I’ve got this problem with 3” barrel revolvers. I could never decide which one of these would satisfy the itch, so I bought all four over a period of two years. Yesterday I got the Colt King Cobra and am really looking forward to taking all four to the range. Am I alone in this sickness ??
We all have the sickness to some degree, thus why we are here. And, damn! The trigger guard on that Colt is huge! -Stan
No, you are not alone. I desperately want one or 4 myself. Let us know how that kimber turnes out, it is on my list. The first 3" to really grab my eye was a 3" taper barreled model 10. Then I saw a heavy barrel model 15. While I've yet to own a 3" gun due to scarcity and price around here, I believe they are the perfect length for belt carry. That's a nice brace of revolvers you have there!
Knowing what you like and what you want is a prime example of good self awareness. When one becomes more self aware one must exercise this ability and expand upon it, as you have started to do. By becoming more self aware you will find that you need to satisfy certain needs on your journey of self awareness. One must satisfy this new awareness and by satisfying this one becomes more likely to see the need to hone the skills of satisfying this self awareness through the acquisition of the things that have helped in this self awareness journey... I am so full of it sometimes... Nice collection of three inchers. I feel that you are completely normal. Carry on!
Three inches is a very logical barrel length, for real-world defensive revolvers. I see no sickness, in it. Enjoy! If it is a sickness, well, I do not suffer from it, as I am enjoying every minute of it!
Mine, the only 3-inch I own; a Model 60-something from 1990s. Unusual in that it is a .38 Special rather than a .357 Magnum, with adjustable sights and target hammer. Not many of these made by S&W, I’m guessing. It was a trade-in at a gun store specializing in semi-autos and tactical gear; it looked lonely among the bottom feeders so I adopted it. Came with the pictured grips, box, papers, and original factory rubber grips. Target is slow fire single action at 30 feet.
It is a bit more logical to begin accumulating 3" revolvers other than just guns as so many others seem to do. When I had a large pile of revolvers there started to become too many 38/357s. They were boring and common and I didnt like them anymore. None had 3" barrels though. If one had I may have kept one of them. Got rid of all but 2 J frames and now I hunt 41 cal and larger revolvers that have shorter than 4" barrels.....havent found one in my price range yet and I am OK with that.
I have a 3" barreled Astra 357 Magnum revolver, it's the only 3" in my stable. I have a 2-3/8" barreled Astra 44 Magnum revolver that at a later production date than the one I own got named "Terminator" with that stamped along the barrel. I'd love to find a 41 Magnum variant of that gun but so far no luck.
I have had many 3" wheelies...sw696 (44spl), 629, 325, 625, 686, ...even a detective special 3".... love them ALL.
Nope. For a long time, the 3" Model 13 was my grail gun, until I finally found one (somewhat of a beater, but accurate and reliable albeit cosmetically challenged). Then I found this (which has been awesome)
my first was the S&W in the middle here. It was a gift from my wife on our first anniversary. I love the balance of a 3” gun, and it maintains 90% of the concealbility of a snubby. This one is a 30-1 and is my favorite revolver. 32 long is a sweet caliber, 3” is a sweet size, and the combination is flat out awesome. I would like a 3” 38 but I haven’t found one I was willing to pay for yet.
I do want a 3" barreled .357 magnum sometime in the future when the right gun is in front of me. Got my heart on a S&W 686+ at the moment. Until then, I'll have to do with the pair of rimfires I have with 3" barrels.
Love my 686+ 3" swapped out the nice wood grips for the Hogue Bantam grips. Have fun on the range. Safe shooting!
I like 32 Long too. I managed to get a nice stainless steel 3 inch Rossi for that. Not quite as nice as an S&W, but still a decent gun, especially with Pachmayrs. The wood on your 30-1 looks much better. The Rossi is the kind Interarms was bringing in the mid or late 80's, like this: https://classic.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7443302 (I got the Rossi because like you said, Smiths cost like a moon shot now.) I like that you have an RG too. Their late-production revolvers are not bad, or least not as bad as people assume. I have a 4 inch RG 38 Special like yours, but not as clean, and I screwed up the trigger by removing the sideplate and losing a spring. NOBODY works on RGs, and even if they did, it's not worth the cost.
I currently have 2 Charter Arms .38's with 3" barrels and adjustable sights. In the past, I had a 3" tube installed on a Colt Det Special. That gun balanced nicely. Earlier this year, I owned a 3" Bulldog and a 3" Taurus 431 .44spl.
One of my LGS has a 3" S&W 66; I'd snap it up, but I'm not paying $1750 for it; I guess I'll have to settle for my 2-1/2" 19-3 RB I got for $350 a few years ago.
Sickness, weakness or not, the 3" seems a well balanced and practical length, especially for smaller revolvers.......ymmv
