wogentry
Member
I'd get a Model 14 and find a new club.
38 Special Target
- Thread starter merbeau
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David LaPell
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It I was looking for a muzzle heavy gun to shoot double action with, it would be a Model 28. If I K frame is the only way to go, it would be a Model 14 or a 6-inch Model 10 5 screw with a Wondersight (older one with the thinner blade sight up front.
New Purchase
Many thanks to all that responded. The consensus appeared to be the SW 14 series. I found a good looking SW 14-3 (see attached pictures); the chambers and barrel do not show any pitting or wear and it locks up tight.
I have an ultra dot that I would like to mount on this revolver. It was orginally mounted on a SW 41. What Weaver base will fit this particular model?
Any other suggestions would be helpful
Many thanks to all that responded. The consensus appeared to be the SW 14 series. I found a good looking SW 14-3 (see attached pictures); the chambers and barrel do not show any pitting or wear and it locks up tight.
I have an ultra dot that I would like to mount on this revolver. It was orginally mounted on a SW 41. What Weaver base will fit this particular model?
Any other suggestions would be helpful
Attachments
Ditto the M19. I target shoot my 19-2 with 38 SPC wadcutters. It is
more accurate than my 14-3.
Joe
ray45
Member
Shoot the 52 at a reloader friendly range. I shoot the K frame Smiths but would love to have a Smith 52. Don't let a range dictate what you can or can't shoot, that's the Governments job.
I don't deal with greedy.......
I don't deal with greedy.......
valkyriekl
Member
Yes, you can shoot full wadcutters in revolvers as you can (must) with the S&W 52. As I recall, the full wadcutter was initially designed to give a bigger punch on-target out of a snub-nose revolver for self-defense. Nowadays, it's used to cut neat .38 caliber holes in targets.
The 14-6 and 14-7 were the last pre-lock releases of the Model 14 (there's a 14-8 'Classics' model out now that has The Lock). The 14-6 used a MIM thumbpiece (and perhaps a MIM trigger), while the hammer was the old-school forged version with hammer-mounted firing pin/hammer nose; the 14-7 had MIM hammer, trigger, thumbpiece, and the frame-mounted firing pin. Both guns featured the full-underlug barrel. There was also the 14-5 which had all forged parts as well as the full-underlug barrel. 14 no-dash through 14-4 and the 14-8 have the standard target barrel (no underlug).
MIM parts are generally fine. I've had several S&Ws with MIM parts and they've been OK, although my first (a modern 617-6)'s hammer and trigger wore out unusually quickly (developed a push-off within 2500 rounds); the replacement parts from S&W were fine, however.
I've used this Weaver Mount and this Aimtech Mount, and I think I like the Aimtech mount better, simply because the Weaver mount uses a 'claw' to clamp onto the frame around the forcing cone area, and that wore through the finish of one of my revolvers. The Aimtech mount, however, extends down to the sideplate screws, which limits the types of grips that can be used (or you will have to modify the grips to fit).
One other idea is to use this B-Square Mount, but it kinda looks a bit weak to me. Probably fine for target .38 wadcutters (as well as .22s and .32s), but not so much for anything heavier. For your purposes, however, it is probably OK.
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Thank you Valkyriekl. I believe I like the B-square. I have a set of target grips that I plan to install and would not want to be cutting on them nor having a mount dig into the metal. I will be not be shooting any hot loads, so it should work.
In your shoes, I would have looked for one of the modern Model 14s with the Python-style barrel. Those guns were already drilled and tapped for a Leupold mount.
However, since you already have the 14-3, you may as well have it drilled and tapped for a proper mount. The clamp-on things are a nuisance, and the farther the securing screws are away from the item you are trying to secure, the more of a lever arm the force of recoil has to act on the weight of your optical sight. I would want the sturdiest, most rigid mount I could get, for your purposes where pure accuracy is all that matters.
Alternatively, maybe you could sell or trade your present 14-3 for one of the more modern guns - but they are not easy to find, and they seem to be highly thought of, as indicated by the market price. I think the changes came in at the Model 14-6.
I am sure you could do some very fine shooting with a 586 or 686 too, and the more recent versions of those models were also factory drilled and tapped. You would have to keep after the chambers to avoid crud accumulation with .38 Special length cartridges, but this is a small thing if you have some brushes, an electric drill with a fairly low spindle speed, and don't wait too long to get after it.
However, since you already have the 14-3, you may as well have it drilled and tapped for a proper mount. The clamp-on things are a nuisance, and the farther the securing screws are away from the item you are trying to secure, the more of a lever arm the force of recoil has to act on the weight of your optical sight. I would want the sturdiest, most rigid mount I could get, for your purposes where pure accuracy is all that matters.
Alternatively, maybe you could sell or trade your present 14-3 for one of the more modern guns - but they are not easy to find, and they seem to be highly thought of, as indicated by the market price. I think the changes came in at the Model 14-6.
I am sure you could do some very fine shooting with a 586 or 686 too, and the more recent versions of those models were also factory drilled and tapped. You would have to keep after the chambers to avoid crud accumulation with .38 Special length cartridges, but this is a small thing if you have some brushes, an electric drill with a fairly low spindle speed, and don't wait too long to get after it.
valkyriekl
Member
In your shoes, I would have looked for one of the modern Model 14s with the Python-style barrel. Those guns were already drilled and tapped for a Leupold mount.
However, since you already have the 14-3, you may as well have it drilled and tapped for a proper mount. The clamp-on things are a nuisance, and the farther the securing screws are away from the item you are trying to secure, the more of a lever arm the force of recoil has to act on the weight of your optical sight. I would want the sturdiest, most rigid mount I could get, for your purposes where pure accuracy is all that matters.
Alternatively, maybe you could sell or trade your present 14-3 for one of the more modern guns - but they are not easy to find, and they seem to be highly thought of, as indicated by the market price. I think the changes came in at the Model 14-6.
I am sure you could do some very fine shooting with a 586 or 686 too, and the more recent versions of those models were also factory drilled and tapped. You would have to keep after the chambers to avoid crud accumulation with .38 Special length cartridges, but this is a small thing if you have some brushes, an electric drill with a fairly low spindle speed, and don't wait too long to get after it.
The 14-5 with the full-lug barrel was not factory drilled & tapped (D&Ted), while the 14-6, -7, and -8 are factory D&Ted.
In the 586 and 686, the factory D&Ting started with the -4 models (586-4 and 686-4). If all merbeau does is shoot .38 Specials out of something chambered for .357 Magnum (Model 19, 66, 586, 686, 27, 28, 627), then keeping the chambers clean won't be an issue.
Good point about getting the 14-3 D&Ted for a scope: that is the most secure way to go. For my D&Ted guns, I use the Jack Weigand Scope Mount. They're light (made of aluminum alloy, except for the ones meant for the S&W 460 and 500, which are steel) and very strong.
