First Revolver Purchase Help

[Pale Rider]

I am looking to buy my first revolver. I have a G-19 that I use for home defense. This gun would more than likely be carried in the woods going to fish, in and out of checking on tree stands, hiking, etc. Critters I would encounter might include bobcats, coyotes, and possibly black bear (bears are not likely but not uncommon in this area).

There's also a chance that if I get my CCW it finds its way into that role some as well.

I am looking towards a .357 simply for the flexibility that it would offer me. My only hangup is on barrel length. I like the taurus line but it appears they only have 2in and 4in models (605 and 65). I'm a bit confused on which would suit me better. I don't have a huge budget so a lot of the Rugers and Smiths are too expensive.

Will mostly shoot .38s for practice. Weight is not too big of a deal. I don't want an anchor, but I want it to be heavy enough to handle a few cylinders of .357 without too much pain.

Any input on which might serve me better? 2in or 4in? I posted in another forum and the only responses I got were to buy older S&W's. While that is an option I'd rather get answers on 2in vs 4in and which you think would suit me better.

[youngAR]

4in. will definitely suit your needs better. As far as what brand, I'd recommend a GP100. They can be found decently cheap, shoot accurately, and is built like a tank. The SP101 is also an excellent choice.

[Kain]

4 inches would be plenty of barrel for what it sounds like you are wanting it for. A used Ruger GP100 would be a good choice, they are tanks and will take everything that you want to throw at it and has enough weight to make even full house .357 loads manageable and /38 wadcutters are exceptionally soft shooting, when I bought my dad one of his birthday the other year I think it was $525 or there abouts new, and that one was stainless steel with a six inch barrel which was a pain in the ass to find at the time, so you are looking around ~$400-450 used, might be able to find an older Ruger Security Six for cheap as well, have seen them going for under $300 from time to time.

[glocktogo]

Sounds to me like what you really want is this:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s157/Glocktogo/CIMG0108.jpg

3" S&W Model 66-4. It's the perfect carry revolver. Just understand that "perfect" is expensive! :)

If carrying IWB, go with a 4" medium frame. Smith & Taurus both make a medium frame 6 shot DA revolver. Terminal ballistics and practical accuracy are much better, without being overly bulky or heavy. If you go with a 2", might as well get better concealability and get a 5 shot like the Ruger LCR or S&W J Frame. Just use ammo like Speer's excellent Gold Dot Short Barrel for best results.

[Pale Rider]

Sounds to me like what you really want is this:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s157/Glocktogo/CIMG0108.jpg

3" S&W Model 66-4. It's the perfect carry revolver. Just understand that "perfect" is expensive! :)

If carrying IWB, go with a 4" medium frame. Smith & Taurus both make a medium frame 6 shot DA revolver. Terminal ballistics and practical accuracy are much better, without being overly bulky or heavy. If you go with a 2", might as well get better concealability and get a 5 shot like the Ruger LCR or S&W J Frame. Just use ammo like Speer's excellent Gold Dot Short Barrel for best results.

That is a beauty. I think I am leaning towards a 3in SP101 right now. It would be about the perfect balance of size and weight, and it would give me an extra inch of sight radius if I might jump something with teeth in the woods.

Thanks for all the help.

[CQC.45]

I am looking to buy my first revolver. I have a G-19 that I use for home defense. This gun would more than likely be carried in the woods going to fish, in and out of checking on tree stands, hiking, etc. Critters I would encounter might include bobcats, coyotes, and possibly black bear (bears are not likely but not uncommon in this area).

There's also a chance that if I get my CCW it finds its way into that role some as well.

I am looking towards a .357 simply for the flexibility that it would offer me. My only hangup is on barrel length. I like the taurus line but it appears they only have 2in and 4in models (605 and 65). I'm a bit confused on which would suit me better. I don't have a huge budget so a lot of the Rugers and Smiths are too expensive.

Will mostly shoot .38s for practice. Weight is not too big of a deal. I don't want an anchor, but I want it to be heavy enough to handle a few cylinders of .357 without too much pain.

Any input on which might serve me better? 2in or 4in? I posted in another forum and the only responses I got were to buy older S&W's. While that is an option I'd rather get answers on 2in vs 4in and which you think would suit me better.

Since you already have a G19, have you considered a G20 for this role?

[skyugo]

Since you already have a G19, have you considered a G20 for this role?

this is a good point...

the glock 10mm's are actually a pleasure to shoot.

couldn't go wrong with a ruger or smith revolver either...

[superr.stu]

Just my 2 cents...
I would look at a 4inch 625 in .45acp, or either a sub 4inch smith 19 or 66 in .357. Then send it off to Superior Firearms for their revo package.

[Texas42]

Just my 2 cents...
I would look at a 4inch 625 in .45acp, or either a sub 4inch smith 19 or 66 in .357. Then send it off to Superior Firearms for their revo package.

One my buddy has a S&W model 19 that was his grandad's. I love that gun. For me, I'm planning on buying a S&W 686P in 4". Some people prefer the 3", but I don't see a reason for the 2" or less. If I come accross a great deal, I might get the Ruger GP-100 or sp101.

I think a purely hunting/long range target probably beneft from the 6+" barrels, but not joe shooter.

[Frailer]

I'm of the opinion that 3" is the perfect barrel length for a woods-walking revolver. My own gun for this is a S&W 60-4, as for me the 20% increase in ammo capacity isn't worth the added size and weight of a K- or L-frame.

Smith did (does?) make the 60-15, which is the same gun in .357 magnum, but it comes with the internal lock, and while I do have a newer Model 63 with the IL, I don't buy lock-equipped guns that might be called upon to protect me or mine. The odds are extremely long that the lock might fail at a crucial time, but it's an unnecessary risk just the same.

That brings us to a 3" Model 65 or 66 (like the beautiful one pictured above), either of which would serve your purposes well.

The only downside is 3" guns seem to command a premium these days. Somebody must have leaked the secret that they hide almost as well as 2-inch guns yet shoot as well as 4-inchers.

[Jah_Shwalker]

I think it was already mentioned, but for a first revolver purchase, the Ruger GP100 is a good choice. I bought mine more than 10 years ago and I still have it and it still shoots great. Plus if you ever run out of ammo, you can also hit someone with it and cause just as much damage cause it weighs more than any 4" S&W I have ever had.

[Shabazz]

Ruger, Colt or Smith.

One of our local gunstores will not carry Taurus any more due to too many defective guns.

[Noodles]

I had the need for the exact same setup, hiking, camping, kit gun. Landed on the new SP-101 4" for a couple reasons.

- It's light, at 30oz vs 40oz for the GP-100
- 5 shot, but for what I need it for that's alright
- fiber optic front sight stock, adjustable rear
- 4" handles 357 normal and bear loads just fine

I installed a 10# main spring and a traush grips. I HIGHLY recommend both. With the Traush grip, the SP-101 has a full-size grip which I like a lot better than the stock size, I'm not trying to conceal though.

I didn't go with the GP100 because of the extra size and weight, but it's a fine gun with much more support for accessories and whatnot. Plenty happy with the SP-101, but someday I might get a GP100 depending on options they may offer.

As for S&W and Colt go, I think they have smoother actions once worn in, but the price put me off a bit for both, and I just couldn't find all the features I wanted.

[airman]

You dont say if you prefer a single or double action but I prefer single actions for a woods gun. imo the perfect packing revolver for outdoors is the lipseys special run of the flat top 45 colt/45 acp convertible in 4 5/8 inch barrel. It has both cylinders and adjustable sights and is light and very easy to carry.I have several ruger blackhawks and they are all reliable and accurate. They can be found for around 550 bucks and that will be the next woods gun I will be purchasing. I would already have one but just purchased an xds for ccw and need to save up for this one. Good luck on your pursuit to find the perfect packing pistol.

[Scotter260]

For basic, reliable, and durable I'd suggest going to budsgunshop.com and looking at their used 4" S&W Model 10 HBs at $269 shipped. They have both square and round-butt. Not likely adequate for bear but with heavier more potent solids it might still work.

I realize it's not the exact caliber you want but for a first and since the price is decent I thought maybe you could forgive the caliber. You indicate shooting mostly .38s anyway.

Link to the square-butts: http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411545790/Used+Guns/Used+Handguns/Used+S%26W+Police+Model+10+38sp+Square+Butt

[Sotex]

Also from budsgunshop:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411552352/used+Ruger+Security+Six+.357

A used stainless 2 3/4" Ruger Security-Six for $479. This is comparable to the K frame Smith's and was more durable with a steady diet of magnums. Wish I still had some of the 4 inchers I'd owned over the years.

[mkmckinley]

4" hands down, especially if you're even considering .357 magnum. Forget the taurus, look for a used Smith or Ruger. I like the Smiths better personally but it's hard to beat the strength of Rugers. I find Smiths to be a lot smoother and the engineering nerd in me likes the forged Smith frame better than the cast Ruger. In actual use it probably doesn't matter.

I think the best suggestion however has been to just get a Glock 20. After years of trying to get comfortable carrying my .357 and .44 revolvers the lightbulb went off and I got a G20.

[SteveS]

I would get a Ruger or Smith 357 revolver of all the choices on the market today . The 4 inch is all around the best, the 2 or 3 inch is great for CCW type work. And the 6 in for target or ultimate hunting use.

[SteveS]

4" hands down, especially if you're even considering .357 magnum. Forget the taurus, look for a used Smith or Ruger. I like the Smiths better personally but it's hard to beat the strength of Rugers. I find Smiths to be a lot smoother and the engineering nerd in me likes the forged Smith frame better than the cast Ruger. In actual use it probably doesn't matter.

I think the best suggestion however has been to just get a Glock 20. After years of trying to get comfortable carrying my .357 and .44 revolvers the lightbulb went off and I got a G20.
From my experience the Ruger will take a licking and keep on ticking better than an equal Smith though the Smith is a bit more refined. I own both and have since 1970.

[halo2304]

Check out the Ruger GP100 Talo edition. It's quite nice.

[kingsford]

Rider, Go with your gut on the weapon you want or can afford. Shoot it a lot and get proficient with it and stay proficient. Of my carry guns I have a J frame M 60 in 357 3" barrel and a 686 3" barrel, either of them is a good woods gun. Ruger would be a good choice. Good luck be safe.