The Ultimate 'Workhorse Revolver' Thread!

[brainflood]

Do you possess a revolver that would no longer win prizes for cosmetic condition, yet has still managed to earn its rightful place in your heart (and collection too), that nevertheless you wouldn't consider being without?

I figure we need a thread that celebrates the venerable workhorses that so admirably bear their scars in testimony to regular use. Let's honour those revolvers that wear an assortment of dings and scuffs with pride, yet could still 'do the job' if asked to.

Give them an opportunity to shine once more and demonstrate that age hath not withered them!

Please share your pictures and stories with us below...

[Laketime]

I for one am looking forward to the pictures that this thread will produce.A worn blued revolver resembles a fine old pair of faded blue jeans.

[blue70chevelle]

S&W M&P post war. Carried for over 20 years in the NYPD before being passed down to his son who carried it for another 25 years with the Nassau County Sheriff's Dept. Original stocks have been gone for decades, so I put period correct stocks on it that match the condition of the gun. This picture actually makes it look nice. Has lots of wear and tear on it, but still locks up tight and shoots nice. If guns could talk, this one I'm sure would have some nice stories being carried by an NYPD officer in the 50's,60's & 70's..

[Xfuzz]

This old pre-29 1957 mfg.

[gmborkovic]

brainflood, that is the most eloquently stated thread I have ever read on this Forum. Oh, I just looked, you were educated in the UK. Oxford or Cambridge man? I too was educated in that sphere. Welcome to the Forum. Best, Mike 2796

[CajunBass]

Well, I didn't put the wear on them, as a matter of fact I haven't had them all that long, but somebody did.

Model 19, four screw (no dash)



Model 15-3



Actually the pictures make them look a little better than real life. All those shinky areas are pretty much bare metal.

Still, I have no doubt they're both ready to answer the bell.

[CO_Kid]

Here is my model 10-6 with my new old Jordan holster that my wife got me for Christmas. This is my carry gun until I can get a model 19 to take it's place. It is a retired VA DOC gun that I think saw some in house smithing. The action is smoother than butter, and notice the cylinder latch, someone shaved it down on the bottom side.

[Cal44]

I've posted this picture so many times people are probably tired of it, but here in my 28-2 that spent it's early life in the holster of a CHP officer.

It has holster wear on the sides of the cylinder and the end of the barrel, but it shoots great and, probably wasn't shot that much in it's work horse life.

[peepaw]

I don't know the history of this old pre model10, but I always thought it must have been carried daily for years. The right side stock is worn smooth over the top or rear and the inside stock has almost no wear. I can just see a police officer back in the day just resting his hand on the stock.

[JohnRippert]

This old .32 HE with Hunter leather has really been fun since I put some J frame target grips on it.

[Fredo Batali]

Here's a pre-Model 10 from the mid-fourties. It won't win any beauty contests but it shoots straight. It was wearing a set of late Magna stocks when I got it and it was missing the "bug" screw. I had the stocks on it now in my "stuff" box. I thought I'd throw in brand "C" too in .45 Colt, because I like it and it locks up tight and shoots straight By the way the Colt New Service is 1937 vintage. No QC issues here

[Donald Paul]

...with me 24 hours per day, every day for the past twenty-five years as part of my wardrobe. {It even sleeps with me}.
It's my CCW.

[DWalt]

One I picked up a few weeks ago, with about 50% of original nickel gone, but in great mechanical condition. I have posted it earlier, and it may become a favorite shooter. From 1927:

[brainflood]

Originally Posted by gmborkovic

brainflood, that is the most eloquently stated thread I have ever read on this Forum. Oh, I just looked, you were educated in the UK. Oxford or Cambridge man? I too was educated in that sphere. Welcome to the Forum. Best, Mike 2796

Thanks indeed Mike for your kind words. I was educated in London, but coincidentally, I do have a working relationship with the University of Oxford! Perhaps the place is finally beginning to rub off on me!

Here’s my own contribution to the thread. A 1962 6" Model 28-2. The stocks are not the originals, as I came by it wearing a pair of cracked Fitz staGrips. Thanks go out to a fellow S&W Forum member for supplying these to me a while back.

The previous owner had attempted (badly) to re-blue it, although through perseverance, Renaissance Wax has brought back a more natural lustre. I have no idea of its history, but does shows signs of holster wear and the serial number is painted-in, so perhaps it could be connected with law enforcement or such-like body? She crossed the pond back in 2010.

[ISCS Yoda]

Most of my revolvers - even my personal 34 year old one - are pristine. The only one I carry every day is a 642; it's not very worn looking even after quite a few years of pocket carry. The others play at the range, sometimes they go afield, but they're all in great shape. Except there is this one:

Smith & Wesson Forum - ISCS Yoda's Album: Revolvers - Picture

That was a used, Well-Fargo turn in that I bought for 150 bucks in the early 1990s from my LGS and I turned it into a primary house gun. Among others, because it's my watching TV house gun, not my bedroom gun, etc. It became a primary when I discovered, some years ago, that I could take the eye out of a fly with it at ten yards, it's that accurate. Not very pretty but it has a quiet, inner beauty all of its own!

***GRJ***

[Tom_R]

This well used 28-2 has fancy shoes, but it definitely a workhorse.

[sheepdawg]

Sorry, not an S&W but I'd cry like a baby if something happened to my usual carry, this 1974 Colt Cobra. Beat up but locks up tight

[savit260]

This old Warhorse has seen quite a few miles and Continents in it's travels. It was shipped to the Army in the last week of '17, and according to it's previous owner , spent some time in Vietnam during that conflict before it returned home to the States. Shoots 230gr ammo dead on to the sights and locks up tight as the day it was new. The finish is non existent, but all the Military markings are still crisp and clear.

[M3Stuart]

10-4 3" was an Aussie Victoria Police Department service gun.

[dscampbell]

Originally Posted by M3Stuart

10-4 3" was an Aussie Victoria Police Department service gun.

I love the 3" ex Aussie police guns.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jimmyjoe]

This is an Austin P D revolver

[bmcgilvray]

Here's a couple. I've owned 'em and loved 'em about to death since 1975 and 1978 respectively. They ought to be tuckered out but are always still game for anything asked of them. Wish their owner was still so keen always.

[Toyman]

A veteran of Kansas City PD shipped in 1939 . Been refinished at least once maybe twice but shoot like a dream.

[redlevel]

This'un is in my hip pocket right now.


I have carried this one off and on since 1973.


I rescued this 4-screw from a pawn shop a year or so back. Detail strip and clean, new springs, now it is my bedside gun

[Tracer_Bullet]

66-5 that I bought used. Not sure what the previous owner did with it but it is dinged and scarred up much worse then the photo suggests. Mechanically, it is like new, so it makes a great beater.
66-5.jpg

Michigan State Police 10-6, probably earned most of its wear riding in a police holster, still an excellent revolver and one of my favorites.
msp10-6.jpg

Ruger GP100 3", the photo was taken right after I bought it used. Since I bought it it has accumulated finish wear around the muzzle, right side of the barrel, and most of the edges. My favorite .357 for carry.
gp100 3inch.jpg

Unfortunately, I had to trade a model 49 that I carried for quite a few years because my eyes just couldn't pick up the sights like they used to. I applied the trade value to a 640Pro, so I'm not too heart-broken, but I do miss that 49 sometimes.

[armorer951]

This one surely qualifies as a workhorse. My old model 19.....started out as a 6" factory barrel gun that I used for PPC matches back in the 70's. Later converted to a 6" Apex barrel and Bo-Mar rib for the same purpose.
When I stopped shooting PPC 30,000+ rounds later, yet another conversion to a 2 inch ".38 spl." barrel....it's the only barrel I could get my hands on at the time. Also plated in electroless nickel. Carried for years until the department converted over to semi-autos. A little "seedy" for sure, but still one of my favorite handguns. Kind of a flamethrower with the 2" barrel!

[george_lehr]

My pre model 10 from around 1950. It shoots great for me and looks better and has nicer stocks than it did when I brought it home two years ago. Don't know anything about its past, but I'm sure that it was someone's workhorse.
It's the least expensive S&W I've acquired in the last ten years. I've got newer, prettier snubbies, but can't see where they'd be any more reliable.
George

[oldafsp]

My 1973 Model 15-3 Combat Masterpiece, I am the second owner. The original purchaser was a armored car driver who carried it every day at work for over 25 years.

The bluing is completely gone on the bottom of the trigger guard and backstrap. Bluing wear on the side plate from the holster safety strap, cylinder and muzzle. It was the perfect candidate for IDPA in Stock Service Revolver.

Installed a white outline .126 rear sight leaf, .312 smooth combat trigger and a slick action job with a Wilson Combat spring kit.

Not a beauty queen by any means, but one of the best handling Smith's that I own. It has won me over 25 first place finishes this year in club matches, and a 6th place finish out of 48 shooters in a bulls eye match.

[Wyatt p. Tato]

My small number of remaining revolvers all show significant wear just like these shown. I like them like that. Good thread, thanks for sharing