Revolver Education

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627PCFan

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Im currently looking for my first revolver. Everything I have researched and I like seems to run along the Python/Anaconda/King Cobra lines of being "the best of the best" and is what Im interested in, but I dont want to buy used. Now that those models are discontinued, what revolver now holds that high end spot?
 
If you are looking for new and high quality then either the Smith and Wesson 686 or the Ruger GP 100 are excellent. Either would make a great addition.

I purchased a 3" 7 shot 686plus a few months ago and it is a great
revolver. I do not own but have fired a friend's GP100.

My 686P has nice balance and handles .38 or .357 both well.

It's the first 3" barrel length gun I've owned and I love it.

A little lighter in weight than the 4" and better sight line than snub nose.
 
What is your goal?

Just to buy "the best of the best" as a collector's item?

To shoot it at the range?

Carry?

Home defense?

Hunting?

There are lots of different things that can be called "the best." For instance, Freedom Arms makes some of the most accurate, well finished, beautiful revolvers of any production revolver in existence today. But all their revolvers are single action. Now, if you are just buying as a collector piece, hunting gun, or target shooting gun, that would be just fine and dandy. But if you want a defensive weapon, you might be better served with something else.

So decide why you want it, and then get back to use and we'll really be able to effectively help you out.
 
IMHO the only current production revolvers, suitable for serious purposes are the Ruger GP100 and SP101.

The S&W contenders have that ridiculous internal lock, rendering them unsuitable for carry, IMO.

Also IMO, there is not a revolver in current production which could measure up to a used Colt King Cobra....let alone a Pyton. YMMV. TJ
 
Oh for the love of Mike. You might not want an internal lock, you might be angry with Smith and Wesson for using them, but the anticipated storm of failures of this feature have just never materialized.

It can be your opinion that they are unsuitable, but it will be an emotion based uninformed opinion. The quality of Smith and Wesson revolvers is at least the equal of Ruger and the lock may be a political sticking point or a matter of preference.

To argue that the feature is evidence of lack of quality is disingenuous.
 
The main use would be for carry, however I would hunt with it (on occasion). Im aiming for a 6 inch model, .357 or .44 (specials for carry).
 
In a single action.

Freedom Arms

SAA style
USFA or Turnbull

Double Action
Korth

.

Yes, the S&W 686 and Ruger GP100 are fine revolvers, and can hold their own as far as function and accuracy goes, but they certalinly don't have the level of refined finish and polish of a Python.

Maybe one of the new S&W model 27's but they honestly didn't impress me the way a 27 ought to.
 
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Do you want "the best of the best" because you feel it'd be the most accurate? Or would it be for the fit/finish? Or the resale value? Or that everything else must be junk?

For pure out-of-the-box accuracy and fit/finish, my nod would go to Freedom Arms, especially for a hunting revolver.

You stipulated that'd you'd largely carry it, though, so I'd recommend a S&W 686 or Ruger GP100. Both are capable of fine accuracy out of the box, but if ultimate accuracy and/or a butter smooth action is what attracts you to a Python, I'd just send your Smith/Ruger to a good gunsmith for additional accurizing and a good action job. There are some very good revolver 'smiths out there.

You could also keep your eyes open for "like new" Pythons that occasionally show up. It'd be cheaper to buy the Smith or Ruger and have it worked on, though. It's also considerably easier to find good Smith/Ruger gunsmiths than good Python gunsmiths.

Or how 'bout something from John Linebaugh?
http://customsixguns.com/
 
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Go with Rohm.

A vastly underrated German manufacturer whose Mercedes-like quality is overlooked in this mass produced world or ours.

Perhaps the stoutest frame of any production revolver.










:neener:
 
What's your budget? Are you wanting/willing to spend hundreds, or thousands? You can get a new GP100 in the $450-$550 range. I don't know what a new Korth goes for, but I'd not be surprised if it is in the $2500+ range.
 
You stipulated that'd you'd largely carry it, though, so I'd recommend a S&W 686 or Ruger GP100. Both are capable of fine accuracy out of the box, but if ultimate accuracy and/or a butter smooth action is what attracts you to a Python, I'd just send your Smith/Ruger to a good gunsmith for additional accurizing and a good action job. There are some very good revolver 'smiths out there.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I would suggest. You are never ever going to find a stock/factory DA revolver that has the level of refinement of a Python.
Best you can do is get a really really good starting platform like the 686 or GP100, and send it to a gunsmith to have it really tuned up, refined, and customized to be exactly what you want. Then you can get that close, personal attention to detail that you might have gotten with the Pythons.
 
I bought a S & W 686 with 6" barrel over 20 years ago, is still one of my favorites guns to shoot. Accurate at 100 yds I just love the balance.
 
The OP said he would like it for carry. In my opinion, the 6" 686 and GP100 are not really good candidates for carry. I shot mine this morning. While it is not a howitzer, it's too big for concealment - the gun is almost a full foot long, OAL! No, a 4" is about as big as you would want to go.

The Ruger SP101 is, in my mind, about perfect for carry. It's right between a Smith J and K frame, hell for stout, pleasent on the eyes, accurate, affordable, and heavy enough to help off-set recoil while still being concealable. Its fixed sights might hamper some shooters, but the fixed sights are very good and easy to pick up. Yeah, it's ony a 5-shot, but I only have five fingers, too and that doesn't slow me down much. I wouldn't feel undergunned with one.

Q
 
Best of the Rest

If you want a revolver to caress and behold, then the ones made with all the expensive labor to provide finish, shine, exotic grips, and hand made fit; then many of the suggested ones are for you.

The Rugers, Smith and Wessons, and others that you may read on the posts here that give their owners much accuracy, reliability, ruggedness, and daily use with no pampering fall into the category for most shooters as
Best of the Best.

And the performance difference between the first mentioned and the second
ones given is a very close, almost indistinguishable second place.

There, that's a Primary Education for you.
 
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I guess the new "Classic" model 27 (or the others in the "classic" line) would be about as close as you're going to get to a Python in the finish dept. Probably the nicest blue I've seen on a new double action revolver these days.

150339_large.jpg
 
OP specifically said...
"the best of the best" and is what I'm interested in, but I don't want to buy used. Now that those models are discontinued, what revolver now holds that high end spot?

Smith & Wesson Performance Center
the model 27 being a strong candidate, but you pretty clearly are willing to put up the $$$$, so I think there are plenty of choices there for you to consider

or a Korth, of course (I guess they are still making them, too far out of my income bracket for me to Google)

Unless you very specifically want a single action... (Freedom Arms, as has been said), though SA not what most folks would choose

buy all three, and you will be far better qualified than anyone I personally know to define what "really" is Best-of-Best :)


PS
no matter what is said about the fine old Colts long out of production
(and there really is a mighty lot of "good" to say about them), they never were perfect, like any other make/model they had their weak spots as well
but all that aside, "that was yesterday, and yesterday is gone"
If it were not, then the original Dan Wesson's ought be somewhere on the short list also
 
I hate to say this but, if I had to get a brand new gun, I may go with a stainless 3" Ruger SP01 instead of the S&W. A new S&W is just too much money. The SP01 is a big carry gun or a small woods gun. It's sort of a compromise. Wanting a woods/hunting gun that's also to be used for carry purposes is a tall order.

Personally, I recommend buying a used gun. Way more value for your dollar.
 
I love my SP101 3" .357 :)

Picked it up used from a buddy about 3 weeks ago. Only had the chance to shoot it once so far, put 50 rounds of .38 and 10 rounds of hot .357 through her and loved every second. The gun is very accurate and fun to target shoot as well as small enough to still be a reasonable carry piece. :cool:
 
Try a 38 spec snubby.
Something you can really carry!
S&W Model 36!
And the ammo is cheap.
 
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