Revolvers

[tallball]

I don't know what you might already have. If a person could only have one revolver to "do it all", a medium-framed 357 with a 4" barrel would be hard to beat.

You can't really go wrong with a Ruger or a Smith. For SD double-action is probably better, but my favorite 357 for shooting is definitely my Ruger Blackhawk.

And there is nothing wrong with choosing 38 special instead. I shoot way more 38's out of my 357 revolvers than I do 357's. It is a legitimate SD, cheaper to shoot, and has less recoil.

I pretty much just buy used these days. I try to go with the big outfits on GB that sell a lot of guns. My favorites just type up an honest description, add some pictures, start at one cent, and it sells for what it sells for. I have gotten some really good bargains that way. There are still some good police trade-ins showing up every once in a while, too.

And yeah, getting new grips is super easy.

The less in a hurry you are, the better deal you will get. Take your time and get one you really like for a price that is reasonable (or better). If you are willing to go as far as your upper figure, you could get two serviceable used revolvers. I rarely pay more than $300 for a mechanically sound used handgun.

 

[cc-hangfire]

kyguy1, get a Model 10. Every revolver guy NEEDS a Model 10. The others mentioned above are fine choices, but the Model 10 is the quintessential 20th century revolver. (And .38spl will be cheaper to buy since you don't reload.)

 

[Armybrat]

An excellent choice would also be a S&W Model 13 (or 65 stainless) in .357/.38 Special:

Then there's the venerable Ruger Security/Service Six series in .357/.38 Special - either blue or stainless:

Can't miss with either one of those, and both are within your budget.

 

[lamarw]

kyguy1, I am sorry to hear your past firearms buying mistakes were so traumatic for you. What were they?

It is good you are doing your research prior to your future acquisitions. Read articles and reports on any firearm you are considering. You may want to start a library of publications on specific firearms.

Remember, it is not the last supper. Plenty of folks buy and later dispose of guns they want to weed out so to speak.

 

[RKG]

I wouldn't pass on the short barreled M10 (probably 2" vs. 2-1/2"). They aren't that common and, in some sense, the best of both worlds: portability of snubby but shootability of the K-frame size. I carried one for decades, and every once in a while I'd shoot a PPC snubby match and beat all the guys with their J-frames.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Allow me to pile on.

First off, forget a revolver chambered for the M1 Carbine cartridge. While rifles chambered for this cartridge are pleasant to shoot and have little recoil, a revolver chambered for that cartridge is a horse of a completely different color. Lots of muzzle blast. Also, much more limited choice of ammunition.

You will be much better off with a cartridge that was designed to be shot in a revolver.

If you buy a 357 Magnum you can find ammunition everywhere. More important you can shoot 38 Special in it which are cheaper, even more available, and have less muzzle blast.

45 Colt is a great cartridge, I have bunches of revolvers chambered for it. But it is much less easily available than 357 Mag/38 Special, and is more expensive. The only way to shoot 45 Colt economically is to reload it yourself, and something tells me you are not a reloader.

You really have to decide if you want a single action revolver or a double action revolver. I have lots of both, but I wouldn't dream of carrying a single action revolver for protection. Fooling around and plinking at tin cans is one thing, but not for protection.

Don't really understand why you think a revolver that has some wear on the blue needs to be refinished. I have lots of old revolvers with honest wear to the finish. I wouldn't dream of refinishing them. If you're worried about rust, be sure to keep them lightly oiled and they will be fine, unless you live somewhere under water.

Nickle plating is not difficult to maintain. I have revolvers that are over 100 years old and they still have their plating on them. Just keep cleaning solvents that contain ammonia away from them.

Frankly, I will make the same recommendation to you that I do to everybody who wants to buy a revolver. Find an old S&W 38 M&P or Model 10. 38 Special. You can't go wrong. You may however need to expand your search a little bit.

Don't grab the first thing you see just because it is convenient.

P.S. Regarding the Colt Police Positive. If it is chambered for 38 Special it is a Police Positive Special. The Police Positive model had a slightly shorter cylinder and frame and was not chambered for 38 Special. Usually 38 S&W which is not the same as a 38 Special. The Police Positive Specials are great guns, I have a few. They are slightly smaller than a K frame Smith such as the Model 10, so they will recoil slightly more. Frankly, I don't recommend a Police Positive Special for the neophyte revolver enthusiast. Nothing wrong with them, plenty of police carried them for many years. But parts are difficult to find, and not many gunsmiths know how to work on double action Colt revolvers. S&W parts are more easily available, and more gunsmiths know how to work on them.

 

[SIGSHR]

Adjustable sights are a better choice, let you really zero it in.

 

[Real Gun]

I really like S&W, a gun shop near by has a decent Model 10 from the 1980s, nickel-plated, under 500. But I'm leery of nickel guns they are hard to keep up finish wise it seems.

You have Mahovsky's Metalife in PA to redo the nickel plating if needed. They did my 19-4 cylinder and made it look new., You just have to watch out for solvents that attack the copper base under plating. Hoppe's Elite should work for you. Cleaning precautions are probably overblown. Reaming the throats may also break the edge of the plating and cause a peel when fired. Just do the throats before replating, not after.

Nickel plating is a traditional method of preventing rust, but it makes for a rather impressive looking gun, I think.

A model 10 would be a great place to start.

 

[2damnold4this]

I wouldn't pass on the short barreled M10 (probably 2" vs. 2-1/2"). They aren't that common and, in some sense, the best of both worlds: portability of snubby but shootability of the K-frame size.

That is also my thinking. If it is a 2.5" model 10, it may be a custom job. But if it is a factory 2.5" model 10, it would be extremely rare. If it passed the revolver checkout and the price was reasonable, I'd buy it whether it was a 2", a custom 2.5" or a rare factory 2.5".

 

[FITASC]

The sad fact is the hayday of the revolver has come and gone.

Not really; look at all of the snub guns that get sold - even Kimber came out with a new one that holds 6 rounds............

 

[Damon555]

And I hate guns with rubber grips

How about a little rubber and wood?

This GP100, circa 1995, has the most comfortable factory grips ever offered on a revolver.....that is an opinion of course but a lot of folks seem to agree when they hold it. This revolver gets shot a lot. Steel plates mostly. It's a blast and the action is as nice as you'd expect one to be after 22 years of shooting.

 

[kyguy1]

Thanks for the great replies guys you've helped me a lot. I love and appreciate single actions for shooting, and plinking, but for the amount of money, I feel that a double action is the way to go because it can be a better self/home defense if need be. Just more practical. You guys have really helped me. Basically I'm looking for a good full size revolver that I can shoot, have fun with, and use as a defense weapon if need be too. I recently found a nice looking Smith Model 64, stainless, pinned. Very nice looking gun. Love the toughness of stainless too. Probably from the 70s. Also going to go look at a nice looking pinned Model 10-5 with the original box and papers the owner has it on consignment and it's blued, very sharp looking gun. Been texting back and forth with the owner for awhile. It has a bit of wear near the muzzle tip. But its nice, and has the box and papers. Both nice looking examples. If I do get a revolver it won't be a safe queen I will want to shoot it too. Anyway will probably be looking at them in person and go from there. I'm just a sucker for nice old Smiths! I really like the hammer-firing pinned guns. Thanks again for the great suggestions!

 

[Real Gun]

If "home defense" is going to control the choices, I would mention that in spite of a nice revolver collection and a revolver EDC, my bedroom gun is a Glock 22 with light and laser. My carry revolver is close by too. I won't quibble with choosing that Model 10 with some barrel length to it, but a single action to me is the ideal range and fun gun.

 

[Real Gun]

And I hate guns with rubber grips

Rubber grips are not art, but on a range gun they can make your day. Lots of people swap out grips to take a powerful gun to the range.

My GP100 has the same rubber grips as shown, but it is partly because so few grips are available in the pocket style required for Ruger DAs. They work fine, and the fancy wood inserts make them pretty attractive.

 

[kyguy1]

Thanks again for all the helpful comments. I had a GP100 once, and it was a great shooting gun, but I just am not a fan of Ruger DA's for some reason. They just don't do it for me. Now, at some point I may pick up an sp101 for a car gun, but I just like Ruger's single actions best. Those are just awesome to me. They kind of remind me in a way of how S&W's classic revolvers used to be. I have been secretly wanting a nice Ruger Vaquero or Blackhawk for ages, and thinking I might finally want to take the plunge on one. Yea I know Ruger's resale is not quite as good as Smiths, but personally from what I have seen, Smith's don't resale that well either. I sold a very nice Model 19 last year, and they gun shop owner only offered me 300 for it and would not come up any at all. Same thing happened to a buddy of mine who sold a nice Model 64, and could simply not get over 300 anywhere he tried. So I feel that the Smith resale thing is overrated. Maybe at one time they resold for close to their value, but these days, I don't see it. Plus, I just do not feel 100% comfortable buying a used gun. Work hard for my money and just not comfortable putting down hundreds of bucks for a gun that I don't know where it came from even if it looks nice.

So I've decided if I buy, it will be a new one, and a revolver, so that means a Ruger. I'll probably get an sp101 for a self defense gun down the road, but for now, I really want either a Vaquero in 357 mag or a Blackhawk in 357. I really really still like that 30 Carbine revolver too I think that is the coolest thing. Maybe down the road if I find a good deal I will risk getting a used Smith, but for now I'll stick to a new Ruger. They're great guns.

 

[Real Gun]

but for now, I really want either a Vaquero in 357 mag or a Blackhawk in 357

I think Blackhawk calibers should start with at least a 4. The Vaquero should be a pretty good match for 357. The guns are different by their size, sights, and the free spin pawl of the Vaquero, which is a dealmaker for me. Not having loading gate alignment makes me dislike the gun. I can work with it but don't respect the design, when a SA doesn't load like a Colt.

 

[kyguy1]

^^so you are referring to the Blackhawk or the Vaquero as being the better of the two? Do both models have free spin? I love 357 but I'm a but bored by the round pretty much every revolver I've ever had was in 357 and I like shooting it but I feel like if I go for a nice SA for fun shooting it should be a higher caliber. The 44 magnum is a really cool caliber for historical reasons plus you can shoot 44spl out of it too which makes it a good buy. I think the Vaqueros look a little bit better made than the Blackhawks but both to me are amazing. Awhile back I came very close to buying a 45 long colt Vaquero, but it was a bit out of my price range at the time and I wasn't sure about finding afforable ammo for it. I am not a reloader so whichever one I get that will factor in.

 

[BigJimP]

You should buy what you want ! ....and don't look back.

But resale values on S&W revolvers vary a lot in different regions in the country....they are still strong in the Northwest...a clean model 19 in very good shape in a 4" is easily a $750 gun retail up here ( and in my buddy's shop, he'll pay $600 for that gun from seller ). Its a quick $150 profit for him ..he can't keep good clean ones in stock. In a 6" its a little less desirable in my area...but still $500 to seller and $ 650 retail probably.

But in the S&W line of guns there are popular models...and some not so much...( model 19's, 66's are very desirable / so are model 27's and 28's / and 686's...)...in my area Rugers are $ 100 - $150 less in terms of resale ..for similar models in .357 Mag.

 

[dgludwig]

^^so you are referring to the Blackhawk or the Vaquero as being the better of the two?

I don't know about being "better", but most Blackhawks come with a more practical adjustable sight and all Vaqueros coming looking more historically "authentic" (at least as compared with the gold standard, the Colt sa of 1873). Can't have both "features" in the same revolver-but you can have one of each .

 

[kyguy1]

I love Smiths..but again, unless it's from a family member who I know, I just am very reluctant to put down hundreds of dollars on a used gun I don't know if it was dropped or cowboyed or re-worked..I had a nice pinned Model 19 from the 1970s that I had bought used and a few years later sold it last year and one shop actually only offered me 200 bucks for it. I live in Kentucky. I took it to multiple gun shops to offer it for sale and they all would only offer 250-300. No budging. The highest offer I got anywhere on it was 325 bucks which is what I finally sold it for. They all told me they could only offer half of what they expect to get out of it. And mine was in nice shape. Maybe if I had sold it to a private person I'd have gotten more, but I doubt much more. I just think the whole resale value thing on older Smiths is way overblown. The gun shops I took my Model 19 to all said that those old guns just aren't that popular hence their lowball offers. I had bought the gun for like 600, and nobody offered me even close to that when I sold it. So yea, no resale value for Smiths. Maybe down the road, if I find a really really nice old Smith at a good price, I might buy it, but right now still in college and not ready to take that risk on a used gun yet.

I love that Ruger offers both stainless and blued versions. I'm not sure if their blued versions are stainless too or just carbon steel.