My name is Red, and I Own an IL Revolver...

[Alx]

Revolvers are full of dust-collecting holes and cracks. You have a muzzle hole, 5, 6, or 8 chamber holes, 2 large cracks between the cylinder and frame, a slot behind the cylinder, plus a gap behind the trigger, all just waiting to collect dust. Why worry or even talk about the small and smaller holes left by the removal of all the IL parts.

 

[akr]

You have a point. How is everything in the great state of Tennessee?

 

[bhk]

Dang, I sure hope they never add a fourth and fifth screw to the frames. Talk about ugly and useless!

 

[jspick]

That is exactly what I thought before I became more interested in S&W's

John

 

[haywood]

If you don't like the lock Take it out. My gun works fine. I never tried the lock and if it aint broke I wont fix it.

 

[akr]

Better look out, Haywood. Some of these mental giants will be calling you a lock lover. LOL

 

[marvin knox]

..............Let's just not be devided among ourselves. The messiah and queenP love for us to do that.

I hear you Ultramag!

But I do think that these spirited discussions can serve a purpose, if they aren't done to death.

No one should be unaware of the sign of the times that the dreaded lock sybolizes.

If you don't know what I mean by that statement - you'd better wake up and smell the Obama, cause you've been lulled to sleep somewhere along the way.

 

[phenson]

I'm in no way trying toi be a Smart A**, but I am really curioous. Has anyone ever had a S&W firearm fail due to the IL? First hand experience, not hearsay.
I own 2 IL's one of which is a beautiful case hardened 21-4. Although, I thought the IL was a more costly manufacuring item than Ruger throwing in a joke of a padlock with their firearms, it never has bothered me as much as some I've read on here. I'm 52 and I've been shooting S&W's since I was about 16. IMO, quality is as good as it ever has been since I started shooting. Just for the record, I am not a lock lover. I do love S&W revolvers, and I want to see them continue to be produced. Lastly my personal protection revolver is a S&W model 65 which was made before the IL was around.

 

[Landric]

The short answer to your question is yes, lots of people on this forum have experienced a lock failure, myself included.

 

[Poohgyrr]

Originally posted by RedBerens:
always wanted a 4" Target Model of 1950. Unfortunately, you all know how hard this gun is to find.

So, my name is Red, and I own an IL revolver…

I had to go back to the original post to remember what Red said. Thanks Red, I appreciate your post.

Well, my name is John and I have a few of these myself. I even sold a piece or two in order to buy 'em. The new ones are much cheaper and easier to find than the older ones.

After several years of pleading with SAW to bring back the 3 1/2" M27, preferably an eight shooter, I had to buy one.

It has done very well for me as a carry piece, in a Sparks VM2 or a Mernickle PS6DA. I really like this pistol a lot.

(Yes, when I was a kid, revolvers, derringers, and single shot handguns were all called pistols; they also made autoloading pistols back then.)

Also picked up a 642 I have wanted for many years. It is doing very, very well. You simply can not have too many J frames, especially the Centennials.

My real complaint with these new guns is not having more, I simply haven't gotten a round toit yet.

Here is one of my favorite wheelguns. With only about 500 rounds, it is accurate, reliable, and handy. I still plan to keep the others, they are as special as they always have been.

 

[Poohgyrr]

Here is the M27's right side. And the 642 would have been in this pic as well, except it is in my pocket - where it belongs....

 

[girvin02]

Poohgyrr, if I were to buy an IL gun, THAT would be the one! Very nice gun. Congrats.

 

[ladder13]

OK, I'm going to take the plunge. I simply love the M21 and don't have unlimited time on Earth to wait for a no-lock version.
Does this model qualify for the $50 rebate? If so, that makes the smell a little less onerous.

 

[rayb]

My 642-2 has the lock. I have not messed with it in any way.
So far it has been very reliable, assuming I clean it every few hundred rounds.
It is in my jacket pocket right now.

The only thing keeping me from buying more new Revolvers is that I can generally buy the older ones cheaper in comparable condition.

I would like to try one of the new released large bore revolvers, especially the .45's and the .41. Funds will be the determining factor. I do have a Model 58 on layaway right now.

rayb

 

[RedBerens]

Poohgyrr, I'd say we are both very lucky. We have a gun that stirs our souls and our imaginations. When I walk through the cactus and sage brush of my fields wearing it, I imagine it's how Elmer and Skeeter felt with their special guns. And really, isn't that what it's all about? Wearing a sidearm that makes you feel like a kid again, and reminds you of the guns carried by your heroes. More importantly, it also reminds us of how blessed we are to live in this great country.

By the way, I really like the grips you picked out for your pistol, but I don't recognize the maker.

 

[gunnut44]

RedBerens,Great Post! I do not own any IL revolvers, but when my gunshop ever gets a 3.5 27 in blue I will have one! I cant wait to see a Mod.58! Buy what you like and never mind what anyone else thinks. At least you are buying American quality goods and not some foreign crap!

 

[ultramag44]

Originally posted by Landric:
The short answer to your question is yes, lots of people on this forum have experienced a lock failure, myself included.

Landric, Could you please tell us about the failure you experienced? What happened?

Thanks

 

[Poohgyrr]

Originally posted by RedBerens: how blessed we are to live in this great country.

By the way, I really like the grips you picked out for your pistol, but I don't recognize the maker.

Absolutely, there are good reasons that people from all over the world still risk their lives to move here. Some of those people do not make it.

And thanks, those are my last set of new, old stock, Fitz walnut Gunfighters. The factory burned down in the 1970s if I remember right, and production never resumed.. The owner, John "Fitz" Paul, lives near me and we've talked at the range and home. He is a good guy and I believe still moderates the reloading section over on The High Road forum.

I haven't seen any more wood grips, or N frame or K frame Gunfighters, for sale for a few years now. Used target models, made out of the original synthetic "Duramite" can still be found on ebay fairly regularly.

You do have to watch out for some cheap copies, mainly of the real 1911 Target models that the old Bullseye and PPC guys used - these used originals still go for about $100 on ebay.

And yes indeed, carrying one of these is partly a tribute to those who have gone before us, and who helped us get to where we are. And it helps that I still shoot these better than many autoloaders..

 

[Landric]

Originally posted by ultramag44:

Originally posted by Landric:
The short answer to your question is yes, lots of people on this forum have experienced a lock failure, myself included.

Landric, Could you please tell us about the failure you experienced? What happened?

Thanks

Sure. I've posted about it before, but I think those posts got removed. I was shooting one of the new 22-4 1917 Classics at a S&W demo booth at a major IDPA match. Ammunition was factory standard 230 grain hardball. The revolver's IL engaged during recoil and prevented me from firing the next chamber. The folks running the booth took the gun from me, turned away, messed with it while I couldn't see what they were doing, and it became magically unlocked. They tried to play it off, and I didn't call them on it (after all, they were letting me shoot the gun for free), but I knew exactly what had happened.

 

[Stainz]

I've bought ten IL-equipped revolvers since 9/02, with only my first 625 having been sold - the rest are here and have never experienced a problem of any sort with that IL - no matter how hard I tried (I tried shooting limp-wristed, heavy loads, etc, with the key in and IL 'almost' on - it always reverted to off.). I don't like the IL, but it won't stop my buying a new S&W - there are some fine new offerings from S&W. I won't buy foreign-owned-S&W era guns from my poor experience with same... particularly Bangor Punta period, as they have been the most problematic here, QC-wise. Give me the current American-owned era guns!

Yeah, it is hard to admit that here... folks are very opionated re the IL - as they have a right to be. I also have that right.

Stainz