Tell us what you DON'T like!

S

Sevens

New member
I spent a lot of time, money and energy riding motorcycles... seems like a previous life now. My point is that I would begin to choose my "next" bike far in advance and learn all I could about it before deciding that I would chase one down.

I bring that up because one thing that I learned to do that served me very well was to approach folks who owned that bike and ask them to sincerely detail the flaws, large or small. Especially small. My idea was that ANY choice would have some flaws-- so learning to manage them or defeat them or otherwise "live with them" was the key to deciding if that purchase was going to work for me.

So here, where we most often spew love and praise all over our favorites, I think it would be interesting to pick a favorite revolver or three and discuss the parts of it that you love it in spite of!

I'll do a couple to get started.
 
I have a Ruger Speed 6 in .357. Even with Hogue grips on it, the grip angle isn't quite right. On the other hand, the N-frame Smiths in .357 are perfect for me, but the weight is a drawback. I have been happy with both. I would also want a narrower trigger for either.
 
I'll do a couple to get started.
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You must be writing in invisible ink.
Remembering that we humans are infinitely adaptable,
Any shootin' iron can get very comfortable in short order with use.
Otherwise we wouldn't be able to shoot more than one.
So, I don't sweat the small stuff with them, figuring I'll quickly get used to it.
 
My .30 Carbine Ruger Blackhawk!
Many very cool things about it but to stay on topic-- this is the easiest one for me to pick because it's hassles are plentiful.

Factory ammo and handloads at full spec stick (HORRIBLY) in the chambers. If this were a mainstream and popular platform, it would get horrendous reviews because it truly is that bad. Also, as it is stock with no upgrades, the cylinder will advance just a hair too far if you are careless when reloading & you can't back up. Maybe that sounds trivial to those who use single actions a lot-- but this is a .30cal chamber so it is a genuine issue if you are out of practice with it.

Handloading for it is nothing like loading for a handgun. Brass trim length is critical! Too long and it will NOT chamber. Too short and primer will not detonate.

Also... the revolver's finish is anything but inspiring. I suppose it is considered bluing, but all I see is black. When I ordered it, I had visions of deep blue in my head and when I saw it, well...

I really do enjoy this revolver, believe or not! ;)
None of the above keeps me from shooting it and it is not for sale.
 
Haha, no...
Just takes me a bit to compose thoughts. And I believe you have genuinely missed my point, NONE of these are deal breakers, they are simply the little things you pick up on and manage, but only AFTER you buy the revolver and get some rounds down range might you know they exist.

I wanna say it was probably 7yrs ago that I bought it, away from my log but I would bet that I probably have 1,500+ through it. So I have really gotten to know it in spite of the annoyances. HOW you would translate that in to "sweating the small stuff" baffles me, but it surely shouldn't at this point. Some folks arrive to further discussion and some to detract -- heh, it's a microcosm of the guns themselves! I still enjoy the discussion even with the conversational annoyances. ;)
 
I'll play. What don't I like about my LCR357 and GP100:

- LCR357 - that it isn't chambered for .38. And no, I don't want an LCR38. I'd rather have the heavy frame and shorter cylinder.

-GP100 - that it isn't chambered for .357. :) And that I still haven't gotten around to changing out springs and smoothing the action.
 
g.willikers said:
I don't sweat the small stuff with them, figuring I'll quickly get used to it.
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I don't sweat the small stuff, either: I just change it to my liking. ;)

So...here are some things I don't like. Some I can live with, others not...

- rough action

- inaccuracy

- red ramp front sight

- squared off trigger face

- serrated trigger

- round butt grip

- old style S&W cylinder release latch

- fixed sights

- 7 shot capacity
 
Okay. I don't like that the grips on my GP 100 4.2" sticks out so much when I'm carrying it inside the waist holster. The weight doesn't bother me a bit, just the grips sticking out so much.
Doc
 
I really like my big, beastly S&W Model 28-2. I can't complain about the dull finish as it's a calling card of the model. But the cylinder stop, holy cow! That thing is razor sharp and it reminds you when you manage to forget "don't put a thumb near me!"

Also, it came with a wide, serrated trigger. Frankly, I have never understood the concept-- I know it is supposed to be geared towards a target shooter, but -WHO- are these competitors with slippery fingers that have problems making contact with a trigger?! And a Model 28 is no target gun anyhow. I fixed this annoyance by swapping triggers with an extra Model 10 that I had.

And the cylinder on the Model 28 is... short. This doesn't hamper me because I don't shoot long or odd COAL ammo but it just kind of looks dimensionally "off" a little bit.

What a beast for shooting, though! :)
 
Okay. I don't like that the grips on my GP 100 4.2" sticks out so much when I'm carrying it inside the waist holster.
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Have you thought about the compacts Ruger started selling again? I got a set for my 3" GP and they feel great (only chambered for .38 though). I don't have a carry rig for the GP (yet?) but the compacts have got to carry better than the Hogues
 
My GP100 dislikes/gripes
I've dealt with most of these problems since purchasing my first GP100 many years ago.

The checkering on the hammer spur was so sharp that it would literally shred the skin on my thumb. I finally had to knock off the points with a file.

The inside edges of the frame were razor sharp. You had to be really careful if you poked your fingers into the frame with the gun disassembled. I finally rounded them off with a ceramic stone to prevent injury.

The pin that holds the rear sight in walked out over time. I finally gave it a light sidewise tap with a brass hammer one day when it was partially out of the frame to put a very slight bend in it. Then I drove it back in and it's stayed in place since then.

I don't like it that the hammer spring/guide assembly can go in the gun two ways and there's nothing on it that makes it clear which way is the right way. I sometimes still have to pull out the manual to make sure I've got it right.

The original rubber grips had a "corner" on the left side that originally pounded my thumb "knuckle" with every shot. I finally rounded it off with a knife and then retextured it with sandpaper so it didn't look like someone had rounded it off with a knife. After that it was (is) much more comfortable to shoot.

My SP101 dislikes/gripes.
I hate it that Ruger went with a different front sight attachment strategy for the new .22LR models. The plunger strategy used on the GP100 revolvers is ingenious and makes changing front sights a breeze. Why Ruger decided to go a different direction with this gun is a mystery to me.

I hate the way the factory grips feel. They look GREAT but they were too small for my hands. Now I have a Hogue grip on it which works GREAT but looks pretty bad, at least to my eyes. On top of that, there's no place in the Hogue grips for the little disassembly pin that fits in the factory grips. It really stinks that Ruger devised a grip frame that will accommodate nearly any size/shape grip but then they never seem to take advantage of that feature by offering more than one size factory grips.

Same gripe about the razor sharp edges inside the frame with the gun disassembled as with the GP100.
 
Heritage Rough Rider....The frame mounted safety. What in the world does a S/A revolver need a safety lever for? Some say just leave it off. But leaving it off really looks stupid with a big chunk of the left recoil shield being used as a safety lever hanging out the side!
That's the only thing that really bugs me with any of my revolvers.
 
I don't like crappy front sights, you know, the ones that are rounded over and shiny from excessive final buffing (I'm talking to you Ruger). Had a 50th anniversary .357 Blackhawk that was supposed to have a serrated ramp, but was buffed to the point that all the sharp edges were gone. Terrible sight picture in bright sun.

I don't like mis-aligned charge holes. (Ruger again) had a .357/9mm convertible that would throw 1 round high every time with the magnum cylinder. Same chamber every time. The 9mm cylinder was more accurate.

After those 2 Rugers I put down some big (for me) bucks On a Freedom Arms model 97 .357. The only nits to pick there are the cylinders are rather short and recessed, so I'm limited in bullet selection, and the micarta grip is very slick, but I'll live with that.
 
I've always been sideways with the warnings that come about with the Model 19's and 13's. The innerwebs have been both terrific and a pain in the hiney when it comes to what to shoot through the things- if one were predisposed to believe everything they read on the net. "Never shoot 125gr or 110gr ammo, only shoot .38's for practice but carry 158gr .357's for carry purposes. etc".
 
the cylinder will advance just a hair too far if you are careless when reloading & you can't back up.
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I was recently shown that if the Blackhawk hammer was drawn back to about 1/4 and held there, the cylinder would advance to alignment with the loading gate.
 
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Okay. I don't like that the grips on my GP 100 4.2" sticks out so much when I'm carrying it inside the waist holster. The weight doesn't bother me a bit, just the grips sticking out so much.
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I dealt with that by getting the Lett style grip from Altamont. The real trick is in having a holster with enough forward cant, so the grip goes up instead of poking out the rear. My favorite OWB, forward cant holster find so far is the Triple K Woodsman.
 
Cheese grater hammer spurs on a lot of Smith & Wesson revolvers. Those things will tear my thumb up.

Same for the old grooved triggers. Man, double action shooting with them was like using a rasp on my finger.

Factory "target stocks" look great. I love the way they look, but they're too wide at the bottom where your shortest fingers are. They should taper in reverse, which a lot of aftermarket stocks do, but darn it, I like the way the factory ones look. I look at my guns more than I shoot them.

Decisions, decisions...I know. One set for looking, one for shooting...I do that. But it's annoying.

Also, it came with a wide, serrated trigger. Frankly, I have never understood the concept-- I know it is supposed to be geared towards a target shooter, but -WHO- are these competitors with slippery fingers that have problems making contact with a trigger?
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The idea of the wide target trigger is to reduce the apparent FEEL of the trigger pull. By spreading the pressure out over a wider part of the finger, the trigger feels lighter. They're really intended for S/A shooting.
 
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One complaint that quickly comes to mind is tight throats on guns that are typically shot with lead bullets. I mean, who wants a 45 Colt with .451 throats? Mine get reamed to .4525.

I also have vintage 19 and 36 S&Ws that can only shoot jacketed, since I won't ream them at this point, given collector grade nickel finish.

Most of my issues with needing to near inevitably return Rugers for rework is related to cylinder defects.

Here is one, although accuracy problems have been mentioned. I don't like fixed sight guns that need Kentucky windage to bring them onto POA. And I don't like it when the factory returns a gun with test target telling me the gun is "in spec", even though the group on the target is clearly high and left, just like I said it would be.
 
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