revolver for target

R

richrd1

New member
I'm getting back into the shooting sports after a LONG layoff and have either forgotten or just don't know what all the new guns are.

A local club includes the distinguish revolver match, what would be a good .38 to look for. Given the choice, I would rather buy something used of high quality than spent the same money on something new but not as good.

thanks
Rich
 
S&W model 14 if you can find one. The best target revolver ever made and when you can find them they are usually priced right and shoot great.
 
This Colt's Officer's mod 38 shoots so good.
Smooth as glass.
Mfg. in 1925 and in excellent condition.
Rear sight is adjustable for windage and front sight is adjustable for elevation.
Also have a 6" S&W mod 14 but the Colt easily out shoots it.

coltofficersmodel38001_zps2ae4b6db.jpg
 
Last edited:
Concur. The Model 14 is an iconic target revolver. However, I don't believe that they're in production any longer. If you're not able to find a Mod 14, then the Model 686 is your best bet for the .38 Special. Or the Model 66.
 
Model 14, while an excellent choice, would be very hard to find, especially in good condition for a reasonable price. However Model 19 is basically the same gun, but also gives you an option to use 357 Magnums. There are a lot more Model 19s out there and obtaining one in excellent shape is a lot easier.
 
Having owned a pair of Colt Officer Model Match Targets..
They have my vote.
That being said, their $$ is (IMHO) skyrocketing.
My next choice would be the S&W 686, which I have also owned and could shoot almost as well as the Colts.

Almost:p
 
Model 14s are not hard to find. And you can also find model 10s modified for PPC, as well as model 67s, which are the stainless version. I bought a model 15 with a 6" barrel on it for less than $300 not very long ago.

I would go for a model 28 before I'd go with a model 686, as they are cheaper and lighter, or a model 19 for that matter.
 
Last edited:
Model 14s are not hard to find.
Click to expand...

Say what you will, but if you open Armslist you'll see ten or more Model 19 listed for each Model 14 for sale ... So it is a lot easier to find Model 19 (or Model 66 which is the same thing in stainless) then Model 14. As for Colts, I would stay away not because they are bad guns, but because they are harder to find parts for and more expensive/ complicated to fix and tune.
 
Say what you will,
Click to expand...

This is what I will say: on gunbroker right now a search for "14" in the revolver folder gets 68 hits, while a search for "19" gets 120 hits.

Not close to 10-1 ratio you claimed. In addition, all model 14s listed will have at least a 6" barrel, whle I count 21 model 19s listed with a 6" barrel, the rest being smaller.

So, I can say with some facts behind me that for every model 19 with a 6" barrel you can find three model 14s.
 
Hello richrd1,,,

My personal recommendation would be a Smith and Wesson Model 14,,,
That is one of the K-frame (medium size) revolvers with a 6" barrel,,,
You will be hard put to find a better shooting .38 for target work.

Generally when people say they want a handgun for target shooting,,,
A 6" barrel is what gets recommended because of the longer sight radius,,,
The sight radius means the distance between the rear sight and the front sight.

The 6" barrel is not more accurate than a 4" barrel,,,
But since the sight radius will be longer,,,
It is easier to aim more accurately.

I would recommend a Smith and Wesson (S&W) over any Colt for one reason,,,
Colt stopped manufacturing their DA/SA revolvers many years ago,,,
For many of their guns, parts are getting hard to find,,,
If a Colt breaks it may be difficult to repair.

Many of the S&W revolver models are no longer being made,,,
But for some reason parts are still readily available,,,
If a S&W breaks it is much easier to repair it.

I'm not downing the quality of the Colts,,,
The ones mentioned earlier are all very fine handguns,,,
But in reality I don't find them to be better guns than the S&W's.

Now let's talk models.

Model 14 is a K-frame .38 special revolver usually with a 6" barrel,,,
I say usually because there are always variants in barrel length,,,
This is a wonderful revolver with excellent accuracy,,,
The name for the gun is the K-38 Masterpiece.

The Model 17 is the same revolver but chambered for the .22 LR cartridge,,,
This is one of the finest .22 target revolvers ever made,,,
The name of the gun is the K-22 Masterpiece.

They won't be cheap though,,,
Used prices run from $450.00 to over $750.00.

Model 15 is a K-frame .38 Special revolver usually with a 4" barrel,,,
This is also a wonderful revolver and is my personal favorite,,,
The name for this gun is the K-38 Combat Masterpiece.

Model 18 is the same revolver but chambered for the .22 LR cartridge,,,
I absolutely love this handgun as it allows me cheap practice,,,
It's weight and feel are near identical to the Model 15,,,
This guns name is the K-22 Combat Masterpiece.

Again they won't be cheap,,,
They run from $400.00 to over $700.00

One gentleman has posted about the Model 19,,,
This gun usually comes with a 4" barrel but 6" versions can be found,,,
The main difference between it and the Models 14 & 15 is that it is chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge.

The name of the gun is the Combat Magnum.

The bullet and case diameter of a .38 Special and a .357 Magnum are the same,,,
The case for the .357 Magnum is about 1/8" longer,,,
This is a much more powerful cartridge,,,
It's also a bit more expensive to buy,,,
And a bit to powerful for target.

Not that you can't shoot targets with a .357 Magnum,,,
But .38 will be cheaper and just as accurate.

The good thing is that of you bought any .357 Magnum revolver (no matter who made it),,,
That same gun will readily and safely shoot .38 Special cartridges.

The opposite is not the case,,,
.357 magnum cartridges will not fit into a .38 Special chamber.

All of the revolvers I have listed above have adjustable rear sights,,,
The front sight will/may be different but all will work just fine.

All of these revolvers are out of production,,,
With the exception of what S&W calls their "Classic" line,,,
Periodically they release new manufactured guns of these models,,,
But they will be very pricey and all have an integral lock that annoys S&W purists to no end.

If you want a newly manufactured gun,,,
The S&W Model 617 is their revolver to look at,,,
It is a stainless steel K-frame revolver chambered for .22 LR,,,
This model revolver can be purchased new with either a 4" or a 6" full under-lug barrel.

Be prepared to pay over $700.00 for a new one,,,
Not much less for a used one.

Also they make the Model 686 new in stainless,,,
It is an L-frame revolver chambered in .357 Magnum,,,
The L-frame is slightly larger (beefier) than a regular K-frame,,,
But the grip size is identical between the K-frame and L-frame guns.

You can easily find a new or used one with a 4" or 6" full under-lug barrel,,,
It's an excellent revolver that will shoot .38 Special or .357 Magnum,,,
About 18 months ago I paid $750.00 for an excellent used 6" gun.

If we were drinking a beer somewhere and you asked about revolvers for target shooting,,,
The ones I would recommend looking at are the venerable Models 14 and/or 15,,,
There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Model 19 Combat Magnum,,,
It's just not one I am personally all that fond of,,,
It's a great gun that doesn't whang me.

Many other knowledgeable folk will recommend many different guns to you,,,
Read and digest what everyone says and analyze their ideas,,,
These are just the ones I personally will put out for you.

Enjoy whatever you choose,,,
have fun and be safe.

Aarond

.
 
Last edited:
If you want a newly manufactured gun,,,
The S&W Model 617 is their revolver to look at,,,
It is a stainless steel K-frame revolver chambered for .38 Special,,,
This model revolver can be purchased ne with either a 4" or a 6" full under-lug barrel.
Click to expand...
As Aarond is certainly aware and simply mistyped, the 617 is a 22lr revolver. I am not familiar with a current production stainless steel 38spl S&W revolver in the medium frame. The classic line, however, includes the model 14. And, they still make model 686s that shoot 38/357 (which is what I think Aarond was thinking of).

Edit: it looks like the model 67 is still in production. That is a 4" stainless steel 38spl (like the model 15, but in stainless).
 
Also, you can still find model 10s that have been specially modded for police pistol competition. They have large bull barrels with one piece sights, and are usually double action only and have had considerable trigger work done. However, they usually are high volume guns, meaning they've been fired ALOT.

I've seen them go for pretty cheap from time to time, as not many shoot PPC competition anymore.


Here's an example:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=356951292
 
Thanks Zhillsauditor,,,

I corrected the post.

You were being kind,,, :o
It wasn't really a mistype,,,
It was what I call a brain-fade.

Well 20 years ago I called those brain fades,,,
Now I call them Senior Moments.

Thanks for catching that for me my friend.

Aarond

.
 
thanks for all that.

right now I am going to borrow a heavy barrel gun build on a model 10 and try to find a 14 locally. I can remember shooting 14's back in the 70''s and 80's and they were nice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top