Collection HOLE (sell me on a K frame choice)

[sprscientist]

65-5 ladysmith has been my favorite k frame so far. .38/.357, bead blasted, forged parts, fixed sights, 3" medium heavy barrel, shrouded full length ejector. Its a great combination of accuracy, carry, weight, etc.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

You need a pre-Model 10 two-inch round butt.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

 

[wood714]

66

 

[Sevens]

As you already have a fantastic revolver for .357 Magnum in your 686, I think a great K-frame choice is a 6-inch Model 14, K-38 Masterpiece.

My second choice would be a 4-inch heavy barrel 10 or 64.

The Combat Magnum (19/66) are over rated and they under deliver.

 

[Jim Sharp]

Model 18, if you can find one. The 4" bbl makes the K-22 just about perfect. Model 19 (like so many others).

 

[steelslaver]

You have got a good big bore, and a carry gun in the 36-7. The L frames 357 are probably the most durable/practical of the 357s

So, while the model 19s are great guns, as are the model 15s and 14s, your not increasing your versatility much with one of those. Although a snub 19 or 15 are a even a model 10 would give you another carry option over the J frame, the only real advantage is 1 more round and in the case of the 19 a bit of a step up in power. The trade off for that 1 round is they are heavier and bulkier.

All that said, I would recommend a model 18 or 17. In the shooting world nothing improves your ability more than practice. This goes 3 fold for handgun shooting. You can buy 22lr way cheaper than 38 specials. Right now at SGAmmo you can get 5000 Winchester 22lr for $170 plus shipping. Thats a bit of shooting. You can't load 38 specials for that kind of money. Primers alone are almost 3 cents. Low cost, low recoil and noise trigger time. Shoot targets. find a spot in the hills, place small targets around, (ping pong balls, the little nylon slide boxes ammo comes in, pop cans) walk around shooting at different ranges and angles. Single action, double action. Please clean up after yourself. Ping pong balls are remarkably durable and move around great, so you have to follow them with your gun. If you can bounce one with every shot in a cylinder your doing great. No rabbit is safe from you and your K22. Fried Cottontail, Yummy.

A model 18 and a lot of bricks of 22lr did more for my shooting than any other gun.

 

[Green Frog]

No S&W collection is complete without a K22, (Mod 17).

Once again, I find myself in the same chapter if not on the same page as Brother H. Since you already have that Stainless Model 686+ with heavy barrel lug, the K-22 I would suggest is Model 617 with that same style barrel and a 10 round stainless (not aluminum) cylinder. It would be a great understudy for the 686, a great shooter in its own right, and in more ways than one it would fill a gaping hole in your collection. See, wasn't that an easy choice?

Froggie

 

[JayFramer]

M64 4" service gun, .38.

Good enough (still) for the Illinois Department of Corrections, who still use it to this day for prisoner transport duty.

 

[JayFramer]

M64 4" service gun, .38.

Good enough (still) for the Illinois Department of Corrections, who still use it to this day for prisoner transport duty.

 

[Andy Lowry]

Absolutely, definitely, 100% model 19 or its predecessor. 10, 15, 67, and so on are all great, but the 19 has mystical mojo powers that will put a spring in your step, cause strangers and friends to admire you and name their children after you, and allow you to go longer between oil changes. I can't keep mine in the bedroom because the sparkling rainbow coming out of the barrel keeps me awake.

 

[Kurusu]

To me, the best K frame representative would be the model 10. The direct descendent of the first K frame.

A model 14 or a 15 would do alright too.

A .357 chambered K frame, and again to me, represents a "perversion" of the original design.

That's my opinion only. You may disagree with it, but you won't change it.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Lot of bases covered with the 3 you have....... but you are missing a .22.

So I've got to vote for a Model 17 or 18 ...... the 17 is slightly better for the range or hunting due to the longer sight radius ..... the 18 is a great under study to you L frame of just as a "general purpose" carry .22.


After that I'd recommend a 2 1/2" or 4" 66.

 

[mcap1655]

Model 19 for all the reasons stated.

 

[Bumpus13]

What's it for besides filling the whole in your collection, if anything?

Probably should have mentioned that.

I'm looking for a K frame to fill the hole and for range fun. Not concerned with finding another carry gun (have a few already that serve that purpose)

I'm really liking the idea of a blued 6" representative here.

Leaning towards a Model 19, but part of me keeps whispering Model 17 in my own ear.

 

[lkabug]

The Model 10 is iconic as a Smith can get.
Sure there were hundreds of thousands sold. Could all those people be wrong?
Just simply said......any Smith collection without a model 10 just isn't complete.
Perhaps not the most powerful, but the pre 10 and the model 10 is what put S&W on the map. You gotta have at least one.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Probably should have mentioned that.

I'm looking for a K frame to fill the hole and for range fun.
......................., but part of me keeps whispering Model 17 in my own ear.

Listen;it seems you know what you want!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Well, I was all set to defy everyone's logic till I read your last post.

You said: 6" and range.

K-38 Masterpiece or Model 14.

There, too easy.

Yeah, you could go for the .22, but you already have one.

 

[austintexas]

M-48 in 22 Magnum. You already have a 22 (Ruger) but a 22 Magnum would round things out with a different caliber and still a K frame.
SWCA 892

 

[KalamazooKid]

Well, I was all set to defy everyone's logic till I read your last post.



You said: 6" and range.



K-38 Masterpiece or Model 14.



There, too easy.



Yeah, you could go for the .22, but you already have one.

This would absolutely be my choice for just pure fun. This is a 14-3 from 1974. And you can still get them at a reasonable price.

Plan B would for sure be an "all target" M17. I'm not sure why I waited so long to add a few of these, this one's a no dash from about 1960. Happy hunting!

 

[kscharlie]

Trust me, you do NOT want any K-frame revolvers. Why, you might ask. Because they are 10 times more addictive than heroin!!! Geez, I was happy and content having a Model 17 (that I bought new in 1980) for 35 years. Then I woke up one morning in 2015 and decided I wanted to "create" a K-frame collection. That led to wanting an I-frame collection, then a .22 collection. .22/32 HFT, .22/32 Kit Gun, Outdoorsman, K-22 Masterpiece, K-22 Combat Masterpiece, and on and on. And, you know what? I have so many holes in my collection I drive myself nuts trying to decide on what the next one is going to be!!! You come here asking for advice. This group of enablers is only going to make things worse for you.

(Hope you realize that I am only kidding. Sorta...)

Whatever you decide, I can guarantee that after you obtain your first K-frame, it will not be your last.