A new addiction for me: S&W Galore

The trouble with collecting Smith & Wesson's is.....there is ALWAYS "something missing from the list". In your case.....a J frame, a 2.5" K frame, a 4" L frame.....and the list goes on. It can become a "disease", albeit a pleasant way to suffer !

However, you have the makings of a fine family....congratulations on your budding collection !

- regards

Lucky... I'm just getting started, only have a Model 32 right now. Not a lot of good Smiths available around here.

You are on an addictive path. I own about a dozen, here's what I feel are the "must own"

1) a Model 10/M&P - 4" or 5" - regular barrel (never say "pencil" - that makes you an amateur). These balance the best, heavy barrel's don't work.

2) 2.5" k-frame 357, a 66 or 19. Best cc gun ever built.

3) 4" 686/586 - best 357 revolver ever built.

4) 3" or 4" 29 or 629 - awesome power in a tight package.

These should be your benchmark S&W's - I have neglected the N frame 357's - the 27s and 28s. They are both not great values right now in the used market (unless you find a 28 cheaply - under $425).

Keep in mind, a 6" gun has no advantage over a 4" in accuracy. You choose a 6" for the marginal velocity gain, not the carrying ability or practical use. Get a 4" when you can.

zplug123

Definitely some sort of J frame representation, preferably in the .38 Special category, though I've always fancied the 22/32 Kit Guns as well. And if you get a kick out of really accurate revolvers, how about a Model 14 K-38 Masterpiece? It would go very nicely with your K-17.

It's a terrible sickness, s&w disease. I have a bad want for a 586.

My sickness is only getting worse... The 19/66 2.5" is a great carry gun and it will be what I'm carrying this weekend because it just feels right!

I do want a 2" K-frame for my wife carry duty. Here are my Model 60 (no dash), 66-1 and 15-4.

You have to decide where your interests lie. Your collection looks rather eclectic at this point. Are you trying to start a serious collection or just buying what appeals to you?

I'm an accumulator rather than a collector (so are you at this point). I do not concentrate on any particular model or era when it comes to handguns. In S&Ws my earliest example was made in 1917 and the newest is from 2005.

For me, the gun I sought the longest was the 1950 .44 Special Target Model. I had wanted one since reading Skeeter Skelton's stories in the early 1970s but I saw few for sale and when I did the prices put me off. I also have a real fondness for 5" N frames so when I saw a matching pair of 5" 1950s offered by a dealer 3 years ago I weakened, and realizing that I wasn't getting any younger I decided that I had to have one. When I told my wife about the purchase, she asked why I didn't buy both of them? (God, how I love that woman!) So I called the dealer back and bagged the other one, too.





The Cadillac of the S&W line isn't the .44 Magnum, it's the Model 27 which has all the deluxe features S&W offered. I have more 27s than any other gun and it's my favorite. A serious S&W aficionado will want an example of the 27 line. Of all my 27s I think this 5" nickel example is my favorite.





I never really considered buying a truly expensive S&W until I saw this 4" Registered Magnum offered for sale. I sat staring at the photo on my monitor for about 20 minutes before succumbing to temptation and sending an email to the seller. Having an RM raises your stock in any gathering of S&W lovers.





Then there's the specialty item. A couple years ago I started thinking that I should have one fancy revolver. So for my 50th BD my wife had this rather mundane Model 10-5 engraved and bought the fancy El Paso leather for it. (Did I mention how much I love that woman?) I finished out the stag stocks from rough blanks, fitting them, polishing them and installing the S&W medallions and although not everyone appreciates engraved guns I like this one.





With so many different models and variations in the S&W line over the many decades of production, you can find something that you like. Be it a particular model you wish to specialize in or just a safe full of various guns that caught your eye for one reason or another.

If you only need guns for specific purposes then maybe 4-5 (maybe 2-3 if you really think about it) handguns is all most people would need.

That doesn't sound like much fun.

You have excellent taste zplug123, you will never own all the Smiths you want.This is my latest Smith addition, A 4 " 29-2, got her two week ago. I need a second safe now, the first is packed.

Nice bunch of guns fellas. It's not just Smith's, I'm afraid. I'm growing fonder of revolvers every day. I have even thought about selling the autos and going strictly with revolvers (although I really have a hard time entertaining the thought of selling any gun). I want a blue 586 really bad. I picked up a model 13-4 recently but I don't want to put much .357 through it.

Still deciding between regular or havy barrel Mod 10 ?
Don't you need 4 ? (short & long & thin & thick ?)
Or 8 ? (same, but blue/stainless) ?

Like Diamondback said: there's always something missing.

I have had a few. My advice is this - in a regular barrel (don't call it "thin" or "pencil" - that just pisses the old timers and puristis off!), I find 5" balances best (picture below). In 4", a "regular" barrel is better than a heavy, it's "too" heavy. In a 4", a Model 15 or 67 works best - not only doest it have the (much, much more user friendly) target sights, the beefier frame, ribbed barrel and Baughman sight make it balance as well as a 5".

1947 5" regular barrel (w/period Mershon grip adapter) -


1973 4" 67, with original "football" target grips -