Is asking Colt or S&W like asking Ford or Chevy

[F75gunslinger]

I like everything. No sense to me to have have "brand loyalty" to one manufacturer, as there are so many different kinds and types of firearms. Same with vehicles. I do tend to like one make or another for various things that I have in my collection, but that is more that it fills the role asked of it better than any other.Not a brand thing.

 

[Absalom]

Why not both!!! Every revolver collection needs a S&W Model 10 and a Colt Official Police. The most issued police handguns in the 20th century.

A 1977 Model 10 (nickel) and a 1956 Colt Official Police (only Colt revolver I have.) Ginger would be the nickel M10 and Mary Ann the Colt.

Yes! This thread does need more pictures!

 

[DWalt]

My preference has always run more toward Colt revolvers and I have more of them than S&Ws. One of the very first handguns I bought way way back when was a WWI Colt M1911 .45, and I think that's why I trend toward the prancing pony. I still have it and still shoot it. Along the way, I have accumulated several dozen additional Colts, mostly revolvers, a few which are in the "rarity" category. But I shoot S&Ws more than Colts. Even though my "carry" gun is neither a Colt nor a S&W, if I were to carry a revolver it would definitely be a Colt Detective Special over any S&W product.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I have Colts, S&Ws, Rugers, Dan Wessons, Winchesters, Remingtons and Marlins.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Since others have expressed opinions, I'll express mine.

Both S&W and Colt produce first-rate revolvers. They have some real (but fairly small) differences. Opinions differ on most of these differences, as to which is better.

First off, the Colt cylinder revolves the right way, the S&W the wrong way, with the result that the Colt locks up well (actually better) without even having any lockup on the front of the ejector rod. OTOH, the S&W DOES lock up the front of the ejector rod, which is good enough, and it appears that it is easier to maintain an S&W than a Colt, mainly because of the failure of the Colt experts to maintain body temperature.

During the time that revolvers were used for CF in National Matches (thirties to early fifties??), I believe that Colts dominated, NOT S&Ws. If so, this was probably due to better lockup, better barrels and at least equal SA triggers.

Some folks think that cylinder release on a Colt is less ergonomic than that of an S&W. They are wrong. If they had been instructed by Mas Ayoob, they would have learned that the Colt thumbpiece is best activated by the INSIDE of the the right thumb knuckle. I am not absolutely sure that it is faster than the S&W, but it is certainly not slower.

IMO, the major (or sole) remaining difference is DA trigger. For most of us, especially paperpunchers, the S&W DA trigger pull far outclasses the Colt. But if you ever had occasion, or might have occasion, to draw a revolver and aim it at a BG before you absolutely knew that you wanted him dead, you might find the Colt DA pull a [understatement] little [/understatement] safer than the S&W DA pull. The S&W pull is not only smoother, but it will also go off as a surprise. This definitely contributes to small groups on paper. It also contributes to surprise one-shot groups on human targets. The Colt DA trigger does not ordinarily contain a surprise element. You want that sucker to go off, you have to keep on working at it.

There are REAL differences between the two types of revolvers. Fairly small, but important.

Your choice.

 

[daddio202]

For me its simple economics. More of a Chevy vs. Porsche type of comparison. S&W has so many more models available and many more revolvers out in the wild with affordable prices, it is simply cheaper to collect S&W vs.Colt. Dont get me wrong I have a couple Colts in the stable but being so late to the game just begining to collect 5 years ago, I just run across lot more S&W bargains than colts. I feel you should really have good knowledge also and I find the history and mechanics of S&W more easy to digest. Either way they both made some great revolvers in the day!