. Certainly if you are shooting that much ammo, you don't need anyone elses advice about what kind of gun you need to get. . .you'll know for yourself what you like and don't like!
Personally, I actually like shooting .357s, though I would hasten to add that the gun you shoot them out of makes ALL the difference.
Out of the the big N-frame guns (like the Smith model 627), for example, .357s aren't particularly bad. Obviously, the recoil and flash (in particular) can be quite pronounced from a J-frame snubnose gun, with the K-frames being somewhere in between.
I have yet to encounter any .357 that was as "intense" as a .44 magnum, though in my experience, the .44 magnum is generally perceived as having a nastier recoil than it actually does in reality. I've seen numerous shooters (myself included) fire a .44 magnum for the first time, and the response is usually "that wasn't so bad!". But again, this is largely gun-dependent. Most of the .44 magnum guns are rather heavy and large tending to eat up felt recoil.
The nice thing about .357s is that you can use the lighter .38s for more pleasant practice shooting at lower cost.
With .44 magnums, sure you can use the lighter .44 specials for practice, but unfortunately, you really do NOT get much cost savings there, as .44 specials cost almost as much as .44 magnums! In fact .44 specials generally cost almost as much as .357 magnums and are usually harder to find than .357. (You don't save much on recoil either compared to a .357, though but thats a separate issue).
The point is, unless you're made of money or are reloading the ammo, its probably cost-prohibitive for most people to use something like .44 magnum for practice or target shooting. You'll get in more shots (eg more practice, and probably more fun) for the same dollar with .38/357.
In terms of ballistic effectiveness, how much that matters depends on what you intend to do with the gun. If you think you might need to shoot 4-legged things (bears, deers, cougars, etc), the .44 magnum is better. The .357 is better against 2-legged things. If you're just shooting paper or cans, get the .357 but use .38s.0 -
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Leave the Taurus on the dealers shelf, and it will save you both a lot of headaches, or probability there of.
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TSR 1965 ,do you own a Taurus? I have a half a dozen and can find no faults with any of them , one is twenty five years old.I also am a FFL and have sold many of them and NEVER! had one returned.[:(]0 -
Go in to a gun shop and find one that fits your hand and wallet and practice,practice and practice somemore because the best gun in the world is only as good as the man or women behind it. 0
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