Birthday Present To Self

[wanderinwalker]

I have begun the search for a good General Purpose carry in the woods/plink/maybe take a deer with handgun for my 21st birthday. I've got several different models in mind so far:

S&W M629 Mountain Gun
S&W M66 (I saw a 66-6 at my local gunshop the other day, I think [read: hope] it was a 4")
Ruger GP100 4"

Of course, I have also thought of getting a little .22 (Ruger 22/45) semi-auto for a fun gun, but my dad reminded me that we DO reload .38s and still have the equipment from the last run of .44 Mags to come through the house.

The M66 is high on the list because it has the half-lug, light barrel I like, plus .38s are cheap enough even for a college kid and I know I can handle the recoil level of ANY .357 I'd care to stuff in a K-frame Smith. Oh, and did I mention that the first center-fire handgun I fired was my Grandfather's old 4" M19 (I think his is pre-model number even)? Yeah, the K-frame has appeal.

The .44 Mountain Gun is on the list just because I like big-bore handguns and have a pile of .44 Special and Magnums that is just gathering dust on the shelves.

Ruger GP-100 makes the list because I DO like the gun and know that they are generally fairly accurate. But the full-lug barrels make them seem porky to me.

Any other good revolvers I should keep my eyes out for? My only requirements are .357 or .44 Magnum (though if a good .45 Colt Mountain Gun turned up somewhere, I wouldn't pass it up), 4-5" barrel, double-action revolver. Open to all suggestions and comments all.

Thanks,
~Nate

 

[First Person Shooter]

The 66 is very nice, since S&W are discontinuing production, it might be a nice choice. I have a thing for 29's myself and love the big N-frame. You say you are looking at the GP-100.....why not a 686?? It can digest a steady diet of magnums, unlike the 66. It can even have 7 shots if you get the 686+.

 

[wanderinwalker]

The 66 is very nice, since S&W are discontinuing production, it might be a nice choice. I have a thing for 29's myself and love the big N-frame. You say you are looking at the GP-100.....why not a 686?? It can digest a steady diet of magnums, unlike the 66. It can even have 7 shots if you get the 686+.

I forgot to mention the possibilty of the 686. My one beef with the Ruger Double Action revolvers is that the grip doesn't line up in my hand in such a fashion that my trigger finger naturally hits the trigger face. (Whew! Does that make sense?) Otherwise it might be higher on the consideration list. The S&W grips seem better tailored for me.

And the search continues...

 

[First Person Shooter]

To me the Ruger just doesn't have the silky smooth action that I've come to know and love. Once properly broken in, IMO their is no substitute for a nice L or N frame Smith. A nice set of rubber grips is what I prefer ( Hogue or Pachmayr) but whatever fits your hand properly.

I've shot Colts, Rugers, Charter Arms, Taurus' ( Tauri?), in my humble opinion, ther just isn't anything smoother than a nice Smith and Wesson. Got to play with the 627-8shot a bit also. WOW! Smoothest trigger ever. Hate the weird barrel though.

 

[tc300mag1]

i would go the Gp 100 myself i dont care for smiths

 

[Bullet]

For hunting I wouldn't recommend a 4 inch barrel and I'd go with a 44 mag. 357 if you have to but make it a 6 inch.

 

[russlate]

Hard to beat an old blue 6" M28 Highway Patrolman. It was my first centerfire pistol, given me by my dad, stolen a year later in a burglary.

A 6" M19 or M66 would be lighter, and if you are hunting, probably handle the 158 jhp loads indefinitely.

The K frame magnums were introduced at a time when factory loads were lead semi-wadcutters, period. Lee Juras and Super-Vel made the 125 grain light, fast, jacketed loads that shortened the lifespan of the guns due to gas cutting.

At about the same time, there was an increasingly large liability issue which meant that police began firing full charge magnums all of the time. It was accepted when the guns were introduced that you only shot 38's at the range, and maybe one cylinder of magnums to shoot up the rounds you'd carried loaded for the last 3 months, and verify their impact.

 

[Magnum88C]

I'd go with the GP-100.

For me, the factory grips are perfect. However, you can get Hogue grips (exactly the saem feel as the Hugoes the S&Ws come with). You can also get half-lug GP-100s, although you might have to have the shop order one, as they aren't as popular.

Then you'll have a gun that you can shoot hot magnums out of all day, or .38s if you prefer. It's about the size of an L-frame, so if you're thinking about carrying it, it'll conceal about as well.

 

[iluvG.R.I.T.S]

Ruger makes a 4" short shroud gp or you could get a redhawk in 44 magnum.

 

[SnWnMe]

The 66 can hold up to more 357 rounds than what the old wives tales will lead you to believe.

Mine shoots maggies exclusively (it is after all, one of my HD pieces) and has never looked better.

Besides, the fit of a K frame to a hand is just perfect.

 

[TK73]

My personal advise is...

...to keep it simple, proven & trouble-free. Get a S&W M686. I have nothing against Ruger revolvers, but from the various specimen I've seen I find the Smith & Wessons feature better worksmanship inside and out.