# First revolver



## jsm2 (Apr 17, 2013)

I'm looking for my first revolver. I want a .357 magnum because I go backwoods camping. I am set on that caliber. I will target shoot. i will not conceal this gun. I would prefer smith and wesson but will go for any company. I want a small frame snubby. The heavier the better for less felt recoil because .357 is such a heavy caliber. I shot a colt trooper mark 3 a few weeks ago and lived the trigger pull and how it felt in my hand. But I want something smaller. Maximum price is $600 which makes it near impossible for a s&w. must be blued. Heavy, small, and .357 magnum.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Considering your price point, I suggest finding a gently used, "pre-owned" gun.

Some of your criteria are mutually exclusive, or almost so.
I believe that the heaviest .357 Magnum revolver frames are by Ruger, but they aren't small. S&W frames are small, but they aren't heavy.
Neither S&W nor Ruger will beat the Colt's trigger action. However, judicious gunsmithing may get them close.


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## Ala Tom (Apr 1, 2011)

Seems like you need to learn a few more things. But, like most of us, you will find you don't need to know much before getting your first gun. It will start your REAL learning experience. It sounds like you may have some concern about those big furry things that come into your camp every night and make rustling sounds. Do you really have enough hand/wrist/arm strength to shoot a bear gun? Doubt it. You have to work up to that. You sound young. I'm old now but when I sounded young like you do, I was owning/shooting/reloading a .357 mag, a .45 Long Colt and other guns such as a .45 ACP. Now I don't go in the woods much. If I did, I would carry a .41 mag.

Read specs. Rent various guns and shoot enough to get used to them. Read Ballisticsbytheinch.com that shows you how your short snubby .357 is about as powerful as a 4-inch 9 mm. (Try a Ruger SR9C or a Ruger SR40C if there really could be a black bear in your camp). You'll fire more bullets accurately with an SR9C than with a 2-inch .357. One thing that makes the snubby so inaccurate is that most people fire them double action. Again the medium 9 mm does it better.

You should read about both revolvers and semi-automatics and about a variety of calibers. Reading is cheap and gives you info faster. Shooting is better, of course, but takes time and money. You may also learn that the worst animals have two legs and can be found on streets, not so much in woods.


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

This is my choice for a camping revolver...









Ya never know, lol.


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## JohnFM (Apr 13, 2013)

ROFLMAO, don't scare the poor guy, he's liable to take up paint by numbers instead of shooting!


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

TAPnRACK said:


> This is my choice for a camping revolver...
> Ya never know, lol.


Nice gun, but I'll raise you by a Ruger SRH Alaskan 2 1/2" snubby in .454 Casull I keep under my pillow when in my sleeping bag on the ground in "our" wildernesses.

Mucking up Psalm 23:4 a bit, _"Yea, though I sleep in the valley of the shadow of death, I am not afraid"._ :mrgreen:


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

...And here I'd thought that the OP's question was asked in seriousness!

Silly me.

:watching:


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> ...And here I'd thought that the OP's question was asked in seriousness!
> 
> Silly me.
> 
> :watching:


Oh damn it Steve, I hate it when you point out the obvious. :smt1099



jsm2 said:


> I'm looking for my first revolver. I want a .357 magnum because I go backwoods camping. I am set on that caliber. . .
> But I want something smaller. Maximum price is $600 which makes it near impossible for a s&w. must be blued. Heavy, small, and .357 magnum.


I have a S&W "Airweight" 642 (aluminum frame, stainless cylinder) snubby in .38 Special. The small "J-frame". I paid $400 new at a LGS.

S&W has similar models in .357 mag. in both Scandium (big $$$), aluminum, and steel J-frames.
I haven't been to the S&W site for quite a while. But, I think maybe you can look up their J-frames in steel. 
If I remember right, they are not nearly as expensive as the lighter weight guns.

Just Google "S&W". They list a bewildering array of J-frames. Good Luck !


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## jtguns (Sep 25, 2011)

JMS, I will through my two cents worth. Try a Ruger or S&W but go with a L frame maybe a 586 or 686 and a 4 inch barrel. If this is a camp or out door weapon don't worry about the size. After you have packed around for a while the weight will be second nature and not a problem, and the extra barrel will help in your shooting. One thing I will say is practice all you can.
But hey thats just my two cents worth.


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## Donn (Jul 26, 2013)

I have two S&W 357's, An older Model 19, 4" barrel, and a new 686, 7 shot, 5" barrel. If you're not concealing, either of these would suit your needs. Double action trigger pull is good on both, better on the 19 as it's got more rounds thru it. Like JTGuns says, practice, practice, practice! While using 38spl will hold down range costs, fire a cylinder of 357 from time to time, get used to the extra recoil.


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## KampfJaeger (Sep 25, 2013)

Lots of good advice. I agree with several of the above. 

At that price point I would be looking at a used Ruger SP 101 or a GP100, and both are VERY solid revolvers that will last several lifetimes. A Smith at that price is going to be a real scratched up beater. 

Why a snub-nose if you aren't going to conceal it? It's inferior in every other way to a 4" or a 6", and if you're going to holster it for camping what's the difference? If it's your first one I would get a 6" so you can get the full benefit of the .357 power and accuracy. Every inch of barrel you go down is a loss of speed and downrange energy in the bullet, and it is much more difficult to hold on target at range with so little distance between the front and the rear sight. I pretty much only point shoot my snubbies because of this. To me that's just a shame to go snub with a magnum load unless you're concealing it.


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## Overkill0084 (Nov 28, 2010)

jsm2 said:


> I'm looking for my first revolver. I want a .357 magnum because I go backwoods camping. I am set on that caliber. I will target shoot. i will not conceal this gun. I would prefer smith and wesson but will go for any company. I want a small frame snubby. The heavier the better for less felt recoil because .357 is such a heavy caliber. I shot a colt trooper mark 3 a few weeks ago and lived the trigger pull and how it felt in my hand. But I want something smaller. Maximum price is $600 which makes it near impossible for a s&w. must be blued. Heavy, small, and .357 magnum.


You want a small frame snubbie in one sentence then say"the heavier the better" in the next. When companies engineer snubbies, they are typically looking to eliminate weight. 2" .357 revolvers are to be endured, not enjoyed (IMHO). Then of course, 'target shooting' with a snubbie...recipe for frustration. See: Sight Radius. You state you will not be concealing it, why bother with the snubbie? 
IMHO, hit the used market and look at medium frame Rugers or S&Ws with a 4" barrel. 4" is a good general purpose length Long enough to have a usable sight radius, short enough to not become a pain.
Used K frame Smiths are still relatively common and but last I looked, prices seem all over the map. 
The Ruger Security Six is a well made and robust revolver that will stand up to all but the most irresponsible use.
Both can be had blued.
New? Not a lot of bragging rights to be had, but they will do the job and will get under your price threshold room to spare:
Charter Arms makes a couple of possible option. Functional if not especially pretty.: Charter Mag Pug #13520
EAA/Weihrauch? Kind of crude looking, but reportedly durable. The price is certainly in your ballpark:Windicator- Weihrauch | EAA Corporation/ USSG


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I have numerous S&W revolvers. All are stainless steel. SS is so much more durable and easier to care for than a blued revolver. 

You mentioned it must be .357 magnum. My favorite S&W models in that caliber are the model 66 and 686. Revolver barrel lengths that I have in various calibers, range from 2.5" to 8 3/8", with 4" and 6" being my favorites. 

Rugers are clunky and Colts are over-priced / over-rated. S&W is just right.............:smt1099


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