Which is your favorite? Smooth accurate and classy..... Old or new

Pinned and recessed 19's with 6" (or better) barrel.

3.5” and 8 3/8” S-prefix Model 27’s.

Clark's pick.

686 in any barrel length. Hands-down THE best .357 ever made, though there are many others that are good. N frames are next. Definitely pre-lock and pre-everything-being-round-butt. Make mine a no-lock, square butt 686.

Model 19 4"

That's tough... All old M27's are great. Snubbed M66's are cool. For me and all around packing and shooting it's a 6" M19.

19's and 66's are glorified 38 Specials.

The one in my pocket every day is a 360 J . My favorite to shoot is a 4 in 66-3. The one at my front door is a 640-1.
Depends on the situation. Hasbeen

A pre-83 Model 13/65 with three inch barrel and round butt frame. Ideal IWB everyday carry piece. A close second is the pre-83 snubby, round butt, Model 19/66.

5" Model 27, followed closely by a 3-1/2" Pre 27, followed by a 3" Model 65....

I've had several, but my favorite is my 27-2.

27-2 5", next up 19-3 4", then a 586-4 4"

Plain Jane 4 inch Model 28..... even when empty i can pistol whip the chit outta somebody and not make a scratch on it.

Favorites:

Most pleasing to the eye...5" 1950s vintage Pre-27

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/583425-pre-27-estate-auction-purchase.html



All-around shooter/carry...66-2 3" Ashland Special




Backpacking/fishing/boating/Trail Gun....60-10 3"





That said, I do have a 6" 1952 vintage Pre-27 that would probably be the last gun to go...as it lettered to the day I was born... Gun was shipped to the George Lawrence Company, the holster maker... A few years later I found a long out of production Lawrence 120 Keith holster for it brand new in the package... So what are the chances of finding a gun shipped on the day you were born and then a holster from the company it was shipped to designed by your favorite gun write....stars were all aligned just right... And I actually like shooting the 6" more than the three 5" 27s I had...







Bob

These.

for balance, weight, a bunch of criteria, for me it goes to the 19 or 66. Having said that in terms of durability in firing magnum loads it goes to either a 2 7 or a 28.
I pretty much have never fired anything in the 19's except 38special.
the N frame different story.
But they are heavy to me.

The 686 with the 4 position front sight in the center. The M65 in the lower left has a smoother D/A trigger

A friend of mine, back in the 1990s, was looking to fund an African safari, and was selling most of his accumulated guns. I didn't really want anything he had, but figured I'd help him out by buying his Performance Center custom, four inch, Model 586. This was a pre-lock, but had MIM trigger and hammer. But, man, was this thing sweet. Action like velvet. Super light and crisp trigger, with factory installed over travel stop. I really liked it, but it wasn't my cup of tea (as a backup to a hunting rifle, I prefer aluminum alloy handguns, and for a daily concealed carry revolver, the largest I'm interested in is K-Frame, and that with a barrel no longer than three inches), so recently sold it for a tidy sum.

It’s hard to pick just one. They all serve a purpose. The last is a little snub. It’s my favorite right now. That’s subject to change. Hasbeen

stuck between this and an earlier 686

M28 4". Solid, accurate, it just looks right.

Who makes the grips on that stainless L-Frame? Neat.

Too hard to pick one, four inch Highway Patrolman, three inch Model 13, 586 L-Comp. All I've had in the past and wish I had back.

65

IF price wasn't a consideration, I'd prefer a Model 27 with 3.5" barrel (of the sort that was issued to FBI & certain other federal agents in the 1950-70 era) over any other S&W revolver.

yours, tex

4" Combat 66. My buddy announced I was selling it to him awhile back, and I let it go. Not sure what I was thinking...still my favorite.

Favorite is my old 4" model 28, second choice would be an 83/8" model 19.

Nice thread, makes me want to get a S&W 357, for the guys in the know, what model would run period correct with a S&W model of 1955 45 ACP/Auto Rim? it's a five screw 6" blue revolver with target hammer and trigger.

I really like the S&W L Frame 357 revolvers (586/686) in barrel lengths from 3 to 6 inches.

I'm surprised at how many like the N-Frame .357 Magnums. Seems kind of overbuilt for the cartridge. I sold my 28 years ago. Makes little sense in light of the L and K frames chambered in it.

Pre model 27 3.5" that lives in my house. It's my last 357, as I'd find it very difficult to name a real purpose for the cartridge these days.

I have a grand total of ONE handguns chambered for 357. It's the most overused, understood, useless handgun cartridge around.

If a 38 special ain't gonna do it, step up the caliber.

My model 28's followed by the GP100... I can shoot any 38 spl. and 357's if I like... Great varmint busters for the west...

?

I guess we know how you feel about the 40 S&W.....lol

Depends on the ratio of carrying to shooting.

357 Mag with the 125gr JHP has closed-out a lot of health records, real fast. It may still be up to the task.

Same is true with the 158 gr. JHP

Ain't complicated to understand if your parents are opposite sex.

Love me some 40

Stick,
I have 3x .40's lol

So, in short, your pussy hurts if the question ain't answered the way you think it should be answered. Must be tough being a [bleep].

Not at all, just thought you'd have some intelligent logic behind your statement...I was wrong, my apologies.

Fotis: DO NOT have any "new" (lawyer lock!) Smith & Wesson revolving pistols - never have, never will!
My all time favorite 357 Smith & Wesson would be my Model 66-1 6" with target trigger target hammer.
I bought it new way back when and used it to "qualify" with, while on the department I worked for.
I qualified "Distinguished Expert" probably 20 times out of the 30 times I used it for qualifications.
My second favorite (and shoot it a tad better than with my Model 66!) is my wonderful 6" Model 686.
I pray for the day the dimwits at Smith & Wesson will realize their mistake (like the dimwits at Remington did with their "J" locked Model 700's!) and rid their handsome revolvers of the useless, disconcerting, value destroying and ugly lawyer locks!
Alas I am sure there are enough older "lock-less" Smith & Wesson revolvers out there to keep me "shootin" for the rest of my life.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've owned 2 S&W .357s. The first I sold years ago but it may come back to me in time if I am patient. It is/was a pre-war, pre-27, N frame, probably was a registered gun. 8-3/4ths, not 8-3/8ths, inch barrel. I got it from my grandpa, shot it a lot as a kid, and sold it to another close relative who is getting up there in years and doesn't fire more than a handful of centerfire shells in a year now. It was, IMHO, "over-tuned" by some past gunsmith / gunsmith wanna-be lightening springs for smoothness and speed. Combined with many decades of wear, it needs some internal TLC to be truly reliable. SA trigger pull is plain wicked though, don't want that loused up.

The other is a pre-lock M60 3" .357 with adjustable sights. It is a miserable beast to shoot but it is also incredibly accurate for its size and recoil. If you can hang onto it, manage the sights, and forget what a beating your hand is about to receive, it's capable of 2 inch 50 yard groups from a rest with Federal 125 grain JHP factory ammo. Because I don't like shooting it to sight it in again, I don't mess with lighter loads, I just hope not to pull the trigger.

I wish S&W would offer a half-lug 4" 686 or 586. I guess that means a 4" model 19 would be a good contender ... never owned one so that's just guess work.

Tom

I've only owned an early stainless steel 642. Carried M10 and M19 as duty revolvers.

Don't currently have any S&W, but wouldn't mind having a Model 10, four inch, heavy barrel, round butt.

The 3" 60-10 is a great shooter....125s are what I settled on for a load also....

As to a 1/2 lug 686...have you looked at this one? I have a 686-7 (one of only two Smiths I have with a lock) that is this same gun in .38 Super and it balances beautifully....

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-pro-series-model-686-ssr

If I HAD to buy a brandy new S&W .357 today this is what I would probably buy....

Bob

Nice! I've never seen a half-lug 686 but shot a 4" Security Six for a few years and liked the balance. I'd be surprised if they weren't in the same ballpark for handling. In the same ballpark would be one of the GP100 "match champion" guns ... again, something I haven't shot yet.

Funny but I don't like the 586/686 full lug guns but much prefer the standard full lug 4" GP100 over the Match Champion...

My favorite Smith .357 Mag? Hell thats all of em but if I had to choose just one it would be a Model 627 Pro 4" ...A close second is a 686 plus 4"......👍.....Hb

I agree on the Ruger, I had both and liked my standard GP100 full lug 4" better than My match champion....Hb

My old M19...

this actually makes sense!

My Dan Wesson 715 (the gun that S&W corporate wouldn't let him build).

I like mine too!

And my 44 but that is a different story! LOL

Agree with Steely...Model 23 or its precursor.....the noise and racket and inability to use some really good bullets make my favorite 357 a 38....

Favorite is the M19, I have a 4" and a 2 1/2", not fond of recessed cylinder, makes reloading with speed loaders difficult. Like narrow smooth triggers and bobbed hammers, great firearm for sure.

The only DW I ever owned was one of those models. For some reason, it came in the small pistol pack with two barrels-both being six inch, one with a vent and one without.

The only 357 Smith made during that time period, that I'm aware of, was the N frame model 27. I don't remember what year the model 28 came out, but it's simply a more spartan version of same anyway. A 5" model 27 was always one of Skeeter's favorites. Do you have his book, Good Friends, Good Guns Good Whiskey? If not, I highly recommend it. I very much enjoyed Skeeter's stories. No offense to old Elmer, but much more so than his. My second choice for that era would be a 3 1/2" "FBI type" model, like the early agents carried. I've never been fortunate enough to own either barrel length. My personal model 27's that I can remember, were 6 and 8 3/8" barrels.

I trimmed the stable a few years back and got rid of my model 19 and GP 100's. Now the only 357's that I remember having are a model 28 in near new condition, that I inherited and my wife's Colt Magnum Carry (a Detective Special in 357 that Colt only made for a short time before one of the times they went under). I traded her 38 Special Detective Special on it so she'd have more versatility. It is wicked with 357's though.

I guess they used to convert model 20's (the 38-44 Heavy Duty) to 357, but I've heard they were not of the same steel as the model 27 and that this was not a good practice. I have no idea of the truth to this statement.

I'd buy the original .357 Magnum, possibly with a model number if I'm slumming. There is a bit of overlap with the Combat Magnum if K-frames are more your thing, though.

Having two 3" J's, two 3" K's, 4" GP100 and a 4" Colt Trooper in addition to the 6.5" 27, try firing two boxes, as in 100 rounds, of real .357s through a J-K-L frame size gun and you'll appreciate the extra weight of the N-frame....

95% of the ammo that goes through a .357 are .38 Special or downloaded .357 handloads... Shooting full loads through the 27 is pleasant compare to the others...

Bob

Are the newer 686s bad compared to the older smith's?

Bad in what way? To hear some talk the 686 is the crème de la crème of 357's although the GP100 and Blackhawk certainly match it step for step.

1. 5" Model 27
2. 3" Model 66
3. 4" Model 686

Absolutely true. I remember shooting the hottest .357 Magnum loads through my 28 and it feeling like target wadcutters. That would be the only justification I can think of for owning one.

Thanks for the info EE and trplem, before you guys posted to my inquiry I got on Gunbroker and Gunsinternational and began looking around, I suppose the N frames are stronger then the K frames? plus, I called and old friend to discuss, he said he has a 586 no dash whatever that means, that he 'may' sell me.

I think a clean old N frame will be a better running mate for my 1955 45 acp.

I have 8 S&W 357s; a 4" 19, a 3.5" 27, a 5" 27, a 3" 66, a 4" 66, a 5" 66, a 4" 520, and a 4" 620.

You can't beat the cool factor of the 27's, but I carry the 620 more often 'cause it doesn't require constant attention, plus they are smoother than the 19/66 and equally as smooth as the 27s.

I don't understand why the 27's with 3.5" barrels bring so much more $$ than those with 4" barrels.

The 5" 66 is a 6" that I had Ahlman's shorten by 1".

EDIT: I am a Skeeter Skelton fan, so the 5" S&W N-frames attracted me. I had Ahlman's shorten the barrels on two different 624s to 5" as a companion to my 5" 27.

A 586 is a good gun, just like the 686 only in carbon blued steel rather than stainless. Some prefer the look of blued whereas I always prefer stainless as I think it is superior, at least in anywhere near modern stainless guns-with the exception of copies of historical guns. The no-dash means there is no dash after the model designation. A dash followed by a number will indicate later runs of guns with changes to them-sometimes inconsequential, other times of significance. IIRC the early L frames had some bugs to work out, but I can't remember what they were. Many of these no dash guns were sent back and fixed. Smith usually designates that also by stamping the gun.

The N frames are stronger than K or L frames by way of mass. They are simply bigger guns and thus stronger. The N frame predates the K frame in 357 Magnum. Bill Jordan called for a K frame in 357 and is thought to be the father of the model 19-which is strange since Jordan was huge. It was thought that the time was right for a smaller 357 since by then the steel was better than a turn-of-the-century Hand Ejector say, which turned into the model 10. By the time the L frame came out, the N's were thought to be overkill for the 357, hence the emphasis nowadays on putting more holes in the cylinder of new iterations of 27's and L frames.

The L frame was brought out specifically to compete with the Python, which is one reason they have the underlug, mimicking the Colt gun. They are said to be a .41 caliber frame, which is enough mass for the hot 357 cartridge. For many years Smith bracketed the Python, et al with a .44 caiber N frame and a .38 caliber K frame. Now Smith even makes tiny J frame 357's. Colt beat them to that with the Detective Special.

The newer ones are probably the equivalent. It depends on whether you think MIM is inferior and whether you can co-exist with the keylock commony called the Hillary Hole that Smith got saddled with due to some lawsuit back during the Clinton era. Many guys HATE the keylock and some hate MIM parts. I personally like the look of the older guns better. I especially like the look of a square butt gun better unless you need extra concealment from your weapon.

NICE, Thanks, I'm headed to a local gunshop to pick up a couple 300 count buckets of CCI mini mag 36gr hp's, on sale for 22 bucks a bucket out the door, i'll look around at the Smith revolvers and see what they have, I've got my old 1955 45 acp here studying it, guess if I see anything S&W 357 with 4 or 5 screws in it at a good price I better grab it.

What I mean is not in the same class as far as smoothness accuracy overall quality. Some of the old-timers talk it's like only the old Smiths are worth anything and if it has a lock on it forget it it's garbage

The lock can be eliminated too, if that bothers you.

See my post a few posts back. The advent of MIM corresponds roughly to the lock guns and many don't like MIM. I think the new guns are plenty good but prefer the look of the old guns. By the time you get done modifying new ones to look like the old ones, you might as well have paid extra for an older model.

makes sense......

No contest, nothing else really close...................4", L-frame, 686.

MM

BWAHAHAHA, back from the gunshop, no S&W's in 357, gunshop Bud said here's what you need, and pulled out some kind of funny looking little Colt SF 1 something or another in 38 Special, rubber grips, bobbed hammer with no sights and a two inch barrel.

Everything is stronger than K frames......

If you can buy a 586 I would pursue that.

If I wanted a modern .357 in an L-frame sized gun I'd go Ruger.

I have a 686+ that the Smith & Wesson Custom Shop did a trigger job on after I sent it in right after I bought it because of AD's (light primer strikes). It is a real sweet shooter now.

I just picked up a pristine 6” Ruger Security Six for a song. It will keep 5 shots in 2” when I do my part and it has enough weight with the 6” barrel to handle heavy loads well.

5" 27-2. An awesome revolver

Any pre lock I do like the 686 and the 28

What grips are those?

Roper design. I was going to comment on them. Guess I did. Skeeter special.

My 5" 627 PC 8 shot. My first N frame, I wounder why I waited so long.

Nice gun

MIM doesn't bother me that much. The early attempts at the process brought it into question, but I think its been used successfully enough throughout the industry to not base a decision on that alone.

The locks still have that stigma, as well. I deleted mine in my J-frame and (now gone) 329PD.

The show-stopper for me, however, is the over-clocked screw-in barrels and the canted barrels. I was considering a 3" 69 Magnum, but a significant number of barrels were really misaligned on the S&W guns I was picking up.

So yeah.....Here's one vote for newer Smiths being "bad" when compared to the older ones. They need to go back to pinning the barrel.

That group would surely get you down the road.

Well this has been a fun thread, found out I needed another revolver, just didn't know it before, will be on the lookout for a pre or m-27 pinned and recessed 5 or 6 inch barrel, that'll do it, and will sit well with a 45 cal model of 1955, which I think is also an N frame.

To add further confusion, gunshop buddy called this morning and said he found a 4" m-66 at the house, wants me to come by and look at it. this chit never ends!

Thanks moosemike.

I suppose this one.



Used to be this one.

Nice, I feel like I'm standing in a big wet cow pile on the top of a big slippery slope, this looks like it could be some expensive fun.

This kind of fun is always expensive, gunner.

I'm smelling what you're stepping in local dirt!

Gun guys said:

900 on the funny looking little Colt SF VI.
800 on the blue no dash 4" 586 with rubber grips.
750 on the stainless no dash 4" 66 with rubber grips.

All out the door prices.

Original boxes with them? That would make the 66 and 586 slam dunks.

The no-dash 66 makes it a little rare, as is the 586, assuming pristine condition.

Otherwise, a scosche high, IMHO, and in my area market.

Don't know, I didn't ask about any boxes, did find it strange they all have rubber grips, I put a set of rubber grips on my model 1955 because gun guy said the wood grips were worth half the cost of the revolver, I said BS! he said, NO! educate yourself.

There's some truth in that about the grips.

Original boxes add value. I always ask about the box. I'm still chasing one for one of my 66 snubs. The previous owner was supposed to bring it into the LGS where I bought the gun, but never did.

Is the bottom one a Highway Patrolman converted to 38 WCF?

10-4, Thanks for the knowledge, and yes, all revolvers I looked at were pristine, that little Colt didn't even look like it had ever been fired.

gunner, Couldn't comment on the little Colt, since I know little to nothing about them.

There's a nice S&W 19-4 with original box in nice condition at one of the LGS's in my area for $550, if anybody is interested. No TH or TT. Has the red-ramp front sight.

Will a 19 handle a diet of full house 357 mag loads? TH/TT?

I've liked SW's for along time...…...it's a good thing that I bought mine a long time a go. Favorites? all of them but 1. 2.5" 19-3 blued 2. 3.5" M-27 blued 3. 4" M-19-3 Nickle( so nice and shiny it's my fishing gun, all ways wear it stream fishing) 4. 4" M-28 blue 5 . 4" M586 blued. SW forever ( pre-lock of course).MB

Fixin to watch 15.50 minutes of Hickok 45 and a M-19-5.

This has indeed become the case in recent years.

Generally, no.

10-4 on the grips TRH, and yes, Hickok45 talked 7 minutes before he fired a shot, the 19 being a K frame, so no for me on full power loads, looks like a nice N frame is what I need to find,

The problem with the k frame 357’s is not so much full house loads. It’s the full house loads with bullets under 140. Look a the bottom of the barrel ( forcing cone ) notice it is not round. The bottom is squared off. Causes weak area.
New design k frames are round. Supposed to fix a problem.
Now I’ve talked to a friend whose brother in law had a friend that had a cracked barrel on his model 66. Never saw this myself.
Hasbeen

No. It's a 38 Special that can take some .357's.

TH= Target Hammer

TT= Target Trigger


Not much a fan of either.

I like shooting my K frames, but I do baby them. I don't do magnum loads at steel or paper targets. I also like shooting a couple hundred at a time. I load to +P for the most part and even the kids shoot them.

I do like my 4in n frame highway patrol

Gunner, on the steady diet of .357's, you would have to ask somebody that owns one. I don't, but have had an ongoing search on GunBroker for one for a while. I'm about to turn it off and just try to find one in an LGS. Just too expensive for nice ones on GunBroker. You get a couple guys into a bidding war and the price gets ridiculous, not counting the crazy prices some of the sellers are asking up front.

TH = Target Hammer. TT = Target Trigger.

Thanks hasbeen, the N frame is going to be the one, may as well search out good durability.

10-4 on the 38+P marked 357 moosemike, Thanks.

Thank You Steelhead.

local dirt, N frame all the way, and this thread, plus watching the Hickok45 video caused me to grab my old Colt Trooper this afternoon, I fired all the loaded rounds I had, save the four speedloaders and the six 125gr barnes hp's I kicked out of the revolver on the counter in a back bathroom.

Went to the 25 yard gong and rested across the seat of my ATV, the 125gr XTP's at 1450 printed a bit lower than the new load with 158gr hardcasts at 1396 fps, I found a happy medium between the two loads, they both land around two to four inches on top of the front sight at 25 yards, and centered nicely, I can live with that, what a fun cartridge the 357 mag is.

I found a double palm sized flat rock, placed it into the damp dirt of a brushpile I have pushed up and had at it, holding at 6 o'clock, I hit the rock five of six times offhand at 20 yards in semi fast fire single action mode.

Cleaned the old revolver up with Hoppes #9, re-oiled it, re-loaded it and put it back in it's Galco thumb break, and back on the bathroom counter it sits.

A damn fun afternoon.

I don’t know what bullets you plan to shoot Gunner but I’m pretty sure the N frame 357s won’t take quite as long an OAL as the L and K. IIRC you can’t crimp the Lyman 358429 Keith in the groove because it’ll be too long for the N frame cylinder. I don’t know how many other bullets have this issue but the 358429 is one of my favorites.

I appreciate the heck out of that Kid, didn't know, I have a chit-ton of the cast performance 158gr, it not a long wide nose, or even short wide nose, kind of a semi round nose with a good flat meplat, not very much at all hangs out of the case, i'll mic those along with some 125 XTP's back in the speedloaders tomorrow, would be surprised if the CP bullets have more nose to crimp length than the XTP's.

Gunner, I think you'll be very happy with the N-frame.

And very fine examples too.

Yessir, me too local dirt, cant wait to find a nice clean one with a 5 or 6 inch barrel.

I loves me my 5" 27-2.

FYI- 4" and 6" are more rare in a Model 27.

Thanks, and nice to know what to be on the lookout for too, I would have thought a 5" would have been more rare.

I'll grant you that.

That's the spirit.

I thought that, too. Until I was educated.

Hello The Kid,

Looks like both the 357 cal 125gr XTP and CP 158gr hard cast have 300 thou nose to crimp length, so I should be GTG in an N frame.

Gunner the Kid hit it, Lyman #358429 is the Keith style semi wadcutter at 172 grs in 357 cases they have to be crimped over the top of the frt driving band in N frames, K and L frames they can be crimped in the crimp groove as they have a longer cyl length. Now if you go the Skeeter Skelton route he liked the Lyman #358156 with gas check that weigh 162 grs or so lubed and checked with the solid nose... I have that mold and the single cavity HP version ,both versions can be crimped in the crimp groove or use the crimp groove for additional lube. The RCBS double cavity 357-150 KT semi wadcutter gets you a 158 gr Keith type swc that can be crimped in it's crimp groove on all 3 models plus J frames. As someone else alluded to the K is the weakest of all the SW's. Even the little 5 shot chiefs in M36 or M60 have thicker cyls. I believe the 5" is much harder to find and the 3.5" also, they have been sought after by collectors since the late JC rose again. Now for a plan of action... any SW is a good gun and fun to shoot. Instead of owning 12 gd molds bite the bullet and find a 4-6 hole gang mold in 158 gr swc type buy it and make a cast of thousands at a time. You won't regret that. Oncet a man starts a using SW revolvers he all most forgets the other things in life..Local dirt ,your lucky you live where you do as the 3.5 & 5" SW's are rare birds up here in Dakota. Magnum bob

Thanks for all that Magnum Bob, when I get all these Cast Performance bullets shot up, i'll probably look at a 158/165gr Keith style semi-wadcutter hollow point, i'll experiment with alloys in my casting pot till I get a recipe that will penetrate really well, plus expand, AND be malleable without breaking up.

I don't know, but have always thought that bullet design would be a hell on wheels defense bullet too.

Yeah Gunner but the real problem of the hollow point is damn slow production of 1 at a time pace. Once you get tuned in on how to pace yourself for optimum mold temp on a gang mold 3-4 hundred an hour is easy. Sheeit google up Magma Engineering auto casters .Hell for maybe 12-13 hundred you might able to crank 6-8 hundred an hr with their bevel base swc designs. You ain't still farming with a 2 bottom plow are you? MB

, i'll look into them, a lube die and gas check crimper and a man could run and gun till he was blue in the face.

Lord have mercy on my soul, been surfing the net and calling up old gun Buds, pre 27 five screws in 6 and 8-3/8ths inch barrels, one with Coke? bottle wood grips, a beautiful like new blue 27-2 in 8-3/8ths with target grips, hammer and sights in it's wooden presentation case with screw driver, bore mop and cleaning rod.

This IS NOT going to end well!

The Cokes are the finest factory grip ever fitted to a DA revolver. They’re so much nicer in the hand than the later targets it’s not even funny. And they’re worth $500 or so by themselves. If I can’t have Cokes, and I can’t, due to cost, I prefer the old sharp shoulder Magnas from the 30’s through the 50’s. The Magnas are what my Heavy Duty wears and they are nice since I have smallish hands.

10-4 Thanks Kid, the Cokes are on the pre 27 5 screw 8-3/8ths barreled revolver, wonder if that barrel length is too long to pack around and shoot?

I don’t think it would be too bad. Let me know if you end up with it, I have a Bianchi booster for an 8 3/8” 27 somewhere I’ll gift you. Bet you could get some scorching velocity with that long barrel. I could send you some bullets to try out before you buy a mold too. I have 358156 in both solid and HP and the 358429 and maybe some others I’m forgetting. Need to drag all my molds out and fire up the pot, I’m out of 38/44 fodder.

NICE, many Thanks for the bullet offer too, is a Bianchi Booster a holster?

Damn autocorrect. It’s just a hip holster with a thumb break, Lawman may be the model.

That'll work, and i'll appreciate the hell out of it. I'll keep you posted if I weaken and get one, that 27-2 in a presentation box is flawless, I'd still have to shoot the hell out of it, I've never been able to own a safe queen of ANY kind, those things were made to hunt and shoot.

Nothing wrong with a 6" 27-2. Another favorite.
Bob

Gunner500, I used to do a good bit of hunting with my Dan Wesson model 15 8" 357. But when it came time for packing and hiking in the offseason I'd switch to the 4". That's the beauty of the Dan Wesson platform. I do think an 8" is too much for packing but just about ideal for the serious open sight handgun hunter. For packing I like the 4" and I like the 6" best on a scoped gun.

I’ve only owned one, a 6 inch 586,

With a Smith and Wesson, you could still switch from a long barrel to a 4". You just need two guns to do it.

Bianchi made an X-15 model and a X-2100 Phantom ? model shoulder holsters for N frame SW guns that worked fine for packing and using for me. MB

DAMN! that is nice RGK..

Thanks moosemike, I have a hard eye on a pre 27 with a six inch barrel right now, we'll see.

Ed, what is that bottom revolver? Beautiful!

Oh, heck no!

Beautiful wood grips.

I enjoy my 28-1 Highway Patrolman, pinned and recessed with 4" barrel. I like N frame revolvers and no matter what I feed it, everything from 125 grain that have every bit a 357 has to offer to 180 grain hunting loads, it shoots! Hits where I point it and hits with authority!

I’ve had 2 ea. Mod 19’s - one with 4” and the other with 2 1/2” barrel. I had a Model 28 with 6” barrel.

I now have a 586 with a 4” barrel.

For barrel length I like 4”.
For frame I really like the smaller frames. For carrying in the woods either a 19 or a 586 with 4” barrel. For carrying where the two legged varmints dwell a 2 1/2” 19 would be my choice.
For shooting prairie dogs the 6” (or longer) would be my choice.

I’ve owned a few pinned and recessed S&W’s. Still have one or two. If I were to change barrels, the pinned barrels are best. The earlier S&W’s seem to have a finer finish. But the P&R seems to command more $’s, in general, than I will pay any more.

Generally I like blues better than stainless. They seem to be smoother in function.

But in nasty weather I’d have to say I’d be carrying my 629. I know it’s not a 357, but the 629 is my only ss S&W.

Since Ed evidently hasn't seen your question I'll guess. I think that's his M28 that he had bored out to 38-40.

Yep, picked this one up last year

Many Thanks EE, before I started reading the fine S&W book and manual RJM sent me, I thought that was one of the 38/44 Heavy Duties.

NICE! Congrats.