best kept secret of revolver world

Any Ruger security six.

ruger's kit gun, the bearcat. weighs less than a pound, looks and feels like an old-time six-shooter and (mine) is very accurate.

murf

Dan Wesson.
I say "Dan Wesson" and people will try to correct me with "Smith & Wesson".

Two that don't get any respect is the Colt Trooper and the Colt Lawman III.

The 9mm Taurus 905

Cheap to shoot, cheap to own powerful, and surprisingly well made.




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about

I would have to say back in the pre-Internet days, the Ruger Six Series was probably the best kept secret of the revolver world.

Colt Trooper .357.
Same gun as the Python, without the full lug/vent rib barrel or the high polish blue. They sell for a fraction of what a Python would go for.

Lucky Derby said:

They sell for a fraction of what a Python would go for.

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That 'fraction' seems to be 7/8 from what I've seen lately. Colt prices are wacky and people are cashing in.

I don't own any non-Smith revolvers except one - my Ruger New Vaquero in stainless.

Rossi revolvers of all sorts. They're cheap and a lot better than people give them credit for.

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This. my personal favorite is the 951. great gun.

+1 on the Rossi revolvers.

+1 on rossi revolvers from me too.

Hello friends and neighbors // My sub $300.00, S&W 65-3, 4", .357 police trade ,purchased last year,has a scuffed side plate but the edges of the trigger and hammer were still factory sharp.
The grips were nothing to brag about but it goes bang every time and shoots where it is pointed.

I say the 1905 4th change and other S&W .38s can still be found at more than reasonable prices in VG condition. IMHO..38 is a great round.

No doubt, the most under estimated has been the Dan Wesson followed closely by the Ruger Six series but they are going up fast.

If you are willing to put up with some wear and tear marks the possibilities are endless.
Most are cosmetic or easily repaired.
Many folks, including me, have done something to accidently "enhance" the finish.

Good luck with the search.

My bargains can be other people's "junk". A case in point, a little Rossi M68 3" 38 special, well made, well finished, shoots POA 2" groups at 25 yards off the bench. I bought it in 1981 for my step dad and later inherited it. I don't carry it, much, but it is a very reliable/accurate little gun that cost me a hundred bucks when I bought it. Of course, back then, a M10 Smith was only a couple hundred and didn't have a Hillary hole. The little Rossi compares well to any M36 Smith I've ever shot or handled.

I agree with you on the NAAs, but then, they're not really a secret, are they? I carry my .22LR as a back up everywhere all the time. My Black Widow in .22 mag is my "church gun" for Sunday lunch after church, small, undetectable, but adequate protection in a pinch. Weekly, normally, I have my little 9 or my .38 ultralite snub for a primary.

Lucky Derby said:

Colt Trooper .357.
Same gun as the Python, without the full lug/vent rib barrel or the high polish blue. They sell for a fraction of what a Python would go for.

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+1 on old Troopers. I got one for $350 not too long ago, the seller said the trigger and action was as good as his Pythons, I believe it. A way better gun than the Security Six that some like here, it's skinny grip was brutal to shoot in .357.

I really like my Uberti SAA .45 in Old West finish, another 'cheap' handgun that isn't supposed to be good, but is.

The Taurus Model 85 series of revolvers. I have 2, an 85 and an 850 (concealed hammer). Then have an excellent trigger, good accuracy and a low price.

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You should play the lottery. I gave up on the Taurus 85 after owning four of them. They had a low price, but none of them ever had what I'd call an excellent trigger or good accuracy.

Old PPC revolvers.

$356 at auction.



Another great company that went out of business, but made excellent firearms that can still be had for cheap
$255 at auction, tightest revolver I've got, bluing and polish quality is equal or better than my colt diamondback, quality exceeds my rugers.

U.S. Arms Co.

Security Sixes are usually better guns than their prices indicate.

The S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman used to be a secret bargain, but those days have long since passed with the premium being placed on guns without a Hillary Hole.

The Herters SA guns (made by Sauer in W. Germany) are well made and often quite reasonably priced.

I have to agree with whoever pisted mod 10 S&W , under 300.00 all day long , how can you go wrong .

As mentioned, an old prelock, preMIM, one piece barrel model 10 is an amazing gun value.

But it is not a secret

I think I have to go with the Dan Wesson. 15-2 for me. The Colt revolvers of all descriptions are now officially discovered. The classic Smiths are heading that way fast. Putting a little work into cleaning up a DW taught me that they are likely next. I believe that there are some decent Tauri out there, know the old Charters are good values too if you avoid the "bad" years, but neither can rise to the quality for price of a Dan Wesson.

Next in line for "don't make 'em like that anymore" inflation in the quality revolver world.

Dan Wesson made some high quality revolvers but the following has grown...no longer a secret.

More of a misunderstood cult

I would agree that the NAA .22 Magnum minis are a viable deep cover option, well-made and priced right.

I agree that the used S&W Model 10 and Model 64 are probably the best overall quality-to-price value in revolvers at $300 or less and common enough that good specimens are not hard to find.

I would postulate that the Ruger LCR-22 at around $400 is a viable choice for a .22 revolver that is light, accurate and rugged. Quality .22s are getting expensive whether new or used. Most of the $300 - $400 offerings are a bit rough with extremely heavy triggers. The LCR has a funky unconventional trigger and looks strange, but gets the job done admirably.

RevolvingGarbage was right on target with the Taurus M82s. Mine is accurate and handles 38 Special and +P easily, little recoil and great function.

My vote goes to Dan Wesson also. Even non gun people know Colt, Smith & Wesson, & Ruger. A lot of gun people still aren't aware of the Dan Wessons although that does seem to be changing.