Which S&W to Buy? Please HELP

[Harleysoftailer]

My girlfriend and I are going to purchase two S&W .357 revolvers for indoor target shooting. She wants the 4" barrel and I want the 6" or 6.5" variant.

We have spoken with three different vendors and they (a) don't seem to know much about the differences between the various S&W .357's and (b) are far more interested in selling us what they have in stock and far less interested in helping us figure out which guns are right for us.

686? Model 27? 75th Anniversary .357? Pro Series? Champion Series, Performance Series, Classic Series? SRS? SSR? I have tried to make sense of the S&W web site and catalog with little success and, as I said, the vendors really aren't much help.

Resale value is irrelevant as we want guns that can be handed down, enjoyed and treasured by future generations in our family. We want pistols of the highest quality materials, design and construction but don't want to waste money on features we'll never use as we don't intend to carry/conceal these pieces and we're not taking them game hunting.

Please Help!!!! Which S&W is the one for us?

Thanks very much.

Andy.

 

[peyton]

Wow, you do have some thinking to do. I think the key item to answer is: What size are your and your girlfriends hands? If small, I would recommend finding a K frame or L frame. Second is square or round butt, you both need to find a local gun shop and try a few on for size.
My personal thought for barrel length is to start with a 4 inch. Remember weight is important, especially if your girlfriend is new to shooting. It is no use to own a revolver that she will not practice with.

 

[fyimo]

Andy

Based on what you said I would think that you would want to go with a pre lock revolver and either an L frame 686 series revolver in the barrel lengths of your choice or a Model 27 in the barrel lengths of your choice. I think the determining factor would be on the grip size and what feels comfortable in you and your wifes hands.

I know I will get flamed but I'm really not a fan of the K frame 357's and there was a real reason why S&W came out with an L frame for the 357 cartridge.

In the Model 27 line a 4 inch barrel is a little hard to come by so I would opt for the 3.5 inch.

 

[bigtubby]

Andy, welcome to the forum I prefer the older smiths such as a 27-2 or 28-2 or the 686 no dash. For just weekend shooting just a basic adjustable sight S&W is fine. If you are going to shoot mostly .357 stay with the bigger N frames if you will be shooting mostly cheaper .38 specials you may consider a K frame such as a 19 or 66. There will be as many different opinions as there are answers.

 

[alabamabarry]

go to the range,talk to people there see what thay have,what thay like buy a box of amo ask to shoot one or two

 

[Vartarg]

Range rental?

Sounds like a good project!

I don't know where you live, but in some larger metro areas there are ranges that rent handguns, so that people can try them out. I'm sure they lean to the "blast'em" variety of modern autos, but it's something to think about and perhaps check out.....

Good luck, and enjoy the process.....

 

[Harleysoftailer]

Well I know I've found the right place. Thanks everyone so such good and fast help.

We've already shot a number of guns but we can't find a range anywhere that has any of the S&W's that we're considering so we've had to fire off Rugers and such to try and get a "feel". That's how we determined that a .357 shooting 38's was right for us. The .22 we shot felt like a BB gun and the 44 was waaaaay too much for both of us.

In terms of hands, both Terri's and my hands are a little on the small side. And if whatever we buy doesn't come with wooden grips, then we'll be adding those after the purchase as we both prefer the feel of wood.

The only S&W .357's we've been able to fire are the snubby's and they had so much felt recoil that Terri nearly fell over. That's why she liked the 4" barrel. The 6-incher was too heavy and the snubby was too short. She likes the feel and weight of the 4". I feel the same way about the 6".

I'd love for us to be able to shoot a few 686's or 27's before we buy, but I can't find a range anywhere that makes that possible and nobody lets you test-fire a new gun.

In terms of talking to the salesman, I'm not inclined to do that again. I had one guy go on and on for 15 minutes about the importance of camfering in the cylindar while another guy told us it was completely irrelevant. Every salesperson we talk to seems to contradict the previous one. One guy tells us that the 686 is their "entry level" .357 and the custom line is where we should be looking and the next guy tells us the 686 is a fantastic gun and anything else would be too much.

Maybe I should just buy a slingshot and call it a day

Andy.

 

[Vartarg]

Met one, met them all....

The guys you spoke to are known in some circles as "Gun Shop Commando's" and they are everywhere!

 

[PMRet]

So you want two .357's, a 4" and a 6", to shoot at the range mostly with .38's, and you both have smaller hands.

If it were me, I would consider the K frame model 19/66 or L frame 586/686. The grip frame is the same size on both the K and L frame revolvers, and would probably fit your hands better than the larger N frame.

I am a great fan of the K frame in .22, .32, and .38 caliber, and own several. However, if you plan to shoot many .357's, I would suggest the L frames. They are "beefier", can take as many .357's as you want to put thru them, and the extra weight of the lugged barrel helps with the recoil.

Oh, and I would look for the older, pre-lock revolvers. They can be found in very good to excellent condition, usually cheaper than the current versions.

 

[Harleysoftailer]

OK - now for my next round of stupid questions...

(1) What's the difference between the 686 American Series and the SSR (or is it SRS).

(2) What difference does it make if it's a pre-lock or post-lock revolver.

 

[one eye joe]

The 686 is one of the BEST revolvers that S&W has ever made. Find a clean used one in the barrel length of your choice, WITHOUT THE LOCK, and you'll have a keeper. It will outlast several generations of shooters and, because it's stainless steel, can be made to look brand new decades from now. This one's a Mountain Gun.......

 

[redbos]

I would also say to lower ammo costs and just fo rplain old fun, grab a 686 as these men have suggested and save for a S&W .22 revolver, Model 17, 617. Good training and cheap and tons of fun!

 

[feralmerril]

Andy, I hate to farther complicate things for you, but if you are indoor target shooting and not going to hunt, why do you specify 357? I take it you must be thinking also for defense but didnt mention it? Many of us have even larger more powerfull calibers but still keep a 38 nearby in the house for defense. Just a thought.
Now, if this is the case, I wouldnt overlook a 38, as you mentioned basicly "indoor target shooting". Belive me, try shooting full power 357s in a indoor range and the owner or range master will be telling you to shoot 38s in your gun! For your perminiters a model 14 6 " barrel would be perfect, and the 4" model 15 for the GF. However there are many other models like the model 10 etc will do as colts too.
Bottom line, dont overlook used guns, just find one that feels good in your hand and is in good shape. Most any of them will do the job.
One other thought. You didnt say you might ever be carrying these concealed as defendse wasnt mentioned, but if the thought is in the back of your mind, you will find a 6" barrel harder and impractable to conceal than a 4". Also if you are just starting out and like target shooting, I would really be starting out with .22s!

 

[Maximumbob54]

If it is going to be a range gun then I would buy the new 627 with the five inch barrel to split the difference. The extra mass of the N frame will help absorb some of the recoil in magnum loads and .38's will make it into a pussycat. The N frame has a slightly larger grip frame at the top from the front to the back than the K/L frame but unless she has kid's hands then she should still be able to grasp it and have good trigger control. If you do think it is too big and heavy then I would go with a 686 in the L frame. I prefer the 686+ guns, not because they have the extra hole in the cylinder, but because it makes the cylinder stop notches line up right between the charge holes. That seems stronger than the stop notch being right over the charge hole. Either one will out last the two of you together.

 

[OKFC05]

indoor target shooting

Let's back up. What do you mean by "indoor target shooting?"
Plinking? Bullseye? Indoor IDPA? Pins? Steel Challenge?
You need a good mentor to sharpen your focus on the intended purpose before you pick a specific model.

For example, for bullseye you need a long barrel, patridge sight, and a crisp single-action trigger.
For action pistol of any kind, you need a bright front sight, 4" barrel, and smoothy double-action trigger.

If you were buying a car, we still don't know if you want a sports car, SUV, or sedan.

For example, if you want the option to shoot any action pistol games, the SSR comes set up for that. If you're going to do bullseye primarily, then the 6" Pro with a patraidge sight insert would be better.

The last revolver I bought for shooting .38s in IDPA was a Model 66-4, but I knew what I wanted and spent $150 setting it up for IDPA.
Frankly, unless you have an expert (who is not trying to sell you their gun) I would say away from used guns. Leave that to the experienced. Sure, pre-lock guns are hot sellers, but the new ones work too.

I'm a fan of the pro series, since some of the work I would do anyway is already done by the factory.
By the way, the Model 27 is an N frame, and the grips are somewhat larger than the K/L frame grips.
If your wife wants the lightes 4" for .38 only, then why not the Model 67?

I don't know where you are, but if you were near me, I'd recommend you take my NRA pistol course, in which you can shoot half a dozen different revolvers I own. Once you learn how to hold a revolver correctly (most beginners don't have a clue) and learn to shoot, you can make an informed choice.

There are NRA instructors all over the country, and it would be money well spent.
NRAInstructors.org - Portal for NRA certified Instructors, NRA Education and Training

 

[vytoland]

is a .357 magnum revolver an absolute must? if both of you have small hands and she is not comfortable with recoil, perhaps a .38 special may just be what you should be looking for.

a "K" frame S&W model 64 or model 10 are excellant for target and self defense.

there are plenty of these models available used, in good condition. the model 64 (stainless) and 10 (blued) are accurate, well balanced and reliable.

 

[Harleysoftailer]

The .357 is not a requirement. It's just what the salesman have been pushing us towards.

To be clear, we will never carry/conceal either of these pieces, they are not for home protection and they will never be used for hunting game of any kind. These guns are for my girlfriend and I to go to the indoor range and shoot paper targets. And when we're done shooting, we'll clean 'em and put 'em right back in our locker at the range.

Given the price and recoil of the .357 round, we would be using .38's all of the time. Again - Terri like the feel and weight of the .357 so that's the direction we've been looking. But this has been a fear of mine all along - are the salespeople showing us what they have or are they showing us what we really should be looking at? Since we're planning on shooting .38 rounds I asked why we wouldn't just want to buy a .38 revolver and I was told that the .357 revolvers are stronger, last longer and are better suited for the kind of target shooting we want to do.

And again - thank you to all for your help. I've been to two other boards, talked to multiple vendors and even tried to call S&W directly and this forum is by far the best resource I've found.

Andy.

 

[feralmerril]

Andy, find a shop with a old gray headed vet and quit screwing with those mall ninja wannabes!
From what you said you dont need a 357, although a 357 is good and more versatal, dont overlook .38s. They will hold up just as well as the .357s. If you want to go hole hog I would get 4 guns. A K 22 and K 38 apiece. 6"s for you, and 4"s for her. There are versions in stainless and blue. Many versions of 357s are fine, I am just saying dont rule out 38s if you see them. You dont need a N frame, stick with Ks in smiths and colts are just as good. Just find any 38 or 357 that feels right for each of you and you wont go wrong. It`s all about grips too, and remember you may or may not be shopping for different grips once you get the guns. Even if the weight and barrel lengths feel good but the grip doesnt, dont cull the gun on that, as grips are out there for every hand.

 

[OKFC05]

I was told that the .357 revolvers are stronger, last longer and are better suited for the kind of target shooting we want to do.

Whoever told you that will probably lie about other things too.

I have an old Model 14-4 blued .38 that I have been shooting at bulleseye (paper targets) since the 1970s, and have shot more .38 wadcutter ammunition through it in competition and practice than would fit in your car. It looks nearly new, and the bore is crisp.
It is generally considered the ideal bullseye revolver.


Properly cared for, they last 100 years and 100,000 shots.

Unless some mall ninja shoots super hot loads through it and tears it up. If you want to shoot +P+ .38 ammo, then you need a .357 gun.

 

[kas9412]

If you are just going to use the guns to shoot .38 special and they are to be target guns only, I would recommend the Model 14 in 6" barrel and Model 15 in the 4" barrel. These revolvers shoot .38 special only and are designed as target revolvers, particularly the Model 14 with its 6" barrel and Patridge front sight . Both will shoot in either single or double action. And in single action, you will get a particularly nice trigger.

You can buy either as used guns (try Gunbroker.com). The Model 14 can also be bought new as one of the S&W Classics series, but is rather pricey.

The other good thing about the Model 14 is that it has .22 caliber counterpart in the Model 17 revolver. Nearly the same gun, but is much cheaper to shoot, and has virtually no recoil. Like the model 14, it can be had either new or used. As someone already mentioned, if you are new to shooting, the .22 caliber revolver is really the recommended gun to start with. The Model 18 is the 4" barrel variant in .22 caliber, with a slightly different front sight. This gun is also available either new or used.

Hope this helps,
kas