This question has been asked before, but I’d like to do a slight variant of this.

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old bear

New member
Assuming you had to pick one revolver for ALL your handgun needs, what would it be, and why?

Please don’t list auto loaders or long guns, let’s keep this to revolvers only.

I’ll start. I’m lucky enough to have a decent selection of revolvers to pick from, which can complicate my decision. But I’ll go with my 3” M-65 Lady Smith. 1- it will safely handle all 38 special ammo as well as most .357 Magnum ammo. 2- Its stainless steel, not my favorite handgun material, but it should hold up better than the Classic Blued finish. 3- It has enough heft that it is fun to shoot with all 38 special and most .357 Magnum ammo. Yet it’s light enough to easily carry. 4- Round but K frames just feel right in my hand. It really feels like I’ve got a gun in my hand, unlike my J frames.

How about the rest of you?
 
Odds are, it would be my 5'' 686. Altho a tad large for CWC, we can OC here. It also makes a great truck gun, bedside table gun and still would work for a deer hunting revolver. I'm just glad I don't have to settle for just one..........
 
There is no such animal. A single revolver to meet all my needs would have to be able to magically transform itself from small, lightweight, compact, concealable to large, powerful, and accurate.
 
There is no such animal. A single revolver to meet all my needs would have to be able to magically transform itself from small, lightweight, compact, concealable to large, powerful, and accurate.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an older DW pistol Pac would work for that.........:D

For me, either a 19 snub or similar in 4"
 
FITASC, those old DWs are indeed nice and versatile but no way I'd ever call one of them light and compact even with the snub barrel screwed in. When I'm talking about a light, concealable revolver I'm talking about a S&W J-frame airweight or equivalent. I sold my Model 442 last year with intentions of replacing it with a Model 438 but I've yet to find one at the right price.
 
Every person is different: For my revolver needs, it would be a plain old S&W Model 10 4".

As always, YMMV.
 
Love revolvers and I have many of them. I simply do not -EVER- do a range day without at least one revolver, and typically a few of them. But to the subject, there are a few things that I am certain of:

--my answer for this has changed and evolved and it would be silly at this point for me to think that it's evolution will stop. I feel like I could stand behind my answer now but it would be different than I would have said 4 years ago any may be different in the future.

--even for the purpose of fantasy discussion and conversation, I have no tangible plans to employ a revolver for defense in any manner. Of course I could and would if cornered, but NO plans, so carry/defense use does not appear on my radar.

--for a long time, I would have simply answered "four-inch Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum" and you can't really go wrong with that answer... but these days, it isn't the correct answer. In any case, since I cannot seem to tangibly bring a Korth in to my world, it simply MUST be a Smith & Wesson an no other may apply.

Part of the experience for me is that the revolver needs to look terrific, it needs to look "right" and in my not at all humble opinion, that rules out four-inch S&W .357 Magnum revolvers for the most part. A Model 13 or 65 is actually the closest "look" for me in a four-inch, but a better choice would simply be to forego the medium barrel and simply go with a traditional six-inch. Although the five-inch the buck460 mentioned may be the Goldilocks... I'd have to see it.

Looks aren't the MOST important part, but they are close. The revolver has to be a pleasure to shoot. And in my experience... K-frame .357's simply aren't very enjoyable in ANY barrel length when stoked with .357 Mag ammo. But I LOVE .357 Mag ammo, so an L-frame like the 686 is probably going to be the answer.

Toughest decision for me to make? Choosing between a six-inch 686 and a four-inch heavy barrel 10 or 64. For pure shooting, endlessly, the 10/64 has the edge. It's close but not THAT close. No revolver feels better in my hands for shooting. But the pure enjoyment of .357 fire and brimstone is hard to ignore and the six-inch 686 offers that. Now my Model 28-2 is even more enjoyable for shooting the heavy .357, but it does not make the cut. I love it, I shoot it a LOT... but it's ugly and gangly.
 
Well....I've owned countless revolvers over the years and liked shooting most of them but certainly have favorites. I'm partial to a Smith model 10 with a 4" barrel but don't currently own one. I have fallen out of love with big bores and have no need for one anymore even though in the past this question would have been answered with something chambered for .45 colt.

I haven't been checking on the newest and latest in the modern gun world over the last 5 or 6 years as I've been happy with what I have and just not all that interested in buying something new; there could be something out there now being produced that would blow me away but I don't know about it. I know Ruger is making a few revolvers in .327 that have me intrigued, but not enough to pony up the cash to purchase one.

Anyway,

The one revolver I would choose over all others right now would be my Ruger sp101 in .327 fed mag with a 3" barrel. This gun rocks for fun target practice and for a night stand gun/glove box gun/camping gun...I've stopped carrying a firearm daily so it really isn't a concern but this revolver works great as a carry gun too. A great all around revolver.

If I was going to buy a new revolver to keep as my only one it would be a Freedom Arms model 97 in .327 fed mag with a 5" barrel. It would work for me and be totally awesome.

Is Freedom Arms still in business?
 
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An SP101 357 Mag with 5" barrel.
OR
A GP100 357 witht he same barrel.
WHy?
THat is minimum hunting length in my state. The Rugers b/c they can both handle heavier loads than the equivelant smiths and if I am going to use them for hunting I want the most I can get.

Ok at everything, good at nothing, which is EXACTLY why I no longer own either.

If not hunting the LCR 357 with a 3" barrel. Reasonable for range use, good for defense also.
Without hunting there are really a ton of options by Ruger, S&W, old colts, etc that I would be very very comfortable with.

Currently, my revolver needs are limited to range use. I haven't found anything I like better than my Ruger Single six. A single Ten might tempt me if I didn't like this single six so much. I wouldn't let a single tear go if I had to limit myself to that one revolver. I have an auto, a rifle, and a shotgun that outperform the revolvers in each category. The only one where a revolver comes close is deer hunting, but with the change in Ohio to allow pistol carbines it loses there also. I will likely sell my 460 Encore Barrel in the very near future.
 
One I already own or one I could acquire?

If the former then it would be my 4" Redhawk in .44 Mag.

If the latter then perhaps a GP100 or the S&W TR8 in .357Mag, or just another Redhawk only this time .44Mag 5.5". :D
 
My 4" S&W 629.

Close enough in overall size to a 686 or GP 100 and only 1/2 oz heavier. With lighter 44 Special loads is a very efficient man stopper and a decent hunting gun with heavier loads.
 
Odds are, it would be my 5'' 686. Altho a tad large for CWC, we can OC here. It also makes a great truck gun, bedside table gun and still would work for a deer hunting revolver. I'm just glad I don't have to settle for just one..........
Click to expand...

Make that a 5" 686 Plus and I might be on board. Of course, I probably couldn't find one of those without that darned lock...
 
Oh that would be easy for me.

A 4" Model 15, 38 Special. It would handle anything I NEED a handgun for. Not too big for carry, enough power to do anything I need done (I don't hunt with a handgun, we're fresh out of T-Rex's and bears around here).

And it's fun to punch holes in paper with it.
 
I've always said that EVERYBODY needs at least one----

4" K frame size .357 Magnum with adjustable sights. Personally
I like older pinned and recessed model 19 S&W's, but there are
many to choose from.

Light "cowboy" loads for plinking and getting new shooters started,
38 special for most situations, full house 357 for more serious
work.
 
Smith & Wesson model 64, stainless 3" heavy barrel, fitted with a laminated boot grip. 38 special, which can be loaded anywhere from mild to wild. The gun is not fussy about bullet shape and design, nor weight (shoots anything from 110 grains through 158 grains well). Handles cast as well as jacketed bullets with aplomb. Extremely accurate and reliable as the sun. Easy to maintain as well....and can easily be trouble free for decades, if treated right. The 3" K-frame offers both good concealment possibilities, yet has sufficient sight radius for accurate shooting at distance. The weight of the gun is a bit much for everyday carry, but with the right holster, is acceptable. The weight adds to the ease of shooting, though.

Other than the above, the real reason I would opt for such a handgun (I have two of them anyway) is that they fit me like a glove and I shoot them better than anything else. At this point, I am totally comfortable with them and would be more comfortable in a combat situation, target shooting, or any other circumstance than any other handgun.

I suppose that this makes me "old school"....but so be it.
 
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