Looking for a great carry revolver?

M

Marshall-1

New member
I am currently looking for a great carry revolver in .357 Mag, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, or 44 Mag. If anyone has any suggestions in these with a 4" bbl or less, please let me know. Pics would be a great help too! Accuracy is a must and a high polish stainless finish is preferred. I have my ideas but, would very interested in the different suggestions people on this forum have to offer?

I have 7 1/4" and 6" bbl revolvers now and would like something smaller, obviously. LOL

Thank you,
Marshall
 
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Hello. I'd think a 4" Model 66 by S&W would be just right. The medium (K) frame would lend itself to carrying and the 4" bbl and adj sights would be fine for the field or punching paper at the range. Being a .357, you could shoot .38s much of the time should you so desire as this revolver might not handle very large amounts of full-house magnums quite so well as the L and N frames.

Though larger, another one might be an S&W Mountain Gun in .45 Colt or .44 Magnum. The former's very gentle in the recoil department while the latter can be a bit much with full-house loads, but there are mid-range loads available as well as .44 Special that can be fired in it. It would be a bit harder to conceal and is a bit heavier than the M66 as it's a large (N) frame.

Best.
 
Smith makes a 5-shot .44 special on the L-frame. Called the 696 or something like that. I've looked at several examples and I plan to pick up the next one I see. Don't seem to be alot of them. I think I've see a 3 incher, but a 4 inch should be available also. I had a Mountain Revolver in .44 mag and I don't think I'd every be able to effectively conceal it. There were some Lew Horton 629 guns a while back that had 3 inch barrels.
 
I prefer the S&W 13 or 65 with round butt and 3" Heavy barrel as my carry revolver

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=1299210

Mine has ajax grips and is a great gun.

If I went stainless I would like either a 65 3", 686 US customs 3" rb or a 586.

Also the 696 and 396 S&W snubbies in 44 spec.

I have a Taurus Tracker in 45 Colt with a 4" barrel that packs like a S&W K frame. 5 shots of 45 Colt is a great way to scare deer and other walking objects 2 or 4 legged.

here is a great thread about "the carry revolver"
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=129955&highlight=the+carry+revolver
 
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Greeting's All,

How about a Smith & Wesson K-frame model 19 or 66?
In it's 2.5" or 4" model's, they make for a great CCW
weapon. If money is tight, you may look at the Ruger
Security-Six with a 2.75" or 4" barrel. A used one in
LNIB condition, should run approximately $100 less!
Also, my friend The 'Fess likes the 3" barrel Smith &
Wesson 13 and/or 65. Both of these are fixed sighted
weapon's, that would not snag on clothing.

Moving on to larger caliber's, you might want to look
at the Smith & Wesson Lew Horton Distributing special
variation's of the short barrel model 625, 629, and 657
respectively.

The ultimate choice would be a very early (hand fitted)
2.5" barrel Colt Python; but you are going to spend a
bundle, if you find one in LNIB condition!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Edit: Pays to read the question.
A revolver as a carry gun in a meaningful caliber.
My first choice would be a 4" S&W 686. That's also as big as I'd go. The N-Frames are a bit large for carry unless you don't mind printing/showing. I'm not big on the carry a lot, shoot a little type of lightweight pistol.
 
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Gentlemen, thank you so much for your replies!

The reason for a revolver as a carry gun is sheer dependability, to me! The reasons for the higher calibers are two fold. First, my personal belief is if you are going to carry, carry enough caliber that if the wanted accuracy is not happing at that moment, partial accuracy can render a high percentage of immobility. Second, I have a .357 Mag and two .44 Mag's I use in longer bbl's for hunting. Two Ruger .44's and a Colt King Cobra in .357 Mag. so, keeping the ammo consistant is helpul, in more ways than one. The reasons I opened up to .45 ACP and Colt are because, the ACP is obviously a good carry cartridge, and the Colt, as all the others can be had in Lever guns and Cowboy action wheel guns I have my eye on, ;) . To me these are truely fun firearms. :)

Let me say this, the King Cobra I have, I absolutely love. It has as sweet of a trigger and overall feel of about any revolver it's size I have felt. I sure haven't felt them all by any means, I am a neophite in handguns as compared to many of you. Been more of a rifle/shotgun man most of my days. Maybe I just lucked into a good King Cobra? If I could find it in a shorter bbl ( if it was offered) and it felt like the one I have, I would buy it.

Most all recommendations are S&W's? Why is this? Are today's S&W just a better revolver than most? Are they just better carry guns than most, which is what I asked for, i understand LOL?

Lastly, anyone have any comment on the pro's and con's of 2 vs 3 vs 4 inch bbls when it comes to accuracy or, is one about as good as the other up to 25 -35 yards?

Thank you again!
Marshall
 
I prefer S&W revolvers because, 1) there are lots available on the used market in great condition, 2) there are many gunsmiths who work on S&W revo's, 3) S&W revo's can be tuned to have IMO the best trigger out there. $$wise/quality, a good used S&W revolver is the best deal out there.
 
I second the recommendations of those who suggest a S&W M66 in 2½" or 4" barrel length. I own both, and mostly carry the shorter one when I'm using an OWB holster, as the shorter barrel length makes it easier to conceal under a jacket that may "ride up" as I move around. For IWB carry, the longer one is as easy to conceal as the shorter, since all parts except the butt are hidden beneath my trousers.

I also like (and carry) the S&W 696 .44 Special. BTW, SouthpawShootr, these guns are only made with a 3" barrel - no other lengths are available. I also have the (sadly discontinued) Taurus M431 in the same caliber. Both these full-weight five-shooters are extremely controllable, and conceal very well. The Smith is heavier than an equivalent M66, since it's built on the L-frame rather than the K-frame.

I used to own lightweight .44 Specials, e.g. the Charter Arms and the S&W 296 - but the recoil from full-house defensive loads in these weapons was as bad as, if not worse than, a .357 Magnum Scandium snubby! I simply could not guarantee rapid, aimed, accurate shots at high speed, which is what I need in a defensive gun. The heavier 696 and 431 are great in this respect, so I gladly put up with the extra weight.

If you want something a bit more compact, but still using a serious load, check out the Ruger SP101. It comes in 2" and 3" barrel lengths (well, actually a bit longer than the "round numbers", but it's close enough for government work!). The 3" barrel version is almost identical in length to the S&W M66 with 2½" barrel, but is a little thinner, and lower in height. Both are very controllable with full-house ammunition (IMHO, the most controllable of the snubbies).

As to accuracy: I think the intrinsic accuracy of these guns is just fine, irrespective of barrel length. If you clamp any one of them, with any barrel length, in a Ransom Rest, you should get 25-yard groups in the 2" to 4" range. However, when they're in your hands, rather than a Ransom Rest, factors such as sight radius, clarity and definition of the sights, etc. come into play. In the smaller weapons (SP101 or other snubby) I think that combat accuracy at 15 yards is reasonable: for the full-size weapons, 25 yards or further is no problem. If you have the luxury of time on your side, the snubbies can be just as accurate: but shooting under pressure seldom allows you that much time...
 
Like many folk that responded, I would suggest S&W. I like the 357mag in the 4" barrel length. Concealing a 4" Smith is no problem. Last weekend I went shooting with a few friends. Just for the fun of it I wore my M-19 in an IWB, tuckable holster from Tucker Gunleather. I also had a Detective Special in one of Lou Alessi's pocket holsters.

Now remember this was all shooters, the people you would expect to be the most aware about CCW. We shot for a few hours and then went to lunch. Days later I asked them if they had noticed that I was carrying while we were shooting. They freely admitted that they had not noticed anything.

So, for a good carry revolver I would have to recommend one of the 4" Smiths with the Texas heritage Holster from Tucker Gun Leather. I like Blued so mine are different in color than what you want. But the S&W 66, 65, 686 would all be great.
 
There are a lot of S&W Model 19 and Model 66 revolvers available as police turn-ins that sell for close to or even under $200. Most have been carried a lot, but fired little and are great bargains.

Jim
 
Gentlemen,

I must say, I am thoroughly impressed with the knowledge, thought, detail and passion you show in your replies! Thank you so much, you all have been truely helpul!

I have two more questions if I may? I picked up a copy of Combat Handguns ( magazine ) today and in between Thanksgiving Dinner and a nap, lol, I read some of the articles on custom guns. Inside there is an artical that speaks of S&W's new M625 .45 ACP. It also speaks of this gun being available from S&W's Performance Center distributed by Camfour of Westfield Ma. The Standard new M625 is now available in a 4" bbl with full underlug, a 0.4" target hammer, 0.312" smooth trigger, pinned on Patridge front sight w/ blackened micromiter rear site and wears Hogue rubber grips with finger grooves.

My first question is, are these things ( trigger, hammer and front sight ) features that pose benifits worthy of choosing this gun over the M66, 686, 696 etc. that you all have predominately suggested?- Second, what are your folks thoughts of the PC version besides WOW Expensive? In addition to the above mentioned features it adds a presision counter bored muzzle, deep cut broached rifling, a shortened cylinder, contoured backslashed ( \ ) barrel shroud and laminated combat grips. It is a beautifully styled gun and has a performance, although combatish appearance. Does anyone know the price of this gun? Or maybe a rough estimate? :eek:

Note, the author replaced the Houge rubber grips and put on a one piece fashioned Pau Ferro wood grip by Hogue with no finger grooves of palm swell. Excellent looking but may be too long, although, he sais he carries old 625, modified by the PC group, as a daily carrier. Yes, you can take a new or old 625 and have the modification, all or part, made by the PC.

Oh, one more question, rofl. You guys are going to charge me soon huh? ;) What the H*ll does +P and +P+ etc. mean? I assume more powder? And where do you get ballistic info on these and what all calibers they come in. Are certain hanguns actually rated to use this ammo or not? If this is completely a numbnuts question please forgive me but, I have searched the internet Hi and Low to find an actual definition or, at least a general description of what this means as well as adds to a certain caliber and have run about empty, grrrrrrr.

Thanks again,
Marshall

Ps If this old news about the New M625 std as well as the PC version, please forgive me. The author makes it sound as if this is a recent, newly updated model, and goes on to say the Std M625 may be on the shelves at your dealers by now?
 
Hi again, Marshall-1. Don't worry about the questions - they're the reason for existence of a forum like this! I've learned a lot from hanging around here, and I guess that'll be the case for years to come.

As to your questions:

1. S&W M625: This is an N-frame revolver, the biggest frame S&W makes (if you exclude the rumored .50-caliber revolver they're supposed to be bringing out, which is allegedly on a new and still larger frame size). It's a great gun, and I like it, but it's NOT really suitable for CCW - it's just too big and bulky for easy concealment (approximately 20% to 25% larger in overall dimensions than your average K-frame, in my estimation). However, if you're a big guy, and can find ways to conceal it, it's a great choice. Up to you...

2. "+P" and "+P+": These designations don't refer to the powder, but rather to the pressure generated by the round. (It's not true that more powder equals more pressure: there are many propellants out there, some of which produce higher pressures, faster burn times, etc. than others. The pressure generated also depends on the length of barrel available: if your bullet has exited the barrel before half the powder has burned - something quite easy to achieve with a slow-burning powder and a short-barreled weapon such as a snub-nose revolver - then all you'll get from the rest of the load is a heck of a muzzle-blast and an earache! :D )

The Sporting Arms & Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) is the US body that sets acceptable pressure limits for a given cartridge. Cartridges loaded up to, but not beyond, that pressure limit are considered "standard-pressure". In some rounds (particularly .38 Special, .44 Special, .45 Colt and .45 ACP), that were developed a long time ago, the weapons in which they were originally chambered did not have the advantage of modern metallurgy, so they couldn't handle very high pressures. Modern weapons are made of much higher-grade steel, and can safely endure higher pressures. So, for these latter weapons (and to improve the ballistics of the cartridge, particularly for self-defence use), some manufacturers started loading these cartridges to so-called "+P" levels. These generate pressures higher than the SAAMI-listed maximum, but are still safe in modern weapons. The "+P+" designation is for a still higher-pressure load (it's often used to refer to Winchester's "Treasury" load of a 110gr. JHP in .38 Special at very high pressures - and velocities!).

Nowadays, the "+P" and "+P+" designations are applied to numerous calibers in both handgun and rifle ammunition. Unfortunately, they're often used as a marketing tool, rather than a factual assessment of a cartridge's pressure... For example, in 9mm. Parabellum, one manufacturer's 115gr JHP "+P" load is over 100 fps faster than another manufacturer's allegedly "+P+" load in the same bullet weight and cartridge. Decide for yourself which is really at the higher pressure! :D
 
The N frame Smiths are...

I can't really come up with anyway to adequately describe them. While the Combat Magnums are really great, the N frames are absolutely the standard by which ALL others get judged. I would take one of the N's over any other gun I know of, Python, Korth, whatever.

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I come fronm the "less is more" school of thought: the most powerful cartridge in the smallest gun you can control.

I will admit that I was looking for a nice used S&W snub when I bought this gun, but I do like it:

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RUGER SP101 .357MAG

I really don't carry it much - I bought it as more of a house gun for my wife & daughter when I'm not home. But the short 2 1/4" barrel is very easy to conceal, & with 5 rounds of 125g HP .357MAG I do feel protected!
 
Well, a lot of good ideas have already been posted. I personally have a very strong preference for a non reflective finish for a carry gun.

Otherwise I'd prefer any 3"-4" S&W in .357/45/44 Spec. I have a fondness for an old 2 3/4" Ruger Speed Six and a 3" M65LS. A Python would work. One of those S&W PC 8 shot N frames, 4" bbl and blued, would be good too...

I'd also think of combinations, like a S&W K frame and a Dick Special/Magnum Carry. They can use the same Safariland Comp II speedloaders and ammo.

Hmm, well you get my drift.

And enough smooth practice to do well.
 
Although I can't argue with jar's assessment of the N-Frames...

I've found that my 686-5 Snubby is the best all-around carry pistol for me. With the 2 1/2" barrel, there is enough sighting plane to be accurate, and the L-Frame will handle the 357 loads with a degree of comfort.

200211303044634260595190.jpg
 
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