What would you consider to be the top 5, must have, S&W revolvers.............

M17 (Have) (Plinking, small game, training, fun)
M15 4" (Have) (House gun, IWB carry, jack of all trades)
M25-2 Jovino Special 2.5" (Go to for daily carry)
M28-2 6" (Have) (Because a .357 really shines at 6" plus)
M29-2 6.5" (Deer/black bear and when you really want to hear ka-boom)


All blue except the Jovino, which would have that hard dark-stainless finish we used to put on our M19s when M66s were impossible to get in the 70s. Armalloy? (Suffering from CRS this morning). That's my story and I'm stickin' with it!

* This is the "retirement" list. If I were to get back to looking for trouble on a daily basis the 28 or 29 would be replaced by my 642 (no lock) as BUG to the Jovino.
 
K-22 6" for target shooting/plinking
K-32 6" for target shooting
27-2 5" for BIG target shooting
686 4" for versitility
632 2" for pocket carry
 
12-3 2 inch barrel
19-4 4 inch barrel
37 1 7/8 barrel
36 1 7/8 barrel
29 4 inch barrel
 
Rick,
As far as I am concerned you have asked two totally different questions in your posting.

Your title says "What would you consider to be the top 5, must have, S&W revolvers"

But the text of your message says "pure shooters. If you could only own 5 S&W revolvers.....what would they be"

Those are not the same lists. Further you limit the shooters to revolvers. Two of my five shooters would be semi autos. The model 41 and the model 845.

If I could only have 5 S&W revolvers and they all had to be shooters it would be:
6" K22 of any engineering revision
6" Model 57 of any engineering revision
2 1/8" Model 60 Magnum Chiefs Special
5" Model 627PC
5" Model 500

Now the top 5 must have S&W revolvers would be:
K22
K38
Model 19 Combat Magnum
Model 27
Model 29

The truth is I could never have just 5. Too many wonderful S&W products would have to be ignored.

I see your point but what I was trying to get across was that I wasn't looking for guns that was going to be safe queens for possible future investment. I was just curious to see what the favorites were going to be as shooters and carry pieces. I guess I was also looking for guns that the everyday collector/user could find. I wasn't looking for someone to put their five down and then find out that they were "1 of 10" or incredibly ornate and $10,000 guns. Thanks for your observations. Also, I intentionally didn't mention the semi-autos because it's my personal preference for revolvers. I like the semi's but wheel guns are my favorites and this is kind of a way for me to see what other, more knowledgeable collectors like and for me to seek some of these out and shoot 'em. The fun part so far is that some are really diverse and in some you can start to see a pattern of favorites.

Rick T.
 
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29-2 Nickel 6" cased. Gift From my dad.
29-2 Blue 6" cased. My first 29, unfired.
29-2 Blue 4" cased. My first 4" N Frame, 1971 mfg.
27-2 Blue 3.5" cased. Only 3.5 and was hard to find.
24-3 Blue 3" boxed. Beautiful gun with all extras.
I am a retired fire chief (public servant), and don't have the resources to buy everything that I see or like. Those listed above aren't the only ones that I have, but they are, for whatever reasons, my five favorites!
DLB
 
My observations at this point.........

1) Really kind of surprised at how popular the 22 cal. model are. they seem to come up in quite a few of the top 5.

2) surprised that the Model 19 combat magnum doesn't come up more often. Also the 686, model 66 and 65.

3) There seems to be no love for snubbies? A few of you have mentioned that they would have one for CCW but many of you left them out all together.

4) The hammerless models seem to show up quite a bit. Surprising to me as they are not my favorite (just a personal preference) and I think the humpbacks are hard to look at.
 
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In no particular order

Model 10 four inch
Model 17or 18 six inch
Model 29 six inch
Model 57 six inch
model 66 four inch
 
pre 17
reg mag 3 1/2"
1953 22/32 2"
mod 60 2"
mod 29 6 1/2"

I will not include my 3" mod 13 Rb, or my mod 58, but I'm not getting rid of them either.:)


Charlie
 
My observations at this point.........

1) Really kind of surprised at how popular the 22 cal. model are. they seem to come up in quite a few of the top 5.

2) surprised that the Model 19 combat magnum doesn't come up more often. Also the 686, model 66 and 65.

3) There seems to be no love for snubbies? A few of you have mentioned that they would have one for CCW but many of you left them out all together.

4) The hammerless models seem to show up quite a bit. Surprising to me as they are not my favorite (just a personal preference) and I think the humpbacks are hard to look at.

The poster asked what we thought the must have S&W revolvers were for shooting in our collections. I listed the 5 that had to be in my collection and I also own a whole bunch more. Heres a few like the pre Model 36 snub nose, 64 no dash with 2 inch barrel, 686 with 6 inch barrel, Model 10 with 6 inch barrel, 25-2 with 6.5 inch barrel and yes I have 6 S&W 22LR revolvers because next to model 27-2's they are my favorites. I'm sure many of us up here have way more then 5 S&W revolvers and couldn't image only owning 5 so we stated what were our must have revolvers.

It's because we all have the S&W sickness you see.
 
My list is very much like most of the others....

- M17 6"
- M629 5"
- M28-2 4"
- M625 (.45ACP)
- M66 2.5"
 
I haven't researched allot of Sw revolvers But I did shoot a NICE one at my local gun range. Couldn't tell you what model but I believe I would want to own at least 2
1 6" 357 and 1 either 4" or a snubby featherlight. I think these are all a must have.
 
I am going on the basis of S&W revolvers--shooters wheather collectables or not.
First is a list of the Calibers I want:
.22
.32
.357
.41 mag
.44 mag
I defer with this thought on three of them as they double for 2 differnt cartridges each.
My list of models---which goes into more than 5--hey, its my list--and they are all blued:
K-22--6 inch
K-32--6 inch
M28, 586-4 & 5 inch
M29--6 inch
M629--6 inch
Blessings
 
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1950 Target .44 Special 4"
M24 3"
M29 6"
K22 6"
K38 4"

This is my general purpose shooting list. If you narrowed it to a more carry oriented list, a steel J frame and a 4" M21 .44 special would replace the K22 & K38. Also a Colt 1911 5" Commercial Model would have to slip quietly in there too :D

I also like to keep (cash allowing)a 10/13/64/65 around as a lender/trainer gun. If you have a first time shooter or someone who just forgot to bring a gun, usually they are cheap enough you don't have to worry too much about letting someone use them. As well, they are a pleasure to shoot.
 
The poster asked what we thought the must have S&W revolvers were for shooting in our collections. I listed the 5 that had to be in my collection and I also own a whole bunch more. Heres a few like the pre Model 36 snub nose, 64 no dash with 2 inch barrel, 686 with 6 inch barrel, Model 10 with 6 inch barrel, 25-2 with 6.5 inch barrel and yes I have 6 S&W 22LR revolvers because next to model 27-2's they are my favorites. I'm sure many of us up here have way more then 5 S&W revolvers and couldn't image only owning 5 so we stated what were our must have revolvers.

It's because we all have the S&W sickness you see.

Well, I may have been wrong to assume that most collectors top 5 would be the ones that they enjoy shooting the most. I'm sure that there are other reasons why certain ones made the top 5. I am new to the "sickness" and I'll readily admit that if I don't have one, I want one! I still favor revolvers at this time and maybe later I'll get into the ACP's. I DO have a weakness for snubbys, I have a 19-2,Blued that is amazing and I also have a 686-3 stainless that is really nice. I was curious to see what the general consensus was on other models as I continue to round out my collection as others become available. I admit that I'd eventually like to have a .41 or .44 cal just for the "Big Bang Theory." Love to hear that thunder.

Rick T.
therick
 
Mine have a bit of diversity:

17-3: 6" bbl .22 range gun
19-3: 2 1/2" bbl .357 serious carry
29-2: 6 1/2" bbl .44 hunting and target
37: 1 7/8" bbl .38 lightweight carry
3: 6" bbl .44 Russian, a classic antique
 
Mine have a bit of diversity:

17-3: 6" bbl .22 range gun
19-3: 2 1/2" bbl .357 serious carry
29-2: 6 1/2" bbl .44 hunting and target
37: 1 7/8" bbl .38 lightweight carry
3: 6" bbl .44 Russian, a classic antique

Yep, that is kind of how I picture my first 5 or favorite 5.
 
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