amd6547
Member
I have to say, I love my S&W 15-3 and my Pre-Model 10, both 4”. But the Revolver that gets serious use and carry is a 3” GP100 fixed sight.
I have to say, I love my S&W 15-3 and my Pre-Model 10, both 4”. But the Revolver that gets serious use and carry is a 3” GP100 fixed sight.
Lots of elitism on these net boards sometimes. The Colt people tend to be even worse than the Smith people. To some, if you don’t spend $1000+ on a vintage revolver than you have a piece of junk. Rugers weigh as much as a greyhound bus, have triggers like gravel, and are uglier than a toad. I’ve never found any of that to be true.
Regarding newer manufactured revolvers,
I'm wondering if you might also find the
S&W Model 66 with 2.75-inch barrel
pleasing or possibly the S&W Model 586
L Comp or even the S&W Model 19 Carry
Comp. But they also do stray from the
concept of a .38 only theme in this thread.
I will say that before I bought my 3" GP, I read a lot of comments that the trigger would need work. I even studied up on how to improve the GP trigger, which isn't too hard, since the GP is designed for ease of disassembly.
Come to find out, my GP's trigger rivals my well used and broken in Model 15-3 right out of the box. It's certainly a little better than my Pre-Model 10.
But I won't even attempt to argue that they are the best,,,
They are just my personal favorite is all.
You have already crowned the king so where do you want to go from here.I just wish we could could get back to what the OP asked for. He asked for 4" barreled 38 Special revolvers. NOT 357s that can fire 38s but just regular 38 special guns. With 4" barrels. Not your favorite 3" 357 revolver or any other variation. Why is this hard?
You have already crowned the king so where do you want to go from here.
Ok, I say a Comanche is better than everything you have mentioned. Because the gun shop where I eat lunch has one and no other 38's. So I say a bird in the hand beats anything on THRYou are correct. There is nowhere to go but down from here. Naw, there have been a bunch of good 4" 38s made over the years. S&W has pretty much ruled this thread but Colt made some excellent 38s also. The small Police Positive would be a great 38 to own. The Taurus miodel 82 I mentioned earlier is a good choice. I have owned 3 of them over the years and regret selling them. They were almost as good as a model 10. And better factory triggers than any Rugers I have owned except for maybe the 4" Security Six sitting in my safe. But its a 357 so doesn't count. And a brand new Taurus model 82 will run you around $400.
Ok, I say a Comanche is better than everything you have mentioned.
I will say that before I bought my 3" GP, I read a lot of comments that the trigger would need work. I even studied up on how to improve the GP trigger, which isn't too hard, since the GP is designed for ease of disassembly.
Come to find out, my GP's trigger rivals my well used and broken in Model 15-3 right out of the box. It's certainly a little better than my Pre-Model 10.
OK. But if its so great then why is it still in the gunshop? Why haven't you bought it yet? And is it a 4"38 Special - yes. It says its an alloy frame and not approved for +P. That may be a deal breaker for some. Good find. I hadn't heard of it. But I think I would rather have the steel framed Armscor 200 over the Comanche.
I agree my SS Service Six 4" DAO 38spl is very similar in size to my Model 64. I think my "best" made 38spl revolver is my S&W 15-2 but I shoot my Model 10s, Model 64 and Service Six more often. Which is my favorite is hard to say. View attachment 1055776The Six series are a better comparison to the K frames than the GP100 is. Those former two are virtually the same size, while the latter is carrying a lot of extra chonk.
Not sure I would call Smith vs Ruger a snob appeal either. Ruger doesn't make a K frame type revolver any more, but a stainless GP100 was about $700 in the time of people and a 686 was about $800. To use an analogous fanboy war, it's more Colt vs BCM than Colt vs Del-Ton.