# First time firing revolvers today



## IntegraGSR (Nov 6, 2007)

I hit the range with my Glock and decided to rent a Smith .357 mag to keep it company. I'm not sure what model it was, but it was smallish, approx. 3" barrel, and 5-shot. It was a slick gun, it felt great in the hand, but I couldn't shoot the thing worth a damn. I probably couldn't have hit the ground if I aimed straight down! After putting around 25 rounds through that, I traded it for a large framed Taurus (65 maybe? Don't remember model number). It was older, stainless with wood grips, 6" barrel. Now THAT's a gun I enjoyed shooting. I wasn't horribly accurate, but I could hit the occasional bullseye at 30 feet or so. I'm thinking there's gonna be a 6" wheelgun in my near future! Probably not a Taurus, as I've heard horror stories about their customer service, but perhaps a Ruger or a used S&W... :smt033


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

It's not surprising that you found the little J-frame difficult to shoot well. They get recommended for novices all the time, but I think they are a poor choice for just about anyone who isn't an experienced shooter. Short sight radius, small sights, light weight, and heavy trigger add up to a gun that is very challenging to shoot well.

A bigger, heavier gun with a longer sight radius and better sights - and often a better trigger - is a much better choice. If you want a revolver for recreational shooting, definitely choose one of at least K-frame size, with a minimum 4" barrel.


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

i use to have some revolvers but i do not now
today if i were buying a revolver i would consider the S&W 44mag with 44specials to play with
if you say revolver you are talking about S&W - that's the best thing they do......


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## IntegraGSR (Nov 6, 2007)

I think you're right about that Smith being a poor choice for a novice... I'm not a great shooter by any stretch of the imagination, but with my G17, I can at least hit the damn target, often times with a half-assed decent group. But that Smith, LOL! I'd fire all 5 at a silhouette target about 30 feet away, and there'd only be one hole , and it was near the bottom corner!


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I would never recommend a J-frame S&W to any frist time revolver shooter. A good K-frame like Mike said with the 4" barrel is to me a perfect revolver. Everybody should have at least one in their collection. Their weight alone will help tame a .357mag round down and make it more enjoyable to shoot.:smt023


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

I had a similar experience when I was testing revolvers. At the time I was more interested in the feel of shooting them and not so much the accuracy but it was a little embarrassing.


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