What's the story with new production?

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Seems like you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an AR or an M&P. Lot of guns from lots of manufacturers available right now. In some cases, there's a surplus. But not much out there for new S&W revolvers. Is it a matter of them switching production to the heavy sellers? Keeping an eye out for a 3" 686. Don't see much. I personally don't care for the non-fluted 3-5-7s. But that's about all that's new that I've seen.

 

[Rick_A]

They come and go. The production cycles through the models throughout the year. They are more focused on selling plastic pistols than revolvers.

 

[Ogie]

I bought a new 686 PLUS 3" this spring from my LGS. They did seem hard to come by though. The test casing envelope had a March date on it and I put it on layaway the first of April.

 

[Yorkie Man]

I would venture to say that the profit margin is greater with something that you injection mold versus machine out of a billet of steel.

I was forced to carry a Glock versus my 686 when the PD changed weapons and I never found the Glock's anywhere close to the accuracy of the revolvers. The first 40 I was issued left with 3 different serial numbers after I put 40,000 rounds through it, the only original part was the barrel all of the others had failed/broke.

 

[BigBill]

About 1 1/2 to 2 years ago my LGS had a sale on all s&w brand new N Frames for $599/$699. These IL N Frames were flying out of the cases.
The last time I was there I seen no new N frames.

Is the wheel gun that won the west dead? Is the top manufacturers of the best quality in the USA and known for quality revolvers around the planet losing ground to the plastic Tupperware pistols? Maybe we're becoming lazy and can't hold the heavy metal revolvers. I don't know.

I have metal pistols but prefer metal revolvers probably till the day I pass on.

Before I became ill I had arms like Popeye. I could pick up to 400lb machine parts and install them on the machines. Now I found it tough sometimes to pull back a 1911 slide I lost 66 2/3 of my muscle mass besides 70lbs. Now what little exercise my arms are back to about 50% from the norm. Soon I'll hit the gym. My point is do us old geezers like me find the metal pistols and revolvers heavy? Or are the younger guys going with the lighter plastic pistols too? Is it the lower cost that factors into the equation?

So it's the lighter weight pistol, cheaper cost, could it be some peer pressure too? Like everyone is going that route?

Once I get around again I'm going to the range and rent a plastic pistol in 45acp/40cal.

Maybe it's hard for people like me who were weened on steel handguns since 1975 find it hard to change.

 

[BigBill]

I would venture to say that the profit margin is greater with something that you injection mold versus machine out of a billet of steel.

I was forced to carry a Glock versus my 686 when the PD changed weapons and I never found the Glock's anywhere close to the accuracy of the revolvers. The first 40 I was issued left with 3 different serial numbers after I put 40,000 rounds through it, the only original part was the barrel all of the others had failed/broke.

Your a LEO and forced to carry a glock. You had parts that failed so let me ask do you trust this gun when your life depends on it?
I hope you carry a backup.

I had three brand new Remington 1100 12ga shotguns jam up right out of the box while running the bolt by hand. I purchased it for bird hunting in Vermont in the area with the highest kill rate for black bears. The 4 1100 functioned fine "but" do I trust it in bear country? Since the store wouldn't give me my $$ back I left and pawned it.

 

[racknrider]

Semi's are cooler and cheaper. Revolvers are your dad or granddad's gun. Cops and military personel carry semi's. Semi's have way more capacity. More semi's on TV and in movies.
I don't think the revolver will die, but it's glory days are definitely over.

For the record, I own 6 semi's and 1 revolver. Most of my friends only own semi's except for a hand me down revolver here and there.

 

[Owen49]

just watched a recorded episode of "Guns & Ammo T.V." & they showcased the new Model 69 (.44 Rem. Mag. 5-shot L Frame) & the new Model 66 Combat Magnum.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Seems like you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an AR or an M&P. Lot of guns from lots of manufacturers available right now. In some cases, there's a surplus. But not much out there for new S&W revolvers. Is it a matter of them switching production to the heavy sellers? Keeping an eye out for a 3" 686. Don't see much. I personally don't care for the non-fluted 3-5-7s. But that's about all that's new that I've seen.

Supply of most revolvers has been slow and spotty for over a year now. J frames (including no-lock 642s) are back in stock at Sports South LLC, one of the big distributors. The Classic Series, and basic revolvers like the 64, 67, 617, 686 and 629 are still difficult. M&P pistols and rifles are in good supply.

 

[Yorkie Man]

I wasn't allowed to carry a back up.

 

[DR505]

I started with a 4" Model 27-3. Over the years I carried many others such as a 627, a 686, various 1911s, and now a Glock. I've seen both revolvers and semi-autos break, from every manufacturer. They are tools with moving parts that wear out, so they will break. I would feel good carrying either a revolver or an auto, as long as I trained with them. I almost always carry a back-up since things tend to go wrong at the worst possible time.

Smith & Wesson will produce whatever firearm is in demand at the time. They are in business to make a profit, plain and simple.

 

[RevolverDen]

just watched a recorded episode of "Guns & Ammo T.V." & they showcased the new Model 69 (.44 Rem. Mag. 5-shot L Frame) & the new Model 66 Combat Magnum.

I saw that episode as well. They mentioned both were early version production guns with markings indicating they had to be returned to the factory as both shooters joked about wanting to keep them. I can only presume that was recorded months before it actually aired, , but I have seen several of the new Model 66's and just one of the 69's to date..

 

[rwsmith]

3" 686s

3" 686s are the most desired configuration and yes, the ones that are out there tend to get snapped up and they bring top dollar. I would have preferred a 4" but ended up with a 6" because of price and availability. I still love it though.

 

[RevolverDen]

Semi's are cooler and cheaper. Revolvers are your dad or granddad's gun. Cops and military personel carry semi's. Semi's have way more capacity. More semi's on TV and in movies.
I don't think the revolver will die, but it's glory days are definitely over.

For the record, I own 6 semi's and 1 revolver. Most of my friends only own semi's except for a hand me down revolver here and there.

Started my Police career in the 80's, we carried model 15's which for many of us swore by it as a tack driver of a gun. One of the most finest shooting revolvers I ever had the pleasure of carrying. I later carried a Sig P226 which while a fine gun was not nearly as accurate or consistent than the Model 15, and it wasn't from lack of marksmanship or practice, it simply was inherently less accurate than the Model 15 S&W. Same goes for the Glock models that followed. In late '96 I went back to carrying a revolver as my on-duty backup (M442) and have been carrying one either in my pocket, on my hip, or on my ankle ever since.

As a matter of fact, the M442 served as my sole carry gun when working plainclothes and in undercover stings such as the time I was part of undercover operations working in conjunction with the County D.A.'s office and UPS when I had to pose as a UPS driver delivering goods purchased with stolen credit cards. I relied on that 442 when I was the only one at the door having the perp sign for their stolen merchandise and then having to pull the perp from the door as the arrest team behind me came in to secure him. That 442 was at the ready in case anything went bad. So that should speak to my confidence in it for its reliability to function not just as a backup, but at times as a primary carry where concealment was paramount.

As a matter of fact, that 442 did a lot of time as a boot gun when I was aboard the Harley as well. I still own it, but have sort of given it an honorary retirement, not because it's not ready to go through thousands of rounds of ammo, merely for sentimental reasons of its service to me.... A gun for sure that I will pass along to my son.

 

[stantheman86]

Because they are selling tons of M&P's, Shields, Bodyguards, snub Airweights and AR's.....

The average new gun buyer isn't looking for L frame .357's, they still seem to sell all they make.

 

[Kiteman72]

3" 686s are the most desired configuration and yes, the ones that are out there tend to get snapped up and they bring top dollar. I would have preferred a 4" but ended up with a 6" because of price and availability. I still love it though.

I got lucky and managed to snap up a new 686+ at the big gun show last weekend (and it was my birthday too, life is good ).

Anyway, another dealer had a couple 2.5 inchers and another had a 6 inch 686, but I think I got the only 3 inch model. I tried to do my usual expert wheelin and dealin but I found these guys to be rather inflexible on price. They knew they had hard to find revolvers, and didn't want to come too much off MSRP.

But like I said, I was still able to make a deal. My usual dealer said he had no idea when he would be able to get me one, and I didn't want to wait. As was stated earlier in the thread, the steel frame revolvers seem to be in much shorter supply than, say, the airweights. I missed out on a couple of 3 inch model 60s cause I didn't have the dough to pull the trigger at the time.

This time I didn't miss out, good luck on your search for one!