What's your favorite 3" revolver?
- Thread starter ifithitu
- Start date
crystal river c
Inactive
Obambulate
New member
The 3" J-frames are very nice. I have never actually seen a 3" K-frame, but I think I would like one, a fixed sight Model 10, 13, 64 or 65. I'm not picky.
turkeestalker
New member
I hesitated at a gun show a while back on one of those 720s, returned about 20 minutes later and it had already sold.
You make me wish I hadn't tallball.
You make me wish I hadn't tallball.
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
Three different three-inch resolvers
1. I have a model 13 which I bought to replace the model 65 three-incher I let a friend talk me into trading to him. It would serve me well for daily carry, BUT FOR the bull barrel.
2. I was very taken with my Ruger GP-100 .44 Spl, but 35 oz. is just a touch heavy for every day packing. Shoots well, though, and could become my favorite field sidearm.
3. Probably my favorite three-inch is a model 10 round butt, skinny barrel wih a narrow rib. It is just slightly lighter than my model 13, and has a light, slick trigger pull. I carry Buffalo Bore 158 gr LSWCHP+P loads in it and feel it is the next-best thing to my LW .45 Commander. Age and arthritis are forcing me to bid g'bye to my autopistols for serious social purposes.
I hope to locate a three-inch Colt Cobra in suitable condition. If I do, that will become daily carry.
1. I have a model 13 which I bought to replace the model 65 three-incher I let a friend talk me into trading to him. It would serve me well for daily carry, BUT FOR the bull barrel.
2. I was very taken with my Ruger GP-100 .44 Spl, but 35 oz. is just a touch heavy for every day packing. Shoots well, though, and could become my favorite field sidearm.
3. Probably my favorite three-inch is a model 10 round butt, skinny barrel wih a narrow rib. It is just slightly lighter than my model 13, and has a light, slick trigger pull. I carry Buffalo Bore 158 gr LSWCHP+P loads in it and feel it is the next-best thing to my LW .45 Commander. Age and arthritis are forcing me to bid g'bye to my autopistols for serious social purposes.
I hope to locate a three-inch Colt Cobra in suitable condition. If I do, that will become daily carry.
Satchmoeddie
New member
Colt Detective Special, with a $75 3" bbl.
I put a 3 inch barrel on a 1978 Detective Special, with a trigger job, and it is probably my favorite D frame Colt. The barrel was $75. The extra 1/2" actually does make a little difference over the 2 5/8" barrel, with a little better velocity from .38 Special rounds. The trigger is fabulous, but most Colt D and I frames had really nice triggers, anyway. I did some work on all my D Frame triggers, but it's doesn't take a lot of work with a Colt. I'd love to find a Boa with a 3 inch bbl someday, but the prices are getting out of my meager budget's ability to buy one, and does that tiny bit of vented rib make than much difference? Probably not. I'd still love to have one! Ruger makes some darn nice 3" SP101s too, and Rugers may not have the finish or prestige a Colt does, but they are tough, rugged, reliable guns. Smith & Wesson also makes some super nice wheel guns in 3" size, and again the vintage Smith is probably a bit more robust than the Colt. The more modern S&W stuff with the Hillary holes, meh! I have bought a few J & K frames at auctions, where the locks became engaged, and that was the only reason those guns were "jammed". Take that garbage out, and the guns work again. Imagine that.
I put a 3 inch barrel on a 1978 Detective Special, with a trigger job, and it is probably my favorite D frame Colt. The barrel was $75. The extra 1/2" actually does make a little difference over the 2 5/8" barrel, with a little better velocity from .38 Special rounds. The trigger is fabulous, but most Colt D and I frames had really nice triggers, anyway. I did some work on all my D Frame triggers, but it's doesn't take a lot of work with a Colt. I'd love to find a Boa with a 3 inch bbl someday, but the prices are getting out of my meager budget's ability to buy one, and does that tiny bit of vented rib make than much difference? Probably not. I'd still love to have one! Ruger makes some darn nice 3" SP101s too, and Rugers may not have the finish or prestige a Colt does, but they are tough, rugged, reliable guns. Smith & Wesson also makes some super nice wheel guns in 3" size, and again the vintage Smith is probably a bit more robust than the Colt. The more modern S&W stuff with the Hillary holes, meh! I have bought a few J & K frames at auctions, where the locks became engaged, and that was the only reason those guns were "jammed". Take that garbage out, and the guns work again. Imagine that.
Keep your eyes open Turkeestalker, they are out there. I think they only made them for 2-3 years in the early 90's. I paid around $330 for the adjustable sight one with the hammer spur. It is super smooth and accurate. I lucked onto a DAO fixed-sight one for $250, but it is not nearly as fun to shoot.
I don't dry-fire mine because I worry about the hammer nose (firing pin) breaking. The adjustable-sight one had been used and abused a lot more than I realized when I bought it. Eventually the hammer nose broke off, but my FiL was able to file down a Model 10 one a bit here and there until it fit. (It's worked fine ever since.)
The plastic part of the front sight can also break off, which would be a pain.
I'm not at all a Rossi fan boy, but the 720's are very nice shooters.
I don't dry-fire mine because I worry about the hammer nose (firing pin) breaking. The adjustable-sight one had been used and abused a lot more than I realized when I bought it. Eventually the hammer nose broke off, but my FiL was able to file down a Model 10 one a bit here and there until it fit. (It's worked fine ever since.)
The plastic part of the front sight can also break off, which would be a pain.
I'm not at all a Rossi fan boy, but the 720's are very nice shooters.
Otasan, Go to GB and you will find untol numbers of revolvers for sale that were not on recent police/security/prison guard trade in’s.
I purchased a Smith 64-6 from SOG that was in excellent condition, locked up like a vault, displayed little exterior wear and is very accurate. Some of the trades are beat to death so one should purchase cautiously (mine was a LE trade in).
I purchased a Smith 64-6 from SOG that was in excellent condition, locked up like a vault, displayed little exterior wear and is very accurate. Some of the trades are beat to death so one should purchase cautiously (mine was a LE trade in).
Cheapshooter
New member
One with a 2", or 4" barrel.
3" barrel revolvers never made much sense to me.
With the exception of the one I have. An early 20th century S&W 32 "lemon squeezer". 3" just seems right for that small frame.