Need help choosing good 1st Revolver for a beginner..

[N7BLW]

I'd start with a 22 rimfire. Little recoil allows one to gain some skills before having to deal with more noise, etc.

 

[Matt_X]

He did mention Charter Arms and also Taurus tracker. Any thoughts...

Already posted my thoughts, or mor precisely my experience with Charter's Undercover and why it dod not seem like a fit for your your priorities.

Lastly he told me to watch out for shavings, he explained the timing issue. I had no idea.

The relationship of the 'hand' to the 'ratchet' effects timing, and it may show up as spitting lead out of the cylinder gap, or in worst case, primary won't be hit. If you're buying used, then IMO its worth paying more for a gun that's been inspected or you know is really hardly used. Even if it is, go through one or more of the checklist for inspection so you develop familiarity.

The people I worked with used +P+ in their Model 10s. No idea of the history of the ones I shot but they were spittin' lead bad enough we just sent them in for repair after a few cylinders. Its why we were there, but thought they would be OK for a little range time. K-frames in .38 Spl from Federal agencies I'd avoid without planning on repairs. LOL

The Victory I bought cheap had a yoke issue that effected alignment. It still shot OK but me being me I corrected it. You look at the ratchets and you'll see if they've been mucked with.

I "Thanked" him of course and as always "Learn something new everyday". Great old school guy..

Always good in my book. Even when it ends up being that I learn to take that person's advice with a grain of salt.

 

[Matt_X]

Was approx. as an 8-year-old skinny kid.

Ended up with a Glock G45.

Since then, have went down the rabbit hole.... but I do my research and research and rent before I purchase. 1911, Mossberg Shotgun, SW Shield Plus, TX 22, Ruger 22, SW BG2.0. Member at Indoor range, try to go at least twice a month. Consider myself an average shot, my son says I must have been a cowboy in a past life due to the fact that I shoot better one-handed.

See what's at the range and try some revolvers and go from there. If you got a lot of arm strength and big hands then maybe a .357 chambered L frame is fine. Or maybeyou find that your tired after a dozen aimed shots.
There's a lot of comments about .38 spl being expensive. That's all relative. It's more expensive than .22 LR and 9 mm, but there are other calibers that are noticibly more costly per round.

 

[pedropcola]

lol. All things are relative but 38 compared to 9mm is expensive. A quick check at SGAmmo (one of my go to’s) has factory brass 9mm for about $230 a case. 38spl brass case starts around $399 (they have some overstock closeout stuff from a brand I’ve never heard of but S&B was 399). I don’t care how you define relative that is waaay more pricy. 22 is waaay cheaper than either.

If cost was no object then he wouldn’t have stated a price limit in his OP.

38 ain’t cheap. It’s that simple. Yes, other ammo is pricy. 357 Sig. 10mm. 338 Lapua. In the standard handgun world 9mm is the cheapest center fire. To say otherwise is disingenuous.

 

[Matt_X]

If keeping down ammunition costs is an important factor, that would really narrow down the revolvers to be looking at. However I read nothing more to the expected purchase price of the revolver than an expectation of cost. He already owns a .22 and is member of a range. Others have mentioned some other calibers that revolvers can be had in. All of them have ammunition that costs in the same ballpark or more.

From a popular on-line store, some costs per round of name brand brass center fire pistol cartridges.

32 ACP
PMC. 71 gr FMJ 0.45/rnd
Win 71 gr FMJ 0.46/rnd
Fed Win 71 gr FMJ 0.50/rnd

.380 ACP
Win 95 gr FMJ .29/rnd
Magtech 95 gr FMJ .31/rnd
PMC 90gr .35/rnd

32 S&W
Magtech 85 gr LRN .575/rnd

32 S&W Long
Magtech 98 gr SJHP .60/rnd
Fiocchi 97 gr FMJ .84/rnd

32 H&R Magnum
B H Cowboy 90 gr LFN 1.00/rnd

327 Magnum
Fed AE 85 gr JSP 0.82/rnd

.38 Spl
Magtech 158 gr LRN .36/rnd
Fiocchi 130 gr FMJ .395 /rnd
Rem 158 gr LRN .41/rnd

.357 Mag
PMC 148 gr JSP .50/rnd

.44 Spl
PMC 180 gr JHP .84/rnd

.44 Magnum
Magtech SJSP .68/rnd
Win 240 gr JSP .76/rnd

.45 ACP
Win 230 FMJ .35/rnd
PMC 230 gr FMJ 39.5/rnd
Fed AE 230 gr FMJ .45/rnd

9mm
Magtech 115 gr FMJ .21/rnd
Win 115 gr FMJ .22/rnd
PMC 115 gr FMJ .25/rnd

.40 S&W
Win 165 FMJ .27/rnd
Fed AE 165gr FMJ .325/rnd

10mm
Magtech 180 gr FMJ .42/rnd
Win 180 gr FMJ .45/rnd

Of course prices can vary widely. My LGS/Range is currently charging signifcantly more for .380 acp FMJ than .38 Spl FMJ. Maybe due to local demand or maybe due to his distributors. I recently bought 158 gr reloads from a reputable company for 25 cents per round plus shipping them the same number of empty shells. I can be cheap too.

YMMV

 

[coneologist]

It's a lot less demanding finish for your care and attention and while more shiny, it's not like blued guns can't reflect light. Some 600 - 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper can take out scratches (if you're aware of the grain pattern of the original finish).

The best revolver for a beginner is a .22. Whether you buy an inexpensive Heritage or a Taurus, or a high dollar S&W or Colt, you can`t go wrong with starting with a .22. It will make the recoil easier to get used to, since there will hardly be any. That`s just me. DM

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

All things are relative but 38 compared to 9mm is expensive.

For most people you only need one box per live fire practice session. Most new shooters do dry fire practice. Daily or weekly but YMMV.

 

[Kasian]

For concealed carry purposes - while waiting for NYC CC license, I am considering S&W 638 ( SA/DA) vs 642 (DA only). 638 has
snag-free enclosed hammer for single-action. Both are lightweight (14.6 oz), 1.88" barrell. Both can safely fire both standard .38 Special and .38 Special +P ammunition.
Pic 2 - 638
Pic 1 - 642

 

[DARE]

Sounds like you are looking to have something for self defense. No advantage to a 9mm that I can think of. If you want a revolver, choose a revolver caliber. .38 Special or .357 Magnum are probably most popular. A .357 Magnum will also shoot .38 Special. Some prefer a larger caliber for self defense. Probably .44 Special or .44 Magnum most popular. Same as on the smaller caliber, you can shoot .44 Special in a .44 Magnum.
Might think about starting with a .22 LR and then get something larger caliber later. A .22 will be easier to shoot and more economical to feed.

 

[jammer216]

@Matt_X Thanks
Of course the cost is important. Pricing similar here in Ohio. I have purchased online when free shipping. But mainly buy locally.
@SGT ROCK 11B
Definitely dry fire it's training, getting used to the weight, ergonomics, trigger, and helps with break in. Years of wrenching, have taught me even though a piece of equipment/tool are the same each is slightly different. Every purchase I have made I always read the manual, disassemble, clean / lube and dry fire before hitting the range. Just makes sense to me...

Looking forward to finding something which works best for me..
Still compiling a list I want to try, fingers-crossed the range has them for rent.. or borrow from co-workers.
(subject to change of course)
SW 586/686 4"
SW Model 19
Ruger GP100 357 4"
Charter Arms Pitbull 9mm
Taurus Tracker

too be continued...

 

[ajaxinfinitum]

617, 10 shot .22LRmag. Scary accurate.

 

[Law-dog]

Wow! Very appreciative of all the recommendations and reasoning. A whole lot to digest and consider. It does appear the majority are recommending the SW 686. Not sure of the stainless though, how is it in the sunlight? Maybe the blued 586. Looking forward to next range trip and renting a few models that have been recommended. In the meantime, here is another question. DA/SA or DA only? Which would be best to start with? The wrangler I have in 22 is SA only. Fun plinker, so glad I saw Hickok 45's video/demonstration on cylinder gap blast avoidance. " Thank You" to all. Joe

Get the DA/SA. I became a CCW instructor in 1996 and from that perspective, I would never under any circumstances start a new person on a SA handgun, there is just too many times when you might need or want the SA option.

The only reason for a DA only gun after the striker guns were common starting in 1990, Glocks, is for the small internal hammer guns you carry concealed in a pocket, and the reason is many people fumble the draw and catch the hammer on the pants as the draw or the jacket if the draw from a jacket pocket.

DA only also is lousy as a self defense tool, the reason is very, very simple. For DA shooting to be very accurate, you need two hands on the gun, in a home invasion for example, you only have one hand on the gun, the other with a phone, or light or opening doors or holding back the dogs or kids. You CAN shoot the DA/SA either way.

Also, when shooting at distance, the SA is the only way to make great shots. I carried wheel guns in law enforcement, I shoot everyone made well, and I have both carried and used them in harms way outside the US. There is simply no value in a SA only.

When I train people for self defense, we do it all DA, except for about 10%. I require my students to fire at a silhouette at 50 yards, just like we did in the 2 police academies and one special agent academy I attended. I give them the option of how to shoot the gun. As you guessed, 100% of them do those 6 rounds single action. If you doubt the need at all, simple try shooting something on the ground with one hand like you might have in a home invastion. Something like a golf ball at 10-15 feet. Fire all 5-6 shots in the gun and see how many times you hit it with one hand single acton and one hand double action. Then, you will understand why that "option" is preferred.

If you happen to hike or spend times in places with snakes, I have a funny story. We were walking along a train in north Texas, intended to clime a hill and call coyote just as the sun went down. A buddy was carrying multiple items, a rifle, a flashlight and other items. He stepped on or straddled a rattler and it coiled between his legs. It was not large, maybe 2 feet, but he legs were should width apart, the snake coiled and moving in that area. A strike to the leg or groin was likely, so we just paused for a minutes, the snake did not go away.

He had a model 19, loaded with full power 357 (he should have had snake shot in that area). So, with both hands full, he jumped quickly backwards, drew and fired 6 times. Gravel and rock and debris going all over us. When the dust cleared and we all got back the snake was fine, and a couple rounds from a 9mm ended his journey.

My point is that guy was a cop, and a good shooter, but when shooting fast double action with only one hand, he missed a snake only 3-4 feet away, all 6 times. Would he hit it in single action? Actually if he had cocked the gun just one time and aimed, he probably would have.

Just some thoughts. I remain with the guys that say, define your use. If CCW is likely, any 2-4 inch K frame in 357 or 38 is fine, or any of the J frames, and as before, Taurus Charter and others are find. And of course your 9mm quest is fine as well.

Good luck to you. Handguns become more than a hobby over time. You have a Wrangler, good choice, keep it forever or replace it with a similar gun, they are great trainers. I have a Single Six, same thing. When you acquire your second gun, hopefully you will choose another one that you keep a lifetime and fills a mission for you, and so on with the third and future handguns. They become a hobby, but like art but they have functions that you interact with. Not many toys or hobbies do that in our lives. It is not about the cost or brand or any status a gun might have it is about he enjoyment that you get for owning that gun. And of course they are the tool that repels violence in our world.

Good luck and enjoy, I will bow out now.

 

[Malkovich]

I suggest buying 2 revolvers. Buy a medium frame revolver for training and target practice. If you like it and become proficient with it, keep it for home defense and buy a small frame snub revolver for carry.

If you get a Smith and Wesson, try to get one without a lock. If you buy a used Smith and Wesson revolver, keep in mind that the older ones sometimes have narrow grooved triggers that can be painful to shoot in double action. I much prefer Smith and Wesson revolvers with wide smooth triggers. Some of the older Smith and Wessson revolvers may not be compatible with +P ammo.

I also recommend buying the book "Defensive Revolver Fundamentals" by Grant Cunningham. It's available on Amazon.

I agree, there’s plenty to be learned by not only reading up on fundamentals, but gaining familiarity with these revolvers. I also a agree with familiarizing the person with both the medium frame K and the Snubbie J frame

 

[BornHereS&W]

Hey Guys, had a conversation with a co-worker yesterday and mentioned I am looking into revolvers. He said "Bravo" about time. His forte is 44 mag. revolvers, loves them. He did say great revolvers but not for me starting out. Since he knows the majority I shoot is 9mm. He did mention Charter Arms and also Taurus tracker. Any thoughts...

Lastly he told me to watch out for shavings, he explained the timing issue. I had no idea.

Hi Jammer, C.A. and Taurus have some nice new items I see at many shops. My fav is the S&W 10 or upgrade with 686, 586 much later when you're skilled with 357. Use the lower power 38 rounds for a while. Learn your revolver fundamentals. You'll be very pleased.

 

[duke2002]

Lots of good 38's out there. a nice model 15 can be had for reasonable money. Or a ruger service or security six. Or even a 357 black hawk. When i was young i bought what i could afford and theirs nothing wrong with that. Later in life i improved the quality of what i could afford.