Universal revolver search :)

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Katitmail

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I know no such thing exist. I'm semi-auto pistols user, want revolver just to have it, feels like I'm missing something.

Doing research and checking around I narrowed down to 2 different models I like:

1. Ruger GP100
2. S&W 686 4"

I currently reload and have lot of 9mm ammo. Found out I can bore 380 revolver's wheel and use moonclips. This way I can use 9, 38spl and 357. Is that correct? I know bullet sizes is little different, but is it good idea or not?

Also, I like black guns and most revolvers I see in polished stainless.

Anyway, do you have any suggestions for nice revolver with L-size frame with 4 inch barrel that is pleasant to shoot (and maybe wife will like too)?

I like it to be american-made and solid. Budget is below $1000 $700 vs $900 - I want to know what this $200 get's me :)
 
I prefer the GP100 over the S&W 586. The GP100 can be more easily worked on since the internals are modular. You can change the sights very easily. The GP100 is very accurate, despite some saying the sights stink (see replacement, above). Another advantage is the GP100's grip isn't a shaped grip, so there are some interesting variations. That doesn't mean good stocks are not available for the 586 (check out Herrett's Stocks). New 586's have cheap internals and "the lock", so get an older 586 if you go that route.

As far as I know, you cannot use 9mm in a gun chambered in 357 Magnum. You can cut the cylinder for moonclips and shoot 38 Special and 357 Magnum. You can also use shorter cased cartridges such as 38 Short Colt (they were talking about this on the Brian Enos forum (http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=181024&page=2&hl=+38++s&w#entry2024093)).
 
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Forget about using 9mm in a .357. The bullet diameter of the 9's is smaller, so the accuracy will be WAY less. Don't even think about altering the cylinder of either a Smith or Ruger, unless you admit it will be a "disposable" gun, which will never get the resale value of an unaltered gun.
A giant advantage of the GP is that it is designed far above the loads it will experience for any other .357 mag. Those investment castings in the Rugers were not just a novelty, but a distinct advantage.
 
You can have the cylinder reamed and cut for moonclips so you can shoot 9mm but once it's done you shouldn't shoot. 38/.357 anymore because the cases will swell and split. Also, ignition can be spotty since the straight .38/.357 cases won't center in the tapered chambers without moonclips.

I have a S&W 360J that I had rechambered to 9mm about 5 years ago, it's one of my favorite carry guns but as versatile as it is (it'll shoot .38 Super, .38ACP, 9mm Largo, 356TSW, 9x23, etc), it is still limited since it will no longer shoot .38s. I do have an extra .38cylinder that I will eventually have fitted to it to eliminate that issue.
 
beag_nut said:
Forget about using 9mm in a .357. The bullet diameter of the 9's is smaller, so the accuracy will be WAY less. Don't even think about altering the cylinder of either a Smith or Ruger, unless you admit it will be a "disposable" gun, which will never get the resale value of an unaltered gun.
A giant advantage of the GP is that it is designed far above the loads it will experience for any other .357 mag. Those investment castings in the Rugers were not just a novelty, but a distinct advantage.
Click to expand...
In my experience the .002 difference means nothing where practical accuracy is concerned. My gun shoots as well with 9mm as it did with .38s.

Also, value can be measured in many ways, not just dollars and cents.

BTW, the work on my gun was done by Pinnacle High Performance Guns.
 
Yeah, I think the 38/357 is already about as universal as it gets. If you have 9mm components you can reload theose bullets in the 38 or 357 cases in a pinch, though as mentioned accuracy won't be quite as good. But from a practical standpoint there is nothing a 9mm round would be able to do that you can't duplicate with aeither the 38 or 357. I prefer Rugers, but the Smith 586 is also a fine pistol. Welcome to the world of revolvers.
 
Ruger has a convertible Blackhawk that shoots .38/.357 and 9mm, but that's single action. Maybe if you look hard enough you could find a Medusa?
 
Another option is the Ruger Single Action with a 38/357 and a 9mm cylinder. After reading up on it, the 9mm was much less accurate. I spent a lot of time looking for a Ruger without the 9mm cylinder. Couldn't see spending the extra $50 for something that I wouldn't use. Also in a revolver the 38 will do everything the 9mm will do.
 
I have both. Personally, I like the 686 better but I wouldn't try to talk any body out of a GP 100. They are both excellent pieces.

There really isn't much of an advantage to rechambering a .38/.357 into a 9mm unless that is the only ammunition you have, and if that is the case, didn't somebody make a 9mm revolver?

In my experience with 45 ACP revolvers, I always ended up shooting my ACP ammo out of my 1911s. I ended up trading away my .45 revolvers for .44s. In retrospect, I probably should have held onto them for collector purposes but I never shot them.
 
Had both, sold the GP100 and kept the Model 686. Better trigger and overall feel and balance tipped the scales in favor of the S&W.
 
Ok, seems like between new Ruger and S&W I get more value from Ruger.

I'm sure trigger job could be done to Ruger if need to be?

With ammo I think I'm overcomplicating it. If primers, powder and even bullets (?) can be shared then brass is not too big of a deal espacially that I won't lose it. I'm not going to compete with this gun, no need for moonclips. Maybe some speedloaders for easier range time if I have someone shooting with me.
 
Spring kits are available for a better trigger pull. A set of snap caps and a few evenings of dry firing will smooth it up. There are videos on GP100's to show proper disassembly (and prevent "spring loss"). The video's will explain.

I have both HKS and Safariland Comp 2 speed loaders. Just got the Safariland and like them slightly better, though truth be told I've only used them at the range and either work equally well.
 
The S&W blue version of the 686 is the 586. If you don't want adjustable sights, the S&W to look for is the 581.

I am not a Ruger fan, and it biases me to their revolvers. I have a nice Single Ten (which required a change in springs to be pleasant to shoot), but have had bad experiences with a few Rugers now. Having said that, I think the S&W, especially the ones made from 1960-1994 are exceptional quality firearms, with a precision level that is quite amazing.

I came to shooting late in life, only nine years ago now. I would never have thought I'd own as many revolvers as I do when I first started shooting. I was born in the age of the Glock, what would I want one of those things for? But I got hooked, first on the Colt SAA, and then on S&Ws. I just got a 1963 Model 15 yesterday, and it is now stripped down to parts to clean while I restore the grips. It, like so many other S&Ws on the used market was a police trade in, meaning lots of holster wear and little shooting.

Concerning shooting 9mm from a 357--I had a Ruger Blackhawk that was convertible. I eventually gave up on it, since the 9mm accuracy was so poor compared to the 38s I shot from the other cylinder. I'd not recommend trying to make a convertible of your own. S&W did make a 9mm revolver at one point, but so few were made that they demand a premium now.

My favorite centerfire S&W is a model 625 in 45acp. Soft shooting and unbelievably accurate.
 
Get a 686. Buy a spare cylinder. If the cylinder works correctly with your gun without needing timing adjustment then you are in good shape. Otherwise buy a spare hand and have it fit to the cylinder.

Have the cylinder cut for moon clips: http://www.tkcustom.com

Shoot 38 special, 357 mag, 9mm, 380 ACP, and 38 super.

If you just buy the cylinder only and use your existing extractor star, likely there will be no fitting needed.

Also, you don't NEED a new cylinder, but it is always worth the money to buy extra parts to mutilate whenever you are going to make a permanent modification to a gun.

On 2nd thought, call whoever is going to cut your cylinder for moon clips and verify they can modify it to shoot 357 and 9mm. I don't have any actual experience with this, just done a bit of hobby reading on it.
 
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Since you already reload, what is the point of modifying a 357 Magnum? There is nothing a 9mm can do that can't be handloaded into a 357 case, and the 357 case can be loaded A LOT hotter than 9mm. Save your pistol loads for your pistols. Get a blued GP100 and load for bear in 357 cases. Use the money you would have wasted on useless mods and buy components and 357 dies. If you're dead set on firing 9mm in a 357 just get a Blackhawk Convertible, which is still cheaper than a GP100, and save your money for components. My suggestion would be to get a 6" barreled GP100. Less blast and felt recoil and higher velocities. Don't try to make a 357 into a 9mm shooter. Appreciate it for what it is and use it to its maximum potential.
 
Personally, I would go for the GP100, but then again, I actually did. It cost a lot less, and it did smooth up considerably with use (both dry and live fire). But you won't find many that say the Smith isn't good, and I'm sure you would do well with that one too. Either way, good luck, and enjoy!
 
If you desire to shoot 9mm I would look either for a K frame Smith 547 or a Ruger 9mm Speed Six. Both are 6 shot revolvers that are long out of production and somewhat pricey vs. GP100 or 686. The 9mm cartridge case is slightly tapered to the front hence the difference to the straight walled .357.
 
I have read a lot about the conversions and have concluded that a set of loading dies and a bag of .38 brass is cheaper and simpler than a 9mm cylinder conversion and supply of clips.
I might consider it if I could do like kAkron says and find a spare cylinder to have fitted.
But probably not, I shoot mostly IDPA and clips would put me into ESR and require Major power factor, easy with a .45, no fun in a smallbore.

As far as a clip conversion for .38 Special, the long skinny cartridges flop around in the thin clips and you would really have to work on reload echnique to get much good out of them. Speedloaders are adequate for most needs.
 
Yes, I already changed my mind. 9mm doesn't make sense. If I can share bullets(?), powder and primers - this will work. I always get some cases after match and I can buy a bag, no big deal especially that I won't loose them.

Conversion kit for my press will make more sense than to modify factory gun.
 
I've had a 6" 686 since 1987, and it's my favorite firearm. A shooting buddy of mine bought a GP100 about the same time. I'd say you can't go wrong with either choice. They are both excellent revolvers.

...and since you reload, you can make it do pretty much whatever you want, from the proverbial "mousefart" .38Spl to hand-cannon magnum loads.
 
You cannot depend on sharing bullets.
It is not just the accuracy, C.E. Harris who sometimes posts here did an American Rifleman article on swapping 9mm and .38 bullets. He found he had to get an undersize sizing die made to keep smaller diameter ungrooved 9mm bullets secure in .38 Special brass. I tried this and that without a custom die and never found a workable solution.

You can usually get cast 9mms seated to stay in .38 Special brass. But not always.
 
I have had both of these guns. You absolutely cannot go wrong with either. Both of them will give you a lifetime of use and will still be around for your grand kids. Having said that, I lean towards the GP100. I think the trigger is a bit smoother on the 686 but the GP100 is just a freakin awesome tank of a gun!

I currently reload and have lot of 9mm ammo.
Click to expand...

Just buy a $40 set of dies and, 2 months from now, you can have a lot of .38 and .357 ammo as well:)

When I got my first .357, I had a similar thought as you. I was all set with stuff to do 9mm. After spending some time with the .38 and .357, I can almost guarantee that you won't care about shooting 9mm out of it anymore. Either way you go, you are making a good choice.
 
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