Sick of "bull" barreled revolvers

U

UncleEd

New member
Smith uses heavy barrels on just about everything and ditto for Ruger, our two major U.S. revolver producers.

I'm glad to see, for instance, that Smith still offers the tapered barrel on its "classic" Model 27. Such elegance.

And, yes, I prefer the looks of the Model 15 Combat Masterpiece to the Model 19 with its clunky tube. Smith has the audacity to call one of their current revolvers a Model 67 which it ain't with that thick snozzola sticking out from its frame.

And boy, do I prefer the old M&P/Model 10 standard barrel (nicknamed the pencil barrel) to that heavy Model 10 that came later.

Even the old Security Sixes had more elegance.

Just wish the revolvers makers had kept the faith while designing
Sponge Bob shaped auto pistols for the Sponge Bob age.

Alas, so sad.
 
This is what they should look like. :)


SW38_zps256a3ece.jpg
 
I hate the look and balance of full lug bull barrel revolvers.


Ruger does offer a half lug GP100 though, and it looks a whole lot better IMO.

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Also S&W reintroduced the 66 which has a half lug barrel, which again looks much better than say a 686.

Smith-Wesson-model-66.jpg
 
Different strokes for dead sure certain. I had a Model 10-7 with the standard barrel that I sold to a buddy because my Models 10-10 with the heavy barrel and Model 64-3 with the same heavy barrel are far, FAR more enjoyable to shoot. And I send a wide range of stuff through these two guns, mostly at steel plates for enjoyable shooting.

Plate shooting is a little different than shooting paper because it's more about breaking off a clean, decent shot quickly while transitioning to the target and away from the target to the next one. My many years of small group shooting on paper definitely formed the skill I have in hitting a target, but when shooting plates, it is NOT about getting that perfect shot or six perfect shots in a tiny little group. Each shot is pass or fail (within reason) and with the revolver constantly moving, that heavy barrel really pays off simply in the handling of it.

I think the heavy barrel four-inch K-frames look better.
And I think they shoot better.

I don't hate a tapered barrel Smith & Wesson, but for me the heavy barrel is better in every single way.
 
C'mon...tell us how you really feel. :)

I have always preferred the tapered barrels on S&W revolvers over the heavy barrel version. One of the few models where you had your choice was the Model 10 and I never owned the HB version. Most preferred the HB for balance and pointing.

I agree that the 6.5" "357" looks more sophisticated and elegant than does the 6.5" M29-2. Of course, S&W deliberately added the heavy barrel on the 44 and 41 Magnums to help with recoil and aesthetics are all a matter of personal preference.

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It hasta be cheaper to make,,,

It hasta be cheaper to make,,,
Because it all boils down to the dollar.

And I agree with the OP,,,
The bull barrels are ugly as original sin.

Aarond

.
 
I much prefer heavy barrels. I have. 67-1 and I love it, but I'd prefer the heavy barrel that is on my model 10. Not prefer it enough to sell it for a newer 67 though.

I don't consider the Model 19 barrel to be heavy, either. And I hate the looks of the fixed sighted K frames. Just look wrong to me. I saw a skinny barrel Model 10'in a shop about 2 years ago. No box but looked perfect. They wanted 359. Should have bought it just to flip it.
 
Go UncleEd,

I couldn't agree more, lets see some nicer finishes too. A bull barrel and matte finish require less labor in today's competitive market place, I think a big reason for their popularity. And although it's not a revolver look at the difference between a Ruger MkII Standard model and the Bull barrel, no contest in my opinion and both shoot equally well.
 
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I think full-lug, half-lug and no-lug revolvers all look great. I have an Arminius Titan 38 and it shoots like crap but I love how clean the barrel looks with nothing but the short ejector rod underneath it.

I brought it to a gun show once and had many interested people asking me what it was. They quickly lost interest once they found out, but my point is that many people find this style of revolver is quite visually attractive despite the arguably lackluster workmanship:

TI8rEdd.jpg


(I apologize for the poor lighting)
 
Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As for myself, I much prefer the heavy barrels. However, I agree that long heavy barrels - by that I mean longer than 4" - do look somewhat clunky. Unfortunately, though, I have never been able to get used to long skinny barrels, either. They just don't look right to me.

I guess I just don't like long barrels, of any flavor. I much prefer 3" or shorter ones, in which case heavy barrels with full underlugs are my preference.
 
I like fully underlugged revolvers. As testament to my three 686's and a Python. I think they look cool and perform even better. I like the weight up front.

Personal preference.

And I drool every time Bob Wright sports his 586 :)
 
I don't much care few the full underlug barrel either, I bought this NIB KGPF-340 Ruger .357 for that very reason:

kgpf.jpg


Late production 2012 model, see it and weep boys. :cool:
 
A bit of a nitpick, but "Bull" really should be capitalized; it comes from Freeman Bull, the great target rifle developer at Springfield Armory, who pioneered the idea of heavy rifle barrels for accuracy.

Jim
 
Sorry to contradict you Nick_C_S, but that is my Model 29 5" .44 Magnum.

This was my 6" Model 29:



Just to be a show-off, here is my 6" Model 586:



And the 4" Model 586:



And I had a brief encounter with a Model 625:



Yep. I DO prefer that heavy barrel out front.

Bob Wright
 
Technically speaking, it is a 29 Classic being it has the full underlug... ;) Just like a regular 629 as compared to a 629 Classic...Not to be confused with the current S&W "Classic Line" revolvers in which they offer the m29 and other "classic" models....

All m29 were shrouded extractor only...
 
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