Help me recommend a revolver for my buddy (please)!

E

Elliottsdad

New member
My friend is relatively new to the world of firearms (he's gone to the range with the guys a number of times, knows firearm safety, etc.), but doesn't own a handgun of his own yet. He does know that he wants a revolver, though. He's not sure about caliber, although leaning toward .22 or .38 (.357 might be a bit much) His limit is $400 (max!), though he's not opposed to used guns.

I talked to him about Taurus/Rossi, Charter Arms, Ruger, and Smith. We discussed cast vs forged, US vs Brazilian made; he knows you get what you pay for, but doesn't want to break the bank. He just wants a simple, good quality firearm at a reasonable price. What should I tell him? Am I missing any good advice?

Thanks!

p.s. so far I said he might be looking at a Taurus, as I hesitate to recommend Charter. Ruger/Smith might be out of his price range unless he gets lucky..
 
I would hesitate to talk anybody into buying anything. If the gun doesn't fit the person who owns it, that would be a disservice. Your friend should shoot or at least hold as many different revolvers as possible then decide for themselves.

I like the Ruger Sp101. Mine is a 357 mag. If you are not already aware of it, 38 Special can be shot from a 357 mag revolver. The 357 revolvers are made heavier so they are pleasant to shoot 38 specials out of. This works for me, but your friend may be happier with something else.
 
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If he decides on a centerfire, a revolver chambered in 357 Magnum wold not be "too much". 38 Specil can be used in It with no problem. Maybe a little ectra leaning care to remoce carbon build up in the font of the chmber from using a cartridge 1/10 of an inch shorter than the chamber. The use of 38 in a 357 is very common for practice.

Although I own Taurus firearms, and have had no problems, there are those who have. I would not fear buying one because if there wouild be a probem I have plenty of other guns, and the return for repairs woldn't be that much of a problm. I'm not sure why your avoidence of Charter Arms. While some of their "transition" guns as they changed hands various times had probems, the newly manufactured models seem to be pretty good.
In a Ruger, with the excrption of the small LCR, the maximum budget you mention dictats looking in the used case. Likewise with Smith & Wesson.
 
starting revolvers

I'd say a quality used revolver -- so if he changes his mind with experience, he will not take the "new gun" price hit upon resale. Quality (to me) means Smith & Wesson or Ruger. Good starting calibers (to me) mean .22LR or .38Special -- the latter might be more fun but it is maybe 3X more expensive per shot. I'd say 4-6" barrels for starters.
 
Talk to him about guns and educate him on the differences and some of the finer aspects of various models. Thats all you need to do, don't tell him what to get. When he is ready he will know what he wants to buy. That way you will avoid the " THATS THE PEACE OF KRAP YOU TOLD ME TO BUY"
 
Can't go wrong with a used Smith & Wesson K frame 357 (model 19, etc), especially the older pinned and recessed ones. It is literally a gun that a beginner can "grow" with, starting out shooting 38s and graduating to full house 357s if need be. The quality of the older ones is not to be believed (I'm sure newer ones are great, I just prefer the older ones), and I think they are some of the most "user friendly" guns ever made. Simple operation, flawless functioning, better triggers than most other production guns (an important factor for new shooter accuracy in my opinion), and they're just beautiful handguns (pride of ownership goes a long way in keeping new shooters in the game).

I have owned Taurus and other name revolvers, and while some (most) of them were fine serviceable revolvers, I HAVE had one or two that should have never left the factory. The same can't be said for a Smith. I have NEVER had a Smith that was less than perfectly functional. I think that is important to a new shooter. A malfunctioning gun may sour them on shooting, no matter how good the warranty (fwiw, every Taurus I have ever had a problem with was fixed under warranty, but that may still sour a newbie).

If you shop around a bit and know what you're looking for, I think you should be able to find a nice K frame Smith in that price range (depending on condition of course) or a very few dollars more. For example, the local shop has an absolutely BEAUTIFUL (pined & recessed) model 19 4" for $499, with target hammer and target trigger, in 90%+ condition. I don't need it, as I already have a nice 19, but I am seriously considering it. If nothing else, I can pass it along to my son some day.

Bottom line I guess is that a Smith & Wesson is never a mistake, especially an older one.

Papershotshells
 
One of the guns on my "everybody needs at least one" list:

4" double action 357 with adjustable sights.

Personally I'm a sucker for K frame S&W's--but I've owned
a few Rugers that fit the description, and you might have
better luck finding a good Ruger in that price range.

Cowboy loads or light 38 special for plinking, 357 magnum for
hunting or serious social work. Take care of it and your
grandkids will still be shooting grandpa's old gun.
 
There are a lot of variables that go into finding the revolver that is "just right" for a given person and, since we don't know your friend, it is very difficult for us to make a good recommendation. Probably the best advice I can give is for your friend to handle and, if possible, shoot as many different types as he can get his hands on and then make his choice based on his experience. The S&W K-Frames would be a good place to start as they typically have excellent triggers and are of a size that fits a wide cross-section of people's hands well. While new S&W's are typically beyond his $400 ceiling, a good used specimen may be found within his price range. Typically the most affordable models are the M10 .38 Special or its stainless steel counterpart the M64.

Also, you did not mention your friends intended use for the gun. While it is possible to use one revolver for range/target shooting, concealed carry, hunting, and home defense, what makes a particular model optimum for one of those purposes would likely make it less-than-optimum for the others.
 
For a reasonably priced quality revolver, my standard suggestion (and typically effective) is to look for a S&W K frame or a Ruger Six series on the used market. Great guns to learn not only what you like, but what you don't. Both will last forever with a little TLC.
 
A used Blackhawk convertible in .357/9mm would be a nice starter or maybe a used top break .22 if he wants something different. However as others have suggested it really is his choice as to what he likes or shoots the best. You have stated what your leaning towards reccomending but not if he is leaning toward any make or model specifically.
 
My thoughts are buy a good used S&W or Ruger.

And the wooden stock grips on older S&W's should be replaced with something else. The factory "target" grips look good but are lousy for shooting. The factory "service" grips work for some people with a Tyler T added. Your friend will have to pick his own grips that work for him.

Recent S&W grips are much, much better.

And very important: small light revolvers (like the five shot 38's) look and feel cute but kick much more than the larger six, seven, or eight shooters. The difference can be huge for most people. The very light revolvers (scandium frame) are the worst.

A good revolver can be fun, or at least should not hurt to shoot. They are accurate.

My thoughts only, and worth what they cost.
 
Hard to go wrong with S&W

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Top is .357, bottom two are .38's. I like the Tyler T-Grip with service stocks, haven't found anything else yet that works as well!
 
My friend is relatively new to the world of firearms (he's gone to the range with the guys a number of times, knows firearm safety, etc.), but doesn't own a handgun of his own yet. He does know that he wants a revolver, though. He's not sure about caliber, although leaning toward .22 or .38 (.357 might be a bit much) His limit is $400 (max!), though he's not opposed to used guns.

I talked to him about Taurus/Rossi, Charter Arms, Ruger, and Smith. We discussed cast vs forged, US vs Brazilian made; he knows you get what you pay for, but doesn't want to break the bank. He just wants a simple, good quality firearm at a reasonable price. What should I tell him? Am I missing any good advice?

Thanks!

p.s. so far I said he might be looking at a Taurus, as I hesitate to recommend Charter. Ruger/Smith might be out of his price range unless he gets lucky
Click to expand...

What's it for?

First handgun, a snubby wouldn't be the best choice. That said, me being somewhat farther down that road, it would probably be my personal choice.

I hear tell that S&W Airweights can be had for prices almost in his range. Ditto Ruger LCR.

Used guns, point him to Jim March's revolver test thread, that's been stickied here from ancient days.

My personal preference would be, used SP101, if he can find one.

Going with Taurus will get him a gun that'll probably be OK, but if not he gets into customer service adventures. (If he's looking for a .22, Interwebz hearsay says the Taurus .22 revolvers have atrocious trigger pulls. I don't know that for a personal fact.) Charter won't be quite as nicely finished, but with quite good CS (to which I can personally attest). I wouldn't let either of those brands, by itself, stop me. But, I'm a somewhat more experienced individual than your friend.

Taurus/Rossi, Charter Arms, Ruger, and Smith.
Click to expand...

Armscor and Czechmate (AlfaProj) are two other, less mainstream, options currently available. I think both are in his price range.
 
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My advice is easy: start looking for a 4-inch, heavy barrel smith & Wesson Model 10. What you'll get here is the largest production of one single model in the history of handguns on the planet Earth, and that's because they are that good.

And why he should be looking for one of these is because they were built by the absolute warehouse truckload for duty and service at a myriad of levels in local, state and Federal governments. Police, Corrections, Parole, Armed Security, Federal Agents, you name it. And many (most?) of these revolvers are all being retired from duty use and they've been flooding the market in the past handful of years. Most have serious exterior wear that could easily be called "beat up and ABUSED" but most of them are functionally FANTASTIC.

If you are lucky enough to live in or near a town that has contracted for large lots of these (as I am! ;)) then you have seen the sales where they offer 'em for $249 plus tax. You go to the store and there's a dozen of them (or more) in the case and you can interview them all to find the one you like. What you don't realize is that they have 75 more in the back stock room.

Now, you probably aren't lucky enough to find that kind of deal close by, however all the ones that I'm seeing have really altered the market for all the K-frame, fixed sight .38s out there.

These revolvers are simply the finest deal in a double action .38 Special on this globe. The one that brings joy in to my world is a Model 10-10, circa 1994, and a former Ohio Dept of Corrections revolver. It shoots so sweetly that I can't describe. And it looks kinda like hell. The armorer that maintained it sent it packing with maybe -THE- finest timing of all the DA Smith & Wesson revolvers I own, but ALSO with a three-digit number scrawled in to the bottom of the trigger guard with what HAD to have been the tip of a rusty nail.

I love it. I seriously wouldn't sell this thing for twice I spent on it.
 
That's easy...

S&W Model 10 (blued) or 64 (stainless). Your friend will be VERY happy with either of these and there are lots available at decent prices on the used market. They handle and shoot very well. Lots of reasons why these were the sidearm for nearly all US LE agencies for half a century.
 
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