Needing to add a wheel gun to the collection...thoughts??

[shaftbass]

Another S&W 686 here.  I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

 

Older style, pre-lock.  Nickel plated.

 

4" .357 Mag.

 

It's my first revolver, and my first carry gun.  Kinda big on me as I was probably 140 lbs back then :)

 

Edited October 7, 2014 by ReefBlueCoupe

[Wiljo05]

My 686 is by far my favorite wheel gun now

[dcloudy777]

Whatever you pick (I prefer the Smiths, but the Ruger makes a great revolver too), be prepared to find more in your safe.

 

Revolvers are addictive.  I bought one... a year later I had half a dozen.  :up:

[JAB]

Another vote for the GP100.  I like the 4 inch version because it is long enough to use a lot of the 'potential' of .357 but still short enough to carry 'socially', should you decide you want to, without having to use a shoulder holster.

 

 

Well, I guess I could stir the pot and recommend 3 0r 4 Tauri.  After thinking about it, I've got less money in the 6 Taurus revolvers than the 2 target "N" frames.  I love sqeezing off rounds on all my revolvers but for the money  you get a lot of bang for your buck with the Tauri! Jus' sayin'!

 

I had a Taurus model 66 that I bought used.  According to Taurus, based on the serial number, it was built in the 1980s but it looked almost brand new when I bought it.  Whenever it was built, it was an older model because it was only a six shot (the newer Taurus 66 models are 7 shot - which I think is a point in their favor.)  The only problem I ever had with it was that when I first got the gun it was very difficult to eject a fired casing from one of the chambers - which, of course, made pressing the ejector rod difficult and, in turn, made ejecting all of the other spent casings difficult.  After figuring out which chamber was causing the problem and noticing a tiny scratch on the casing from that chamber, I finally found a tiny burr - smaller than a grain of sand - near the mouth of that chamber.  It was small enough that it didn't interfere with loading or removing live rounds but big enough to drag on a fired casing.  It looked like it was a factory burr so I guess no one had found it in all those years (possibly why it appeared to have not been shot much.)  A couple of minutes with some fine grain sandpaper wrapped around a pencil fixed that and I never had another issue with it.

 

I actually traded that Taurus for the GP100 pictured above.  As I said, there was nothing 'wrong' with the Taurus.  It just wasn't a GP100 (which is what I really wanted.)  This is a pic of it:

 

Edited October 7, 2014 by JAB

[Will Carry]

I love wheel guns. My favorite is my Ruger Bisley Vaquero in .357. The sights are dead on, it has a target trigger and the hammer spur is lowered.  Whatever you do, get a quality revolver. Smith and Wesson makes the best. Ruger makes the toughest. That's  the only two I recommend. I have shot some Raging Bulls that were excellent. My dream pistol is a S&W model 27 4" or a new model 627. These are $1000 pistols but my Ruger is just as accurate.

[A.J. Holst]

Recommend you compare the BALANCE of a 686 to a GP-100. Especially in 6". And the action as well. I've had 2 686 6"-ers and 3 Pythons. No GPs. I do like my little SP-101 3" for all-around carry and home protection.

+1 on a 3" SP. If you got extra cash, send it to Marc at Gemini Customs. His mechanical and finish work is superb.

[MPGlock]

Wow, ya'll certainly left me a lot to consider!! Thanks to everyone for all the advice, will keep you updated on the future purchase (wife permitting!! LOL)

[fourteentwo]

First revolver? Mine was a ruger single six in 22 LR, it's fun to shoot, indestructible and even with the scarcity of 22 ammo it will probably get used more than the .357.

[china coaster]

Like someone mentioned lots of S&W model 10s floating around ot there. They are sweet guns.

[JimmyMac483]

You can't go wrong with any of the K frame S&W's. I have a Model 19 4" barrel. If you are wanting a range gun, i would stay away from the J frame. They make great a CCW, but are not very fun to put a lot of rounds through.

[GTownGeorge]

Ruger NM Blackhawk 357/38. Single action is the way to go at the range. Plus Rugers are easy and fun to work on.

[Oh Shoot]

Ruger NM Blackhawk 357/38....

 

Better, the convertible, with extra 9mm cylinder. :)

 

- OS

[sybo]

I'm gonna go with Ruger GP 100 also. Built stronger than the Smith and when you get done at the range or hunting with the 6", you can drive railroad spikes with it!! :rock:

Edited October 8, 2014 by sybo

[DaveTN]

The 686 is the standard for a range/target/home defense revolver; many people shoot them in competition. The K frames are entering the collectable era. If you can find a Model 19 or Model 66 in mint condition at a reasonable price; I would grab it since you are building a collection. I love my J frames, but as had already been stated here they aren’t target or range guns.

[cannoncocker]

S&W 686 or 686 Plus, 4 inch.  Good for the range. Great on the trail or in the stream, especially in a Simply Rugged Chester Puller rig.

[graycrait]

Having owned, shot and probably did an action job on S&W N, K and J Frames, Taurus "K" and "J" frames, Rugers in Speed Six, GP and SP series as well as LCRs I would recemmend the versatile Dan Wesson 15-2 made in Monson, MA.  They are discontinued but you run across decent ones from time to time.  The key feature of these is that you can change the barrels at your kitchen table or out in the field.  The lock time of the action may be a little faster than than the others and that may be another reason that silhouette shooters like the DWs.  Eric Kovahic makes some great parts for the DWs and he makes up kits to tune up or keep the internals in order.  I traded mine off to a TGOr a couple of years ago along with some fine accessories made by Eric K's EWK Arms.  http://www.ewkarms.com/zen8/  I am waiting to see what the new 9mm LCR might be like, having had 3 9mm revolvers previously.

[frankmako]

s&w model 36.  s&w model 19.  s&w model 29.  all are old school and great shooters. 

[Patton]

I'm gonna go with Ruger GP 100 also. Built stronger than the Smith and when you get done at the range or hunting with the 6", you can drive railroad spikes with it!! :rock:

It's actually hard to say if a GP100 is actually stronger. Rugers are thicker and heavier because they are cast stainless where a S&W is forged stainless. I am not knocking the Ruger,, but it is bigger and heavier for a reason. Edited October 8, 2014 by Patton

[DaveTN]

It's actually hard to say if a GP100 is actually stronger. Rugers are thicker and heavier because they are cast stainless where a S&W is forged stainless. I am not knocking the Ruger,, but it is bigger and heavier for a reason.

 
 


 

[A.J. Holst]

There's a 3" Wiley Clapp GP100 in the trading post...at a very attractive price point

[china coaster]

    Another thing to consider; can your revolver be used as blunt object? I would not hesitate using a S&W model 10 to beat on someone,but would not want to do the same with my old Colt special police. 

[McGarrett]

+1 on the GP100 and SP101. I have both in .357/ .38. i also have a J-frame .38. 

[TrickyNicky]

 

I'll see your clever poster and raise you a box of RUGER ONLY rated ammo :D

But really both are great American builders making great guns. As to the merit of a beefier or slimmer revolver it really just depends I guess on preference and need. I have a GP100 and had my dads 66 for a while there too, I shot both and enjoyed both, in my case I shot the 66 more, but that is really only because the GP is still LNIB and I keep thinking I may give it to someone one of these days and want it to be clean if I do. The GP is every bit of a pleasant shooter as the 66, though the 66 has a much better trigger.

I do like the take down of the GP a lot more than that of a S&W, it's IMO much more intuitive and and very easy to make modifications or swap parts if desired.


One thing I would recommend if your leaning with the S&W is to thoroughly research all of their models and learn your options in any given frame and barrel length.

[mootw]

Can't go wrong with a 686.  Ruger produces excellent revolvers as well.

 

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[Patton]

Tricky, the Ruger 44mags are built stronger than the Smiths, but the sp's and gp's are not necessarily any stronger in the frames. The cylinders are all forged though.