I have a Ruger GP100 .44 Special with a 3” barrel that I like a lot and carry quite often. Also a stainless 4” Security Six that I’ll never get rid of.....but probably my favorite is a 5.5” Redhawk in .44 Magnum. Or maybe the 4” Redhawk.................. This is hard!
If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.
I have that exact same pair! As far as favorites go, right now I'd have to say my 3" GP100 44 Spl, though I just brought home a 5 shot Bisley 4-5/8" 480 I'm anxious to play with an am thinking it will become a favorite also.
That's a hard call to make. I am very fond of my 5.5" flattop Bisley 44 Special. It is about ideal for an all around packing handgun. I'm getting more and more enamored of my 6.5" Bisley 480.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
Always loved my 629 4". This is the regular 629, not the MG version. Yes it weighs a little more, but its also more pleasant to shoot with the heavier barrel profile. For me I love S&W revolvers w/ the covered ejector rod. I am NOT a fan of the unnecessarily heavy full under lug models like the regular 686. I do have a 686-5 MG w/ the 7-shot cylinder and that is a packing dream come true! Model 66 weight, but 686 durability!
Picture of the guns I currently use the most – this tends to change over time (S&W L Frame .44 mag M69s 4 ¼” top, 2 ¾” middle, Kahr CW45 bottom). I shoot the 4 ¼” M69 a bit better, but the 2 ¾” is very capable. The M69 has become my favorite revolver platform. .
.. .. .. Some groups with the 2 ¾” M69: . 25 yds rested on carpet squares – 250gr Lyman 429421, deep seated and crimped over front drive band, over 5.0gr WST (prob tighten up with some tweaking)- not chronoed .
. 25 yds rested on carpet squares – 265 gr Lyman 429244, deep seated and crimped over front drive band, over 17.5gr A2400 – chron 1,100 fps from 2 ¾” .
. 7 yds offhand double action as fast as I could reacquire front sight (flash sight pict) – 300gr Missouri Bullet, deep seated and crimped over front drive band, over 20.0gr WW296, CCI350, New Starline .
. 12 yds off hand double action a bit more deliberate than 7 yd above - 300gr Missouri Bullet, deep seated and crimped over front drive band, over 20.0gr WW296, CCI350, New Starline .
. The 300gr Missouri Bullet “Hammer” .
. Double action groups were fun to shoot, but most likely not meaningful due to recovery time. . FWIW,
Ruger stainless GP100 .357 with 6" half lug barrel. Like most folks here I have a few that are tied for a very close second place, including the Security Six pictured, but that one covers the most bases for me.
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
Yeah, when I first read the starting post, I was tempted to say that my S&W 442 had to be my pick, only because it's the only revolver that's still in my carry rotation. There are other revolvers I have more "affection" for (lacking a better word), but they don't get carried.
My S&W 66 with 4" barrel is probably my favorite as it was also my duty pistol during my very brief foray into law enforcement. If not for the number of raccoons I've been finding on our walks and the recommendation to use standard velocity ammo, it would be my preferred walk about gun.
My S&W 66 with 4" barrel is probably my favorite as it was also my duty pistol during my very brief foray into law enforcement. If not for the number of raccoons I've been finding on our walks and the recommendation to use standard velocity ammo, it would be my preferred walk about gun.
Not sure I follow that... The M66 fires both .357 Magnum and .38 Special, either one of those will do in a coon pretty handily.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
Scott, that 15 is sweet. Is that a Barranti holster?
I don't have one favorite. I really like my SP101, that was up graded by Gemini Customs.
I really like my Ruger 4" 44 Mag, and my Ruger GP 100 44 Special, and my Ruger Security Six 4" Stainless, and a 2-3/4" stainless.
I've carried my 5.5" Ruger SBH 44 mag for years.
NRA LIFE MEMBER GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS ESPECIALLY THE SNIPERS! "Suppose you were an idiot And suppose you were a member of Congress... But I repeat myself." -Mark Twain
Most fun to shoot is probably the Single-Seven in 327. But it is not my favorite revolver. That honor belongs to a 657 Mountain Gun purchased by my wife and kids from my friend Bob. The MG is treasured well above any other.
People who choose to brew up their own storms bitch loudest about the rain.
My S&W 66 with 4" barrel is probably my favorite as it was also my duty pistol during my very brief foray into law enforcement. If not for the number of raccoons I've been finding on our walks and the recommendation to use standard velocity ammo, it would be my preferred walk about gun.
Not sure I follow that... The M66 fires both .357 Magnum and .38 Special, either one of those will do in a coon pretty handily.
o
Somehow the part describing the second choice as a "pre-WWII Iver Johnson Sealed 8," got left out of that last sentence. I know I typed it in but something happened when I hit the Post button causing it to disappear. And you're right, a swaged 158 gr SWC at 800 fps does a quick job on even the largest raccooon when involved in a tussle with the dogs.
You guys sure pack around lots bigger stuff than I do. Not much critter wise here that my 4" S&W M34 ,22 with the custom grips won't handle. My social gun is a .38 +P M337, but my M17, M60, M66 and M629 all went down the road as being too much gun to carry around and nice as they were, none of them ever made the favorites list.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
S&W Mountain Guns...stainless steel, round butt, 4" tapered barrel...just so well balanced and fast from the holster. The round butt can accommodate many size hands with the correct grips...
I've had three .44s, two .41s and three .45 ACPs and could live with any one of them...
Single Action...
Freedom Arms 97...stainless steel, great balance, round or square butt, love the grip shape and built like a tank...
Have four... two .41s, one .22/.22 Magnum and a .327. Have also shot a friend's .327, .44 Special and .357 Magnum...again I could live with any one of them...
Bob
If you can not deal with reality, reality will deal with you....
I like them all, but favorite for just shooting enjoyment probably the Bisley 44 Mag.
Is the felt recoil with that Bisley less than a standard single action?
I feel it is. Some shooters claim they prefer the plow handle but I much prefer the Bisley. Linebaugh won't build his 475 or 500 on any other SA frame if that says anything. The difference is notable to me in 41 and 44 magnums and heavy 45 Colt. I've shot heavy loads in all three in both styles of grip frames and will take the Bisley over the plow handle.
Make no mistake, when you drop the hammer on a full throttle 480 or 500, even on a Bisley grip frame, you won't have any doubt the gun went off. I don't shoot many heavy loads in either. I'm quite content with really big bullets going 900-1000 fps for most of my work. I don't know that I would care to set off a heavy 500 Linebaugh load in a plow handle grip.
Last edited by mart; 10/11/18.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
A Smith Model 19 built as a parts gun by David Clements, he of big bore revolver fame. He built it for my son when Jack was 10 years old. Its accurate, has a great trigger, and has a good backstory.
“Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils.” - General John Stark.
I feel it is. Some shooters claim they prefer the plow handle but I much prefer the Bisley. Linebaugh won't build his 475 or 500 on any other SA frame if that says anything. The difference is notable to me in 41 and 44 magnums and heavy 45 Colt. I've shot heavy loads in all three in both styles of grip frames and will take the Bisley over the plow handle.
Make no mistake, when you drop the hammer on a full throttle 480 or 500, even on a Bisley grip frame, you won't have any doubt the gun went off. I don't shoot many heavy loads in either. I'm quite content with really big bullets going 900-1000 fps for most of my work. I don't know that I would care to set off a heavy 500 Linebaugh load in a plow handle grip.
I don't shoot a 44 mag, but I have a couple Colt 38-40 Single Actions and when I shoot the same ammo through the Bisley, it doesn't feel like the same load...
Of course I'm a bit prejudiced when it comes to Ruger Bisleys. Here's some of mine. Since this picture was taken I've added the 500, a 1 of 100 Bisley 22 LR (adjustable sights and fluted cylinder, only made 100), a rough 32 H&R that shoots great but needs some love and a Lipseys CCH 5.5 inch 45 Colt. I don't have a picture of the 32 or the new 45.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
I like them all, but favorite for just shooting enjoyment probably the Bisley 44 Mag.
Is the felt recoil with that Bisley less than a standard single action?
Definitely less felt recoil to me. It's actually comfortable with the heavy load I use, 310gr WFN over 20.5gr H110. That load gives 1250 fps in the 4 5/8" SBH, and 1275 fps in the 7 1/2" Bisley. The Bisley grip seems to push more rearward, not so much muzzle flip.
Absolute easy no contest favorite is a Colt SAA 45 firing 260 gr cast lead bullets at 966 fps I cast and lubed with Sharpsguys homemade black powder lube over 40 grs FFFG Black powder, is it dirty? kinda, is it fun, accurate, shoots to the sights, doesn't lead the bore, and historically correct, hell yes times five!
Yeah, no kidding, that's a NICE bunch of revolvers.
Thanks guys. I tend to get carried away sometimes. I started out to just get the three standard magnums, 357, 41 and 44 and it somehow got out of hand. I did the same thing with Herters Powermags. I have always been interested in the 401 Powermag and a friend found one for me in his gun shop travels. A few days later a Powermag 44 showed up for a ridiculous low price. Couldn't pass it up. Then I had to have the 357 to round out the group. That one took a bit longer but I eventually found it. The Herters Powermags are very well made guns and strong, albeit a bit ungainly looking. The grip is a bit odd looking, kind of a plow handle on steroids. The Powermag grip frame handles heavy recoil as well as the Bisley, or at least it seems that way to me. When running the same loads side by side in Bisleys and Powermags, I have a tough time distinguishing any noticeable difference in felt recoil.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
When the weather is cool. I try to go to the shooting range at least once a week. I carry a selection of hand guns. But there is at least on S&W 66 with me. Hasbeen
hasbeen (Better a has been than a never was!)
NRA Patron member Try to live your life where the preacher doesn't have to lie at your funeral
All good looking revolvers. I'm especially fond of the old Ruger DA 357's. I don't currently have one but used to carry a 2.5 inch Speed Six religiously. Wish I'd never traded it off. It accounted for a fair number of rattlers with CCI shot shells. I really like the grips on the 45.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
This one has been with me awhile. As you can see, it gets shot a lot without too many cleanings. Bob
My old off-duty/backup .38 from the '80's. Lots of adventures with this one. I still carry it occasionally.
Current retired carry. Got this one when I went to narcotics in the '90's. Bought a ton of rock cocaine with it in my back pocket. It bailed me out of more than one rip over the years.
1st handgun. Colt Official Police from 1937. Rebuilt with a new barrel and cylinder by the LAPD Armory, then refinished at the Colt factory, when they still did that stuff. Shoots wadcutter .38s (which I have a ton of) quite well.
1st handgun. Colt Official Police from 1937. Rebuilt with a new barrel and cylinder by the LAPD Armory, then refinished at the Colt factory, when they still did that stuff. Shoots wadcutter .38s (which I have a ton of) quite well.
S&W Mountain Guns...stainless steel, round butt, 4" tapered barrel...just so well balanced and fast from the holster. The round butt can accommodate many size hands with the correct grips...
I've had three .44s, two .41s and three .45 ACPs and could live with any one of them...
Single Action...
Freedom Arms 97...stainless steel, great balance, round or square butt, love the grip shape and built like a tank...
Have four... two .41s, one .22/.22 Magnum and a .327. Have also shot a friend's .327, .44 Special and .357 Magnum...again I could live with any one of them...
Bob
Bob, if I remember correctly, you had a 97 out here last time. And it was very nice.
But I was really impressed with the USFA. That revolver was like what I imagine a Rolex must be.
People who choose to brew up their own storms bitch loudest about the rain.
Surprisingly an impulse buy from a friend I ran into at a local gun show. Dan Wesson 4" 715. Now I want a 6" barrel and shroud for it, though it may not shoot any better with the longer barrel.
My favorite(s) might be (SS of course)
Bisley "Hunter" 44 Mag AND/OR Bisley 44 SPL IF I could find one or both reasonably priced, AND local where I could handle them first.
Last edited by LouisB; 10/12/18.
Some spelling errors can be corrected by a vowel movement. ~ MOLON LABE ~
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.
I once meet a guy that had been married 11 times to women from 11 different countries. He was ask which one was his favorite. He thought for a moment & said; the next one.
I think about the Smiths, then the Rugers. with the later, double or single action. With the former & the latter I think about power, pack-ability, person-ability. I have favorite(s) but unfortunately, not a confirmed, case closed, weld it shut, bonafied favorite.
My favorite could be..... the next one.
P.S. A 4" S&W model 69 is the current pet, & has unseated a long term fave or 3. Time will tell.
I can't answer that objectively because I have never owned the 69. There are a number of reasons I'd pick the short barreled 69 over the Ruger and the biggest reasons would be its weight and the fact that it's called a 69.
But there is something to the newer Rugers that makes them infinitely likable. The DA's and SA's are easy to tune and they are amazingly accurate in my experience.
Originally Posted by Geno67
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual.
Originally Posted by Judman
Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit.
Originally Posted by KSMITH
My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
Your center .44 is what I carry most of the time only mine has black Hogues and the smaller grip with a rounded trigger guard.. Damned gun just feels right. Points right, hits what I'm looking at. Reliable as gravity.
Tom
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Most memorable are a 3 screw Ruger 357 gifted to me by a departed buddy and a Ruger Single Six 32H&R gifted to me by another buddy that's passed.
Favorite revolver that I bought is an SP101 in 32H&R, that little sucker just works perfectly for me.
"Camping places fix themselves in your mind as if you had spent long periods of your life in them. You will remember a curve of your wagon track in the grass of the plain like the features of a friend." Isak Dinesen
Your center .44 is what I carry most of the time only mine has black Hogues and the smaller grip with a rounded trigger guard.. Damned gun just feels right. Points right, hits what I'm looking at. Reliable as gravity.
Tom
It's a nice one. The reason mine has the dragoon grip is because it was originally a 7.5" barrel. I had it cut back along the way.
I have a set of the rubber Hogue grips for mine too. They really help with the heavy loads, but are tough to look at.
I have several Smith revolvers that i like a lot but if I had to choose My favorite it would be the 629 5" barrel.....A Model 617 10 shot with a 6" barrel is a pile of fun to shoot and I really like a model 686 with a 3" barrel and a Model 627 with a 5" barrel is also great fun......Hb
Ya'll killin me with all these nice revolvers.If I had money to burn the 7 1/2" S.B Hunter would take a trip to one of the custom smiths for a 6" octagon barrel, a tune-up and who knows what else.
I like my 4" GP100 .357 a lot but lately the 5 1/2" Flattop .44 spcl have been getting shot a bunch. With a 4 1/2" barrel it might take the GP's preferred spot for general use. Reckon I might have to look for a shorter barrel model.
Those who are always shooting off at the mouth usually aren't shooting straight.
Build a man a fire and he’ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.
Back before the 1980s, it was actually a good argument that one should prefer five or six rounds of a sure thing vs 8 to 16 rounds of maybe.
As machines go, the revolver is simpler in one respect, in that its operation is controlled from start to finish by a pull of the trigger powering mechanical actions leading to ignition of the next round, while an auto pistol does the operation all on its own after the trigger is pulled to the point the hammer is released, powered not by the muscles of the finger, but expanding gas from burning powder direction the extraction of a spent case and replacement of a fresh one from a magazine into the chamber. That introduces factors that are inherently less certain, since not powered directly by the movement of a trigger finger at every stage along a more certain mechanical chain of events. But they've made such strides in reliability of the gas-powered action that it's about equal to the revolver now, assuming you acquire a model that's currently in common use by major military or police agencies.
I was only able to show them because of your patience in helping me through the "Posting pics process"...Thanks Greg !! Oh, and there is more from where those came from .
My favorite was a Medusa that went away just before the prices skyrocketed, hence no photo. The one revolver that could shoot dang near everything. Needing money can cause poor choices.
Does anyone remember a revolver in an old G&A magazine from the 1970's? That had a revolver that had 3 barrels, a .410, 357/38 and a 22LR? The Medusa jogged my memory a little bit.
Does anyone remember a revolver in an old G&A magazine from the 1970's? That had a revolver that had 3 barrels, a .410, 357/38 and a 22LR? The Medusa jogged my memory a little bit.
I remember seeing that in G&A. Back when Elmer was Editor.
Today, subject to change at any given time, my favorite double action for use, is a Toklat 5" Super Redhawk. I have carried it a bunch and become quiet fond of it. Single actions a 4-3/4" Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh. Though both have stiff competition in 45 Colt and 480 Ruger chamberings. Lessor intense size, fun guns would be s stainless S&W of some sort, probably of the moon clip variety.
Buttstock; They are the best compromise between power, accuracy and portability. It's definitely most likely to be on my belt when wandering the woods of Maine. Good luck with yours; Mike
Absolute easy no contest favorite is a Colt SAA 45 firing 260 gr cast lead bullets at 966 fps I cast and lubed with Sharpsguys homemade black powder lube over 40 grs FFFG Black powder, is it dirty? kinda, is it fun, accurate, shoots to the sights, doesn't lead the bore, and historically correct, hell yes times five!
Oh, and one i'll never own, that damn big color cased 500 single action revolver Whitworth has with the beautiful grips.
This Jim Stroh built 5" 45 Colt is another favorite. It started life as an earlier M29-2. Dead tight, twin locking balls, line bored, Taylor throated... Stupid accurate.
I have a Ruger GP100 .44 Special with a 3” barrel that I like a lot and carry quite often. Also a stainless 4” Security Six that I’ll never get rid of.....but probably my favorite is a 5.5” Redhawk in .44 Magnum. Or maybe the 4” Redhawk.................. This is hard!
It is hard. Of the ones I still own I'd say a Colt Trooper MkIII in 357 Magnum with a 6" barrel. I like and have liked a lot of revolvers, but this one is still my favorite.
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This one has been with me awhile. 3" .38 10-8, bought new in the LAPD Revolver Club store. A favored off-duty gun long after autos were permitted. Bob
Sweet! I carried the same gun for years, IWB. Except mine was a model 13. Only difference is that it can handle .357 Magnum, too. I only carried .38 Special in it, though.
This one has been with me awhile. 3" .38 10-8, bought new in the LAPD Revolver Club store. A favored off-duty gun long after autos were permitted. Bob
Sweet! I carried the same gun for years, IWB. Except mine was a model 13. Only difference is that it can handle .357 Magnum, too. I only carried .38 Special in it, though.
I had a very nice 13-2 3" but sold it because I couldn't carry it. Wish I still had it. The 10-8 has been a good revolver though, being with me for many an LA adventure. Bob
I have a M64 in that configuration. Love the 3" RB K Frame.
Yep. My favorite revolver to carry. I only stopped carrying it because of a felt need for higher capacity, thus I've been carrying the Glock 17 for a few years now.
only own 2 revolvers currently....A S&W Model 19-3 that my Dad bought in the late '60s and a Model 67 given to me by a friend. He said he purchased it in the mid '80s and only fired half a box out of it. I have the other half of the box.
Dad was chief of police in our small rural town and that Model 19 was his duty weapon for many years. It was shot a lot for hunting, practice and qualifications. It went out of time back in the early '90s so he sent it back to S&W With a request on department letterhead to fix it as soon as possible. They put it through the custom shop.....New cylinder and crane, all new springs, an action job and a reblue. He had it back in 2 weeks and they even refunded his shipping.
Dad also had a Colt Python...This 19 is every bit as crisp and clean on the single and double action firing sequences as that Python. Also the most accurate revolver I have ever had the pleasure to fire.
7 1/2" Freedom Arms .475 Linebaugh is easily my favorite revolver I've ever owned. Beautiful, powerful, graceful, accurate. Oh, my wife bought it for me as a surprise and had Mag-Na-Port trick it all out. They're both keepers...
"Life's too short to hunt with an ugly gun." U.S. Coast Guard, retired
Whatever goes round and round, and calls my name that particular day. Could be my single-six flatgate, my 45 Blackhawk, Smith 37, Smith 12, Security Six, or one of many others.
I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon. ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
If I was forced to own only one revolver, this would be it. It is hard to beat as an all around, with proper loads.
It has been used on literally everything from elk to ground squirrels.
I concur. I have a 4" 44mag mountain gun that I'd put in that category too. My only complaint is that revolvers are LOUD to shoot, the versatility is unmatched though. 44 special shot shells all the way up to 300grain lead solids. It's about the perfect packing pistol (as Taffin would say) for the central to northern Rockies.
That's a beauty, Ed. Had a shot at 2 of those in like condition in the last 6 months or so at an LGS that recently closed. Don't remember exactly why I passed. Probably chasing something else. I did pick up 3 66's during that time frame.
Love those 12's, though.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
Somehow or another, all revolvers have a lineage to Colt. I just love the SAA. A first and third generation with buffalo bone grips. Then to add to the cool factor, 38-40 which is rare in a 7 1/2 inch barrel length. Then add a nice original 1873 SRC in 38-40 and you have a fine set of rabbit killers...