Advice on a revolver

I personally am fond of the ruger sp101 with a 3" barrel, in my experience its good for most things I could need a handgun. It is small enough conceal carry fairly easy, but heavy enough to manage the heaviest 357 loads, and it makes standard pressure 38's a breeze to shoot. Another option could be a k frame s&w a ruger "six" series revolver.

A medium framed 357 or 38 with a 3" or 4" barrel.

If I could only have one handgun, that would probably be it.

Ruger and Smith & Wesson have the best reputations.

Some people get good ones from the second-tier makers (Charter Arms, Rossi, Taurus), and some don't.

Police trade-ins such as a S&W 38 can be had for $200-$300.

Ruger has a LCR chambered in .38 spl with an external hammer, adjustable sights, and a 3" barrel. Should be good enough for any Gold Badge Recruiter.

The new S&W combat's M69 are really nice. I carry mine. 5-shot 44mag. More in the $700-800.

Another vote for the Ruger. If you go used, in that range you can also find Ruger six series (Security Six, Service Six, Speed Six), S&W .38s and .357s (I've got a buddy w/ a cool m13 for $500) and so on. You could easily find a model 10 (not pristine but meh) in that range - great shooter.

Taurus and Charter arms are also viable options but personally I'd stick w/ Ruger or Smith.

How about a armscor m200 $220ish off of buds and leaves enough for a good belt, holster, loaders, and ammo

I know nothing about revolvers, but i have a fellow recruiter that is looking for one. He is looking midsize, could be carried. A mild caliber, but not miniscule either. Reasonably priced ($400-600) too.

Sorry all he knows other than "I want a revolver"

Any advice and pics to show him?

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First, he should buy and read Grant Cunningham's The Gun Digest Book of the Revolver. This book will orient him to the platform and show him how to check if the gun fits his hand.

Also read No Second Place Winner by Bill Jordan. He goes into the reasons why 357 Magnum is a great choice for personal defense.

1) How much handgun shooting experience does he have?
2) How much revolver shooting experience does he have?

Attributes to look for:

1) The barrel should be t least three inches and likely no longer than four inches. The reason for the four inch maximum is that longer barrels can be difficult to carry.

2) Round butt frame for S&W revolvers. This aids in concealment and you can buy stocks that simulate a square butt grip.

3) Good sights. A rear sight channel is not all that great. There are some variations available. Most guns will have adjustable rear sights, but fixed ramp sights are available. Some models have night sights. I do recommend the gun has a pinned front sight so you can easily replace it with a night sight. The Ruger GP100 with 4" barrel has a removable front sight. Several S&W models have a similar system.

This S&W Model 24 had night sights installed. The front sight is integral to the barrel, so the red ramp insert has been replaced.


4) Medium frame. Generally, the S&W K Frame guns have been considered to be exceptional carry guns. The beefed up S&W L Frame (and equivalent Ruger GP100) is made to address the deficiencies of the K Frame with regard to shooting hot magnum ammunition. I do not recommend the very small frames known as the S&W J-Frame (also the Ruger LCR size) for learning. I really like the larger N-Frame revolvers, but they require a bit more determination to carry. The advantage of an N-Frame in 357 Magnum is that the cylinder holds eight rounds.

5) "Medium caliber" Since the purpose is general range use, carry/self-defense, then either 38 Special +P or 357 Magnum are recommended. However, I will also recommend revolvers chambered in 9x19mm or 45 ACP.

6) Chamferred charge holes. These facilitate reloads and are quite important. You can get by with them, but you'll notice rounds getting hung up when you try to reload quickly.


7) Speed loader availability. Some revolvers do not have quality speed loaders available. I really like Safariland COMP loaders, but they're not made for all revolvers.

8) Stocks. Stocks can be built for the purpose and length of pull can be adjusted. There are "target" style stocks, "boot" grips (short stocks for concealment) and so forth. The area behind the trigger is typically filled since this will smash into your finger. Notice how the area behind the trigger guard is filled and there is wood across the backstrap. The stocks are Jordan Troopers from Herretts.

....He is looking midsize, could be carried. A mild caliber....

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For midsize you won't find anything better than a K frame S&W. And for a mild but still arguably effective caliber I'd say .38Spl.

Put those two factors together and they spell S&W Model 10. One with up to a 4" barrel would fit the bill nicely.

There are also a whole lot of other K frame models that came in shorter barrel lengths of 4" and less. Any of those will work as well. In particular a Model 15 is basically a Model 10 but with adjustable sights. If the gun is to be used for carry though sometimes the taller and rougher sights can catch depending on the holster. So a lot of folks are fine with the fixed sights on the Model 10.

S&W model 10/64 or the S&W 15/67. The 64 and 67 are stainless versions of the 10 and 15 respectively. They are all 38 special (IMHO that's all you need). The four inch versions of each are readily available.

I see 4 and 5 inch S&W M&P 10 revolvers at pawn shops at around $350 all the time. Some in excellent condition.

I'd start there and if later, after gaining experience, he wants more power, he can get a .357 or bigger revolver.

He can shoot target .38s to begin with and go up to +p.

Deaf

The S&W Model 15 is a great revolver and the 38 Special does everything I need from a 36 caliber revolver. With a 4" barrel it is easy to carry and a good length with which to learn.

Kevin

A 3" gp100 is on my list. I've got .357s in the 6.5, 4ish, and 2.25" flavors. I'm thinking a concealable 3" gun with 6 rounds would make a handy woods/carry/plinker.

gdcpony said:

He is looking midsize, could be carried. A mild caliber, but not miniscule either. Reasonably priced ($400-600) too.

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A 4" medium framed 6-shot .357mag is an excellent starting place. A 3" .357mag would be ideal, IMO, but the 3" barrel and the .357mag chambering both add to the price. It sounds like a .38spl would be acceptable, and a 4" barrel is still carry-able.

My recommendation, then, is to check out the used k-frame Models 10, 15 and 64 from J&G (link below). They all fit your criteria, and AFAIK, used revolvers from J&G have a decent reputation. If it's primarily going to me carried, the fixed-sighted 10/64 might be the better option, but my personal preference for an all-arounder would be the M15 for it's adjustable sights.

http://www.jgsales.com/handguns-c-16_211_431.html

Ruger wheel guns...

If the friend wants a 2/3" barrel revolver with a hammer spur, $400-$600.00 USD, Id suggest:
The Ruger LCRx .38spl 3" barrel. I've seen a few videos & reviews saying the LCRx is great. They say it could be a decent camp or outdoor(hike-bike-boating) revolver.
My friend got a NIB(new in box) Ruger LCR .38spl +P in 2013. It came with a Davidson's Warranty & a Lasermax Centerfire red laser. He uses it for home defense with CorBon DPX loads.
The Ruger SP101 series in .357magnum or .38spl could be a good pick. My first handgun in 1993 was a DA only SP101 .357magnum. It was a robust, well made snub.
For the budget range, the stainless Charter Arms .44spl Bulldog revolver could work. The .44spl is potent & the Bulldog has been around for years.

The S&W Model 15 is a great revolver and the 38 Special does everything I need from a 36 caliber revolver. With a 4" barrel it is easy to carry and a good length with which to learn.

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I fully agree with StrawHat's suggestion, and see no need for a Magnum cartridge.

Just so happens that J&G Sales is Prescott, AZ has received a shipment of used model 15 and 67 (K-38 Combat Masterpiece/blue or stainless) that fit his proposed budget perfectly.

I have a Taurus M65 .357 that I am very happy with. It has a great trigger feel and it accurate.

I just came home with a 4" S&W 19-3, slightly used with some holster wear and a blemish or two for $550 out the door, no paperwork. My only other .357 sixgun is a Ruger Speed Six stainless with the 2 3/4 inch barrel. I prefer the older revolvers to those now available new. YMMV.

Hard to go wrong with anything mentioned so far. S&W m10 checks all the OPs boxes and is a hoot on the range. Accurate too. Here is my target fired today from 7 yards double action.

Bulldog...

I saw a brand new Charter Arms Bulldog .44spl Bulldog 5 shot on Bud's Guns website for about $400.00 USD but it's DA only.
I like it though, .
I would snag it if I get the $$$ later this spring & it's still around.
BTW, CA sells cool shrouded hammer revolvers but they are rare. They can be fired SA but have the side shields to prevent snags or problems.

My vote would be for a gp100 either 3 or 4", personally I have a 4", it will soak up the recoil from heavy .357 mag loads, but can also shot the tamer .38 special that feel like the recoil of a .22.

Revolvers..

As others have mentioned S&W & Ruger are best choices, though in your price range, may have to settle for a used one.

Not a real problem as there are plenty of old used revolvers that are still great pistols.The Ruger Speed Six (fixed sight) and Security Six (adj. rear sight)
in .357 will allow wideest range of options.. use 38 wadcutters for target, 38 FMJ or HP for small game, or .357 mags for self defense or more power for hunting larger game.. The Speed & Security Six's were discontinued when Ruger came out with the GP100 & later, the SP100.. IMHO neither model is as good as the models they replaced, They were easier/faster/ (cheaper) to manufacture, so they were introduced as replacements.

If you could find a used 586 or 686 S&W in your price range, it would (May ?) be a better choice, as most S&W's come from the factory with a smoother trigger than the Ruger, though both can be greatly improved by a good trigger job. Expect to have to spend more for a S&W than a Ruger, but it will retain it's value, if it's well cared for. & look for a 4" or 6" barrel length.

It's hard to beat most any 4", mid frame sized 38/357 revolver. Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Taurus, they all make good ones, along with a few others I can't think of off the top of my head. Personally I don't fool with anything "new', there are too many good "used" ones out there. If it's a brand you've never heard of, skip it.

If you don't know about checking out a used revolver, and it sounds like you don't, check out the stickey at the top of this forum and learn what to look for.

Stick with 38/357. You can find ammo most anywhere, at reasonable costs. If you later on want to you can get something else. If on the other hand you don't like it, you'll have an easier time selling it.

I'm a Smith & Wesson guy myself, but I'm not so eat up with them I think somebody else didn't build a good one. Heck, I've owned guns from all I mentioned and never had a bad one.