Which Handgun Is Best To Shoot .38 Special's?

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All,

Well, we have dicussed which centerfire handgun caliber
was the easiest to shoot many, many times. Now its time
to vote for what handgun shoot's them the best; based
on your observation's?

Oops! I forgot the Smith & Wesson 581 and 681 in the
polls. Sorry fans, I didn't mean to do it!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan

 

[BigG]

Mod 52 "38 MASTER" S&W auto.

 

[Jim March]

Kudos for trying to include EVERYTHING.

I said Colt Off Mod Match. The Python is a contender too.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

The S&W Model 14 or K-38 is the ultimate .38 Special.

You need to ask this?

 

[SnWnMe]

This is an easy one. K-38. I mean... M-14

 

[uglygun]

I have an old S&W 38/44 Outdoorsman that is still one of the best revolvers I've ever shot.

If it was a bit tighter or had a timing job I bet it would be even more accurate. But I can't bring myself to having somebody work on it and run the risk of losing any of the original parts.


Old gun just shoots like noboby's business. I think they eventually wound up getting called the Model 23 but there were a LOT of them that were just referred to as 38/44s because a lot of them were pre-model numbering.

My old gun is a post WWII example 5 screw, love the thing. Pingpong balls at 25 yards are in serious danger when I'm shooting the gun with it's more accurate loadings, funny enough the 130grn Winchester FMJ USA rounds are one of it's most favorite. We ran 2 cylinder's worth over a chronograph some years back and they were remarkably consistent with a standard deviation of like 13 and a very low extreme spread in velocity.

 

[PlayTheAces]

Had to vote for the 28. Mine just plain outshoots everything else I have, including the Python (but not by much).

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's Friends-

I started to include the "older" Smith & Wesson revolver's
such as the .38/44 Heavy Duty (pre-model 20), .38/44
Outdoorsman (pre-model 23), .357 'Registered Magnum",
and such but I just figuered that most folk's would
not have access to these very rare artifact's?

Also, with all due respect to my friend and fellow Dixie-
Lander Big G, when I wrote the thread (and poll)
up; I had revolvers in mind. But, his point is well taken
cuz the S&W model 52 (.38 Master) would be a very
exceptional choice; and in the hands of a trained marks-
man, not many revolver's would even come close to
beating it.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[jar]

M-14. Everything else is, well, everything else.

 

[RWK]

Dan, Old Friend . . .

I voted for S&W M-14, like many others. However, right now I am carrying a KGP-141 and a SP-101, principally for .357 magnum power, but occasionally with .38 Special +Ps.

Warmest regards -- Roy

 

[BigG]

My friend, Dan, if we wish to confine the discussion to revolvers I will assume we are speaking of target shooting and will submit the K-38/Mod 14, the Colt Python, and one the late Col. Charles Askins (winner of 500+ shooting awards) used to write about, although I've not tried one, the Colt Shooting Master.

In truth, most any good S&W or Colt will give a marksman a heckuva challenge. Best,

George

 

[Stainz]

I am a neophyte in the .38 world - I just bought a 10 & 66! I guess my 6" 66 would be best for plinking. Now, if it were .44 S&W Special....

Stainz

 

[C.R.Sam]

K-38....PRE 14.

Sam

 

[Doctor Wu]

Python of course.

 

[popeye]

Voted for 14 but I like 15 too.

 

[Hardtarget]

I had to vote Colt Diamondback. Its all I have. My bro-in-law shot circles around me with his Smith mod. 10. He is also just plain better than me....so we could swap guns and he still shot the circles!
Mark.

 

[RON in PA]

In my experience the Colt Officers Model Match and of my current wheel guns my 4" Model 13. I have a Model 14, but I don't think it's as accurate as the other two.

 

[Majic]

I had to vote none of the above. The Colt Officer's Model Match is a fine target revolver, but it really sits behind the Officer's Model Target or Officer's Model Special. They both had better sights with my pick being the Officer's Model Target.

 

[wunderkind]

Smith M&P

Picked up a used, but TIGHT, Smith M64 (stainless M&P) for 205.00 a year ago. It's a former Correctional Officer's gun from MI. Spent 99% of its time in a gun locker at a prison.

As soft as a Glock 9mm is, this thing is practically recoil-free with UMC 130 gr. range ammo. The Pachmayr Grippers probably help. It's the only gun I have where the sound is over half of the recoil sensation. Good training gun for the GF.

You can shoot 200 rds. in a short time with this gun and it's fun-the gun's just heavy enough to tame recoil and just light enough to hold steady.

And the two-tone balance of the silver finish and the black Pachmayrs rocks!

 

[22luvr]

Smith and Wesson model 638

The "humpbacked" Bodyguard is the finest .38 spcl revolver I've ever owned. It does everything well. concealability, accuracy, reliability, versatility (SA or DA) and looks sharp with its brushed stainless steel finish and black combat boot grips.

 

[caz223]

I have a 'model of 1989' 627, 6 shot, and it's tight.
Tight, as in took it to a gunsmith to file a little off the forcing cone to make it possible to shoot it more than 30 times or so without dragging.
It's still so tight that even mild .357 magnum loads will not extract without the use of a dowel and hammer.
.38 spl shoots fine, though and it likes them.
It's heavy enough that when loaded with wadcutters it has almost no recoil at all, making it the ideal gun for new shooters.
I get a kick out of shooting mild .38 special loads at the 50 yard rifle range.
They seem to have no problem going all the way through the paper.
Amazing, huh?
Voted for model 27.
None of my 686s seem to have a problem with accuracy, either.

 

[Quantrill]

For accuracy, there is no out of the box pistol that can hold a candle to S&W#52. Quantrill

 

[BigG]

Quantrill:

 

[JimC]

K-38.

I wish I had a couple of the ones that I let go over the years back again.

 

[10-Ring]

I've had the best performance fomr a S&W mod 13