Your Favorite Smith & Wesson & Why

So I have to post a small Magnum collection.
686 competitor 357 Mag
629 44 Mag
Whitetail’s unlimited one of 500 but per S&W they only made 79 for the state of Michigan
460 Mag.

I don’t want my wife to feel left out so her 38 bodyguard. Without her blessings I probably wouldn’t have any guns.

While I have a variety of S&W revolvers ranging from J-frames to N-frames, I am most likely to grab one of the K-frames when I am headed out to do some shooting. That being said, my favorite is a 4 inch L-frame 586. My first Smith, and first double action revolver, circa1991.

film495 said:

any functional blued Model 10 in OK condition, shooter grade with service grips and a 4" tapered barrel. pre lock. it is the only S&W I own and if I get any more revolvers it will probably be one or more of these. Unless someone can talk me into another model.

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If you already own a Model 10, in 4" blued finish..... I'm thinking a good next revolver for you would be a 6" stainless model 686+ with 6" barrel.
You get a more powerful round
You get one extra round
Adjustable rear sight
More accurate due to longer sight radius.
Better grip and better balanced.
You'd likely never shoot your M10 again.
My model 10 sits in the safe and hasn't been fired in a long, long time.

Smith 15. Great looks, fantastic balance and trigger. Also, ridiculous accuracy for a snub nose revolver!

Great Scot said:

Smith 15. Great looks, fantastic balance and trigger. Also, ridiculous accuracy for a snub nose revolver!
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That's probably my favorite S&W that I don't own. What a classic.

I had a choice between a 15 and a Colt Cobra once, chose the Cobra. Then, like an idiot, traded the Cobra for an S&W Bodyguard 38, that plastic POS with a small plastic bump on the top of the trigger guard. That's what holds the crane in. Plastic, rubbing on metal. Wish I'd have got the 15; I'd still have that.

Hmm...I am having second thoughts about what I posted on page 1. Today I am leaning towards my Model 27-2 3.5" or my first LEO revolver, a 4" Model 27-3. As to why, the 3.5" 27-2 is the best looking DA revolver ever made and it shoots well. The 27-3 was my first S&W revolver and qualified with it for duty, so sentimental reasons.

My 29-2 revolvers because that is what Dirty Harry used.

DR505 said:

Hmm...I am having second thoughts about what I posted on page 1. Today I am leaning towards my Model 27-2 3.5" or my first LEO revolver, a 4" Model 27-3. As to why, the 3.5" 27-2 is the best looking DA revolver ever made and it shoots well. The 27-3 was my first S&W revolver and qualified with it for duty, so sentimental reasons.

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That 27-2. 3" you got there.....might be the best looking revolver in the world.
Now I got to find a 3 incher......darn it.

When I shoot full powered rounds, the N frames still shoot better than the L frames.
I know the L frames were made as a compromise between K's and N's.
But that's just what it, it's a compromise, with trade off.
Ls were made to have greater durability than the K's but have greater portability than the N's.
Unless I'm carrying a 357, which I never do anymore, I'm going to go for an N frame as a shooter at the range or out hunting every single time. The 586 I own sits in the safe.

Currently I have a 617 (no lock), a 66-1 and a 29-2 6 1/2" The 29 is used the most.

Well...currently it's this M-67...my newest, (new to me at least). In truth, I like them all with some that get more use than others: M-18 in .22 LR, a M-19 .357, a 686 for heavy loads...but this new 67 is a lot of fun and with 45+ years on its odometer, it's well broken-in with triggers that are butter smooth. Rod

Favorite one is the No.1 tip up. It’s just so much fun to shoot Super Colibri ammo with a civil war era gun. I need to get it out and let it have some fun now that it’s finally warmed up again.

I may have to take a pic. I have some but I can’t find them.

Mine is a Model 29-6 because I just love the 44mag and 44 special calibers which I have the most fun shooting at reactive targets. Bought about 1994 I think when I saw reports that the model 29, at least in blue, was going to be discontinued. It came with Hogue black rubber grips, but I bought Hogue Goncalo Alves, which is my favorite, and a more traditional S&W round to square Conversion grip.

ontarget said:

15-3. 42 rounds double action unsupported.
Yeah I really like this one.
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Holy cow. I just picked up a 15-3, but haven't shot it yet. Maybe I should!

LOLBELL said:

I don’t see any reason to own a Smith as long as Ruger is in business.

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Agreed. I own a Ruger. And six Smiths.

Mine are any of my 5 N-Frames, but the one on the left is my favorite of all:
28-2 4" from 1967, bought from the original owner with the box, etc. Barely any real wear on it:


The one on the right is from '79, and just isn't quite as pretty as the one on the left.
This one is up there too, a 629-1 also from the original owner. The box it came in exists, but that's about the best thing I can say about it.

hemiram said:

Mine are any of my 5 N-Frames, but the one on the left is my favorite of all:
28-2 4" from 1967, bought from the original owner with the box, etc. Barely any real wear on it:

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The one on the right is from '79, and just isn't quite as pretty as the one on the left.
This one is up there too, a 629-1 also from the original owner. The box it came in exists, but that's about the best thing I can say about it.
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What is wrong with? It looks like a nice revolver.

TacticalJanitor said:

Agreed. I own a Ruger. And six Smiths.

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I see zero reason to own a Ruger. Based on 2 trash GP100s with junk barrels. I know they were in the same lot and that was years ago, but I can’t shake it. I won’t buy a Ruger DA revolver.

My Classic 629-4, 6½", built in 1997. Easily the best trigger and the most accurate revolver I own. Puts every kind of load from powder puff to buffalo slayer into nice, little groups.

DR505 said:

That is a tough one. I like N-Frames and prefer them in .45 caliber; either .45 ACP or .45 Colt. So it is either the 4" 25-9 .45 Colt, the 625-7 Mountain Gun .45 Colt, or the 3" 625-3 .45 ACP.

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The reason being they all make great carry guns, can perform in a variety of roles, and are all accurate with great actions.

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Love those Ahrends grips!

hk940 said:

What is wrong with? It looks like a nice revolver.

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Nothing at all wrong with the gun, but the box looks like it had been stomped and dragged behind a car. It's complete, and completely worthless, except to box fanatics.

I saw a box (Mint) for a registered (S&W .357) on a web site. The price on it was $2,100.00!
I have tried to save any box I got with a gun over the years, sometimes that can sell the gun.

My 4" Model 66-2. It was the first handgun I purchased (and is my only S&W).