Best S&W Revolver for a "Bug Out Bag"....

[Jingles]

Considering my wife might need to use it as well I'd probably pick a 351PD or 351C. .22 mag isn't ideal but it will get the job done in a pinch. Other option would be a 4" model 13 or model 10 loaded with 158gr LSWC in .38 Special loading.

If I was only worried about myself probably my 640 Pro or R8 because they have moon clips for quick reloading. If a semi-auto my Sig P228 with a couple spare mags.

 

[DocB]

Ammo availability, stopping power, and flexibility. . .a M66 with a four inch barrel (a six inch would be fine too). Ammo weight. . .a M34 with a four inch barrel (I just don't like the M17. It's too heavy). Big problem is that over the past few months everybody I talk to says the 22 rim fire is totally unavailable. I thought we had crossed that hurdle. This would be of some concern to me. You're desperately making your way through all the burned out stores in search of ammo, and no 22's. It would then have to double as a small club. Look out zombies. Here I come.

 

[Mehutch]

My S&W .357 mag Model 65-1 SS, fixed sights loaded with 125gr, box of 100, two speed loaders. No magazines to drop and lose, rugged and ready to go back home in my ready car bag, lock to the car for safety reasons.

 

[wolverine]

Ammo availability, stopping power, and flexibility. . .a M66 with a four inch barrel (a six inch would be fine too). Ammo weight. . .a M34 with a four inch barrel (I just don't like the M17. It's too heavy). Big problem is that over the past few months everybody I talk to says the 22 rim fire is totally unavailable. I thought we had crossed that hurdle. This would be of some concern to me. Your desperately making your way through all the burned out stores in search of ammo, and no 22's. It would then have to double as a small club. Look out zombies. Here I come.

Evening DocB

Do you really think that you will find ANY ammo just lying
around in a weapons-required emergency? Not a chance
of that happening after the first hour.

That is where the .22 shines as a person can easily carry
500 or more rounds of .22 stashed out of sight on their body.

With a suppressor a .22 is quiet, deadly at close range
(you sure aren't going up against a rifle with any pistol
at anything over very short range anyhow).

If you need a larger gun & ammo there will be plenty of
people carrying backpacks & rifles that will be easy pickings
if the desperate need arises.

 

[Walter Rego]

My suggestion would be a Model 63 stainless Kit Gun, 4" barrel and a box of MiniMags.

 

[Peak53]

Evening Peak53

Not a pistol or revolver made to go up against an AR
or a AK & those are probably going to very prevalent
in a real (need for weapon) emergency.

It looks to me that if I would have a need for revolver
in .357 all I would need to do is quietly sit in the
shadows & wait for someone carrying a backpack to wander by.

I don't want to look inviting so no backpack or
rifle hanging over my shoulder.

Stealth is going to be my survival friend in a REAL
emergency requiring a weapon for survival.

Good Evening Wolverine
Guys like you scare me The rules of the game were "handgun." But I don't play by the rules. In actuality (or fantasy) I wouldn't leave home without the aforementioned M 65 AND a high capacity rifle. Be careful out there

 

[wolverine]

Good Evening Wolverine
Guys like you scare me The rules of the game were "handgun." But I don't play by the rules. In actuality (or fantasy) I wouldn't leave home without the aforementioned M 65 AND a high capacity rifle. Be careful out there

Evening Peak53

In a real weapons-needed emergency there are NO RULES, nada.

I'll be the person that you never see in daylight & probably
won't see ever, even if I need something that you are carrying.

To my way of thinking carrying a rifle just makes a person a target.

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
You duds are being nice.
You are likely to run what you carry so you need a fair amount.
If you find ammo "just laying around", you will find a gun to shoot it.
Resupply, is for the "Good times".
The amount you need will be less than you think.[you will not be plinking].
Use what works in YOUR area/application.[one shot, one kill -you should strive for]
In this case the best light rounds are the 22 mag and 117 hmr.
Least weight for the punch.
After that, if you reload, a 32 or 38/357 best use of powder and lead.
Shotguns are lead hogs, most modern rifles need jackets.

 

[zzclancy]

My part of the country in would be two revolvers, a 44 magnum and a 22.

 

[Arm]

If I were to bug out then one of my 4" 28-2 would be with me, however, I have a large clan with a set perimeter, I will stand my ground. Yep.

 

[patrickd]

While my 586 is a beautiful piece of finely crafted machinery, for my end of the world bug out revolver it would have to be my 4" GP100 .357 Mag. Not that the Smith wouldn't do, but should I drop it in the mud I'd need tools to open it up to clean it out. The Ruger is a modular gun that's built like a tank and needs no tools to completely disassemble.

 

[Nedroe]

This One is Easy....

327PD. N frame, 8 rounds of 357 Mag, O weight to speak of.

That is exactly were mine is now. There is a Walther P22 in there also, because of weight.


Ned

 

[Mr.Harry]

Fascinating responses thus far. I appreciate them all and will weigh them carefully in my decision making as a 'new' gun will get purchased to fit this particular .... ready status? I.e. - live in a bag with a bunch of other ****, just in case! Lol. Kind of like a lame-duck insurance policy. It is enlightening to see the differences in perceception of 'survival' and approaches to preserving it; right out of the gate per se, in different posters reasonings for their selections. And the sub-text in those responses. I knew folks took this stuff very seriously, it's just interesting to see the different directions they take in doing so. And how that might effect ME. Still leaning towards 617 and ten round cylinder.

 

[629shooter]

327PD. N frame, 8 rounds of 357 Mag, O weight to speak of.

That is exactly were mine is now. There is a Walther P22 in there also, because of weight.


Ned

I wish that model was still in production. Most of of the time I'd say that the 4" tube is more useful/effective with magnum loads, vs the 2" "pug" they offer now. Let's face it an N-Frame is a big gun.





Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[BC38]

3" K-frame 357. M65, M66, M13, M19....
Concealable, balances well, points naturally, long enough sight radius for accuracy, long enough barrel to get good performance, heavy enough to handle recoil, light enough to carry all day, & will shoot mouse-fart 38 specials or dragon's-breath 357 magnums - and anything you can get or load in between those two extremes - and shoot them all equally well.

 

[BarryinIN]

Sidestepping all the detail questions and just picking a good general purpose gun that could be dropped in the pack and left until needed, I'd say:

Either a model 65, probably a 4".
Or a model 63, 4".

I can see a good argument for either.

 

[lrrifleman]

This is an interesting FTX. First, I am looking only at the revolvers that I have at hand, being realistic.

I would resort to my S&W model 36-6 3" Chief's Target Special in 38 Special. I would also pack a mold for a 158gr SWC, my Lyman 310 tool with dies, a sleeve or two of primers, and some WW231, along with 100 rounds of ammo.

I would use my 36-6 for pure defense, with the intent of dropping any threat, then seizing their weapon and ammunition. Being a revolver, I won't lose the cases,so they should be available for reloading.

 

[Mr.Harry]

3" K-frame 357. M65, M66, M13, M19....
Concealable, balances well, points naturally, long enough sight radius for accuracy, long enough barrel to get good performance, heavy enough to handle recoil, light enough to carry all day, & will shoot mouse-fart 38 specials or dragon's-breath 357 magnums - and anything you can get or load in between those two extremes - and shoot them all equally well.

This makes a lot of sense to me, let's refine the search within my stated desires and purposes - SS revolver, let's say k-frame at heaviest, excluding 9mm, 617 in 22 long or a 38/357? You have to understand this is assuming I WONT be lugging around an N frame, and have a high caliber rifle or shotgun slung over my shoulder simultaneously. Much I as might like to. And I'm not an 'AR' guy. So, within the parameters I expressed. Really it s down to the two I mentioned....

 

[Mr.Harry]

This is an interesting FTX. First, I am looking only at the revolvers that I have at hand, being realistic.

I would resort to my S&W model 36-6 3" Chief's Target Special in 38 Special. I would also pack a mold for a 158gr SWC, my Lyman 310 tool with dies, a sleeve or two of primers, and some WW231, along with 100 rounds of ammo.

I would use my 36-6 for pure defense, with the intent of dropping any threat, then seizing their weapon and ammunition. Being a revolver, I won't lose the cases,so they should be available for reloading.

Jesus! Thinking more about getting away from people than taking their stuff. Sure, I don't want them
taking mine either, but I think the whole intention of 'bugging out' is escape rather than 'engagement'.

 

[Mister X]

I think the idea of having to legitimately bug out is rather improbable, but if a scenario occurred where it is actually warranted, I would assume things are really, really bad for whatever reason. In such circumstances, I would assume many people would likely be violent and/or desperate. There may be a lot of people who are not easily deterred. As such, I just wouldn't feel comfortable with the limited capacity and slow reloading of a revolver.

Even against a single determined attacker(someone who will not stop until you actually physically stop them), I'm not all that comfortable with the capacity of a revolver and it would only be compounded in some type of bug out scenario.

In normal circumstances, the majority of common criminals are deterred by the mere sight of a firearm or flee as soon as the shooting starts, but we are not discussing normal circumstances, so you can't expect the usual results and responses. It can take a lot of rounds to stop a lone determined assailant. There are numerous documented cases with many caught on video. I could even see some measure of suppressive fire being useful in certain instances.

As I said before, it's all pretty far fetched stuff IMO and I'm not making any plans or preparations myself for such events, but if such a scenario did occur, I think a high capacity 9mm semi-auto makes the most sense.