Help me pick a 9mm revolver

[Revolver9mm]

Hi guys and gals,

Looking for advice from first hand users with the smith 9mm revolvers. This will be primarily range fun and am wanting to add a 9mm revolver.

Looking at the Miculek 929, the 986 2 inch? barrel, and the 986 5 inch barrel.

Personally i want a nice looking gun also yes that matters a bit to me. The short barreled 986 has beautiful looking wood grips. How far could one expect for accuracy though with the 2 inch barrel?

Not a big fan of that curve near the end of barrel on 986 5 inch...

Anyone care to share thoughts of each, personal experience, quality etc?

All are within a $100 or so of each other locally...

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I have the 986 and 929. The 929 takes my 986 hands down. It gave me the less fuss......

The 986 has more recoil. It being an L frame and a 7 shot titanium cylinder. The 929 has a longer barrel and is a N frame 8 shot. Easier to hit targets at longer distances.

All this being said im actually working on the 986 right now. Loads . Trigger. I wouldn't sell either.

Keep in mind on BOTH, that you must use moonclips! If you have any issues with them now, these are not your guns. These guns will not fire reliably without moonclips. (Although on a separate thread i proved you could, but not reliably). Using moonclips is an advantage as they beat speed loads of any kind otherwise.

I didnt do a trigger job on my 929 till i cracked the sideplate after 2k rounds! And it didnt really need it. The 986 pro had a 12# DA pull! And i had to do alot of work to bring it down. Shooting a light gun with a heavy pull will not make anybody shoot accurate with it.

Thats my take on these two.







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[Revolver9mm]

Thank you very much for the feedback. So you mentioned that the 929 has less fuss so did it have some fuss that you had to deal with and if so what?

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Thank you very much for the feedback. So you mentioned that the 929 has less fuss so did it have some fuss that you had to deal with and if so what?

I think it worked well for me out of the box. I didnt like the crown that i got with it and that led me to smooth out the crown. But that was just aesthetics in the end.

You can shoot WWB 115g (Factory). I did. I needed the cases to reload.

But thats it really. And i didnt need to do the trigger either. It was "heavy", but on a heavier gun you dont really need it. (And its not too heavy, but compared to the 986, its heavier)

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[Cal44]

The only one I have is a Ruger LCR in 9mm.

I like it, but if you are looking for a range gun, the Smith's recommended earlier are better.

As a carry gun, the LCR (any LCR) is great.

 

[Revolver9mm]

The only one I have is a Ruger LCR in 9mm.

I like it, but if you are looking for a range gun, the Smith's recommended earlier are better.

As a carry gun, the LCR (any LCR) is great.

Thx,. I was also interested in this model but figured I talk about the Smiths here thank you for bringing it up. I rented a 38 special LCR I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn door with it. Don't know if the 9 is any more accurate?

 

[Cal44]

Thx,. I was also interested in this model but figured I talk about the Smiths here thank you for bringing it up. I rented a 38 special LCR I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn door with it. Don't know if the 9 is any more accurate?

I have only the steel framed LCRs. 9mm, 357, and 327 Federal.

I do the best with the 327 Federal.

I would expect the much lighter LCR 38 to be harder to shoot.

It's as accurate as a similar weight small J frame.

 

[USARMYSPEC4]

I have a 986 9mm 5" bbl that I use for steel shooting. Most of the shoots I attend allow only 6 rounds in the gun so the 7th is an empty hole. When I attend larger shoots where there is no round limit I can load it for 7.
I love the 986, but after putting a green fiber optic front sight on, polishing the inner parts and backing the mainspring screw till I had 7.5 lb. trigger pull. Great shooter.

 

[Revolver9mm]

Guys what could i expect for a reliable distance of accuracy on the 986 2.5 inch barrel? One gorgeous gun...

 

[murphydog]

A 2.5" barrel revolver has the same mechanical or inherent accuracy as one with a longer barrel, meaning shot from a solid rest single action. Its practical accuracy, meaning how well it works with you, depends on a lot of factors (stocks, trigger pull, short sight radius). Practice a lot!

 

[TAROMAN]

Any of the S&Ws will need some polishing and tuning for a really light and smooth action.
My 986 is a steel gun (7 shots allowed here) tuned really light. All I use are my handloads with Federal primers.
Can't imagine how a revolver could be more fun.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Any of the S&Ws will need some polishing and tuning for a really light and smooth action.
My 986 is a steel gun (7 shots allowed here) tuned really light. All I use are my handloads with Federal primers.
Can't imagine how a revolver could be more fun.

Those look like bayou powder coated........what diameter are you running? .356?

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[forrestinmathews]

Get the 929. 986 is a waste of time if you ever shoot competition. 8 shots is always better than 7 unless they're on the no shoot.

 

[jdickson397]

Have you considered a used S&W Model 547? It has a special extractor set up that will extract 9mm brass. It does not require moonclips and, in fact, will not accommodate them. Very interesting revolver and unique.

 

[Revolver9mm]

Have you considered a used S&W Model 547? It has a special extractor set up that will extract 9mm brass. It does not require moonclips and, in fact, will not accommodate them. Very interesting revolver and unique.

I didn't.. not sure how rare they are sounds nice though...

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Like said above;a 2.5'' bbl is as accurate than any other bbl lenght.It is practical accuracy that is the question here...and the answer belongs to you.Lots of practice involved if you want to shoot it as accuratly as a 6''.Practice,practice and be ready for lots of frustrations!But it can and has been done...but not by me!
Qc

 

[TNZ71]

I was hoping S&W would make a 9mm Bodyguard revolver but settled for this. $350 used but unfired

 

[slabside2]

I have only the steel framed LCRs. 9mm, 357, and 327 Federal.

I do the best with the 327 Federal.

I would expect the much lighter LCR 38 to be harder to shoot.

It's as accurate as a similar weight small J frame.

+1 have the 38 and 327 love them both.

 

[H Richard]

I have a 940, the J Frame hammerless snub nose. I will relate it is not a "fun" gun to shoot, there is something about the 9mm in a revolver that makes a very sharp recoil. It needs Pachmayer compact grips to have any enjoyment from shooting it.

 

[xuout1]

I'm still waiting for Smith to make a nice looking 4" full under lug traditional looking 9mm revolver instead of the space age looking race guns. If you wanted a gun to shoot and go up in value try to find a old s&w 547 9mm revolver. Only problem with them is no moon clips.

 

[washerman]

Charter Arms has a 9MM revolver. Model # 79920. No moon clips required...Have 2 Charter revolvers and the 6 shot Police Special 38 is my EDC

 

[Wee Hooker]

I will relate it is not a "fun" gun to shoot, there is something about the 9mm in a revolver that makes a very sharp recoil. It needs Pachmayer compact grips to have any enjoyment from shooting it.

I would agree. That has been my experience with the three J frame sized 9mm's I've owned/shot. Notably stiffer recoil than their 38 special cousins anyway. Grip choice are everything in these small 9mm's.
That said, I've also owned a 929 and currently own a 986. Both these bigger revolvers seem to have stiffer recoil than their 38 cousins here as well. Note punishing by any means, just noticeable. Some will blame the titanium cylinder's reduced weight. I think it's a mix of lighter weight and higher pressures. Reloading heavy bullets with fast powder helps. Advantages of the 9mm are that they load in both the moon clip and (moon clip to) cylinder slicker than 38's. Ammo is slightly cheaper as well.

 

[mg357]

Charter Arms Bit bull 9mm revolver it can load and unload the 9mm cartridges Without the need for moon clips.

 

[NJM15]

929 works for me

Hi guys and gals,

Looking for advice from first hand users with the smith 9mm revolvers. This will be primarily range fun and am wanting to add a 9mm revolver.

Looking at the Miculek 929, the 986 2 inch? barrel, and the 986 5 inch barrel.

Personally i want a nice looking gun also yes that matters a bit to me. The short barreled 986 has beautiful looking wood grips. How far could one expect for accuracy though with the 2 inch barrel?

Not a big fan of that curve near the end of barrel on 986 5 inch...

Anyone care to share thoughts of each, personal experience, quality etc?

All are within a $100 or so of each other locally...

9
My 929 has been with me a year already , accurate , problem free, except when I got it the ejector rod kept coming loose, a little thread lock took care of that

 

[digiroc]

Have you considered a used S&W Model 547? It has a special extractor set up that will extract 9mm brass. It does not require moonclips and, in fact, will not accommodate them. Very interesting revolver and unique.

I picked a model 547 to not be forced to use moon clips. I don't like moon clips, having tried them in my 640 Pro. For one, the only revolver reload I plan to use is a NY reload, going to a backup gun.

Having a 9mm revolver allows the same ammo to be used as my 3914 DAO which is my preferred carry semi-auto.

digiroc

 

[MWC2068]

I didn't.. not sure how rare they are sounds nice though...

They were made from 1983 to 1985 with a little over 10000 made it was in 3 inch and 4 inch prices right now are 1100 to 1800.

 

[MWC2068]

9
My 929 has been with me a year already , accurate , problem free, except when I got it the ejector rod kept coming loose, a little thread lock took care of that

This looks like a 986 to me?

 

[digiroc]

547 9mm 6 shooter ...

... It needs Pachmayer compact grips to have any enjoyment from shooting it.

I put Pachmayr Compacts on my 547 mostly for concealability but they feel good in hand. Have not shot it yet.

EDIT: Update, now I have fired the 547 to establish functionality and determine point of aim for my Hornady Critical Defense loads (115gr standard pressure lugar round):

The weapon is heavy compared to my 360PD but is very well balanced with the 3" heavy barrel. It points and shoots well, and once I get some white out on the ramp it should provide better and faster target acquisition.

I've been caring it inside the waistband in Appendix carry and it is surprisingly comfortable in that position.

The 915 I use for back-up is half an ounce lighter fully loaded with 18 9mm rounds, but the 547 comes out quicker from AISW and will be a superior point shooter because of the balance. In a gunfight I'll take the 547 as first to fight, but having the 915 for a NY reload is comforting.

digiroc