Recent content by zorba

Scooter123 makes a good point: it might be more difficult and expensive to make two precision parts than one. My thought was that the manufacture of the simple round barrel liner should be a relatively simple straight forward process, while the manufacture of the shroud should be easier than...

The six shot 686 .357 mag is nice for nostalgia, but there is no good reason not to give yourself the small advantage of the the 7 shot cylinder since it's the same weight and size and costs only slightly more. One inexcusable design flaw which S&W continues to perpetrate in its 6 shot...

Good luck with it. I also have a J Point sight mounted on my 629 Classic and one on my 629 with 4" barrel. Very effective target, hunting, and field sights.

I think the .357 mag. or .38 special 135 gr JHP Gold Dot short barrel ammo is an excellent choice. The shooting mentor who had the greatest influence on me was a WWII retired Army Ranger who had worked with Applegate to develop marksmanship training programs for the Rangers during WWII. He was...

It is my understanding that the Model 620 revolver was introduced by S&W as a replacement for the much revered Model 19. As near as I can tell, it is not really any lighter or better handling than a 686. The only feature that seems reminiscent of the Model 19 is the partially lugged barrel. I...

Yes, it's true. I bought mine directly from S&W several years ago for about $30. It's a one piece Hogue grip which screws on from the bottom. Unlike most Hogue grips, it completely covers the backstrap with a soft cushioning layer of rubber. It fits my large hand perfectly. It cushions...

I have used 140 gr. JHP and 158 JSP with conventional cup and core construction fired from a 4" barrel model 19 on mule deer bucks at ranges of about 50 yd. Both were one shot kills with the buck running less than 25 yd. when hit. I now consider the .357 magnum (from a 4" barrel) inadequate...

I have killed coyotes with a .22 LR in both a handgun and a rifle. It has always taken more than one hit. On one occasion I was attacked by a rabid coyote. The only weapon I had was a 9 shot Hi-Standard Sentinel which I quickly emptied into him. I hit him 7 times including two in the face...

Like many other shooters, I did the "shooting out lead with jacketed bullets) thing for over 20 years, and I believed it worked. Then a master gunsmith and former barrel maker proved to my satisfaction that it does not (always) work. He had even cut sections out of old barrels to demonstrate...

It's hard to imagine a better SD .44 mag load than the Gold Dot Short Barrel ammo: 200 gr JHP at 1100 fps from a 4" barrel. Mild recoil combined with good expansion and great accuracy. Greater velocity or energy is neither needed nor desirable for this purpose, but the 210 gr Silvertip load...

In a .44 mag, I like Win silvertip jhp 210 gr (1200 fps from 4" barrel) and Gold Dot Short Barrel 200 gr JHP with special large hollow point for low velocity expansion (1100 fps from 4" barrel.) Both give mild recoil and good accuracy in 3" and 4" barrel revolvers. I haven't tried them in...

Every time I have seen this issue discussed, almost everyone has focused on legal issues and how it might be used against a shooter in court in an attempt to make him look less responsible and more bloodthirsty. I am aware that no one has demonstrated an actual case where it clearly made a...

It is rare for M&P strikers to break. Do M&P strikers frequently break? I have checked with several knowledgeable gunsmiths and other reliable sources. The most frequent comment has been, "A broken M&P striker? I have never seen one nor have I ever heard of one." Apparently the problem with...

Two months ago, the striker (firing pin) in my M&P 9 broke while dry firing with a snap cap. My gunsmith ordered a new replacement striker from S&W and was told they were out of stock. The gunsmith has checked back with S&W every week for two months, and they are still out of stock. I have...

I would recommend the standard 629 with a 4" barrel. Yeah, I know it's too heavy to use for ccw at home. With a 4" 629 you will have a good all around field revolver that is fairly comfortable to fire factory magnum loads. Invest a little extra in a good holster and a quality stiffened gun...