Need some Revolver Advice!

T

twoblink

New member
First, I just came back from a 9 day trip... I live with my gf, and when I came back, my gf said "Honey, it was scary being home alone for so long, I think I want a gun for when you are away..."

Well whattaya know!?! (Passing cigars out....)

Soooo... Home defense is the name of the game. I own a Steyr M40 (love it!) but she can't even shoot a 9mm, let alone a 40SW. So moving on, .22's don't seem like enough of a defense, and so I'm looking at revolvers...

I would like her to eventually move to a 357Mag, but for now she probably will shoot 38Specials. So I'm looking to buy a 357Mag wheelgun...

Suggestions? I like the Taurus 617, 7 shots of badass 357 will make the perps run away, or run dead... Either is ok with me.

I'm concerned though about the 617Ti in terms of recoil. How is it? Should I get the stainless steel instead for the extra weight/heft?

What other wheelguns would you guys recommend?? The Ruger SP101 I plan on visiting tomorrow...

Thanks!
Albert
 
First, TI will radically increase felt recoil. She *might* even have a hard time with regular .38, it's almost certain .38+P is gonna hurt.

As to the steel version not being listed, Taurus probably did their more expensive pieces first, only natural. Call 'em, find out when the steel version will be through the pipeline. Also, as far as I know, what matters is whether or not the gun has passed testing, not whether it's listed or whether or not the DOJ webmasters have got around to adding it. It's quite possible the steel version is already OK, it's just not on the site yet. Again, Taurus will know.

There's a thread over on General Handguns right now about the .22WMR. You can get eight rounds of .22Magnums in a J-frame sized package with a 4" barrel. The right loads will pull over 1,400fps from a 4" tube, and with eight on tap in an even smaller package than the 617, well, that ain't too shabby an option either for a beginning defensive handgun shooter. I'd rather leave a ladyfriend with that than a .38+P setup she may not be as accurate or comfortable with. Model 941 I think, check that thread...it's not on the list either but as I said re: the 617steel, it may already be on the way.

Jim
 
Look at a used Smith Model 10 or 13. They are cheap and give you much in the way of ammo flexibility. Start her with 38 wadcutters. A used Ruger Speed Six is another option.

These are reccommended as house guns, not carry guns.
 
I agree with the others, skip the Ti. I have a S&W model 642. It weighs 15 oz. It JUST PLAIN HURTS when I shoot it, even with relatively mild loads. And with that short sight radius and marginal sights, I'm not very accurate with it as well. It does fit nicely in a pocket though...

But if I understand correctly, you're looking for a home defense gun for your gf. So concealability is not important and neither is weight. A heavy, large gun is much easier to shoot than a small, light gun. So get her a large heavy gun.

But make sure that it fits her hands. My wife's hands are just too small for her to shoot a large-framed revolver. So take your gf with you when you go gun shopping. If she has medium to large hands, check out a S&W Model 19/66 or Ruger GP-100. If she has smaller hands, check out a S&W Model 60 with 3" barrel, or Ruger SP101 with 3" barrel.

Definitely start with .38 spcl loads. Personally, I don't like shooting .357 mag loads out of my S&W Model 66, so I wouldn't count on her moving up to them. But I also think that 158 gr LSWHP .38 spcl +p is a pretty decent load out of a 4" barrel.

Remember, you're getting this gun for her, not for you.

M1911
 
Since this is a house gun, not a carry gun, skip the snubbies, skip the Ti or aluminum alloy guns and go for good steel.

You best bet will be a used S&W M-19 or M-66 with a 4" barrel. You should be able to get a good usded one in the $200.00 to $300.00 range. Load it with any .38 SPL the lady can tolerate and work from there. Only she can tell you whether her comfort threshhold will allow use of full power .357 Mag loads.

Good Luck.

Doc Hudson
 
What Doc said. If home defense is the name of the game then go with a 4" 357 maggie. Could be the most versatile handgun there is. Even 38+P's in a service revolver will be pussycats and you have the option of shooting magnums later. Good Luck, J. Parker
 
If you can, let your girl friend rent or try out several models. She will have the best input. Try for the 4" .357 magnum shooting .38 spl, though. It is an overall useful gun for recreational and comeptition activities as well as home defense.

Do you need an excuse to add a Remington 870HD or Winchester Defender to your own collection? This might be the time.
 
A model 65 would be good also if you can't find any model 66s. My wife likes her Model 65 Ladysmith with a 3" barrel.
 
Twoblink,

First, congratulations.

Second, I suggest a Ruger KGP-141 (the all-stainless GP-100 with a four-inch barrel, full underlug, and adjustable rear-sight). Like all GP-100s, it is an accurate, very high-quality, extremely reliable and durable revolver -- built like a rock and likely to last several lifetimes.

Third, I recommend you start your GF on .38 Special target loads (130 grain Federal American Eagle FMJs, for example) and with standard pressure .38 Special Federal Nyclad 125 grain hollow points for home defense. Some will suggest this is a relatively feeble defensive round, but I believe it is a good "starter" round and it has adequate stopping power. Obviously, as she becomes more comfortable, stouter loads are easily available in the .38 Special/.357 magnum family.
 
I agree with Guy; if this is a house gun, get a shotgun. I recommend a 20 gauge. IMO it's easier to teach someone to shoot a long gun, and the effect against a would-be intruder is much more devastating.

I suggest you put some sort of dead bolt on the bedroom door, and make sure she realizes that if she thinks someone is breaking into the house to go there, lock the door, and if anyone keeps coming to destroy them. And of course to also dial 911.

Not that there is anything wrong with handguns. If you have them she should at least be familiar with them, but IMO handguns are best for when you can't carry a long gun.
 
2 New babies...

First, I bought a Browning BPS 20 Gauge Shotgun. :-) We all know, when it's dark at night, and there's a perp in the house, what you want isn't a big bad gun, you want to make that "chik chik" shotgun sound (from some survey I read, the most recognized sound in the world!!) And so even if my shotgun is empty, I know that sound will make the badguys run away.

That being said, Turners was also having a sale and it was too good of a deal to pass up... Sooo... I bought a Ruger SP101 5-shot .357Mag Revolver.

I'm a big fan of revolvers for homeD. No need to worry about rotating magazines, no jamming... and from what I can see, the Rugers are better made than the Taurus. I don't know if it's true, but the sales guy said that you can tell the quality of a revolver by the tight tolerances of the cylinder and the barrel gap. Makes sense to me, and if that's true, then the Ruger is a much better Revolver.

I was a bit worried about having a 5 shot vs. a 7shot, but people tell me, ( and I tend to agree) if I ain't getting it done with 5 shots, I should have reached for the shotgun... Anyway, I know you all recommended against snubbies, but I figure I'd start her off on .38Specials, I've shot them out of a snubbie, not much kick at all, and while I think .357Maggies are much better as far as defense than .38's, .38's are better than nothing, and I'll probably get them cranked up to +P's...

So what do you all think? Was that 2 good choices on my part or no???

Thanks for all your suggestions..

Albert
 
Not bad, since the SP101 is the heaviest snubbie made...

c title. I'm hoping you bought a 3" tube version versus 2" but it's OK either way. There's a slight ballistics advantage with the longer tube and very little harm to portability.

Start out with 148grain target wadcutters. They're accurate and very low recoil...and not totally useless for defense if she hasn't yet worked her way up to something hotter.

The Nyclad 38spl 125s are the mildest-recoil true defensive loads available for that gun. Work her up to those when she graduates past the 148s.

The next step up, in my opinion, would be one of the 158grain lead semiwadcutter hollowpoints in "+P" (extra pressure) .38spl. Those will sting a bit in that gun but not badly, even if she has small hands.

If she never gets past that point, that's OK...in either 2" or 3" tube .38spl that's a damn fine defensive load.

True .357s will be stout in that gun, but with practice she can probably get to where most .357 defensive fodder will be controlable. Don't push her there too fast though. The .38s aren't at all bad.

That's what I really like about .357s, the ability to take a huge variety of power levels. A bigger .357 like the N-Frames or a Ruger single-action can go up "another step", to the really hot "hunting grade" small-production or homebrew stuff that's almost as hot as some factory .44mag fodder. Don't try those in that SP101 :).

Jim
 
Another vote for a used .357 with 4" barrel. Room to "grow" if your girlfriend jumps on the firearms bandwagon. I'm partial to Smiths, but this should be her decision based on how "it feels".
 
Take a look at the Taurus 627 stainless 7 shot revolver. When shooting .357's they feel like .38's and .38's feel like .22's (well almost) because of the grips and ports. The quality has greatly improved at Taurus and next to the S&W it has the smoothest action.
 
The *&* 686 is an extremely nice gun. The single action trigger is beautiful and the double action trigger is miles better than the DA on a Ruger P97 and not too far from a Kahr. Its well made, shoots great, and is very mild (IMHO) to shoot with .38 Specials in it. Get a 4 inch barrel and the rubber finger grips that come standard.

Another alternative would be a Dan Wesson. I have a 4 inch, .357 from the seventies, I think. The SA trigger is comparable to the 686's. The DA has a little creep and seems to stack a little, but its not bad at all. This one seems pretty well made, but I haven't seen any of the new ones. Of course DW is more, ahem, politically correct these days than
Slick & Willie.
 
My wife has little interest in shooting anything other than her sp-101. For practice she usually shoots 38s but can hardly tell the difference when loaded with 357s. Great gun!
 
A lot of gals are intimidated (and clumsy) with a large heavy gun (even if it does soak up the recoil) I'd suggest you go mid-range with a used speed six or SW 13 or better yet 65 with 3 or 4 inch barrel.

There are still a ton of pre-boycott 65's out there for $200-$300 and I'm not sure there is really a better revolver for sitting by the bedside or carry. It just seems the 3 inch K frame with fixed sights is just small enough to carry concealed and just big enough to be a full size gun around the house.

JMHO, Blue Duck
 
My gf is very small, the SP101 was the first gun who's boot she can get her hand all the way around and still pull the trigger!! She liked it, and so I bought it. When it's all said and done, that's all that counts right, she likes it right??

I would have prefered a 3" barrel, but she was having trouble lifting it up as it is... We'll see how she does with it.

Thanks guys. And I just want to encourage those out there who's better half isn't into guns... Maybe she just hasn't found the right one yet... (Right Gun I mean... :-)

Albert
 
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