Do you have both 3 inch and 4 inch revolvers?

I've got 1 1/2", 2", 3", 4", 5", 5 1/2", 6", 6 1/2" and 7" barrels on my revolvers.
I like variety.
I may have a couple of 7 1/2 inchers but I haven't actually measured them.

Every different inch, be it longer or shorter, on the barrel of most handguns has a niche all of its own. I have just about every length of revolver barrel ever made, from 7 1/2" on down but, if I had to pick a candidate for everything from self-defense to targets to hunting and everything in-between, it would be one of the least popular lengths: the five incher. Thinking about it, I confess: I've never owned a revolver with a five inch barrel...

I now only own revolvers with a 3" or less barrel.

;( What a piker I am. I only have 3", 4", 5", 6" and 8-3/8" ones.

bikerdoc said:

here are mine.

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Did you mean both the same model or just in general?
I have several 2" a 3" a 4" a couple of 6" but no same model pairs.

I tend to like 3” and 5” personally, with 5” being my preferred carry barrel length.

But I like me them 4” guns too.

I've had 2&3/4", 4" & 6" in the same model before.



Currently, I've got wheel guns in 1&7/8", 2&3/4", 3", 4", 5", 5&1/2" and 6". I like a little variety.

I don’t do the in betweeners. It’s either a snubby or a long ‘un.

The two on the left are 1 7/8”. The next over is 2 1/2”. The last 6 1/2”.

That's why God made the Dan Wesson Pistol Pack.

under 2" (1 and some fraction), 2", 2.5" 3", 4", 5", 6", 6.5", 7.5", and 8-3/8".

I like them all.

Only have 2”, 2.5”, 2.75”, 4”, 6.5”, but I want/ need more! Unfortunately they are just not in my retirement budget.

I have a couple of Smith 629's. One with a 3" and one with a 4" barrel.

Hi...
I have revolvers in various barrel length up to 8-3/8" but none shorter than 3"...
Not a big fan of snub nosed revolvers.
Favor the 4-5/8" to 6-1/2" barrel lengths.

While my 2 favorite lengths are 3" and 8 3/8", I have K frames in 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 3/8". My shortest is a 1 7/8" J Frame and Longest is a 10" N Frame.

My wife likes 4-5 inches lol. Any shorter than 4 and I cant shoot them worth a damn, but longer than 5 dont get carried; so somewhere in between.

I think I have two and they're both .32's, but generally I prefer 4 inch barrels as they have more of what I want in regards to better sights, sight radius, velocity, etc. If having to choose between a 2 and 3 inch, I'd pick the 2 inch as it's purpose is to be as small as possible for carrying. At 3 inches, I can step up to 4 inches and still be able to draw effectively.

earlthegoat2 said:

I don’t do the in betweeners. It’s either a snubby or a long ‘un.

The two on the left are 1 7/8”. The next over is 2 1/2”. The last 6 1/2”.

View attachment 834990

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I'm the same way with pistols, it's either Glock 26 sized or Glock 34, nothing in between need apply.

This is very interesting to hear about the variety of different barrel lengths people prefer
Personally I carry a 2-7/8" Ruger Speed Six for personal defense loaded with 158gr. 38 spl +P LSWCHP.

For trail carry I bounce around between a 4" barreled GP100 357mag loaded with 180gr LRNFP,
a 4" barreled Rossi 851 38spl 158 gr LSWC standard velocity.

And a 5-1/2" barreled GP100 44spl 240gr LSWC.

Out of all of them I shoot the 4" 357 mag the best off hand standing but I have a real passion for the 44spl 5-1/2" barrel.
At the range for fun I love shooting them all including several I didn't mention.
Happy shooting!

I really like that .44 special

I have revolvers with 1 7/8, 2, 2.25, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5 and 6 inch barrels

Alaskan Ironworker said:

I really like that .44 special

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Thanks!
I just got that a while back. From a rest it shoots really great, I just haven't mastered it off hand yet but I'm getting better. I have a real love for it.
The downfall to owning so many firearms is that I switch up so much I'll probably never be extremely proficient with any of them but man I have a lot of fun.

Hmmm ... from memory .. 1 7/8, 2, 3, 3.75, 4 & 5.5.
Guess I need to stretch my horizons a bit.
Nothing longer than 4" until you start counting rifles.

Yep. And 5", and 6", and...

Honestly, I'd say 4" is about the ideal. Look at other handguns. The Glock 19 is considered about the ideal size for a semi-auto pistol (one billion imitators can't be wrong...), and it has a 4" barrel. The 38 specials and 357 magnums that thousands upon thousands of cops carried for half a century were usually 4". The classic Colt 1911 has a 5" barrel. That 4-5" range just seems to be the best combination between size, balance/weight, sights, and ballistics. Obviously it's on the short side for something like a 44 Magnum, but I'd say it's a great fit for everything up to and including 357.

3" is kind of the red-headed step child of revolvers - harder to carry than a snub nose, and harder to shoot accurately than a 4". I have a 3" SP101 and just can't warm up to it at all.

Also, anything past 6" starts getting too front heavy for me to shoot really well.

Right now the 3 inch S&W K frames are hot. A nice 3 inch model 66 is up around $1000 and more. Even the 3 in model 64s are bringing $650 with other models priced in between.