Holy Grail Revolver

India contract Ruger Service Six .380 Rimmed

I've got my Holy Grail revolvers, and consider myself very lucky. "S" prefix M57, and "S" prefix M58. 1968 and 1967, respectively. I could wish for a pre- something or other, and a registered magnum would certainly be nice, but I've always wanted the .41 Magnum because until recently, nobody else seemed to want them.

DR505 said:

I was on the S&W forum last year and mentioned I wanted a 25-9 4”. Got a PM a few minutes later and bought one, I would say 98%.

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I recently got mine as well, but a 25-9 midnight blue 5" with unfluted cylinder, mint unfired in the box. It ain't unfired any more!

In pristine condition-

A S&W 1917
A prewar S&W Terrier in .38 S&W
A S&W Safety Hammerless, fifth model, in .38 S&W
Forehand & Wadsworth Swamp Angel in .41 rimfire

Of course at one time or another, I’ve had the opportunity to buy all of these relatively cheap. They weren’t pristine but, if I would have had the presence of mind to buy them, I wouldn’t have hesitated to get them reblued as I’m not a collector. What was I thinking? No idea.

Howdy

A whole bunch of years ago my grail gun was a S&W Triple Lock.

Managed to scratch that itch.








Managed to scratch the 38/44 Heavy Duty itch a couple of years ago.






Crossed the 38/44 Outdoorsman off the list not too much later.






Managed to find a Top Break 1st Model Russian a couple of years ago too. This completes my #3 Top Break collection. This one is pretty funky, it has been refinished, and not too well, the barrel shortened and an old coin substituted for the front sight. This model looks exactly like the American Model, except it is chambered for 44 Russian instead of the 44 S&W American round with its heeled bullet. I don't actually have an American Model, couldn't shoot it anyway, can't load heeled bullets, so this 1st Model Russian filled in for the American to complete my collection of the five Top Break #3s.






Really, the only thing still on my grail list is a Registered Magnum. I have come across a few, but the ones I could afford were pretty nasty. Have not been going to any auctions for over a year now, won't start going again until the Pandemic is over. Plus, I am actually starting to thin out my collection a bit. Got too many that I just don't shoot and really don't need.

Lofty to be sure but tell me who's had their hands on The Holy Grail?
So; A GIGN M73

and/or an S&W M10 Tunnel Rat gun with the cool light!


Aim high..... and AIM high!

Todd.

ApacheCoTodd said:

Lofty to be sure but tell me who's had their hands on The Holy Grail?
So; A GIGN M73
View attachment 982559
and/or an S&W M10 Tunnel Rat gun with the cool light!
View attachment 982560

Aim high..... and AIM high!

Todd.

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Think I can top that-

One of the 5 factory prototype .22 Pythons, all gifted to company execs when they retired.

But, I will settle for a Ratzenburg Korth.

The few grail guns I have the short list would be more a matter of building rather than finding a rare one.

I would like to have an 32 H&R single six with birds head grip on an old model frame with adjustable sights with a barrel around 4". All of those things are available off the shelf, just not all on the same gun... I have that in .22lr, and it would be amazing in .32.

I would also like to have a old school PPC style k-frame .38 build with a heavy barrel and sight rail.

high country said:

I would also like to have a old school PPC style k-frame .38 build with a heavy barrel and sight rail.

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S&W Model 29-2 in bright nickel finish with 5” barrel.

kidneyboy said:

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Yeah, something like that. I would probably go with a Bomar sight rail with open sights, but otherwise that is a grail gun for me for sure. I can think of no better way to launch was cutters down range. Definitely on my short list of projects.

On a less lofty note - this past year I've been secretly pleased to NOT run across a TRR8 from S&W given what folk will want for them these days - when found.

When/if things return to *normal*, I'll likely buy the first reasonably priced one that I can hold in my hands first. I've passed on a couple of internet listings already.

Todd

M73 Manhurhin for me to. I'll never see one though and couldn't afford it if I did.

tightgroup tiger said:

M73 Manhurhin for me to. I'll never see one though and couldn't afford it if I did.

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Ive been to HUNDREDS of gunshops and shows in my time, and have never actually seen a Manurhin revolver in the flesh.

Ive seen (and owned) many Manurhin automatics- though they are usually stamped "Walther."

Mmm. A new production Smith Mdl 65, w/ 3" barrel, round butt, no Infernal Lock, and old school quality and QC. And a tritium front sight. Chamfered charge holes. Bright stainless.

You have been looking in the wrong places. They are out there.

ontarget

And even an authentic Colt SAA 4.5 inch in 45 COLT. Just a shooter grade nothing special.

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There you go...mine too! Only I want that beautiful color case hardening and blued finish to look like new!

.38 Special said:

I have or have had most of my "grail revolvers". I sometimes think about sending out a Ruger Flat Top in .44 Special for the engraving and ivory treatment; sort of an "in spirit" #5. And I'd really like to replace my 4" Model 29 that was stolen so many years ago.

When all is said and done, though, the one that really fancies my tickle is a Bowen "1917" on a Redhawk, in .50 AE.

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I still keep an eye out for a blued Redhawk, which in California is a bit of a trick. And even then I'd need to come up with six or seven grand on top of it, plus a year or two. A fellow can dream, anyway...

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There I was thinking I want too many factory spec'd revolvers to have an actual Holy Grail on the list. But there ya go showing that Bowen custom. Wow.

Not particularly rare, just out of my price range right now: pre-lock S&W .357 in 4".

S&W L frame .41 magnum w/2.75" barrel.

A nicely-engraved single action revolver, not necessarily Colt, and not necessarily full-coverage, has been on my mind, lately. Partial coverage would be nice, of a type/pattern that would look “right” on a Colt SAA. I would not really want gold inlay; that is too fancy. This may not quite be a “grail,” in importance; more like a slight, occasional itch. I have a USFA Single Action, finished by Turnbull, so can already tell myself that I have an absolutely beautiful, top-tier SA revolver. (USFA = U.S. Firearms, a company that scared Colt into upping the quality of the SAA.)

In 2020, I finally located two samples of a grail-quest revolver, that I had been seeking for a number of years, a nice S&W Model 64 2” snub-gun. I found a quite good 64-3 early in the year, and a notably nicer 64-4 in December. I had not wanted to settle for a police trade-in/surplus Model 64, bought sight unseen, so waited for well-preserved samples to appear locally, so I could inspect them. These are carry guns, for me, not collectibles. There is something “just right” about a K-Frame .38 Special snub-gun, for my aging right hand, as many compact handguns have become painful to shoot, and I can no longer count on my right thumb, wrist, and hand to provide a stable platform for reliable function of an auto. (I traded my last two G19 Glocks*, for the second of these two snubbies.) I had long liked the visual appeal of a K-Frame snub-gun, and already had a blued 2”pre-Model 10, but stainless is better for a carry gun, here in hot, humid, coastal SE Texas.

*I can still shoot larger G17 and G19x/G45 Glocks, which have longer “orthopedic-length” grips.

1. Smith and Wesson “Bicycle” top-break revolver
2. Smith and Wesson 651 .22 magnum with 2 inch barrel

PzGren said:

You have been looking in the wrong places. They are out there.

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Sure but I want an 8 though preferably 10 inch for the *Sniper* build.



I see researching that 8 inch is finally available again. Can't wait to see one in person but really want the 10 inch.

Todd.

I think a nice break-top would fit the bill, and what would be cooler than a 7 shot one in .357 magnum, finished in London Best blue?
http://andersonwheeler.co.uk/the-gun-room/revolver/

Would anybody shoot their GRAIL GUN or just take it out of the safe and fondle it ?