If you bought a new S&W recently and love it... tell us!

[QuercusMax]

I bought my first Smith in February - a 617 6". It was also my first revolver.

As I reported in another thread, it came with an odd cosmetic defect in some of the lettering, but I've had it out 3 times now and it shoots just great.

In each session my accuracy has improved, to the point where I am now more accurate than I was with my previous favorite, my Browning BuckMark.

I didn't like the heavy trigger in DA mode, but I've warmed up to that too, and can actually achieve tighter groupings in DA mode than in single, much to my surprise.

The 617 is my new favorite!

 

[Edmo]

Not the gun I bought, but the gun I ended up with.

This is the replacement J-frame S&W sent me to replace a new BG38 Bodyguard which wouldn't work. I think I'll be much happier with this 642 than with the Bodyguard.

This gun is a new-in-the-box "post-lock" 642CT (642-1). Sorry if the cell phone pictures are a bit grainy, but they were taken right after I got the box home. I'll get it to the range this weekend and see if she shoots straight.

OBTW, I think they have 5th graders working in the grip installation department... The grip screw was goobered up! I dressed it up with a file and stone after the pics.

Nice handgun, tight fit everywhere, and in need of some trigger time to smooth the action.

Edmo

 

[wheelyfun66]

Bought a new 340 M&P last fall.....
Zero problems. Great quality, fit and finish.
NO internal lock...
(excuse the 66 snub in the pics.....that now belongs to a forum member...what was I thinking?...)

 

[CWH44300]

Off to the gun and fishing pole store with a bag of rugers to trade, hope they have something in a blue box that strikes my fancy

 

[Adawi]

As a kid, I had the good fortune of having a dad who (among other things) was a firearms dealer. My dad, grandpa, and uncles had been gun traders for years before I was born too, so I've had access to hundreds and hundreds of firearms during my lifetime. I greatly admired these guys and their friends, and would sit for hours listening to all of them talk about guns; knowing when to be silent, and when to ask questions helped me learn a whole lot. I read everything I could find to boost my knowledge to fill in the blank spots that these guys were unsure of. I fired their guns, used their handloads, and built up a lot of my own recipes as newer powders and different types of bullets became available. As a kid my day went like this: Up before 5 to feed and water the cattle (winter time), breakfast reading Keith, O'Connor, Ruark, etc., off to school, back at home shooting, checking on the cattle, etc. till dark, then school work, reloading, or reading until sleepytime.

Here's what I've learned from the pre-Internet days through now: 1. You have about as much of a chance now of picking a lemon out of the bunch now as you did in 1978- you just have more options, currently. 2. Unless you purchase it specifically not to shoot, your "holy grail" gun may not live up to your expectations. 3. No single firearm will ever fit ALL of your 'possible' needs, but you CAN work with loads and such to make it better suited to what you need it for most of the time. 4. Hold on dearly to the gun that fits you best and shoots best for you, then explore its limitations with handloads until you know exactly what it is capable of as far as accuracy, reliability, and shooting comfort are concerned.

All of the above yap that you had to read has brought you down to the only part that directly answers the OP, and this is just an opinion on a gun from "some guy on the internet". About 4 or 5 years ago I bought a new 315NG and have put enough reloads through it (tried to keep track in case I had any problems, but quit after 3000 or so rounds), testing it to see what it and I can do together to perform harmoniously. I can truly say that this gun is the gun that covers 90% of what I need my gun to do in my environment. The rest is covered by a 2.5" 638, a .41, or a rifle or shotgun.

Sorry for the long post, but I've been waiting for this thread to appear for awhile!

 

[LL617]

Great 617

The first time I shot a 617, I fired one of the older six cylinder models. I then went on a search for a used 617 or a similar K model. I couldn't find one locally and hesitated to buy off the internet sight unseen.

My spouse got me a brand new 617 for Valentines. Great gun. It is well balanced, shoots smoothly, and was well sighted right out of the box. I really enjoy shooting with this revolver.

 

[Cicero]

I saw a new 21-4 in a local gun shop. it was a very handsome blued gun with a 4" barrel, rosewood Ahrend conversion grips and no TR logo(thank God). While looking at it I noticed a blemish on the inside face of the cylinder near the outside edge between two of the bores. The blemish is a small area of roughness about 1/8"-1/4" in length, 1/3 moon in shape, that looks to me like this little area was missed in the final finishing of the bare metal. As a mater of principle, I passed on this gun. People should't let things like this slip by. However upon susequent visits to the gun shop, that 21-4 was still there calling me. I kept going back the 21-4 hoping that the blemish really wasn't there. After some conversations with some very knowledgeable friends the consensus was; are you gonna shoot it? Or feel it and look at it? Against my better judgement, I bought the gun. Well let me tell you; this gun is a shooter at 20 yds with a 200 gr lead RN FP over 5.5 gr of Winchester 231. It consistently shoots groups of five a little over 1" with half of those groups showing clover leafs. My very first group with this gun showed two bullets missing the paper altogether. However upon closer examination I saw that all five of the shots hit the paper with three of the bullets overlapping into the same hole!
Despite my disappointment with the blemish, this gun may grow on me.

 

[RangeBum]

I recently bought a 686 SSR that has turned out to be a real tack driver, and just a hoot to compete with, and was presented with a 29 Classic 4" that is the most attractive gun in my safe. Sorry for the crappy pic....

 

[bigfreakinrevolver]

hi im new here and i bought three months ago a Performance Center 44 magnum hunter and it was my most modern s&w, i was so impressed with it last month i bought the PC 460xvr with the 14 inch fluted barrel and muzzle brake and bi-pod and just bought a Leupold scope for it! im still waiting to come home and play with it! originally my first s&w was a army air corp victory model love it too! and now looking for a bone collector with no luck so far.

 

[rman]

Model 60

I bought a NIB 3" Model 60 awhile back. When I got it, the rear sight was screwed down all the way and I couldn't budge it with an old S&W sight screwdriver. I just lived with it for awhile, but yesterday I took it to the outdoor range, along with a gunsmith screwdriver kit. I was able to move the sight up and shot some nice groups with some 40 year old W-W 148 gr wadcutter ammo and some American Eagle 158 gr lead round nose stuff. A lot of people complain about recently manufactured Smiths, but this little revolver is accurate and has a single and double action trigger pull that would rival my 1950s and 60s Smiths.

 

[chicagoslim]

I bought a new M637, with an IL, and couldn't be happier. It's stronger, lighter, has better sights and a smoother trigger pull than my 30 year old M60.

 

[Cat91]

I have a Model 27-9, 4" blue, came out of the factory at the end of June.

It's a great shooting gun. The polishing isn't perfect and the bluing's a little splotchy. But I'm like Cicero-I got it to SHOOT it. And it's great, it shoots to minute-of-criminal at 15 yards and I have set the sights for seven yards with minimal adjustment and it is more accurate than I am. The action is smoother than my 1985-vintage Model 29-3, and it feels good and balanced in the hand. And firing standard .38 Specials on the range, it has absolutely no kick at all. It is very confidence-inspiring. It feels good in the speedloader drill, and I don't worry about banging it up because it has absolutely no collector value whatsoever. It's just a really nice revolver. I feel safe with a good, solid .357 Magnum revolver in a way that I really never have with semi-autos.

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

I picked up a 640 Pro Series a couple of months ago and love it. Best J-frame I have ever owned!

 

[olds442guy]

I bought a 6.5" blued 29-10 about 6 months ago and love it. The finish is perfect, it works flawlessly, and it's extremely accurate. I've put 800 rounds through it so far with no problems. It's my first handgun and I will definitely be looking to buy more Smith and Wesson revolvers in the future.

 

[Kilibreaux]

I purchased a new Model 500 6-1/6" a few months back. I was a little concerned it would be too big, too heavy, and too powerful thanks to so much exaggeration on the internet, but lo and behold it's a pretty well-balanced, not too heavy, and not at all too large piece of modern engineering mastery!
The finish is a brushed stainless that I would classify as "mmmm-ok" but the details...the things that make it capable of containing the pressure of a 60K psi cartridge, as well as the ergonomics...THAT is top drawer in all respects. In the past ergonomics were far more hit or miss, but this M500 is clearly built to fit the average human hand. This enhances the perception of control over the weapon as well as actual sense of balance. The 6.5" barrel points superbly and hits EXACTLY where it is aimed! The single-action trigger is CRISP with zero take-up and maybe 3 lb....or maybe I've just gotten too used to the average modern auto pistol trigger. Double action is amazingly short, with a stiff initial stage that tapers into the let-off. The revolver is entirely comfortable to shoot double-action using stout loads.
The only downside might be the size of the cartridges. They are so large one cannot grab several in the hand and quickly charge the cylinder. Luckily there is a speedloader made for the M500, and NOT for any pretense but for the practical aspect of having 5 of the large shells ready to go to charge the cylinder fumble-free.
The M500 is INDEED a handloaders dream because that is where the real fun of the round lies...from mild to wild, and even testing a few less conventional types of ammo thanks to having a gargantuan straightwall case as foundation.
IF I were into handgun hunting, the M500 would BE the handgun. IF I go into bear country, the M500 WILL be with me. I grew up "in the woods" and learned early to rely on a large sixgun - the most powerful we had access too at the time (.44 Mag with top HANDloads), and I've faced a few dangerous animals in my time...the S&W .500 will pretty much bust any bear skull wide open, or put a heavy slug through him "end-to-end," and that's the whole point of carrying it in the back country.
All hype aside, the M500 is a wonderfully designed and executed, MODERN revolver, chambered for a MODERN Magnum round, and considering the power it delivers, amazingly compact.

 

[HK-N-THE-HOUSE]

640 Pro Series and a Shield 9mm.

 

[ejeli]

M&P40; M&P22; PC627; PC625. All good in quality and shootability.
e.

 

[WrongWay]

I learned long ago not to love inanimate objects. Having said that the following Smiths have all been purchased this year, and I LIKE them very much:

29-2


29-6


642


M&P 40 Pro


M&P 40c

 

[ruger-p94]

I was able to pick up a model 13-3 nickel in perfect condition with original grips and holster. I got rid of the small grips and put on a set of rosewood altmont combat grips for the range. The gun fires like a dream and very accurate and balanced. Not the gun I was looking for...I wanted a larger 357 or 44 magnum for the range that could fire the hotter loads but the 13 will have to do for now. Smith sure makes good revolvers...cheers

 

[Odinkar]

I bought a 638 in March. It had the 2 1/2" barrel that I had been looking for. By the time I got the money and went looking for one I found out they had been discontinued in tha style. I check some gun stone in Wichita and found two just alike except for the price. I really like it as my new BUG. The longer ejector rod makes a world of difference. I"m not real wild about the crimson trace grips, but all in all a great fun little gun.