Let's see some of your favorite budget revolvers! (Appreciation Thread)

Hillbilly Hydrographics said:
Is that a old H&R 9 shot 22? And i dont think it gets any lpwer budget then free nice find. A couple of the old top breaks i have i bought in basket case condition most for next to nothing. Where the former owner thought they would take them completely apart then couldnt get them back together. Picked up a few nice old 22 rifles at flea markets over the years that was "broke" and all they needed was years of gunk cleaned out and they ran like new.
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Yes, a model 923.
 
I've owned various and sundry "budget" revolvers over the years. Taurus, Rossi, Harrington and Richardson, High Standard, and probably others I have forgotten. They all worked. Some were better than others, but they were capable of doing what I expected of them. Oh...duhhhhhh...Rough Riders fit in this class too.

Taurus especially. Others have sung their praises, so I'll just say I've never had a bad one.

My favorite though is the High Standard Sentinel 22. This one is a fairly late model, an R-109, and has fully adjustable sights, and wood grips. What's not to like? A nine shot, aluminum frame, DA/SA 22 revolver, that's about the size of a Smith and Wesson K-frame. I admit the DA trigger is pretty rough, but the SA is pretty decent.

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They were budget guns back in the day even. I remember drooling over them in the Shooters Bible and thinking I could maybe afford one, one of these days. Maybe not so much today, at least not really nice examples. Most were used hard and put up wet a lot and show the use. This one is a really nice example. Even at that, they're nowhere near the cost of a Smith and Wesson or Colt 22.
 
Budget Revolvers and I seem to get along very well. Here are some of my favorites.

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Heritage Rough Riders that I have converted to 9 shot cylinders, and had Cerakoted.

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A pair of 7 shot Charter Arms Professionals in .32 h&r magnum. Both carry great, and have been flawless performers.

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Here we have a Taurus 327 hanging out with a not so budget Governor.

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Lastly we have the Diamondback Sidekick. It always goes bang, but the only .22 wmr it will eject without a rod are Speer Gold Dots. Oh and I mean the only .22 wmr, every other brand and configuration practically glues itself to the insides of the cylinder.
 
I have an Astra Terminator that I only paid $250 for, it's a lot of gun for the money,
My "favorite" though, would be the surplus S&W 10-8 I own. I think I only paid about $250 for it, and it's sent many pounds of lead downrange.
 
silicosys4 said:
I have an Astra Terminator that I only paid $250 for, it's a lot of gun for the money,
My "favorite" though, would be the surplus S&W 10-8 I own. I think I only paid about $250 for it, and it's sent many pounds of lead downrange.
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Many of my Handguns were purchased at a time that now would be considered ridiculously cheap. I used to buy S&W chief specials used for $50-$ 75 in the early '70s, use them for a while and sell them for $100. Making big profit at the time! Model 10s were almost giveaways. I bought a pre 10 M&P 2" Square Butt with real stag grips for under $100. I still have it 50 years later, it was stolen and recovered but the stags disappeared along the way. The Ruger New Model Blackhawk 45Colt/45acp convertible I got in trade in 1974 for used motorcycle parts that may have not been fired when I got it and the parts were free to me. Still have it too. A client gifted me a Springfield Armory XD40 Service model in .40 S&W because he said it had too many parts and he only wanted simple revolvers. Came with 4 boxes of ammo.. A really nice Iver-Johnson top break 1st model from 1895 for free, found in an estate clean up. I could go on for a while, but you get the idea. And free or cheap stuff is just as much fun as high dollar items. I've never been able to afford Korths, custom 1911s, Custom shop specials, etc. But then I am perfectly happy with bargain 22s!!:)
 
Rubone said:
Many of my Handguns were purchased at a time that now would be considered ridiculously cheap. I used to buy S&W chief specials used for $50-$ 75 in the early '70s, use them for a while and sell them for $100. Making big profit at the time! Model 10s were almost giveaways. I bought a pre 10 M&P 2" Square Butt with real stag grips for under $100. I still have it 50 years later, it was stolen and recovered but the stags disappeared along the way. The Ruger New Model Blackhawk 45Colt/45acp convertible I got in trade in 1974 for used motorcycle parts that may have not been fired when I got it and the parts were free to me. Still have it too. A client gifted me a Springfield Armory XD40 Service model in .40 S&W because he said it had too many parts and he only wanted simple revolvers. Came with 4 boxes of ammo.. A really nice Iver-Johnson top break 1st model from 1895 for free, found in an estate clean up. I could go on for a while, but you get the idea. And free or cheap stuff is just as much fun as high dollar items. I've never been able to afford Korths, custom 1911s, Custom shop specials, etc. But then I am perfectly happy with bargain 22s!!:)
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Yup. The days of $200 M10's was only five or so years ago.
The days of $350 M28-2's, M66's, M15's, etc was only about 10 years ago...I only started buying revolvers about 10 years ago, and in the first few years of buying revolvers I was happy as a pig in mud, finding awesome deals right and left. I only paid over $400 for a few of my S&W's and I've got some pretty nice ones.

I'm having to some of them to free up some capitol for other investments, and on one hand its nice, making double or better on guns that i've only held for ten years or so, but it hurts knowing that whatever I sell I'll never be able to replace.
 
tws3b2 said:
Not bad for a 45 year old "Budget" revolver.
1978
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Rubone said:
"but it hurts knowing that whatever I sell I'll never be able to replace."
And therein lies the rub....
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What's worse for me. Two weeks after I sell. The gun is gone and the money is gone.
All that's left is one question.
Why did I do that?

Rubone said:
"but it hurts knowing that whatever I sell I'll never be able to replace."
And therein lies the rub....
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someguy2800 said:
My most budgetiest revolver is this Arminus HW7 I bought at a local shop. When I got it home I found you couldn’t hit a 5 gallon bucket with it at 15 yards. It just randomly shot every which way. Found that the barrel was loose in the frame so I drove out the pins and glued the barrel back in with a generous amount of Loctite sleeve retainer. Much to my surprise when the Loctite cured the sights were perfectly regulated and it’s pop can accurate at 25 yards. Decent little pot metal gun and looks nice at arms length. For similar money to a ruger wrangler (I’ve had 2 of those), I would have one of these any day.



This Taurus Tracker 44 is a great little gun. I had a Smith and Wesson model 69 before this and never liked it. The Taurus is much more pleasant to shoot with the ported barrel and larger softer grips. The S&W had to go back to the factory because it had no sear engagement. It had like a 1 lb single action trigger and it could be pushed off the sear with pressure on the back of the hammer. Also even with the rear sight bottomed out it shot 2 feet high at 25 yards. S&W fixed the trigger but left me to replace the front sight on my own. The Taurus worked great out of the box and was well regulated. I didn’t even bother to do anything to the trigger as it’s fine the way it is. I think the tracker was $450 compared to $950 for the model 69.



I don’t know if this really qualifies as a budget gun since they are expensive now, but this Taurus 941 is a really nice little revolver even though I’ve found I’m not a huge fan of 22 mag.
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What do you not like about a 22 Mag?
someguy2800 said:


I also have a Taurus 856 3”. I can’t say much for it other than it’s a functional dependable gun. Where else do you get pachmayer grips and a tritium front sight for less than $300?
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someguy2800 said:
My most budgetiest revolver is this Arminus HW7 I bought at a local shop. When I got it home I found you couldn’t hit a 5 gallon bucket with it at 15 yards. It just randomly shot every which way. Found that the barrel was loose in the frame so I drove out the pins and glued the barrel back in with a generous amount of Loctite sleeve retainer. Much to my surprise when the Loctite cured the sights were perfectly regulated and it’s pop can accurate at 25 yards. Decent little pot metal gun and looks nice at arms length. For similar money to a ruger wrangler (I’ve had 2 of those), I would have one of these any day.



This Taurus Tracker 44 is a great little gun. I had a Smith and Wesson model 69 before this and never liked it. The Taurus is much more pleasant to shoot with the ported barrel and larger softer grips. The S&W had to go back to the factory because it had no sear engagement. It had like a 1 lb single action trigger and it could be pushed off the sear with pressure on the back of the hammer. Also even with the rear sight bottomed out it shot 2 feet high at 25 yards. S&W fixed the trigger but left me to replace the front sight on my own. The Taurus worked great out of the box and was well regulated. I didn’t even bother to do anything to the trigger as it’s fine the way it is. I think the tracker was $450 compared to $950 for the model 69.



I don’t know if this really qualifies as a budget gun since they are expensive now, but this Taurus 941 is a really nice little revolver even though I’ve found I’m not a huge fan of 22 mag.



I also have a Taurus 856 3”. I can’t say much for it other than it’s a functional dependable gun. Where else do you get pachmayer grips and a tritium front sight for less than $300?
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I love my Taurus Tracker 6.5” 357. I like the look and it shoots great. In a side by side test it doesn’t feel much different to me than my buddy’s S&W 686.
On the left is a Taurus Raging Hunter 44mag which I also love. The look and feel is great IMO and never a failure.
 

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hey smepl this said:
Nice! I’m in the market for a 357 LCR myself. Never shot one but I want one for CC. I currently have a Taurus Poly 605 and it’s been fine but the trigger is so damn heavy.
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It's a well made revolver IMHO. About the only handguns Ruger did right and are worth buying are their revolvers and their 1911s.
 
I have no pictures of mine but everyone will know what mine are. I have a 6" barreled Rossi Plinker that swings well above it's weigh for what it cost. Then there is a bird's head HRR, another with a 6 1/2' barrel, and the last with a 6 1/2 " barrel and adjustable sights.

Styx said:
Ruger did right and are worth buying are their revolvers and their 1911s.
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You left out the SR 22. Mine is as reliable a semi-auto pistol as I have ever owned. Don't leave out their MK series of pistols either.
 
silicosys4 said:
Yup. The days of $200 M10's was only five or so years ago.
The days of $350 M28-2's, M66's, M15's, etc was only about 10 years ago...I only started buying revolvers about 10 years ago, and in the first few years of buying revolvers I was happy as a pig in mud, finding awesome deals right and left. I only paid over $400 for a few of my S&W's and I've got some pretty nice ones.

I'm having to some of them to free up some capitol for other investments, and on one hand its nice, making double or better on guns that i've only held for ten years or so, but it hurts knowing that whatever I sell I'll never be able to replace.
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I happened into a S&W model 10 bull barrel about 5 or 6 years ago for $250. I’m glad I did because I got to see what a work of art old smith and wessons are. They are too rich for my blood and I’m not that into revolvers to pay what vintage S&W’s command.
 
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