Need a bit of advice...

[noob_tube]

I think I'm ready to take the plunge into the revolver world, but have no idea what to look for in a decent one. I've found that the older I get, the more I'm drawn to revolvers. I've got plenty of semi-autos that just don't seem to fulfill me anymore .

I guess my question would be:

What do you guys recommend for someone who has never owned one and only fired them a handful of times? I'll try and track down a range that rents out the models you suggest. Oh, and I'm trying to keep it in the $600 range, or less. And no .22 models either. I want to be able to find ammo to shoot it

Thanks!

[Mr. Beretta]

Ruger GP 100 4" barrel, 38/357 mag revolver in blue finish.

With a little care, it will out live both you & I and provide years of outstanding service.

Call you local Turners and ask for a price.

Good Luck.

[mikeyr]

S&W model 66 is a good start, but currently I really love my Uberti 45LC SAA, also just about any Ruger is a good start.

I guess you need to figure out the caliber, I like .357 because you can can shoot .38 and .357 in them, better chance of finding ammo. Then are you looking for single action or double ?

[whipkiller]

Ruger GP 100 4" barrel, 38/357 mag revolver in blue finish.

With a little care, it will out live both you & I and provide years of outstanding service.

Call you local Turners and ask for a price.

Good Luck.

Just what I was going to suggest, with one exception.

For some aesthetic reason I prefer stainless for a revolver.

[noob_tube]

S&W model 66 is a good start, but currently I really love my Uberti 45LC SAA, also just about any Ruger is a good start.

I guess you need to figure out the caliber, I like .357 because you can can shoot .38 and .357 in them, better chance of finding ammo. Then are you looking for single action or double ?

I was thinking on .357 and definitely double action.

[NikePenguin]

Just what I was going to suggest, with one exception.

For some aesthetic reason I prefer stainless for a revolver.

Another vote... except for some reason I prefer stainless for the GP100.

[Che762x39]

I think I'm ready to take the plunge into the revolver world, but have no idea what to look for in a decent one. I've found that the older I get, the more I'm drawn to revolvers. I've got plenty of semi-autos that just don't seem to fulfill me anymore .

I guess my question would be:

What do you guys recommend for someone who has never owned one and only fired them a handful of times? I'll try and track down a range that rents out the models you suggest. Oh, and I'm trying to keep it in the $600 range, or less. And no .22 models either. I want to be able to find ammo to shoot it

Thanks!

I would say a used S&W revolver. Because you know it works.

Example a man was trying to shoot a 'new' Taurus revolver and asked for help since I am an old guy and the only other person at the range with a revolver. He asked me and I knew being a new revolver it was out of 'time' so it was likely the 'hand' was not fitted properly at the factory.

'Timing', 'hand' and other revolver terminology had him stumped. To keep it simple I told him it has to be returned to the factory for repair and using ammo from Walmart instead of range reloads will not 'fix it'.

[noob_tube]

I would say a used S&W revolver. Because you know it works.

Example a man was trying to shoot a 'new' Taurus revolver and asked for help since I am an old guy and the only other person at the range with a revolver. He asked me and I knew being a new revolver it was out of 'time' so it was likely the 'hand' was not fitted properly at the factory.

'Timing', 'hand' and other revolver terminology had him stumped. To keep it simple I told him it has to be returned to the factory for repair and using ammo from Walmart instead of range reloads will not 'fix it'.

Ha! What a dummy!

Soooooooo....

What is the timing? And the hand?

[Recon-01]

Another vote for the GP 100 stainless.

[johnthomas]

My neighbor had a S&W 66, older model. His son took it to the range and followed a squib with a good round. The barrel looked like a snake that had swallowed a large rodent. It was toast. I don't know if it was good metal, good workman ship or just plain luck that no metal came off and hurt his son. I was impressed. Not with the idiot son, with the gun.

[robnletti]

Another vote for the GP 100 stainless.

Me, too. I have a 4" blued finish, which is very dependable and shoots well, but I like the stainless finish much better.

[timbo399]

Second handgun ever purchased was a Stainless Ruger GP 100 4" barrel. LOVE it still to this day. Incredibly accurate for me, handles hot .357 loads with ease and just feels like it's built like a tank and will never fail me, and never has. I like the large black rubber grips came with, feel great in my hand. To me 4" barrel is perfect, shot my friend's 6" GP 100 and while it was fun to shoot, I didn't feel any noticeable less recoil than my 4" on mine just seemed bit better balanced.

I did handle a S&W 686 2.5" barrel at the time as well and the grip was just a bit small for my hands, certainly not knocking the 686 as it is a beautiful and well built revolver, and I'm sure could have built up the grip a bit, but I think if looking for a DA revolver in .38/.357 on some type of budget, just cannot go wrong w the GP 100. I like the stainless, some like the blued- my stainless looks as new as it did when bought it 7 years ago and I certainly don't baby it.

One of those handguns know will keep the rest of my life.

But my revolver experience is limited compared to others on this forum who know much more than I do so interested to see what others say.

[Lead Waster]

Ha! What a dummy!

Soooooooo....

What is the timing? And the hand?

When you pull the trigger, or cock the hammer back, the hand is a little angled metal thingy that pushes up against this little star shaped thingy on the cylinder and rotates the cylinder so the next chamber lines up with the barrel.

The timing is just that ... the timing of when the cylinder turns and if the chamber in the cylinder really is aligned with the barrel, and then the "stop" (or whatever) lifts up to index with a notch on the outside of the cylinder so that it doesn't rotate. All these things must happen on the DA pull (or pulling hammer back), if the timing is wrong, I guess the cylinder is not lined up properly and/or the bolt stop thing is not in place to lock the cylinder from rotating.

I'm a bit of a newb two, I have 5 revolvers, but I'm no gunsmith. So I don't know what the name of the little ratchety thing the hand pushes against to turn the cylinder.

Sorry, this is a terrible explaination. I know it basically, but can't communicate it. I'm sure there is a youtube video..

edit: some videos, and OK< the call the hand a pawl and the thing in the cylinder a ratchet. Which is what I thought.







This one shows the "hand" at some point. It's the thing that moves up against the ramped things in the cylinder and rotates it

[rickterscale]

In your pricerange, I too would go for the Ruger GP100 (in whatever finish does it for you). It is my favorite handgun, most accurate with the best trigger. From most accounts the S&W 686 is even better (more refined), but may be out of your price range, and may have a lock on it, which a lot of people don't like.

[rm1911]

another gp100 fan. I have the stainless 6". it's a beast. trigger is nice, gun is very accurate. a funny story related to that. I'm at my range a while back and I'm shooting alone. I was on the steel range, and they have a ton of steel at 20, 30, 40, and 50yds. kinda slow day, just me and a small group a few stalls down. I take a short break and I hear a guy in the group ask his friend, "how come when that guy shoots every time, there's that extra sound?" friend says "that's the bullet hitting the steel plates"

I love the thing. the only drawback is it is big. I got a smoking deal on it used but I would probably maybe sort of recommend the 4" model. although 6" of stainless 357 is an impressive sight. either way, can't go wrong with the gp.