I bought a used 29 at a gun show a while back and couldn't be more happy with my first gun purchase.

Now I'd like to buy a .22 and think the Model 18 "combat masterpiece" looks really nice.

My question is, are Smith's worth the extra money? The fit, finish and function of my 29 is excellent. I just didn't know if you are "paying for the name" with these.

I could get a Ruger Mark III for under $400.

I'd just like a .22 pistol for slow fire and fundamentals practice. And something way cheaper to shoot than a .44. (I live in an apartment and setting up some big reloading array just isn't feasible until I get done with college and into a house)

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks-

In a word, yes, especially if you are talking about older S&W revolvers. The quality and resale value definately make them worth the extra money. And depending on the barrel length of your model 29, you can match up a model 18 (4") or model 17 (6") and get a great practice gun to shoot at a fraction of the price.

I can't imagine that you'd regret getting a M18. The money spent will be the first thing you forget.

Just make sure you're getting one that isn't already ready to go back to the factory for repair. I've had a M18 and M17 which lost all their barrel/cylinder gap due to wear, mostly on the flange on the crane which rubs against the retaining screw. Apparently the act of opening and closing the cylinder causes more wear than the actual shooting.

I bought the M17 new and it took 20-25,000 rounds through it before this became a problem.

One sign of how much use a revolver has had is how much bluing is left on the ejector rod. If it's still blue, it hasn't been shot all that much.

I bought my first Ruger Mk. II in 1980. I bought my first S&W M-18 in 1982. Since then I've had a number of each. The Ruger Mk. II is an excellent pistol. I currently own one and am very very pleased with it. The S&W M-18 is, in my very humble opinion, the ultimate .22 LR revolver for anything short of high level competition. I use mine to shoot pine cones out of trees... then I bounce them along the ground shooting double-action. It is tremendous fun. I have with this revolver shot 6 shot groups at 50yds. off-hand that measured right at 5 inches. Only God knows how many rounds I've fired through my M-18. I can not imagine how anyone could produce a better designed more finely crafted .22LR revolver that would exhibit such a high level of fit/finish, such superlative accuracy, such a crisp single-action and smooth easy to use double-action. I very much enjoy my Ruger Mk. II. But I can not begin to explain the degree of simple pride of ownership and pleasure of use that I have found with the M-18. Personally... I prefer the standard service trigger and hammer over the wider target type. The service hammer is lighter and gives a quicker lock time. The service trigger is grooved and narrow which allows more comfortable double-action shooting especially for a long period of shooting.

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If you're looking simply for a .22 LR handgun for practice, you can spend less than what you'll pay for a model 18 (a model 22A or Ruger as you noted). If you are looking for a compatible revolver for your model 29 and want it to go up in value over time, a model 18 is a wise choice.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

IMHO I think the ( pre 1990's) Model 18 or the Model 17 (same gun with a 6" bbl.) are the finest .22 revolvers ever made, and YES I do think they are worth the extra coin. In my opinion the Ruger is not even in the same league!

Chief38

Yes++ on the M-18, its my favorite. Have owned several Ruger MkII pistols. I like 22 autos too, like the Belgium Browning Challenger followed by several hi standards much better than the Ruger or Colt Woodsman- your answer is to buy the 18 and a semiauto, you need both

I have had a M15 for almost 40 years. Many years ago I bought a new M18 as a matching "practice" gun. After a few years I traded away the M18 and regretted it immediately. Needless to say I eventually bought another M18 but I certainly would have been money ahead if I had kept the first one.

The closer practice matches "game performance" the better you will be. So I say, get a S&W .22 that matches your preferred centerfire S&W -- barrel length, trigger, hammer, and grips. The M18 is a good match for all 4" barrel centerfire Smiths; the M17 would be the choice for longer barreled centerfire models.

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WyoStillhunter

I wish I'd written that myself.

Comparing a K frame .22 to Ruger's discontinued DA .22 revolver is like comparing prime rib to hamberger and no auto can substitute for a .22 revolver as a trainer for your centerfire revolver. In your shoes if I could not come up with the money for a K22, rather than resort to a Taurus revolver, I'd sell the 29. You can always buy another 29 but you don't get another youth to spend plinking with an 18. I believe you wind up being a better shot with the hard kickers if you move up through levels of recoil becoming very accurate at each level of recoil before moving to the next. An 18 is the starting level, not a 29 or even a down loaded 29.

You may not have time around your homeword to reload those reduced .44s but you can reload in a small apartment. I used to bolt my reloading press & case trimmer to a piece of plywood that I C-clamped to a desk for use.

Good Luck,
Gil

At your age--heck, yes. I got my M18 in 1982, and had I been a lot smarter I would have gotten it 20 years before that.

60 years from now your grandkids will see it and say, "Wow, Grandpa, all the finish is worn off this one!". And you'll just grin and say, "Yeah, I had a lot of good times with it."

I've bought Rugers, I've shot Rugers, and I don't presently own a single one and I don't have any plans to buy another. Meanwhile, the number of S&W and Winchesters in the rack continues to grow.

Look for a nice clean Smith and don't look back.

Scott

The model 18 is a superb revolver. I actually prefer it to my K22 because its better balanced in my hands. Its great for training new shooters, for plinking and fun, for squirrel hunting and even for casual target shooting. I can't imagine a better .22 revolver.

Charlie

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SWCA # 2294

To me they are

My wife gave me a Model 17 for our 10 year anniversary.

It has been a complete joy to own, and I shoot it as part of my weekly trek to the range.

I credit much of my improved accuracy to the .22 K frame revolver.

You will not regret the purchase of the 18, and in fact doubt any of the .22 S+W revolvers will dissapoint.

I'll likely pick up a Model 10 tommorrow... after that the only future acqusitions that I plan are .22 S+W revolvers. I love them that much!

Yes, I think they are, and I've got a bunch of 22 handguns to compare them too. Colts, Rugers, Harrington & Richardson, Dan Wesson and Bersa...they're all fine guns, but the Smith & Wesson (Model 17) is head and shoulders above them all. (OK, the Dan Wesson is close...very close.)

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John 3:16 .