[SA Town]

I think I'm a bit over my head with this one - I just got into shooting semi autos, namely, the Series 80 Colt 1991 I got myself for my 21st birthday in January. This gun is beautiful and surely a great shooter, but damn it is hard to get used to!

Anyways, a few questions:

1) I understand spinning AND flicking the revolver shut will damage it (the ejector rod?), so what about just spinning it while its open? Does that damage it? Before I am maimed, this is not something I would do often - I just want to make sure I don't do anything unsafe or out of line.

2) I do not dry fire my semi auto with an empty chamber but instead use snap caps, should I do the same with this?

3) Speedloaders or moonclips for loading? I know this is a rehashed argument and responses are based solely on personal experience, but I wanted to know whether I should stick with speedloaders or get the gun cut for moonclips.

4) Am I a man yet? Should I expect any physical changes from owning this testosterone-filled, .357 magnum, L-frame, 7-shot revolver? I feel endowed - and yes I do mean that in the most uncomfortable way imaginable. Again, I know the results are based solely on personal experience.

Thanks.

[BCRider]

The hold is certainly a different one. But once you adapt the hold you may find, like many of us, that a good revolver is easier to shoot accurately than a lot of semi autos.

Spinning the cylinder while out on the crane in the reloading position isn't going to hurt anything. Just don't close it while the thing is spinning rapidly.

SOME dry firing won't hurt a thing. If you're going to do a heap of it then yeah, some snap caps would be a nice bit of kindness.

For the .38Spl and .357 rounds stick with speedloaders. The extra length of these cartridges when used with moonclips has been written up here and elsewhere as pretty much like "trying to push string". Moonclips work best with short pudgy cartridges that are better at self aligning the noses as they go in. Safariland speed loaders are my own choice of preference. Quick and mindless to load in the heat of a match compared to some other designs that require a twist action to release the rounds.

Your testosterone order is in the system and well be delivered once all these answers to your questions are self evident.... :D

To aid you in this conversion process heres some videos from the Master to guide you on your path to enlightenment....

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/pdk/web/smith.html?feedPID=00zG15zm84msK0GbWemanhJ0KNWQYqM4l

[SA Town]

Thanks bud :)

[LawofThirds]

*cough* It's an L frame *cough*

Congrats on a great choice, .357 in the L frame is one of the most versatile and enjoyable combinations I've run across.

[touro1979]

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af354/touro1979/rlee.gif

Sorry< I had to, this pic makes me laugh every time.:D

[SA Town]

Yea my bad, meant L-frame - and I guess it is selfish to never post any pictures of my stuff. I've never even taken them yet!

I'll put them up.

[Radagast]

If you intend to get into gun games such as ICORE then moonclips are an advantage - if you are using .38 short colt ammunition (It fits in the .357 chamber). Otherwise stick to speedloaders.
Snap caps are a good idea, I dry fired my original Model 66 until the hammer block safety was crushed and flattened (yes it's possible, I guess the metal was poor quality). There was no damage to the firing pin.

I also destroyed two sets of Pachmayer snap caps, so go with the A-Zoom brand.

For speedloaders suitable for gun games you will need to source some of the SL Variant variety as Safariland doesn't make a 7 shot Comp III. HKS do make their standard twist to release speedloaders (slower but more secure). There is a discussion of the SL Variant here:
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=103264

If you are having trouble mastering the Colt I suggest you save your pennies and buy a Marvel .22 conversion unit for it. no recoil, minimal blast, cheap to feed and it doesn't wear you out.

You aren't endowed until you are a major university sucking donations from its rich alumni. You do however have two quality firearms. Keep learning Grasshopper and you too may one day master Gun Fu!

[9mmepiphany]

congrats on picking up a very nice revolver

1. you should never flick the cylinder to open or close it...it damages the crane (part that allows the cylinder to be swung out)...spinning the cylinder when out of the frame will not hurt it. a properly tuned cylinder will spin like it is on bearings
2. snap caps are good
3. moon clips are faster to load, more compact and more reliable for ejection, but they take more time to load/unload shells from the clips. the milling of the cylinder isn't very expensive and it still allows you to load individual cartridges or use speedloaders. the closest you can get to the ease of using moonclips in a speedloader would be the speedloader from SL Variant...fewer motions and more stabilized cases
4. you'll have to prove you can control the gun first. i'd set a goal of 5 rounds into 5" at 5 yards from the holster in 2.5 secs. another good drill to include testing your reload proficiency is the FAST drill

[SA Town]

Alright, first pics I've ever taken of these, as promised. For a broke ass college student I'd say it's not half bad :)

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/SATown911/DSCN0468.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/SATown911/DSCN0458.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/SATown911/DSCN0455.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/SATown911/DSCN0457.jpg

[Radagast]

For a broke ass college student it's exceptional. I used to be the captain of a university rifle club, so I know all about broke ass students. :)

All you are missing is the obligatory .22 rifle, precision rifle and .22 pistol/conversion and you have the complete well rounded set.

[DrLaw]

I so hate the looks of the S&W revolvers with locks on them. Kind of like looking at a Rolls Royce with spinner rims.

That out of my system. Don't flip the cylinder out and in. It won't hurt it to do it a couple times, but will if you do it every time.

The proper way to open it is to hold the gun (if you are right handed), in your right hand. Cup the gun with your left hand underneath the cylinder. Push the latch with your thumb and push the cylinder with your middle and ring finger. Your two fingers will now go through the frame opening with the cylinder and the gun will be cradled in your left hand. With your left thumb you can unload it and with your right, you can reload. Those SKS loaders work well, as do the Safariland loaders, and Bianchi Speed strips, for those times you want to carry extra ammo discretely.

Push the cylinder closed with your thumb as you rock the pistol into your right hand. You can reload pretty fast this way. That gun is not made for moon clips.

Practice liberally with .38 special loads and once in a while to get the feel of it with .357 Magnum. BTW, you'll be surprised how accurate you can get using .38 specials. A revolver, unlike a semi-auto, is pretty much a fool-proof gun. Enjoy your new gun. L-frames are pretty rugged, and it should last you and your (future) kids' lifetimes.

The Doc is out now. :cool:

[Old Shooter]

Nice collection, I'm sure it will grow as time goes on.

If, however, that revolver thing just keeps gnawing on you, pm me and I'll give you my addreess to send the Smith to.

I promise I'll give it a good home.

[springfield30-06]

Practice liberally with .38 special loads

Yes, and they are much cheaper than .357 to practice with.

BTW, since you said you just got into shooting your semi-auto and just bought the revolver, it is perfectly safe to shoot .38's out of a .357 Mag. Back when I got my 686 I asked around bunch just to confirm because it sounded weird to me at first, but now I understand why. The .357 is basically an elongated case and more powerful round based on the .38 SPL. Just in case you were wondering why people are telling you to fire a different round than what is marked on the barrel. You may have already known that, but I know that I was a bit confused when I got my first .357 :)

[wanderinwalker]

SA Town,

Congrats on the S&W! The 686 is a wonderful revolver, in spite of the *cough* lock *cough*.

Okay, to your questions:
1) Spinning the open cylinder won't hurt it, just don't slam it closed while spinning. I actually spin mine from time to time to know when I need to disassemble it to clean the barrel the cylinder rides on (can't remember the proper name at this moment).

2) Dry fire won't hurt it, unless you make a habit of doing it religiously and frequently. It also won't hurt your Colt, FWIW, again, so long as copious quantities are avoided.

3) Speedloaders. Your 686 is not cut for moon-clips, though I understand it is a simple conversion. But speedloaders will probably be cheaper to start with at any rate, and work well.

4) Nope, not a masculine he-man yet. Sorry! :p It's only a .357, not a "real man's" gun like a .45, or a .44, or a .454, or a .500, or.... :neener:

And shoot lots of .38s for practice in it. Cheaper and far easier to learn what you're doing with.

And just so you have something to aspire to (not to hijack your thread), my modest S&W collection:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/P-990/SW002-1.jpg

That 6" stainless 629 was MY 21st birthday present to myself (found it used), and it's older than you. The other two are a .357 K-frame and a .22 K-frame, also picked up used, 1982-vintage, and they're older than me... ;)

[Guillermo]

everyone is giving you good advice and being a newbie they are being nice not dropping you into the IL grease.

Snap caps are certainly not required but do no harm. One thing that the do is to give you a visual proof of an unloaded weapon.

BTW, being a newer gun the only reliable way to smooth the action it to dry fire it. The MIM parts do not polish well but dry firing will help. So get some snap caps and shoot the bad guy on TV every night. It will help with sight acquisition, strengthen your hands and smooth out your gun.

As to your testosterone level, a gun is not going to help. Not going to the range wearing a sequined thong and a feathered boa might be a start. And lose the nipple ring :neener:

[SA Town]

LOL! Thanks guys for all the advice and insightful comments. Today is range day!

[Guillermo]

Today is range day!

cleaning the range is important but why don't you go shooting instead?

[SA Town]

Your comment wins...

... for today :)

[SolidChoice]

My first (and only gun) is also a 686p 4" -- congrats!
For me, it was either that or an SP101. The SP101 felt a little better in my hand, but I shoot much better with a larger frame.