The Python has always been my dream! Anyway if you were to buy one what modern day made 357 mag revolver would you consider?

Guess my Mod 27 doesn't count as "modern day" but would still take it if it was being produced.I've had several 19's over the years but my gorilla hands fit the N frames much better.Haven't come out of the dark ages yet I guess but would still rather have a 27 any day!!

My thought process follows along these lines: If I am going to carry a large frame revolver, it will be a 44 or 45 caliber. So if I am going to have a .357, a K frame makes sense to me.

Perhaps a modern rendition of the old 2.5" M19 such as the one shown below. Maybe a Scandium model. I really need to take the M19 out and shoot it.

The reason I listed modern day is because I am looking for one. Granted I can find a nice used on the auction site but I d not want to spend a year doing so.

Hey Woody,

I agree with you about N frames fitting hands better. That being said, if I went N frame in .357, I would go with the 8 shooter that Smith offers.

However, I really do like the little 2.5" M19s. There is something that just feels proportionally correct with them.

I'd get a Smith 27/627. I agree with Mackay for old revolvers, but with the new N's being eight shooters, sometimes that is an advantage over the bigger bores. I guess it all depends on whether your targets have two or four legs.

2 legs (hopefully never) and alot of paper

OK, for everyday carry, you can't beat the 327 Nightguard. The Pachmayr Compact grips do a lot better job of absorbing recoil than the more popular Hogues, IMO.

No currently made S&W can qualify as the "finest 357 Magnum" because of the internal lock.

The only current production 357 Magnum that I consider "fine," let alone, "finest," would be the Freedom Arms Model 83 or 97.

Finest?

Aside from Korth, I assume.

I have a couple: Colt Python, and a S & W Model 19 with countersunk cylinder.

Yes, FA is quite possibly our finest handgun manufacturer.

Yep I think that's a good one..I've always had problems with the Sasquatch hands and the K frames always seemed to disappear when I'm holding them.Can't even find decent hunting gloves for the same reason!!

Security Six

OK guys....

How about a good smooth operating accurate revolver in 357 mag.

Maybe finest was not the greatest word to use.

Korth, Freedom arms. etc.... Whew!

You are quite right in that the Pythons had a very smooth signle action and great triggers. However, there DA pull left alot to be desired and they were never quite as accurate as the Smiths of the day.
Current Smiths are really good. The so called trigger lock problem is easily solved a number of simple and cheap ways. The current Smith come out of the box so good that only hundreds of rounds and a really good trigger job can make them any better.
They may well not be up to the standards of the very expensive custom guns. But they can easily be customized so that the differences are almost non existant. E

"good smooth operating accurate"

I have had good luck with Ruger GP-100's. Smooth might not be their strong suit out of the box but they do smooth up. Out of the five I've owned all have been accurate, at least as accurate as my Smith & Wessons.

Speaking of, the other one would be a S&W L frame, either a 586 or 686. Pre-lock ones in excellent shape are plentiful on the used gun market or just get a new one with a lock if it doesn't bother you. Looking at revolvers in the same price range I don't think anyone can beat a S&W single action trigger pull out of the box. I have only owned three of those, two 586's and a 686, but those have been consistently accurate.

Both of these mentioned are perfectly sized for the .357 cartridge and will handle any sane load for thousands and thousand of rounds. I still have my 6" 586 bought in 1981 and God only knows how many thousands of rounds have been put through it. It is still tight, exceptionally accurate and defines what a good revolver should be.

I like the M-19's in 357. I like at least a 4" barrel on them. Speed is what makes the 357 superior to the 38 Special and the 4" get very good velocity,in fact my 4" M-19 is faster than my 6" M-19 with some loads

The lock work in the Python is a bit delicate as well

A good S&W 586, pre-lock, is almost as nice as a Python and much more durable with a steady diet of magnum loads. I got this one for about a third of what a Python in comparable condition brings.

2 1/2" barreled Model 19. Mine just happened to have been gone through by Cylinder and Slide and it is sweet!

Please qualify that statement for me Eremicus. I own a Python 4" and I have a M19 6" that was completely worked over by Austin Behlert.

FINEST .357 ?
- - - - - - - -

A new DAN WESSON 715 revolver from CZ USA.

Hands down FREEDOM ARMS

Not if one prefers a double action

Nothing made today, though some pretty nice guns out there, can remotely come to the Pythons I have owned. I am hoping to own another someday, sold my last one to buy the Kimber Pro Carry Crimson Trace edition handgun that is my daily carry piece. Have a S&W model 66 357 coming back to me from my Daughter who had it while iving in Calif next week and they are a really fine 357 and about the right size for that caliber IMO but oh how I miss my Pythons.

Phyton are very slick

The finest ones that have ever been made are probably the Registered Magnums of the '30's. The last one I saw was $4200

If one defines "modern day" as current production, S&W is still building 27's out of the Performance Center, and an 8 shot version in the N frame. S&W has excellent quality control, but pesky design decisions, like the silly lock. The smaller K, L, and J frames .357's all fill a niche, depending on what you're doing.

Freedom Arms very likely has the highest precision of anybody today, but it's a single action, which doesn't work for me, for anything that might shoot back.

I also prefer handgun calibers that begine with "4", but if I was buying a .357 today, I'd probably look at an early 50's N frame, with 5" barrel, which is smooth, strong, and great handling. Early Pythons are also something special, but if I bought one it would be for general use, plinking, snakes, etc. I would not shoot anything heavier than current factory loads in it.

About 20 years ago S&W did run some 627's with 6 shot unfluted cylinders and full lug barrels. That's probably the strongest (and heaviest!) .357 revolver out there. I'm not sure today I'd shoot any Keith-equivalent loads in a .357, no matter how beefy the gun.

Korth has the finest price tag, but it's certainly not the finest .357 in my book. I'll take a S&W 27 or Python over a Korth any day of the week.

I would have to disagree with your assertion that the Smith's were the more accurate. How many Colt's were made to wear S&W barrels?

This whole thing about Python�s having delicate lockwork is just more BS promoted by gun writers who don�t know what they�re talking about. Yes, you can damage a Python�s lock work, but only if you�re an idiot hell bent on doing such a thing. If you shoot a Python like a Colt�s revolver with a steady straight back pull, your Python will last every bit as long as an L frame Smith. Try staging the DA action, and you�ll do damage to the lock work. But doing so comes from mis-use, and you can�t blame the gun for an owner who doesn�t know how to use it.
And a Python is a very durable gun, and can take a lifetime of full magnum loads with no problems at all. Remember, the Python is built on the .41 frame, and there were a few .41 magnum Python�s built (oh, talk about the dream gun), it�s stronger than most .357�s.

Fotis,

I think S&W makes the best DA revolvers though I'm not a fan of the locks they put on them these days.

I like the older Model 19's and 66's a lot, especially for carry, but the 5" 27-0 takes accuracy and shootability to a level that very, very few handguns do.

Mickey
I was just fondling one of those short barreled m19's in my collection today. I put a set of fake horn grips on mine to ghetto it up. The only issue i would have with them is they don't work well with speed loaders unless you get the 3inch barrel which allows a longer ejection rod.
I carry the shortie with 158grain gold dots and feel pretty comfortable with it, although in recent years i am a subscriber to the "4" rule.

Thank you for all the input gentlemen!

RoninPhx brings up a good point that I had completely forgotten about, in regards to ejector rods and barrel lengths.

I can very clearly remember the first time my dad let me shoot his new 4" Model 19. We were up in the foothills and he did not quite have his ear plugs in yet. I bet he remembers it too, since he was a little too close to his kid.

I think Ayoob reported one case where a Python broke because the owner, who was in a close range gunfight at the time, was jerking the trigger as hard as he possibly could. Luckily, he made the first shot count, and survived. The bad guy didn't. Other references report a tendency to get out of time with hard use. To me that's a moot point, if I had one it would get moderate use as a collectible/fun gun, and I'd be unlikely to shoot it hard, or with hot ammo.

If you want a truly finely fitted 357 at an affordable price, a pre-1960 S&W Model 27 would be the way to go. I got this one for less than half of what a Python would bring. This specimen was made in 1958. The Elk grips are by Patrick Grashorn, who posts here as "Executioner." The polish is so fine you can shave by your reflection on the side plate



The 2.5" K-frames, while not as finely fitted and finished as the N-frames (though early 4" and 6" K-frame 357's were very finely finished indeed), are still excellent guns and well worth having. Few revolvers balance as well in the hand as a round butt 2.5" .357 magnum K-frame. Here's my Model 66 no dash wearing Pachmayr Gripper grips.



If you can live with shooting hot 38 specials rather than full on .357 magnums, a clean Smith and Wesson Heavy Duty 38/44 is a good choice. This one is as mild-mannered as they come, even with a 158gr LSWC over a stiff charge of 2400.

EGADS man! You have some ROCKIN nice handguns! Some of the finest Smith's I have seen in one place.

Forgot to add: if you don't mind losing some velocity, a 3.5" Model 27 can be really nice and almost as finely balanced as a 2.5" K-frame. Almost, however. Much depends on how big your hands are. My hands are just a tad small for the best feel on this revolver with these grips; for fast work with full-house magnums I prefer the 2.5" K-frame. Here's my 3.5" Model 27-2, late 60's vintage with an aftermarket McGivern-style gold-bead front sight.

Thanks, I got my start in handguns and have recently gone back to them after a foray into rifle-looneyism Haven't quite kicked the looney-ism, though, just transitioned to lighter caliber rifles. My last few S&W's were funded by Winchester Model 70's in 375 H&H

Despite really liking Smiths, Colt King Cobra....

I'm not in the market for one. IMO, the finest .357's are, in order: 686/586, 66/19, 627/27/28, Ruger GP-100, Ruger Security Six, Colt Python, Colt Trooper Mk III/IV.

For a modern day .357 you can buy off the shelf I really like my 3 inch SP101. It handles well, shoots well and is easily concealed IWB, and the barrel is short enough to conceal OWB with a long enough cover shirt.

Blackhawk 3 screw, un -altered.

If such an event truly did happen (and I tend to trust Ayoob), then I�d wager the farm that the Python in question has a LOT of previous abuse before it failed in the incident in question. Again, can�t fault the gun for abuse.

I bought a new 6" Python back in the 90's and it's a sweet revolver. It's got a beautiful rich blue finish, and it's smooth as glass. I had a nickle plated Model 27 from the 70's that I sold (something I rarely do) and it was very nice...I would have kept it if it'd been a blued gun (I bought it new). That said, the GP-100 is a fine revolver to me, as is the Colt King Cobra. The older Security Six is a nice one too. I've not owned a 586, but they seem pretty nice also.

...well...as much as I love my Smiths when it comes to a .357 Magnum for day to day use I've settled on a 4" stainless Ruger GP100. The DA is excellent, trigger smooth and the right width for DA shooting and while not as fine as a Smith the SA is ok.

The rear sight is good and the blades easily replaced. A Bowen rear sight is also available. The front base accepts many different blades easily also.

The whole gun is easy to maintain and can be taken completely apart with almost no tools. The balance is excellent and grips can be made any size because of the mounting arrangement. And unlike Smiths I have never seen one go out of time...

Bob

Yeah, I'd have to agree on the GP100 for a modern day .357 Don't like the Smith locks (even tho I have 1).

I think I'd have to look for a nice older gun tho. The Smith Mod 28 (hiway patrolman) is a gun I wish I never sold.
I really like my DW model 15 (monson) pistol pack, too. Super accurate and pretty dang smooth action.

If I was to buy a .357 revolver for carry and general house & farm duties it would be a S&W 3" round butt model 65 with Pachmayer Gripper Professional grips.. Just about perfect in my eyes for an all around .357 handgun, heavy enough to dampen recoil but light enough to tote all day in a decent holster, small enough to carry concealed and plenty accurate for most varmint control no matter how may legs they use for walking.

My focus is off but you get the idea. 7 shot 586:

I have my 27s.

357 mag today the Ruger GP100 is about as good as it gets.

My old 686 with an Andy Cannon action job is a fine shooting old friend with a great trigger. A Perfermance Center 627 eight shooter would do the same job plus moon clips and 8 shots.

Finest: S&W Model 27 6"
2nd finest: S&W 66 2.5"
Everybody should have at least one of each.

OK...heres my .02 cents...

Taurus Titanium- NOT the finest, but nice to carry

S&W Model 19- perfection in a 6" Barrel

S&W Model 66- four inch bbl, round butt- best all-around vote

I don't see how staging a double action in a python should if the lockwork was decent harm it anymore than staging a smith and wesson. I owned on python a used one and it was out of time, I have tried a dozen or so and they were all out of time. If you very lightly hold the thumb of your right hand on the cylinder and pull the hammer back slowly the gun should lock up on every charge hole, if it does not, then don't buy it. That is why I have only owned one Colt python, but several dozens smiths.

I've handled Korths and liked them, a lot. One interesting revolver is the Phillips and Rogers, multiple calibers in one gun. An interesting ejector makes it work.

I've had a ruger gp100 4 inch heavy stainless for 20 years,,, good gun

No argument with the accuracy, finish or design of the Colt Python - like a watch. I've had four, none now. I never found them to feel as nice as S&W revolvers, especially the M27-2 and older. I also don't like the stacking of the double action, though this is admitedly a minor point (I have never used the double action mode much).

My absolute favorite is my 5" M27, bought new, over 30 years ago.

I took the original grips off this model 66 and put a set of rubber boot grips on....handles extremely well!



Keith

I have found nothing wrong and a lot right with my 3" model 60 s&w. I love J frames.

The python is here only because of the popularity 0f the Colt 357 ,it was offered at the time of the First Colt Trooper.

The Colt 357 was so popular that colt lenghtned the barrel and

put a very highly polished finnish on it and took the fireing pin

off the hammer and called it the Python. The trooper later took on the 357 mag and lost the hammer pin as well.

The colt 357 (1954 or so)and Python were made to compete with

the 357 Reg Mag,Mod 27. There are other Models like the 28,

19, Mod 66 that I would rather have than the Python.

All good guns Even the Security Sixes are a great find.

Bob

You don't check the timing on a Colt the same as a Smith. As the Colt trigger is pulled fully to the rear you will find that it does in fact index and lock up correctly. Your method works on a Smith or a single action but the mechanics of a DA Colt are a different animal. I worked on the Python line for a very short while at the Rocky Hill plant circa 1974.

I think the Smith and Wessons are best because you have so many options size wise from the same platform. From 5 Shot light wiegts to N-Frame Target pistols all have the same features. Plus, you can have an understudy 22 in exactly the same configuration as your 357.

What you describe doesn�t automatically mean the gun is out of time, but could be well on it�s way to being out of time.

You need to understand that the Colt�s Python (and other Colt�s revolvers with similar lockwork) is a very unique sort of DA revolver, and the design is such that cylinder hands (or pawl�s) are a wear item, and need periodic changing; this is by design. This is not a �weakness� of the design at all. When the trigger on a Colt�s is pulled, the pawl gives pressure upward and inward, locking the cylinder completely against the cylinder bolt, removing all side to side cylinder play that you find in almost all other types of revolvers. This last little bit of lockup puts an inordinate amount of wear on the pawl, about 10x that of a S&W design. Also, the design of the pawl is such that it�s much thinner at the tips than a S&W hand; but again, this is by design. The idea was to give the cylinder the best lockup of any DA revolver, and it worked perfectly.

So if you shoot a Python a lot, and change the pawl periodically like it�s supposed to, a Python will probably outlast your average S&W. The Python is a much more refined revolver than the S&W. The S&W gives up that level of accuracy and refinement for a maintenance free action. The market, and most notably, gun writers just didn�t understand the Colt�s DA revolver action at all, and just came to the conclusion that the S&W action was best. And for most shooters, the S&W type action is the best way to go; which is why even Colt�s eventually made a similar action in the Trooper Mk III (awesome lock work, capable of outstanding DA trigger pulls). I don�t know of ANY .357 that�s tougher than a Colt�s Trooper Mk III in most any way.

The Python is like a Ferrari, it needs maintenance by someone who really understands the design. In today�s world where even our �gun writers� don�t understand the old Colt�s DA revolver lockwork, it�s no wonder that the cheaper, less sophisticated designs abound. The gun press seems incapable of imparting the true difference to the readership and in their ignorance they just call the Python lock work �delicate� which is the flashing neon-light that says your gun-scribe doesn�t actually know anything about Colt�s DA lockwork.

I don't see how staging a double action in a python should if the lockwork was decent harm it anymore than staging a smith and wesson. I owned on python a used one and it was out of time, I have tried a dozen or so and they were all out of time. If you very lightly hold the thumb of your right hand on the cylinder and pull the hammer back slowly the gun should lock up on every charge hole, if it does not, then don't buy it. That is why I have only owned one Colt python, but several dozens smiths.

Not only are the pawls wear items, but the must be angled properly to work with that particular gun.
They were and are, essentially hand made. With few with the skills to keep them serviceable they are, at worst, a lifetime gun.

The SW is just flat easier for even a tinkerer to put a good DA/SA pull on.
I wish Colt would have stayed in the DA fray with their King Cobra/Trooper platforms.

I am a bit confused, here you BS on the Python being delicate



ANd here you describe why they are delicate..

JWP � No I didn�t, that�s how YOU interpreted what I said.

What I described is how the Colt's is DIFFERENT, not how it's delicate. I don't see anything delicate about it at all, just different.

I said that the pawl was a normal wear item. I didn�t say that the hand was easily worn, or would wear out in a short time. Nor did I even use the word delicate. I merely mentioned that the design puts more wear on the pawl and that it will eventually wear, exactly as it's designed to. I didn�t say WHEN it would wear. I didn�t say it would pre-maturely wear. I didn�t say it�s easily broken, or pushed out of time. I just said that it is in fact a wear item. A Colt�s Python will go many thousand rounds of full magnum loads in-between tune ups.

If you equate that with delicate, then I don�t know what to say.

Yes a wear item, that doesn't wear on other designs nearly as much and to me makes them more "delicate". A gun that needs more maintenance is more delicate I would tend to think

If I wanted a 357 today, I'd buy a Python w/o hesitation if one was available at a decent price.

If not, I'd buy a Smith 686 & go happily on my way.

MM

Model 27 with a 5 inch tube. A more modern .357 would be the stainless offering from the S&W custom shop that has a 5" barrel and 8 shot cylinder. I have owned both and wish I still had them both. Absolutely perfect.

I always thought a 357 Shooting Master would be cool, but again, we have that ancient lockwork that is not easily repaired....

And the 45 Colt in one might be better (grins)

So an AR-15 is more "delicate" than an AK?

Does a S&W need the TLC of a Python?

If you're shooting full magnum loads out of a K frame S&W or a Python, I can tell you the S&W will need REPAIR before the Python needs maintenance.

Isn't a "L" frame closer to the size of the Python? Isn't the Python frame a bit larger than the M-19 S&W?

Yep... so by your definition; the Python is "delicate". I just think your definition is wrong.

So if my Ford will go 50k miles before a tune up, and someone's Chevy only goes 35k before a tun up, the Chevy is "delicate".

When I think of the word "delicate", I think about something that breaks, not a wear item. Python's dont break any more than a S&W does. Remember, this is the same action found on 1917 military revolvers, which served quite well in two World Wars, and many other conflicts; this isn't a "delicate" action.

Any piece of equipment that lasts longer without maintenance is more rugged or less delicate than one that require more maintenance. Rather simply I think

Delicate is perhaps not the best word to use, how about wears faster internaly

When comparing the pre war N frame Smith to the New Service, we find one to last like the other; its when either needs fixed thats makes Colt's more difficult.

I have yet to find a revolver that suits me better than a S&W. The double action trigger of most any S&W revolver is so good that I never even fire them single action, and have come to prefer shooting S&Ws double action to any other handgun, so the FA will not top my list. They are nice though.

The lockwork might be the same design, but the parts in the New Service are larger and have correspondingly larger wear surfaces which would account for your having seen fewer out of time 1917's. I don't consider the Python "delicate," but I do believe that they are less durable than their S&W counterparts and are more likely to go out of time with high volume shooting.

I think one has to compare like for like-- When it came out the Python was Colt's large frame double action revolver. Compared to Smith & Wesson's large frame revolver (the legendary, built like a tank, N frame) the Python wasn't as robust, and according to the anecdotists amongst us, they did seem to see more repairs than a Model 27 or 28 Smith. My personal experience was that S&W's held their timing better the Colts, and for that reason alone I would rate them superior to the Python.

The only out of time Smith I have seen was an N frame...out of time Smiths and out of time Colts are two different beasts; an out of time Smith has a serious, expensive disease and generally caused by the user/abuser (as are most things). No doubt the fix for honest use in either is going to be harder for a Colt.

But I've also never considered an N frame Smith "built like a tank"; revolver smiths have fixed stretched cranes on them forever.

What makes Smiths more attractive is you can essentially rebuild the guts easily, if needed.

My S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman or my S&W model 27 fill the niche for me. I have a Colt Python too but for some reason the accuracy comes up short against my Smiths. the Python grip is a bit uncomfortable to me also. Nicest blue job ever on that Python though, doesn't shoot that great for me. YMMV

a few years ago i was commenting to a friend i wanted a smython.
So he had one built. Took a model 19 frame, had it tuned, and had a colt python barrel screwed on it. Then it was sent back to fords for refinishing. The day it was taken to the range, a rather well known gun writer, lots of N.R.A. articles from that guy, got a chance to shoot it, and it went home with him.
The only issue is have with the 27/28 is they are bulky and heavy. But will take a lot of punishment.
The 19's are much better in the carry department, but not really designed with the idea of heavy and continuous 357 loads.
I have a number of 19's new in the box that have never been fired, and probably never will at least by me. I like that model of revolver. But i have progressed to those shooting the .4 caliber more. I would much rather have a .41magnum, .44 magnum, or .45colt than a .357

Well the hand is designed to wear and be replaced periodically, but that's by design. For any other part, I don't see Python's needing repair any more than a S&W. And yeah, the Colt's will go out of time sooner than a S&W, but again, it's a design difference. The Colt's are typically more accurate than S&W's, most certainly so in the case of the Python, and that's what you get from the Colt's design.

I personally don't think the difference is worth it, and I remain a dedicated S&W guy to the end, even though I have a great deal of respect for the Colt's Python. Yeah, a Python is more accurate than just about any S&W, but not so much more accurate that it really makes much of a difference. Mostly, I'm just so used to the DA trigger feel of a S&W that I just don't find myself happy with the Python.

Now, the Colt's Trooper Mk III is an action that is really easy to tune and the end result is a very S&W like trigger action; I really like the Trooper Mk III. Just a touch bigger than a S&W 19 and just as strong as a 27/28.

Speed Six 2 3/4 in 357 mag .this gun has had extensive trigger and action work done ..very smooth its grips are factory rubber Ruger grips

I've been looking through this post...they are some amazing looking revolvers...It really shows you the versatility of the great 357 mag....from J frames to single actions....self defense to hunting side arms...my self i usually keep a few 357 mag revolvers in my safe..even a 16in barreled levergun in 357 mag...

I look at the 357Mag as the top revolver cartridge for self defense... and in a carbine the 357mag is a Whitetail getter..and a great self defense choice in a 16in barreled lightweight fast handling levergun..

As for the finest 357 mag ..made..it all is determined what the attended use of the firearm is ...S&W ,Colt..and my favorite Ruger 'Six" models they are all fine firearms...it just depends on the ,what the owners use is ....
I like Rugers because they seem well built...and the "Six" series ,( Police Six ,Security Six ,and Speed Six) are built on a frame size similar to the S&W K frame which is a handy size of revolver especially with the 357 mag..

This is a picture of my Ruger Blackhawk 50th Anniversary in 357 mag..a great Mid Sized single action...a great hunting companion...

This is a picture of my Police Six in 357 Mag.. 4 in barrel and this gun as also has had action and trigger work done on it ..it is very smooth another great carry option for defensive carry...

I am very wheel gun ignorant, but I lovd my Smith and Wesson 686.

I'd take a Pythong just because I could change out the fireing pin if needed.

Bob

Tex,

I was going to chime in, but you made most of my points. I would agree that the "finest" .357 and one of the most expensive, even including the Korth, would be a mint condition Registured Magnum in the box. I have a Freedom Arms and they are very tight and well made. Also have a Python and they, too are well made guns.

When someone starts talking "finest", he needs to bring his checkbook.

DF

Well, after posting that, I scored one of those '50's N frames with 5" barrel - a 5 screw "pre 27". It has a little finish wear, so I see it as a knock-around the deer lease gun. The price was pretty reasonable, I think. I have a 5" 629 full lug barrel, but this one will weigh a bit less. I'm supposed to pick it up tomorrow.

I generally like my Colts better than my smiths, but I do like my S&W29-4 and my K-22 as much as I like my Colts.

And there are people who know more than I do about it, that REALLY like Smiths.

Still, I love Colts.

...if you go to the "Hunters Campfire" forum and find the thread "ABC's of bra size" you can see some pictures of one of these I think.....

--sorry, it was just too good of a set up.

have had 2 Pythons and one 586, all in 6 inch barrel, which to my mind is the best barrel length for those as to balance, sight radius etc. Have also had 6 inch and 4 inch Sec. Six

my 586 was in too good of shape to let it go for what I got for it, wish I still had it, though I don't now why, have moved on from .357's

guess it would be a good companion piece to the trapper in .357 that my 13 year old dotes upon.

I have a hard time gettin past the wart on S&W's, but believe in these days I too would give the nod to their 8 shot version.

speaking of Smiths, wonder whatever happened to General Stuart?

he used to post here and that dude had some serious S&W porn

a really beautiful and extensive collection

Just to show that a blind hog occasionally finds an acorn, a good friend, now living in Louisiana, raised in New York City, picked up a pre-model 28, 5 screw, 4" S&W, early '50's vintage N frame in great shape for a little over $300. He just liked the gun, but didn't know what he had. His eyes lit up as I educated him and showed him what the Blue Book said about his gun.

Now, that he knows what vintage 5 screw S&W's are all about, he's on the hunt for more.

DF

I like my 686 more than my Python...however, the Python sees more trips to the ranch.

Interesting video.
Pretty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ROYgLRifXA&feature=youtu.be

In my world a SW PC 627 would do very nicely.

The Python is supposed to have the flaw of going out of timing with lots of double action fire, but I think that's only due to people improperly operating it in double action mode. For some reason, it became a common recommendation to fire it double action by pulling it to the stack point, double checking the sight alignment, then following through with the pull. I've read expert proponents of the Colt double actions point out that this is the cause of them going out of timing, and that they are no more prone to going out of timing than an S&W, assuming you pull through smoothly from beginning to end of the double action trigger stroke. That's the way I've always fired my Colt revolvers, and so far none has gone out of timing.

Here are my two Colts in .357 Magnum, though I have a bunch more in .38 Special. I've got some better grips on the Model 357 since that picture was taken. Both of them have actions like butter.

When you think .357 Magnum - most would generally think Smith & Wesson. As much as I cherish my 60's era Python, S&W has dominated the DA revolver market since day 1, with their Registered Magnum revolver being the first gun to chamber the .357 cartridge.

Unless you've had the luxury of handling a Fred Sadowski (300 Gunsmithing Services) tuned Python with a 6 lb DA pull - you really can't argue the fact that S&W is the only game in town.

The hand (pawl) on the Python has two steps, instead of one like a S&W. The upper portion serves to index the cylinder and the lower step keeps tension on the cylinder until the hammer falls.

This alignment/locking feature makes the Python intrinsically more accurate than most other DA revolvers. The trade-off for this feature is an action that is relatively difficult and expensive to tune properly.

My vote for the finest .357? A five-inch S&W Model 27 or an original Registered Magnum with the same barrel length.

BEST 357----Model 27
Best HANDLING 357---- Model 19
Best LOOKING 357-----Python

Oh man, you struck a chord with the Sadowski Python, had to go fetch mine out of the deep hole and fondle it. We go back a long way, Fred did a DAO for me in the mid 70s and it was my PPC gun for ever. Every time I allow someone to shoot it they seem to get all glassy eyed and start making offers. Its Mine an Im keepin it....

I have a several favorites, but the current object of attention is the new Coonan 357 Magnum, it is an awesome piece with the slight drawback of pitching my brass all over creation.

The Mod 28 HWP was just another Mod 27 with less FLUFF!

Colt Never made a revolver as good as Remington untill the
1873 ,and then the colt 45/40 (45 Colt) which took the place

of the 44/40 ! The Mod Reg Mag 1935 ,mod 27,mod 28,mod 19,

And model 66 are the guns to buy !

Anything else is just a newbee buy!


Bob

The first model Colt's .357 is the most overlooked .357 ever. It's a Python frame/action with a lightweight barrel. Kinda like a S&W model 19 version of the Python. I'd love to have one some day.

Hello
Kind of Late to the Party here, I have been super busy lately, but never the less, Let's not Forget the "Original .357 Magnum" The Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum was born in 1935 and below is my First year 1935 Registered Magnum. One of only 720 Made the very first year. Below it is his Grandson the Pre-27 that left the factory in July 1955. Both guns have the 3-1/2" Barrels.... Thegeneral

Does it count if it says "Trooper" on the tube?

My feeling exactly. I love my Model 357 for the reasons you state. I cannot perceive a difference in the quality of action movement between it and my Python.

Excellent choice I bought a blued one just after they came out when I lived in Jacksonville,FL paid $95.00 for it new in the box. At that time and place I think it was probably the best buy for the money if you could find one as both the military and law enforcement were buying up about 90 or 95% of Rugers production run. If memory serves me right the one I bought was from the allotment to either the Jacksonville Police Department or the Duval County Sheriff's Office and it was released out for public sale as surplus.

Wish I still had that gun. I think the Ex wife pawned or sold it.

General Stuart - your posts are always very much appreciated - the fine quality of your gun collection is matched by the quality of your photographs.

Ps I have gone back and forth for years over M27 vs. Python as "the best". Finally realizing that there are no perfect guns, that everything is a compromise and you pick from which features appeal to you most, I kept a pristine example of each brand gun.

This:


But that's for ICORE. Hunting, I'd do something a little different.

Just bought a GP-100 as I was looking for strength/reliability and a price tag that was not way out there with two Smith and Wessons at hand...If money was not an issue..the Freedom Arms would be my choice.

Full house 357's are hard on 99% of the revolvers out there.Few can take a steady diet of Max loads without issues down the road.

Jayco

I only have one 357 so this 19-4 is my favorite.