Long Time Shooter, First Time Revolver

T

TBT

New member
Looking for advise on a first wheelgun.

I’m looking for it to be my all-around gun. I want to target shoot with it using inexpensive 38WWB, I want to be capable of home defense, and I want to carry it via shoulder rig in the mountains for black bear and other pesky critters. Hunting, I’ve thought about, but not so much. I would like the gun to be capable of such, but not as a primary deciding factor, more so a bonus.

What I have decided on is the following:

Has to be a revolver chambered in 357mag.
Has to be of the double/single action persuasion.
Has to have a steel frame, no scandium or alloy **** and weigh at least 35oz.

What I’m leaning towards:

Adjustable rear site
4” barrel
Full underlug

Price is not so much a factor, but if I could get out the door for around $500 that would be great.

The 686, the GP100, and the 619/620 fill this role very well. Right now I’m leaning toward the 686 with a four inch barrel.
 
All of those mentioned will meet your needs. Shoot them all if possible before buying. If that is not possible, handle them each and really analyze how each feels in your hand. Do a few "closed eye point tests" with each to see which one points more naturally for you.
 
I can't shoot them as we don't have a rental range within 50 miles of here, but I can handle them with an hour drive or so.
 
I would go with a the S&W 686 since the trigger is so much nicer than a Ruger GP100. Take a look at Colts. Hard to beat. The 4" Trooper Mark V or Trooper Mark III would fill your requirements nicely. They are around in essentially as-new condition. The Colt Python obviously meets your standards as well, but at a sizable increase in price. But, they feel and shoot very nicely. Another is the Colt 357 Model. No full underlug, but you don't need it for balance.
 
S&w 686 4"

My first revolver and first handgun was the 686 with 4" barrel, so I'm a little biased towards it as a first revolver. S&W, Ruger and Colt are all excellent choices.
 
The only recommendation I would make is to get a revolver with a 6" barrel if you're going to shoot targets. You get a little bit more velocity out of .38/.357 cartridges, and you get a longer sight radius. There usually isn't much of a price different between 4" and 6" bbl's for the same model gun.

I went the GP100 route for my first .357, and I'm very happy with it.

jmm
 
It looks to me like you've thought this out pretty well. The only real change I'd make is to make the gun a 6" (since you mention bear defense, and want a .357mag, I'd want more barrel to get more velocity out of the rounds since they are the bare minimum for bear).

As for the guns, all that you mention, plus several Taurus revolvers you don't have on your list, would be great choices. In larger than K-frame .357mag revolvers I currentely have a 6" S&W 586. I like it, but with the full-underlug it may be just a tad heavier than it needs to be and they don't balance as well as I'd like (front heavy). I may be trying out the new S&W 520 or 619, though they aren't available as a 6". If I like the balance of those better I'll probably replace my 586 with the 520 or 619 and a 6" K-frame or Taurus (65 or 66 in the Taurus probably).
 
The advise I keep getting isn't what I want to hear lol. I just don't like the looks of the 6" barrel. I think you guys might be right that it could be more practical for my intended uses though.
 
I just don't like the looks of the 6" barrel.

You might not like looking at it, but you will definitely like sighting down it. Full lug on a 6" barrel also helps with recoil.

jmm
 
I think you might have to get two revolvers

I am kinda of torn now by this thread. Even though it doesn't involve me really. I completely understand what everyone is telling you and agree with them. For defense against bear, and for hunting, you probably would be better served with a 6". So practically speaking, that probably is what you should get. But, on the other hand, I also understand and agree with you. I prefer a 4" gun myself. I too like the look of it better, and most of them seem to balance and point better and more naturally for me. But, I have .357s with both barrel lengths (and more). So for me it is just a decision of picking the right one for the job. So, I guess this is my suggestion: get one of the ones you mentioned for "fun" you know just a good ole time on the range, and get a Model 629 in 6" for bear protection and hunting. Ahhhh...if only it were that easy right? LOL
But seriously, out of the guns you originally mentioned, I have three of them: Ruger (but with fixed sights), a 620 (actually have another on the way), and a 686 (both 4" and 6"). All of those guns I really, really like and wouldn't part with them. But as far as which one feels the best to me in hand, it would probably be the 620 followed closely by the 4" 686. My only problem with the 620 is that it isn't available in 6 shots.Yes, I have heard all the arguments for the 7 shot and I concede those points, but I am just old fashioned and it's my money anyway. :D But, in the end it certainly wasn't enough to deter me from the 620. At any rate all of this has just been my measly 2 cents, and in this case it's your money and you'll have to decide which one feels right for you. Good luck.
 
TBT, Most any 4 inch 357 would take care of your wants but I certainly hope you never have a bad encounter with a black bear when your packing a 357!

The good news is Black Bears are very skitish most times, so make plenty of noise and you will never see one.
 
Your right, they are very skittish.

I can't envision a black bear getting shot six times in the face with a 357 and still wanting to continue the confrontation. :D Regardless of how long the barrel is. Right now I carry a Kimber Ultra Carry II in 45 ACP. Thats a 45 in a 3" barrel and I feel fine with it to be honest. I think that little gun buys me enough time to get out of dodge.

I have never allowed looks to outweigh a practical need for me when looking for a gun. If the six inch barrel makes more sense, then that is what I would get.

I'm just not totally convicned that for an all-around gun that they 4" still isn't more practical. Especially if when I run out today it feels better in my hands. A five incher would be a nice compromise huh?
 
A 4" .357 is probably the ideal do-it-all general purpose handgun.

A 5" barrel is a fantastic compromise between the handiness and concealability of a 4" and the sight radius and extra muzzle velocity of a 6", but that's a somewhat rare and eclectic barrel length outside of the S&W N-frame world.

I'd take a 4" or 5" gun over a 6" any day, since the slightly shorter barrel makes them truly jack-of-all-trades. The 6" gun is super for hunting and target shooting, but it's a one (or two) trick pony in that regard.
 
For bear? Ruger Alaskan in .454 casull You can shoot .45lc too. it will stop a bear right now, as far as SD goes, it will stop just about anything. I plan on this for my next revolver. I have a gp100 in .357 and with 180 gr jsn you can drop a bear of that size. good shopping
 
Quote:TBT.... I can't envision a black bear getting shot six times in the face with a 357 and still wanting to continue the confrontation.

At the least it would probly need some major dental repair and at the best it would be brain dead before it hit the ground. :)
 
Yeah, he's gonna need some dental work without a doubt. :D

Just handled a 686 in the 4" and 6" barrel. The 4" definately feels much better in my hand. Much better. Just seems to point more naturally and feels better balanced.

I also handled a Ruger GP-100 in 4" with the full shroud and was impressed too. The trigger was more "gritty" and "heavier" though. I also can't help but like the looks of the GP better, but not by much and thats here nor there.

I got to thinking about something on the way home though. This shop had some pistols listed as 357/38 as the claiber and others listed as 357 Rem Mag. Is there a difference? Does the ones listed as 357 Rem Mag not take the 38's? Sounds silly ...
 
If its a 357 it will shoot 38's. The rugar's trigger pull will smooth out after about
1000 rounds or you can work the trigger over. Smiths have good triggers out of the box.
 
What does a trigger job usually run if I were to pick up a Ruger and have a trigger job done on it? Will a trigger job on a revolver lighten the DA and SA pull much in the same way it will for autos?
 
Usually a trigger job runs from 40 and up. Some have the trigger spring lightened
and the sears polished. Others just polish the bearing surfaces.

A diamond file and a polishing wheel take care of 99 percent of my trigger needs.
Sometimes I heat the springs to lighten them and sometimes I buy aftermarket springs.

EZ lap Makes a good set of diamond files and they are cheap. A bic lighter works fine on springs as long as you know what your doing.
 
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