Looking for a new wheel gun, need advice.

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benzy2

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I have always been a bit intrigued buy wheel guns but have always had other desires that stepped their way in front of purchasing one. Now it looks like my other wants have basically been met and it is time for a revolver. I was originally looking at a .357mag but I think I am changing that idea. I mainly want this firearm to shoot bowling pins at the local range. They have matches specifically for this and I think it would be a ton of fun. Everyone uses .38 special for competition though. When I first started looking for one my idea was to get a .357 that could double as a night stand pistol. That and the "cool" factor of the name .357 MAG is all that I really had planned on using the hotter loads for.

Right now money isn't overly abundant and there seems to be a pretty decent price gap between .38 special revolvers and those in .357. It looks like I could either get a S&W in .38 or a Taurus in .357. Everyone I have ever talked to with a S&W says to get a S&W and skip anything else. A big part of me thinks that sounds about right. All I really am looking for is something with at least a 4" barrel if not 6", a decent trigger, and adjustable sights. This will cover my range shooting. I figured if I still wanted to leave this firearm in the night stand I could put +p rounds in it and still be pretty darn good to go.

Any thoughts on what you would do? I am certainly open to used firearms and browse the local shops weekly looking for the right one to pop up at a decent price. I would rather avoid FFL and shipping seeing how with the price range I am at being what it is they would take up a good 10-20% of the budget which seems a bit much.
 
K Frame Smith and Wesson...

Shooting bowling pins eh? Great fun!

Really .38 or 357 would do the trick... beauty of the .357 is it can fire both

Look into a good, used S&W K Frame. The above mentioned Ruger is also a FINE gun, but I think the trigger characteristics of the S&W are marginally better.

Bflobill69
 
As a S&W fan I will agree that in most cases the trigger on a trigger on a smith is head and shoulders above a ruger, however I did some minor work on the GP100 and its a massive improvement.


Jim
 
Ruger is a very good pistol for what you want but I would go with a S&W M15 with a 4" barrel. You can get one for under $400, poss. way less or you can get the stainless version, M67. Mine has a 4" barrel and it is just a great shooter for what you want. I have used it on B. pins as well as plinking a number of times and it hasn't failed me yet.
 
My old time favorite is a model 66, which is essentially a stainless model 19. Both have adjustable sights that can be handy to have in competitive events. Good strong workhorses.

I see them for under $500. frequently. I think it may be because people want the extra round in a 686. If you buy a pistol that can hold the .357 pressures you can shoot .38 Sp too, but it doesn't work other way around.

If you think you'll be competing with your choice it means that you'll want to practice. Don't make the mistake of an alloy framed revolver if it's going to be something that you'll shoot a lot. This goes for the 'Scandium' versions too.
 
+1 to

Seafarer. My M-19 was about 31/2 bills. Shoots great, looks great, feels great. I'm betting you'll never regret getting one. It comes along on pretty much every range trip.
Good luck.
 
robertsonstradingpost.com usually has good prices on k-frames if your not opposed to buying online.
Click to expand...
They have some pretty nice guns and give you a good idea of its condition. I wouldn't mind having that model 28 they have.
 
Security Six, GP-100, M-19, M-66, M-586/686. Shop around and you'll find a deal on one of these. Can't go wrong with any of them.
 
Every once in a while a good used Colt or S&W shows up on JGsales.com. Might want to give that place a look.
 
My local dealer had a few LNIB 4" 64s for $309 this year - a security guard company's trade-ins. Mine was unissued - brand new. It is .38 S&W Special +P rated - says so on the barrel! Great bargain, even if it is the SS version of a 10, ie, fixed sight. The 67 is the adjustable sighted version - that's what you want. The SS is far easier and less forgiving to clean. That model has an MSRP now of $751, yielding a fair store price from a dealer who doesn't have to make enough to retire on each sale to get ~$589 + s/t new. It is shown below with Ahrends wood grips, borrowed from another one of my S&Ws. It's OEM Uncle Mike's Combats are fine - and on it now.

IMG_0553.jpg

Of course, the top of the line new 627 Pro, at $964 MSRP, is only $719 locally, meaning that the entire range of basic .38 Special K-frame to top-of-the-line Pro model 8-shot .357 Magnum N-frame is within $130 cost. I had to clean out my safe to buy this - and the above 64 last spring. Further safe-cleaning resulted in a new 4" 617. My safe is a tad empty these days - but I have what I want. Below is the 627 Pro - with a HiViz front sight, a no-tools-needed change, and a Jerry Miculek grip - quite a fun revolver, even if it will never see anything stronger than my wimpy .357s. I feel, for the fun it has been thus far, it was a bargain!

IMG_0622.jpg

One caution re revolvers. They are addictive. I replaced the gun I once said was more fun than one should have fully clothed, a Ruger MKII .22LR bottom-feeder, with that 617 recently. My last bottom feeder is now gone.

Stainz

PS I know money is tight - but, if you can swing it - a new S&W is worth some thought.
 
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How much can you spend? I bought a pristine 586 with a 6" barrel for under 500.00. If you can't afford the gun how are you going to afford to feed it?
 
I bought a used Ruger GP 100 4" SS 357 Mag on gunbroker.com for $275 just about 2 months ago. I just hit the right place at the right time. The gun is mechanically in great condition. There were very minor scratches that would irritate me if I had bought it new and done that myself.

It's a moderately heavy gun, but that probably isn't a big deal with your application. The heft of the gun makes the recoil quite manageable with 357 mag ammo. When I put 38 special ammo into it, the recoil seems very light (relatively speaking).

I don't have brand loyalty, so if I could find a S&W at a lower price, I'd buy it. That said, the S&W's seem to have a premium of 1-2 bills over the comparable Ruger. I don't have any experience with the Taurus, but reading multiple blogs and reviews kept my choice between the Ruger and S&W.

I haven't seen any other GP100's at this price, but I've seen used ones typically in the $350 range.

Best of luck, and read the sticky about used revolvers before buying a used one.
 
I added the right picture in my first post.

Re 'evil-bottom-feeders'... my wife has a Seecamp .32 and a Walther P22 a friend gave her. Sigh. I've tried to get her to go to the 'force' and accept the purity of the roundgun. To quote her, "My butt looks big enough with that Seecamp in my pocket - there isn't room for a 642!". Women.

Stainz
 
Ill give all of those a look. Im in no real rush and am willing to wait for the right revolver to show up before I jump. I have no real problem with internet sales, they just need to be a good $60 cheaper than the local guy to end up even, plus if that is the only difference I would rather give the local guy the business.

I definitely am not looking for an aluminum frame or any of the light weights. Being a range firearm more weight is good.

I know not to run .357 loads in a .38 and to not run +p rounds in a 38 not designed for them.

Budge isn't set firm. I am trying to sell an M&P9 right now which would bump the limit a bit. I was originally looking at around $400 but if the M&P sells I could certainly bump that a bit. As for feeding it I reload and cast bullets so feeding the little guy isn't a real concern. It isn't free but it certainly is affordable since I don't get to the range but a couple times a month.

I had been looking at Rugers, I just NEVER see them come up used locally. I have found some great deals in the past on used firearms and figured if I could find another I might as well. I know revolvers have their own needs when looking at them used but as long as I know what to look for and the revolver passes I think there is a lot of good to be had with a used firearm at a great price. I have nothing against new but it seems like paying a premium for the first round.
 
Yeah thats what I was thinking. I have done a bit more research and they seem to be tanks for a great price. I guess it all depends what the local stores have in and how they all feel.
 
All the suggestions are good ones.
Smith K-frames are lovely - the perfect .38spl/+P platform.
The Ruger GP100 is fabulous. I want one. Again, they seldom show up used. I had to pass on one for $370 last week, but had no excuse to buy it in this economy.

With so many good cheap Smiths out there I see no reason to look at knock-offs like Taurus, tho I've shot a couple Taurus snubbies with fine results (their factory grips are excellent).

-Daizee
 
I don't know where you are, but here in C.A. (Central Alabama), my local pusher has new GP-100s, the 4" SS KGP-141, for $489 + s/t. I noted this early in the year at other dealers, too. Also, the QC seems considerably better - and the trigger actually better, too. I divested myself of things Ruger earlier this year, tired of having to clean up QC passes that shouldn't have. That's over a "C-note" less than the least expensive .357M S&W, the 620. Of course, $230 more than that GP-100 runs will land you a 627 Pro.

Why sell an M&P 9mm? I've heard good things about them. My wife had a CZ-75B for years - sold it three years ago. It was my favorite bottom-feeder. That M&P nearly got me to break my roundgun-only edict. It looks nice on paper - shoots quite well, too. Actually, I likely would have bought either a CZ-97B or M&P .45 earlier this year - in a weaker moment. The force preserved me.

Again, gasp, consider a new Ruger KGP-141 4" GP-100, if the sheckles are limited. Good grief - I did write that - and me a dyed-in-the-wool S&W person. I'll deny it later.

Stainz
 
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